PPP condemns new claim by Venezuela

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has condemned the Venezuela Presidential Decree claiming sovereignty over Guyana’s territorial waters in the Atlantic Ocean off the Essequibo region.

Clement Rohee
Clement Rohee

Speaking at a press conference at Freedom House yesterday, PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee said, “Our positon is a history position that we stand firmly as a political party in respect of defence of our territorial integrity and national sovereignty we hold to the view that where this exploration is taking place falls within the territorial sea belonging to Guyana.”

In a subsequent release, the PPP stated “The People’s Progressive Party in government resolutely defended Guyana’s territorial integrity. In opposition the PPP maintains its rejection of the Venezuelan spurious claim and condemns in the strongest possible terms the May 27, 2015 decree of the Venezuela Government.”

Rohee mentioned that former foreign minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett had spoken extensively on the issue.

He stated too, “…as you know when President Ramotar was the sitting president and in fact throughout the presidency of the PPP/C whenever situations like this arise the president would invite in the Leader of the Opposition whether it be Mr Corbin, Mr Hoyte, or even Mr Granger to exchange information with them in order to reflect a general sense of national unity in respect to our sovereignty and territorial integrity. But then those invitations were extended to the Leader of the Opposition. Right now we do not have a Leader of the Opposition.”

Venezuela’s most recent claim comes on the heels of the Exxon Mobil Corporation reporting a “significant oil discovery” in March. The company stated that the Liza-1 well was drilled by ExxonMobil affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd and “encountered more than 295 feet (90 metres) of high-quality oil-bearing sandstone reservoirs.”

Maps created after the decree by Venezuela’s National Organisation for Rescue and Maritime Safety (ONSA), a non-governmental organisation comprising merchants, sports and retired naval officers, indicate that the claim would include a large part of the Stabroek Block, where US firm ExxonMobil discovered oil recently. Exxon’s Liza-1 well is sited off the Demerara coast.

Stabroek News had reached out to the oil giant on Sunday for a comment and was told that ExxonMobil was operating on a licence by the Government of Guyana and will continue to engage the government on matters.

In February, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez had sent a communication to the Country Manager of Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, objecting to the dispatch of a rig to proceed with the exploration of an oil well in the concession granted by the Government of Guyana.

The Government of Guyana subsequently dispatched a Note Verbale to the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, requesting that Caracas desist from taking any actions that could only result in the stymieing of the development of Guyana and its people and that would be in contravention of international law.