Concern for Venezuelans’ welfare

The Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is giving the assurance that its relationship with the embattled Spanish-speaking nation of Venezuela has not changed because of the current situation it faces.

This assurance has come as Barbados and other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states hunker down in Uruguay with officials from that country and from Mexico to discuss the worsening situation in Venezuela.

President of the CDB Dr Warren Smith declined to comment on the situation currently facing Venezuela, but said he was concerned about the welfare of the people there.

Venezuela is a non-borrowing member of the CDB.

“I am pleased to say that Venezuela’s representation in CDB both as a shareholder and as a potential provider of resources has not changed,” assured Smith.

Pointing out that it was not the first the country had experienced social and economic difficulties, Smith said Venezuela was an early member of the CDB and similar occurrences in the past had not disrupted the relationship between the bank and the country.

“So we are not concerned from our perspective. What we are concerned about is the welfare of the people of Venezuela. We are very distressed at the hardships that those people are experiencing and our hope and expectation are that the situation in that country will be resolved in the not-too-distant future without too much further pain,” said Smith.