PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The Trinidad and Tobago government hopes that the current border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela does not deteriorate further as it “would negatively damage all of us.
“I have no forecast as to how it would go. But I would not like to see the relationship between Venezuela and Guyana deteriorate to a point where consequent actions would negatively damage all of us because all of us would be damaged,” Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley told a news conference.
He insisted that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) region remain a peaceful zone.
“We are confident that the governments of Venezuela and Guyana would know that CARICOM’s position must be, and remain, a zone of peace, which is the best position for all of us.
“And secondly, we all know that even in the darkest hour, Trinidad and Tobago’s,” Rowley told reporters.
Last week, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) reserved its judgment to Guyana’s claim that it has evidence that Venezuela intends to gain ownership of the mineral and forest-rich county of Essequibo through a referendum on December 3.
Both Guyana and Venezuela made presentations to the ICJ during two days of hearing into the case relating to the 1899 Arbitral Award after Guyana, at its request, had said that the Venezuela government, through its National Electoral Council, had published a list of five questions that it intends to put before the people of Venezuela in a “Consultative Referendum” next month.
The 15-member CARICOM grouping, the London-based Commonwealth Secretariat, and the Organization of American States (OAS) have all rejected the referendum, stating that international law strictly prohibits the Government of one State from unilaterally seizing, annexing or incorporating the territory of another state and noted that the referendum would open the door to the possible violation of this fundamental tenet of international law.
Rowley acknowledged Trinidad and Tobago’s negotiations to access Venezuela’s natural gas in the Dragon field could be jeopardized by the border dispute between Caracas and Georgetown, saying, “There are always risks. It is like a nuclear reaction; you could lose control of it once it gets started.
“The Dragon gas that we are after, Venezuela has an interest there….We trust that all governments see it as beneficial to all of us, and we create that economy based on the God-given resources that we all have. To do that, we need peace, security, respect, and good wishes for each other.”
Asked by reporters how he views the December 3 referendum in Venezuela, Prime Minister Rowley said, “If any country understands the moral position of Trinidad and Tobago, it is Venezuela.
“Because it was a Venezuelan issue where Venezuelan lifeblood was at stake that Trinidad and Tobago took its most public and principled position,” he said, recalling the 1970 Port-of-Spain Protocol in which Trinidad and Tobago’s first prime minister, Dr. Errinidad and Tobago, Mexico, and Norway to Uruguay on a moral position, regarding opposition to efforts to unseat the Nicolas Maduro Government.
“Guyana knows it has the support of CARICOM on this matter, and Venezuela knows CARICOM supports Guyana on this issue. So, let us not overreact or overreach.
“I think we all know what is happening. It would be a tragedy if we misunderstand what is happening and mishandle it,” he said, reiterating that Port of Spain was present when the Venezuelan government faced challenges.
“The government of Venezuela saw us at work to know how we handled it.”
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