-Jagdeo amenable to the idea
PEOPLES’ Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) presidential candidate, Mr. Donald Ramotar, sees Guyana as playing a key role in forging closer ties between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR).
“Our country is ideally located to act as a good bridge between CARICOM and UNASUR,” he told reporters yesterday after casting his vote in the 2011 general and regional elections.
Pressed to elaborate on the subject, he said one surefire way of Guyana achieving that ambitious goal was by continuing to build upon the relationship it already has with UNASUR and neighbouring countries such as Venezuela.
“We have very good relations with Venezuela, and we will build those…We have excellent relations with all our neighbours, and we have to build on that,” Ramotar said, adding that what he is ideally hoping for is a stronger people-to-people relation, which will not only redound to UNASUR’s benefit but help cement ties with partnering countries.
Back in August 2009, President Jagdeo joined his colleague UNASUR Heads of Government in welcoming Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa as the Union’s second pro tempore president, the first of whom was Chile’s former president, Ms Michelle Bachelet, now head of UNIFEM.
Later, in October 2010, Ecuador Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino called on President Jagdeo at his Shiv Chanderpaul Drive offices to discuss the passing of the bloc’s rotating chairmanship to him and coordinating UNASUR-related activities. In November, Jagdeo succeeded Correa as Pro Tempore President of UNASUR.

MORE OPPORTUNITIES

Asked yesterday to comment on the proposed fostering of closer ties between UNASUR and CARICOM, President Jagdeo said:
“South America is important to us, and our people are realising that there are more opportunities for us.”
He noted that Guyana has been working aggressively, since joining UNASUR, to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the alliance, as has been done with CARICOM.
“Internally,” he said, “there is a shift in the psyche, [in that] while people used to traditionally look to the north for everything, they are now looking south.”
He said that not only the PPP/C, but the other political parties as well concur that there are certain benefits to be derived from expanding Guyana’s network to incorporate those of its fellow South American nations.
Said he: “The future will continue in  the same way – close relations with south America…If any party wins, you will have Guyana remaining close with South America. I think all the parties subscribe to this.” `
UNASUR is an inter-governmental union integrating two existing customs unions, namely Mercosur and the Andean Community of Nations as part of a continuing process of South American integration.
The participating nations of UNASUR are Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and Chile. The combined population of the 12-member bloc, as at 1 July 2010, was estimated at 396,391,032.
UNASUR focuses on strengthening relations among South American nations and places emphasis on defence policies, economic development, energy integration, environmental protection, infrastructural development, political dialogue and social cohesion.