Jamaica explains absence from Guyana-Venezuela talks in St. Vincent
Key Points(5)
- Jamaica's Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith took to social media to respond to criticism over the country's absence at last week's meeting between the presidents of Guyana and Venezuela in St.
- Vincent, where other CARICOM leaders were present.
- Scores of Jamaicans at home and across the diaspora, as well as the opposition People's National Party criticized the Jamaican government for not being present at what was regarded as an important regional meeting on Thursday.
- But Minister Johnson Smith later responded to the backlash, saying "there is no need to be concerned.
- "I see some people asking why JA wasn't present.
Jamaica's Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith took to social media to respond to criticism over the country's absence at last week's meeting between the presidents of Guyana and Venezuela in St. Vincent, where other CARICOM leaders were present.
Scores of Jamaicans at home and across the diaspora, as well as the opposition People's National Party criticized the Jamaican government for not being present at what was regarded as an important regional meeting on Thursday.
But Minister Johnson Smith later responded to the backlash, saying "there is no need to be concerned.
"I see some people asking why JA wasn't present. Firstly, not a CARICOM mtng. 2ndly, please note the countries present were generally from Sth and East Cbean having special concerns or relations w/ Vzla/ALBA," she said in a post on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter.
She also noted that Prime Minister Andrew Holness was leading talks in the north on Haiti.
Questions about Jamaica's involvement in efforts to quell tensions between Guyana and Venezuela were also posed to Dr. Amery Browne, Trinidad and Tobago's Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, a day after the meeting in St. Vincent.
"Jamaica, as another founding member of CARICOM, has been part and parcel of these efforts, part and parcel of the dialogue, the analysis, the recommendations, etc.," he said.
"Jamaica was one of those, and there are others, who did not participate in yesterday's event. But, certainly, in the emergency meeting and certainly in the work of CARICOM, that I've chronicled ... Jamaica has been working with the family in that regard," Browne said.
Guyana and Venezuela presidents agree to peace
Following face-to-face talks on Thursday, President of Guyana Dr. Irfaan Ali and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro both committed to peace in its border dispute over the oil rich Essequibo region, which makes up two-thirds of Guyana.
The meeing in St. Vincent was facilitated by Ralph Gonsalves, the prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines; Roosevelt Skerrit, Dominica's head of government who is also the chairman of the CARICOM; Brazil; and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.
Regional prime ministers present were Bahamas' Philip Davis, Barbados' Mia Mottley, Dickon Mitchell of Grenada, Philip Pierre of St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis' Terrence Drew and Dr Keith Rowley from Trinidad and Tobago.
In a declaration after the talks, Ali and Maduro agreed, among other things, that they will not threaten or use force to deal with any controversies between them and that they will refrain from escalating any existing tensions.
They also agreed to meet in Brazil within the next three months.
Read: Guyana not seeking war against Venezuela, says President Ali
