Greenidge to Maduro: ‘Go deal with CARICOM’

By Jomo Paul

[www.inewsguyana.com] – The recent move by Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro to recall its Ambassador from Guyana and accuse the government being “offensive” towards Venezuelan has triggered a response from local Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge.

Greenidge told reporters that whatever ill-will Maduro may be feeling towards Guyana must be directed to CARICOM.

“So he really barking up the wrong tree, he has to go and deal with CARICOM, what they seem to be trying to do is to isolate Guyana –we said what we had to say and other people were able to see the impact of the decree upon their rights,” said Greenidge.

He said CARICOM’s patrimony in terms of the Caribbean and Atlantic maritime resources need to be considered in the wider context of the growing tensions between Guyana and Venezuela.

“They are concerned about them so if other people have concern about the impact of the decree on their rights and they pronounce on it, it is to me rather astonishing that Venezuela would take it as we somehow committed some offensive action against them,” he stated.

Greenidge reaffirmed the government’s position that Venezuela’s latest claim in illegal and flies in the face of international law and precedents.

He pointed out that what Venezuela has done is “illegal internationally and they are seeking to change borders set by themselves and the British and the Brazilians over a hundred years ago.”

President David Granger recently lobbied CARICOM which came out in full support of Guyana in the territorial controversy.

In Monday’s Congress Maduro claimed that, “Venezuela is coming under new forms of assault and aggression…This is a grave, dangerous situation that we must combat with national unity.”