The interlocutor of the Argyle Declaration that was reached between Venezuela and Guyana, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, foresees ongoing tensions over the Essequibo region, even after the International Court of Justice, (ICJ) delivers its judgement in the case currently before it.

Speaking on his weekly radio programme on Wednesday in St. Vincent, Dr.  Gonsalves told listeners that whichever way the ICJ Judgement goes, he still believes there will be tensions.

“Even after the ICJ delivers its judgement whichever way it goes, you still going to have tensions. I don’t know. I’m not too up to speed on the progress of the litigation, and I know the ICJ will take some time to write the judgment and so forth because they have had hearings already,” Gonsalves said.

Last weekend, Guyana alerted CARICOM and the international community to the presence of a Venezuelan naval vessel that was near the oil assets in Guyana’s waters.

Since then, the United States, France, CARICOM, the Commonwealth as well as the Organization of American States (OAS) have all called on Venezuela to not engage in further provocation by threatening ExxonMobil’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel.

Dr. Gonsalves said it is clear that the oil ships are operating within Guyana’s waters.

“These undoubtedly are under Guyana’s jurisdiction because that is for the purpose for the oil and immediately after the (incident) the Argyle declaration had to be activated,” Gonsalves noted.

Mr. Gonsalves said a meeting has to be set up again with stakeholders to ensure that there is not another repetition of the incursion.

He said while persons are casting doubt on the purpose of the Argyle declaration, it is his view that the declaration is preventing tensions from escalating although Venezuela has been accused on a number of times of flouting the declaration.

“A number of persons took the Argyle declaration for a joke. Argyle declaration and the mechanisms therein have assisted in keeping the peace and lessening tensions. I am privy to letters and statements made of a very harsh kind made by one side or another and it will be sent to me and I will pass them on the other side and have communications myself and interface with CARICOM,” Gonsalves noted.

Guyana and Venezuela are before the ICJ concerning the Arbitral Award of Oct. 3, 1899, with the ICJ warning Caracas against the “annexation” of Essequibo.

Following last week’s incursions, Guyana has approached the ICJ again seeking several provisional orders, among them is an order to stop a planned election by Venezuela to elect a Governor of Essequibo.

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