-following foreign minister’s visit to Caracas
Following an unannounced one-day visit to Venezuela, Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues–Birkett and her Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro have agreed to work on a programme of several areas of interest including the resumption of the Good Offices Process
Nicolas Maduro
The Good Offices Process of the United Nations Secretary General which is aimed at assisting the two countries in developing a peaceful resolution to the controversy relating to the Arbitral Award of October 3, 1899 has been in abeyance for several years following the death of Good Officer Oliver Jackman.
According to a release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other areas of interest which were discussed by the two foreign ministers when they met at the National Pantheon of Venezuela on Saturday, included the advancement of construction of a shelter for the homeless here, assistance in the area of non-traditional agriculture and dairy sectors, the dredging of the Mahaica, Mahai-cony and Abary (MMA) river mouths, and the proposed construction of a road link as well as Venezuela’s proposal for a gas pipeline connecting the two countries with Suriname. The dredging of the MMA rivers has been on the agenda for sometime now.
Rodrigues and Maduro also discussed the proposed establishment of cooperative programmes under the Guyana/Venezuela High Level Bilateral Commission (HLBC) which is expected to meet in Venezuela in November this year. GINA stated that the Guyana/ Venezuela Mixed Commis-sion, which oversees cooperation aimed at combating the illicit drug trade, will also be meeting soon. The two foreign ministers also reiterated their hope for the return to office of the constitutional government in the Central American country of Honduras.
Rodrigues-Birkett also laid a wreath at the National Pantheon of Venezuela in honour of that country’s national heroes including the Liberator Simon Bolivar.
A team of officials which accompanied Rodrigues on the trip included Ambassador and Director General of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Elisabeth Harper, Director of the Frontiers Department Keith George and Charge d’Affaires (ad interim) of the Guyana Embassy in Caracas, Heather Seelochan, while that country’s ambassador to Guyana, Dario Morandy was also in attendance.
It’s about time that we reach out and tap into some of Venezeula’s potential.
Joe.
Cooperation and help is always welcomed. However, why did it take Venezuela so long to dredge as promised? Also why we need The Good Offices Process for an Arbitral Award of October 3, 1899 already made? We should treat this as a done deal and not open this to retrial.
Oh how I long for the return of a Foreign Ministry “A” team. The team in place reminds me of the present West Indies team. Sorry but this bunch of lightweights does not make my confidence soar
Bira, you mean the bunch (most of them) before 1992 using the Foreign Affairs Ministry as a travel agency and running around places liek Barabdos trying to apologise for the riggig of elections in Guyana and if asked about CARICOM they would answer “Why yes, I love CARAMEL chocolate.”
Get going on Kaieteur on a joint hydro venture, and stop the posturing that has been going on for years.