(Reprinted from the Trinidad Express October, 28, 2015)

This week’s Caracas mission, involving Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses, two other cabinet ministers, and top public and foreign service officials, marks new vigour and purpose in Trinidad and Tobago’s relations with Venezuela.

Historically, T&T’s closest and largest neighbour has tended to be overlooked or taken for granted by Port of Spain whose foreign policy emphasis is on North America, Europe and, more recently, Asia. However, given the urgent issues between the neighbours, this mission to Caracas is a welcome and important step for shaping the agenda for the upcoming summit between Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro
Some standard issues are sure to be on the agenda. These would include pirate attacks in the maritime strip between Trinidad and Venezuela, and the porous borders of both countries which demand heightened co-operation against the smuggling of drugs, arms and human beings.
The highest priority summit item, however, is sure to be the situation with the cross-border natural gas reserves which has been in abeyance for far too long. With both countries now in desperate need of a resolution, this may be the best opportunity for achieving meaningful traction. The critical shortages developing in T&T’s gas supply make it urgent and imperative for this country to find reliable and adequate supplies from new sources. With the Venezuelan economy in crisis, President Maduro should be anxious to monetise gas from the Loran/Manatee cross-border field. Now, with both their backs against the wall, neither country can afford the luxury of continued delay.
The new Rowley administration, which has committed itself to a path of professional diplomacy, will earn national and regional respect if it can raise neighbourly relations out of the morass of sluggish negotiations.
Also to be welcomed is the inclusion of Culture Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly in the Caracas mission which suggests an important emphasis on people relations. T&T and Venezuela enjoy a long history of cultural co-operation which has been on the wane in recent times and is in need of rehabilitation. Scope for this has improved with the visible increase in the number of Venezuelans residing in Trinidad, which could be due to Venezuela’s deteriorating economy and polarised politics.
On both sides of the Gulf of Paria, this week’s mission is seen as the build-up to the summit between Prime Minister Rowley and President Maduro. When they meet, the T&T leader would be expected to carry his Caricom hat to the meeting for the purpose of raising the border controversy between Venezuela and Caricom partner, Guyana. Dr Rowley would want to leave the Venezuelan president in no doubt about T&T’s disquiet over Venezuela’s sabre-rattling against Guyana. If Venezuela insists on pursuing a claim against a large chunk of territory in Guyana’s possession it should do so through established channels. It must either submit its case for arbitration or report it to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Sending warships into the disputed territory amounts to sheer harassment of Guyana and will not be tolerated. (Trinidad Express)