TT in tight position on V'zuela

REGINALD DUMAS, former ambassador and head of the Public Service, has said TT is in a very difficult position over its relations with Venezuela, as he commented on the Government-Opposition blame-game over Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Dumas said TT must make definite but delicate diplomatic efforts, as a country and as a Caricom member.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has likened Dr Rowley to an ostrich for allegedly ignoring a gathering storm in Venezuela of a humanitarian crisis, country isolation, the foreign military presence of Russia and Iran, and Caricom’s role in the Venezuela-Guyana border row.

Dr Rowley has not addressed the criticisms directly, but alleged three ways the Persad-Bissessar had hurt TT’s foreign relations.

The Opposition has also criticised Rowley for inking the Dragon Field Deal to accept Venezuelan natural gas, amid that nation’s economic and political uncertainties.

“The Venezuela thing is a difficult one,” Dumas admitted. He said it is all well and good to criticise, but the reality is that TT needs gas, and the only place to get it is Venezuela.

“If you say we don’t want the gas, what do we do with our economy? The reality is that we need gas."

On the other hand, he added, "The reality is also that Maduro has been alienating a number of people, his own countrymen and a number of Latin American countries.”

Dumas said one could say things that look and sound good against Maduro, but if TT were to break diplomatic ties with Venezuela, what would happen to the gas deal?

However he said the gas deal is unlikely to be ratified by a National Assembly controlled by the Venezuelan Opposition, even as it must be asked whether Shell would build a pipeline under conditions of such uncertainty.

“A fellow in Washington could decide to bomb Venezuela.

"It is an extremely difficult situation. I’d not like to be in Dr Rowley’s shoes.”

US President Donald Trump could wake up one morning and decide to impose sanctions on TT because of the gas deal, he pointed out.

“Suppose Trump imposes visa restrictions on TT. Can you imagine the uproar here? So we are between the devil and the deep blue sea.”

But he offered a way forward for TT.

“If I was asked, I’d suggest very, very quiet diplomacy. We would send a special envoy to Washington, Caracas, Beijing and Moscow, to say very quietly, ‘This is our situation. We are a sovereign nation but can’t impose sanctions on anybody.’”

Dumas urged an urgent meeting of Caricom foreign ministers to try to co-ordinate foreign policy, as he noted four different positions taken at a recent Organisation of American States (OAS) vote to censure Maduro. These were “yes,”, “no,” “abstain” and absenteeism.

Dumas said the Government’s ultimate role is to look after the best interests of TT, even if it looks like it is favouring one party in a situation.

He had a particular concern. “It is a pity that at this very delicate time, we appear to not have an ambassador in Caracas. We need an ambassador there.”