PM Gonsalves believes that ‘open conflict’ would be horrendous

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, who will on Thursday facilitate face-to-face discussions between Guyana’s President, Dr Irfaan Ali and his Venezuelan counterpart Nicholas Maduro, believes that “it is better to talk than to squabble.”

Thursday’s meeting in St Vincent and the Grenadines is coming amidst ongoing tensions between Guyana and Venezuela relating to a territorial dispute over the mineral rich Essequibo territory.

Speaking on the ‘Issue at Hand’ program on We FM on Sunday, Gonsalves said he has already spoken to the head of the Regional Security System (RSS) about the meeting on Thursday.

Gonsalves, who is also this country’s Minister of National Security said plans are now being put together “for what is an historic moment for St Vincent and the Grenadines.”

The Prime Minister expressed hope that President Luiz Inacia Lula daSilva of Brazil and other officials will be present at the meeting on Thursday.

“This is a matter of very serious hemispheric and global importance,” Gonsalves told listeners to We FM on Sunday.

He said Thursday’s meeting comes as a way of trying “to see how we could arrive at good neighbourliness, peace, security, prosperity for all concerned.”

The Vincentian Prime Minister believes that in this situation, “open conflict would be horrendous.”

He stressed that it is dangerous for Latin America and the Caribbean to have open conflict.

In this present situation, Gonsalves sees St Vincent and the Grenadines as the “Balm of Gilead” working to ease tensions and conflicts.

If this matter is not settled, Gonsalves views it as being “potentially dangerous and can set us back immensely.”

The Prime Minister promised that Thursday’s meeting will not cause any disruptions to normal activities in St Vincent and the Grenadines.