Caribbean Diaspora Must Condemn Venezuela’s Decree, Dominican Republic’s Treatment Of Nationals

Miami – The Caribbean Diaspora is being urged to become fully informed of developments regarding a recent decree signed by Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro as well as the expulsion of Dominicans of Haitian descent.

The urging came from former Guyanese diplomat Wesley Kirton on Tuesday, July 7 as he briefed a group of Caribbean American businesspersons and civic leaders on these and other issues which were discussed during the recent Caribbean American Legislative Week activities held in Washington, DC.

Kirton said that both Venezuela and the Dominican Republic “are acting contrary to the spirit of hemispheric harmony and respect for human dignity. Notwithstanding your non-political and non-partisan constitutions, organizations such as yours, particularly chambers of commerce cannot remain silent on these issues and must condemn these recent actions and support efforts to have them reversed. You may feel that these issues have no impact on your communities but in my view they do and the impact can be very negative in the long term.”

He pointed out that the decree, signed in May, ” violates internationally accepted legally binding instruments regarding Venezuela’s borders with some Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states including Guyana. This is an issue that has serious implications for Guyana’s future development which is inextricably linked to the future economic vitality of the CARICOM region. In fact both issues impact on the lives of ordinary people in their struggles to exist in an environment of peace and stability and we need to do whatever we can to bring an end to the expulsions in the Dominican Republic and the threats by Venezuela. ”

During Caribbean American Legislative Week held in Washington, DC recently these issues were raised at every opportunity including at the White House, on Capitol Hill, at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Organization of American States (OAS). Both Florida State Representatives Daphne Campbell and Hazelle Rogers were quite vocal on these issues in DC and we need to support their efforts here in Florida to bring heightened attention to these matters, he said.

Kirton, who served as Co-Chair of the national celebrations commemorating the 10th anniversary of Caribbean Heritage Month, said that some 14,000 Dominicans of Haitian descent have reportedly been sent to Haiti last week and that estimates of the total number to be sent back range from 70,000 to 200,000.

“Regardless of the numbers, to send anyone to a country he or she does not know and where there is no familial connection is downright wrong, cruel and inhumane and the Caribbean Diaspora needs to spare no effort in adding its voice of condemnation. Similarly, for a country to vigorously pursue a claim to two thirds of another country and its maritime space after these boundaries had been settled by internationally binding instruments more than a hundred years ago is nothing but outrageous. Venezuela’s recent decree came shortly after the announcement that ExxonMobile had discovered oil in Guyana. Venezuela’s decree must be seen as nothing other than a blatant attempt to frustrate Guyana’s economic development,”

He pointed out that with the development of Guyana’s oil industry over time a range of new investment opportunities will emerge which will be open to Guyanese and Caribbean businesses and investors in the region as well as in the Diaspora. CARICOM, the OAS, the Commonwealth, Great Britain and the United States, among others, he said were all supportive of a peaceful resolution of the controversy.

Kirton thanked the private sector, including SeaFreight Agencies, Demerara Distillers Limited and Immigration Care Service of Florida for their support of Caribbean Legislative Week pointing out that it is important that the private sector work with organizations such as the Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS), organizers of the Caribbean Heritage Month national celebration, to assist in bringing heightened attention to issues that affect the Caribbean region and its Diaspora.