St Vincent and Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves is not mincing his words about the recent meeting with five Caribbean Heads of Government with United States President Donald Trump.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Bahamas Prime Minister, Dr Hubert Minnis, President of the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina, President of Haiti, Jovenel Moise and Prime Minister of St Lucia, Allen Chastanet met with Trump on Friday to discuss Venezuela and energy.
Speaking with reporters at Government Headquarters Saturday evening after a LIAT stakeholders meeting, Gonsalves described the visit with the Caribbean delegation as “troubling”.
He pointed out that there was no true representation of CARICOM as the current chairman of CARICOM, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis Dr Timothy Harris was not invited to the meeting. Neither were the members of the CARICOM advisory committee comprising of Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Trinidadian Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley or Gonsalves himself.
“None of those persons were invited and for it to be a true CARICOM representation you must at least have the chairman so that any discussion of Venezuela in that context . . . it cuts across the agreement mechanisms that we have put in place,” Gonsalves said.
CARICOM, Mexico and Uruguay have signed on to the Montevideo Mechanism , which promotes peace and dialogue amongst the political alignments in Venezuela. The CARICOM states have identified themselves as a Zone of Peace.
While referring to the actions of the US as “a creeping coup d’etat” against a legitimate government, Gonsalves said that CARICOM will not fall victim to the entrapping of others.
“We in CARICOM have to be very alive to the mischief that some persons may be up to , to seek to divide us in a manner which we ought not to be divided and therefore reduce the extent of our work,” he contended.
Broaching on the Venezuelan Petro Caribe preferential arrangement which has been ceased due to the sanctions imposed on Venezuela, Gonsalves contended that it would be “ridiculous” for the 17 Caribbean states to abide by an energy agreement by self-proclaimed president Juan Guaido.
“It is entirely ridiculous that you bring something to an end through sanctions and then the beneficiary politically, Mr Guiado is going to offer an energy agreement. We look stupid or something?”
“We are not supporting the principles of non-intervention and non-interference and no threats or force or sanctions. We are not holding a position on these things because we have a Petro agreement. We are doing so because of high principle and our commitment to international law,” he further added.
Gonsalves said a video conference will be held at Accra Beach Resort with the Canadian Government acting as an interlocutor for the Caribbean Governments to speak to Guaido and his representatives.
“I just want to keep CARICOM viable and I don’t have to try and make the CARICOM civilization great again we are an alive civilization of legitimacy. We have a history of achievement and we have a trajectory for ennoblement. We are not better than anybody and nobody is better than us and you must not try to divide us.” (KK)
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John, I saw a news article today of what the Muslims are doing in certain sections of England concerning Sharia law it is nothing short of terrifying and that is a clear result of unchecked migration, the globalist agenda of open borders is wreaking havoc in countries and I will continue to of the view that open borders coupled with unchecked migration are recipes for disaster.
There is too much of the "my boat" mentality prevailing among the Caribbean nations ,designed to put the kibosh on any future thoughts of another Caribbean Federation. LIAT ,CSME ,OECS,and CCJ and the elusive fishing agreement say it all.
Sherlock it is frustrating though that some speak without knowing the facts. I don't blame comrad Gonsalves for playing the divide and win game for he is a skilled politician and no one can take that from him. It just surprised me how some focus on the distraction of seperation rather than the country at the source of the discussion.
Then again we returned a government to power based somewhat on a tv ad about a pensioner having to pay bus fare so I guess distraction works!
John most of the commentators here have no idea of what is going on in the wider world plain and simple I applaud the fact that you are woke.
HASKELL MURRAY:
. . . . the problem with Caricom.
Ossie Moore : Now you are right on the money HASKELL
Remember the " Little 8 "
Here is the problem with Caricom.
1) There are some countries/islands which never should be included but thanks to Errol Barrow, Frobes Burnhan and Eric Williams ,the Bahamas, Haiti,Suriname are members.
2)The greatest mistake that was made in the 1962 was the breakup of the West Indies federation and each island going for so called independence, independence yes but within the context of the west indies federation , that is why there will always be individual islands/countries doing their own thing .
3)If there was a federal government this would not happen because Trump and others would have to deal with one government not 17.A precedent has been set and other foreign leaders will follow suit.
4)What we need is a federation of the willing excluding the Bahamas, Haiti and suriname
Let me try to put it in the most simplistic form possible. Comrad Gonsalves is upset that he and others who support doing nothing but watching on were not invited. He also would not support a call by the USA FOR action simply based on his political views. Now had that call come from Castro or Putin or others of that clique, his support would of been overwhelming. He is depending on people to get caught up in the petty issues of who was invited instead of focusing on the bigger picture. Thus true to form so many of us are doing exactly that! Once again we fall for our divided thinking of "my PM wasn't invited" so those that there can't represent caricom. You got to admire a politician that know how to play one group against the other for his own purpose. Sweet fuh days that approach is...
You clearly miss the point. You are more concerned of who is invited to a meeting than what situation the country under discussion and by extension it's people are in. Let me ask you one question? What support can those invited or excluded offer to the people of Venezuela other than lip service? Truly laughable what some minds can focus on.
SHERLOCK HOLMES.:
"I would like some of you who support Maduro to leave here and go in a supermarket or pharmacy in Venezuela today and see what’s on the shelves and what the prices are like now compared to December. Get some facts before you opposed the USA IN support of a military dictator."
Ossie Moore : No sh*t SHERLOCK, you are not on the money. The issue here is about " the cold shoulder " that was given to the rest of the Caribbean leaders.
Sherlock you are right on the money there. I didn't bother to reply to others as their bias against the USA and Trump are so obvious it is a waste of time trying to discuss an issue without bias. As for the USA needing Venezuela's oil that is now not the case. Not only have the USA' s recent finds increased their reserves, but in places like California they are way ahead of us on solar energy. Their push into alternative energy has also been supported by the Trump administration. Do you think the fact that Trump placed the embargo on China was not to protect his own solar industry and alternative energy market too?
It is time we realise that we must put our Bias against a country one side when we are procrastinating on what we have little direct knowledge of. I have friends in Caracas and when I hear from them what life is like I can only cringe! I would like some of you who support Maduro to leave here and go in a supermarket or pharmacy in Venezuela today and see what's on the shelves and what the prices are like now compared to December. Get some facts before you opposed the USA IN support of a military dictator.