Raphael John-Lall
International relations practitioner, Dr. Raymond Mark Kirton, says Venezuela’s acts of aggression against Guyana over the years have impacted the economy of the English-speaking, South American country.
Kirton, who is Guyanese, made the point at a forum hosted the Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies, Valsayn last Monday on the Venezuela and Guyana border dispute.
Kirton, a former Ag. Director, Institute of International Relations, University of the West Indies (UWI) accused Venezuela of attempting to sabotage Guyana’s economy.
“Venezuela, since 1966, through its acts of aggression has signifcantly impacted the economic development of Guyana. Acts of aggression have included, but not limited to, incursions into Guyana’s territorial space, the seizure of Guyana’s fishing vessels, the arrest of a vessel conducting seismic surveys in Guyana’s exclusive economic zone as well as as threats to international companies wanting to engage in economic partnership agreements with the Government of Guyana.”
He also blamed the current Nicolás Maduro Government for increasing tensions and argued that Venezuela’s actions are because of Guyana’s emerging energy sector.
“We have now witnessed the Maduro Government’s unprecedented actions to hold a referendum and to reignite unity and patriotism in relation to the territorial claims and to gain new levels of legitimacy internationally. One cannot discount the emergence of the oil and gas sector and its potential links to this reemerging action by Venezuela.”
Kirton wants T&T and the rest of the Caricom to hold an urgent meeting on the emerging situation between Venezuela and Guyana.
“With diplomacy continuing to be Guyana’s first line of defence, it can be argued that given the unprecented levels of aggression and the statements about possible armed intervention and annexation, Guyana should immediately approach the United Nations Security Council to inform that body.
“Given the clear danger to the Guyanese citizenry, I think there should be an immediate special meeting of Caricom heads given the rising tensions and Venezuelan troop movement amidst statements about annexation.”
He said he believes T&T should look after its economic interests with regard to its energy and other economic relations with Venezuela.
However, he added T&T should work with the rest of Caricom to ensure that the border tension between Guyana and Venezuela does not escalate into a full blown conflict like a war.
“The impact of any of aggression would affect the region. If there is the liklihood of that, then T&T could be affected. There should be a Caricom response. Of course, T&T has its own interest like the rest of Caricom,” he told the Business Guardian in a telephone interview.
Rear Admiral (rtd) Gary Anthony Rodwell Best, who is a former chief of staff of Guyana’s Defence Force. also spoke at the Cipriani Labour College’s forum.
He told the Business Guardian by telephone that if there is an escalation and even war, it will have serious negative implications for the economies of T&T and the rest of the region.
“This will impact on the cost of living as money will be spent on a new conflict. There will also be a cost to a military buildup. An attack on one Caricom member state is an attack against all.”
Speaking during the Cipriani Labour College’s forum on Monday night, Best described Venezuela as a “hegemonic power” willing to break international rules for its own gains.
He also suggested that Venezuela’s PetroCaribe arrangement with Caricom countries to sell oil below world market prices to them is simply a way to manipulate poor Caribbean countries.
“In my view, the PetroCaribe initiative is being used by Venezuela as a suasion tool to secure the co-operation of and otherwise influence Caricom states to be at least ambivalent in their support to Guyana’s territorial integrity. Venezuela, in this sense, pretends to be a benevolent hegemon.”
Dookeran speaks out
Former Finance Minister and also a Foreign Affairs Minister during the 2010 to 2015 People’s Partnership Government, Winston Dookeran wants T&T to defend its economic and national interests as tensions continue to rise between Venezuela and Guyana.
Tensions have risen over the last few months as Venezuela continues to lay claim to the oil-rich Essequibo region in Guyana.
Venezuela is due to hold a non-binding national referendum on the issue on December 3. In the referendum, Venezuelans will be asked five questions, including if they agree to reject “by all means in accordance with the law, the line fraudulently interposed by the 1899 Paris Arbitration Award, which seeks to deprive us of our Guayana Esequiba.” Venezuelans will also be asked if they agree with the creation of the Guayana Esequiba state and the granting of Venezuelan citizenship and identity cards to the citizens of the region.
The diplomatic quarrel over the 160,000-square-kilometer territory had been mostly uneventful for several decades but it heated up on September 12 following Guyana receiving bids for eight of 14 oil and gas exploration blocks that are offshore the Essequibo region in its first competition auction. Among the successful bidders for the eight blocks include groups formed by American energy multinational ExxonMobil and France’s TotalEnergies.
In April, ExxonMobil said it was targeting to have six FPSOs (floating production storage and offloading) platforms online by the end of 2027, bringing Guyana’s production capacity to more than 1.2 million barrels per day.
T&T and Venezuela also have commercial ties and in September, T&T and Venezuela signed an agreement to jointly explore the Dragon Gas field shared between the two countries.
“Should the dispute between Venezuela and Guyana escalate into a conflict or invasion, there will be external repercussions which, at least, will stall, for yet another time the Dragon Field project. Investor’s confidence will be disrupted and the terms of the arrangement will be at risk. If there is no invasion conflict, the arrangements may persist, but confidence will wane,” Dookeran told the Business Guardian.
Dookeran also said T&T and Venezuela should maintain commercial ties and continue to honour all contractual obligations.
“I do not think that T&T should cut economic ties with Venezuela, it should adhere to the Caricom position, and offer to broker a peaceful resolution with the support of other countries. It should begin ‘back door’ talks to avert such an eventuality , and work out a pathway to halt any escalation - a diplomatic pathway,” he said.
Last Monday at a media conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said he hopes a long running dispute between Venezuela and its neighbour Guyana over the potentially oil-rich territory does not have implications for projects with T&T.
“I would not like to see the relationship between Venezuela and Guyana ever get to a point where consequent actions will negatively damage us,” he said.
