Venezuela/Guyana dispute will not affect Dominica/Venezuela relations – PM Skerrit

Yellow depicts area of contention between Venezuela and Guyana
Yellow depicts area of contention between Venezuela and Guyana

Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, has made it clear that a current border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana will not affect Dominica’s relationship with Venezuela.

On July 6, 2015,  Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said he was calling in the country’s ambassador in Guyana for consultations in the midst of an escalating row over oil exploration in a disputed offshore territory.

In June, OPEC nations demanded that Guyana stop the progress of exploration which was being carried out by Exxon Mobil Corp off the coast of the region known as the Essequibo, weeks after Exxon said it had found oil.

Decree 1787 was issued by Maduro last month and a map was also produced which indicates that Venezuela is now claiming all the territorial waters within the 200 miles range and blocking Guyana’s access to territorial waters and resources in the area of the Atlantic Ocean and the Essequibo region.

Last week CARICOM Heads of Government called upon the Government of Venezuela, “in the spirit of friendship and cooperation, to withdraw those elements of Decree 1787 insofar as they apply to the territory and maritime space of CARICOM States.”

“So now there is some disagreement between Venezuela and Guyana, I do not believe that is a basis for us to cause any fracture to the relationship,” Skerrit said while addressing the closing ceremony of activities to mark the 10th anniversary celebration of the PetroCaribe agreement on Friday.

He continued, “As the Ambassador (Venezuelan) says that we can find and we will find, solutions through dialogue, through diplomatic discourse and I believe that we will find a way through that medium to seek to address the present misunderstanding between Venezuela and Guyana”.

He said that that difficulty notwithstanding, the relationship has not changed.

“The economic and social arrangement between Venezuela and Guyana still remain intact. Venezuela still continues to buy rice from Guyana, Guyana still continues to buy petroleum products from Venezuela,” he explained.

He added, “I believe it’s testimony to the leadership of the two countries, to the leadership of President Maduro to recognize that let us continue dialogue and find a permanent solution to this problem…”

The Prime Minister reaffirmed Dominica’s gratitude for the “love and friendship” which was extended by the late Hugo Chavez and has continued under the leadership of President Maduro.

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17 Comments

  1. UHURU
    September 25, 2015

    The stupidity of the Dominican voters can only be matched by the American voters !

  2. July 13, 2015

    I would like to inform President Maduro that we are not living in medieval times. You have stole the property of the tiny nation of the Commonwealth of Dominica which is bird island. Stop your aggressive policies and behavior against the nations which you perceive to be weaker than you. As for Mr. Skerrit he should not project an Image of himself that he will support whether you are morally or legally as long as he stand to gain or benefit from you. The nations in the Caribbean are enjoying peaceful relations with each other why now do you want the blight of War to visit the region ? Let us all pray that you are well in your brain.

  3. Tampa
    July 13, 2015

    It is often said that “he who pays the piper calls the tune”, so while the PM said that “we are satellite of none”, he had to wait until the Venezuelan Embassy here made a statement on the Guyana issue before he could say something. Observe the difference in the case of the Dominica Republic and Haiti as well as the blacklisting of Caribbean countries by the EU. He dealt with these two issues at his address to the press some weeks ago but avoided the Venezuela-Guyana situation.

    Where does his loyalty lie? With ALBA or with CARICOM/OECS. Something tells me it is with ALBA.

  4. John Paul
    July 13, 2015

    You already have so much oil MAD Duro and the Venezuelan People do not have paper to wipe but You want to claim all in front of Guyana and cause problems then You coming and talk about ALBA and Caribean UNITY and crying to us about Imperialism etc .Who is the Imperialist now?
    Answer the Question Please ! A a Ambassador crawl out of the woodwork and answer the question!

  5. John Paul
    July 13, 2015

    http://alba-tcp.org/en/contenido/statements-and-summits-resolutions

    Please read this You might find it interesting

    Political parties in Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Dominica, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda and Venezuela support this process of unity and integration. We attest to the need to coordinate efforts, articulate common policies, and exchange experiences. Thus, we shall prepare a joint Work Plan of militant struggle to achieve the strategic objective of the consolidation and projection of ALBA-TCP and the political, progressive and revolutionary forces comprising the Alliance.

    Why and how can we still be part of CARICOM or CSME when Skeritt has run off with ALBA,You think maybe a referendum would have been appropriate so that the Dominican People would know where we stand on this issue?
    See what else Mr. Skeritt is dragging us into

    In order to move in that direction, we agree to submit to the consideration of our national party…

    • John Paul
      July 13, 2015

      In order to move in that direction, we agree to submit to the consideration of our national party leaderships the following resolutions to be endorsed and implemented in the short term:
      1. Create an ALBA-TCP COORDINATING BODY OF POLITICAL PARTIES AND MOVEMENTS. This would be a Work Group composed of two representatives from each political party and movement, and would meet at least twice a year. It would be responsible for implementing and monitoring the joint Work Plan annually approved. Every country should hold the coordination annually. Coordinating bodies of the ALBA-TCP political parties and progressive and revolutionary movements will be implemented in each country.
      2. The priority in the joint Work Plan is to establish a mechanism for exchanging partisan experiences.
      3. Encourage the creation of an ALBA Parliamentary Body for the parliamentarians of our political parties and movements to meet and assess their legislative…

  6. the thief showing his false teeth
    July 13, 2015

    Yes, support the bully. You can give him permission to plaigerise the words dear to your heart and soul like “Get Out!”. ” Go to Hell!”. “It is none of yor dam business why I claim the waters” and “no law, not even the constitution can prevent me from getting what I want. From a scarecrow to a skerro is like from a bird to an unrecognisable monster.

  7. Erasmus B. Black
    July 13, 2015

    “CARICOM stands firmly behind Guyana… we do not think there can be any compromise ..” announced Caricom Chairman and PM of Barbados last week. And now the contextual question is: ” is it more important for some Caricom leaders to appease Venezuela than to support a fellow Caricom member state?

  8. Shaka zulu
    July 13, 2015

    Exxon mobile is a US company and is the world’s 5th largest company by revenue. They have enough money to support the whole of Caricom and Venezuela. It is also the second largest publicly traded company by market. That means it makes a lot of people loads of money. I say to Guyana if Venezuela makes any aggressive moves don’t wait for Caricom to request help from the US. After all there is a major US company involved and that is all the additional excuse they will need to send a aircraft carrier and a few good men to fix uncle Veny up. Skeritt is a waste of time.

    • TRUEMAN
      July 14, 2015

      My sentiments exactly !

  9. Francisco Telemaque
    July 13, 2015

    “Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, has made it clear that a current border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana will not affect Dominica’s relationship with Venezuela.”

    We expected nothing better from a puppet like you who has to kiss the but of the Venezuela for your personal survival. The people of Guyana has nothing to offer you. Since you are the handout recipient prime minister of the world! The difference of the Prime Minister of Guyana and a Mountain Chicken crapo brain like you is that he is not a wimp, and will do what it takes to prevent your friend and corrupt dictator from stealing Guyana’s territory.

    You rather crawl like the crapo at the feet of that Venezuelan, and watch him walk off with Bird island; while he laugh in your face!

  10. Titiwi
    July 13, 2015

    I hear you mr. Skerrit and you know what, I believe you. However the question is “will it affect our relationship with Guyana, and Caricom by extension ?” because your statement implies that you, personally, have already made a choice as to what side you support. You talk about resolving a problem, where there is none. I think the international community, supported by international law agrees that Guyana has first claim to that territory. Basta!

  11. Tenzing Norgay
    July 13, 2015

    This is not a border dispute. Venezuela is being a bully to our CARICOM brother. Period. The people of Guyana should be able to explore the resources that rightfully belong to them in the seas of THEIR coast, and we should stand on the side of truth, fairness and justice wherever that takes us.

  12. Tjj
    July 13, 2015

    I wa under the impression that Venezuela already lay cliaim to a matter settle a century ago

  13. Hmmm
    July 13, 2015

    Hmph!

  14. LANSAL
    July 13, 2015

    you are right mr skerrit, that is because you do not go to Guyana to beg.

    • Ideal
      July 13, 2015

      PM cannot bite the hands that feed him. He does not care about Guyana or Caricom He owes Venezuela
      so much that I think they own Dominica. You will hear him run his big mouth more as this this escalates.

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