Eustace worried about SVG, Cuba, Venezuela relations

Opposition leader and President of the New Democratic Party (NDP) Arhnim Eustace has left no doubt that he believes this country’s relationship with Cuba and Venezuela, especially the latter, is too close for comfort.

In several press conferences and political meetings, the party president voiced this concern and warned that America was taking note.{{more}}

“I am very concerned about this marriage; this relationship we are having with Venezuela is too strident,” Eustace told SEARCHLIGHT in February following a state visit by President Hugo Chavez to this country.

There was no difference in tone when he spoke last Tuesday at a press conference at his office. He again blamed this country’s foreign policy for the uncertainty regarding the future of the Kingstown Medical College in St Vincent and the Grenadines. The college has significantly, temporarily, the official word is, downgraded its operations here.

Eustace again made reference to a letter that was reportedly written by some departing students who said they were upset that President Hugo Chavez was allowed to make less than favourable remarks about their country and president during his visit.

So what did the Opposition Leader think about the fact that President George Bush voiced concerns about the region’s close relationship with Cuba and Venezuela during the recently concluded summit, part of the June 19-21, three day Conference on the Caribbean?

Ironically, some may think, the Opposition Leader didn’t hear about President Bush’s comments until a question was asked at last Tuesday’s press conference.

“He mentioned it?” he asked, shaking his head and widening his eyes in a manner which seemed to say, “I told you so”. He added “I didn’t hear about it, what did he say?”

President Bush expressed his concern about the growing relationships of Caricom states with the two Spanish speaking regional countries.

According to reports, the President told Caribbean leaders that the USA is not saying that they should not have relationships with the two countries. However, reportedly according to Bush, President Hugo Chavez was not good for Venezuela and there will be certain developments in a post Fidel Castro’s Cuba.

Speaking last Monday, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves reiterated his position that this country does not have relationships with the two nations on military matters or other sensitive areas like the sharing of intelligence, but rather open and transparent relationships in areas like education.

During the summit, Guyanese President Bharat Jagdeo, who had been mandated by Caricom responded to the question and unapologetically pointed out to the US President, regarded as the world’s most powerful man, that CARICOM countries enjoy a mature relationship with the two nations in question.

“If you are saying that Cuba is a one-party communist state, well so is Vietnam,” Dr Gonsalves told journalists during the press briefing, adding that the Vietnamese Prime Minister was at the White House the very week CARICOM heads were in Washington.

He further noted that while the United States president and his Venezuelan counterpart are at odds, it has not hindered trade between the two. Between Bush’s election triumph in 2000 and today, trade between the two nations has jumped up by over 121 percent from US $19 billion to US $42 billion.

Escalating oil prices are largely responsible for the rapid increase in these trading numbers, due to the USA’s heavy dependence on oil.

However Venezuela also upped their imports of American electronics by 40% between 2005 and 2006.

Eustace however stressed that while he agrees that Caribbean countries should be free to develop relationships, we need to be careful in St Vincent and the Grenadines how vocal we are about certain relationships. He also said that leaders should be cautioned not to make derogatory remarks about other leaders when they visit our shores. (KJ)