[www.inewsguyana.com] – Despite recent action by the Venezuelan government against oil exploration plans by US company ExxonMobil, the company plans to move full force ahead with its plans for their oil rig to explore for oil off the coast of Essequibo.
The Venezuelan government last week had written to ExxonMobil’s local representatives noting their objection to the proposed oil exploration plans.
On Monday, March 02, ExxonMobil’s Country Manager Jeff Simmons made it clear that the company would not be intimidated by Venezuela’s Nicholas Maduro led government.
He told iNews in telephone interview that “we’re still going forward…absolutely,” but noted that in doing so the company will be taking some precautions.
“We’re just going forward as normal and monitoring the situation,” Simmons told iNews during the interview.
ExxonMobil’s rig was scheduled to have arrived at 14:00hrs on March 2, however there is no clear indication of whether the vessel arrived.
Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has already written its counterpart in Venezuela urging that its government desist from actions that would be in direct contravention of international territory laws and in the process impede Guyana’s development.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested that the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela desist from taking any actions that could only result in the stymying of the development of Guyana and its people and that would be in contravention of international law,” said the Foreign Ministry in a statement.
According to the Ministry, it has since informed the 15-nation Caribbean Community (Caricom), Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), Organisation of American States, the Commonwealth and the United Nations Secretary General “about this recent action by Venezuela.”
According to reports, Leader of the Opposition David Granger has indicated that he is standing firmly behind the Government of Guyana against the warnings of the Venezuelan government.
