The new Chairman of CARICOM, Prime Minister of Barbados Freundel Stuart, announced last evening, that the Caribbean Community stands in solidarity with Guyana as it relates to a bitter row with Venezuela over a May 26th, 2015 maritime decree.
At a press conference at the closing of The 36th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, Prime Minister Stuart said that CARICOM will do everything in its power to ensure that Venezuela “plays by the rules”, according to a release this morning from Guyana’s Ministry of the Presidency.
The new CARICOM Chairman added that while the territorial controversy between Guyana and Venezuela is not new, CARICOM will do all that it can to ensure that peace and tranquillity is maintained in the region. Stuart said both countries are committed to a process and it is the Caribbean Community’s hope that the process will “work itself out”.
“What one has to aim for, as the (controversy) continues, is a cooling of tempers. We do not think that there can be any compromise so far as Guyana’s territorial border is concerned. It is part of a process and that process has to work itself out.” The release said that he however reiterated that given the fact that Guyana is an original signatory to the Treaty of Chaguaramas, CAIRCOM has to stand firmly behind Guyana even as it tries to maintain a good relationship with Venezuela.
In this light, the press release said that Stuart said that CARICOM is not prepared to pollute in any way their good relations between other CARICOM member states and Venezuela. However, he said, thus far both Guyana and Venezuela have committed to maintaining peace and the scope exists for an amicable resolution to the controversy. Going forward, Prime Minister Stuart said, “We have to make sure that the situation does not spin out of control and ensure that level heads are held on both sides”.
Guyana’s President David Granger, in response to questions about what message he will be taking back to the Guyanese people on the issue, said he will assure them of CARICOM’s support and their commitment for maintaining peace, the release said.
At the opening ceremony of the conference, on July 2 last, Granger presented Guyana’s position to CARICOM in his inaugural speech to the Heads of Government, clearly making the case for regional involvement and support for maitaining regional security.
CARICOM has now joined the growing chorus of voices which have come out in support of Guyana.
