Former President of Guyana, Donald Ramotar, is among ten former Caricom Heads of State who have signed on to joint statement imploring that the region remains a zone of peace.

The statement notes that the current situation in the region, referring to the build up of U.S military assets, demands that all existing channels for dialogue be utilized to ensure that the Caribbean remains a zone of peace and that there be respect for sovereignty, international conventions and the rule of law.

The former Heads of Government said successive heads have remained steadfast in their repudiation of external intervention to effect regime change, adding that regardless of the changes flowing from the swings of the electoral pendulum in the region’s democracy, they have insisted that military action in the region’s maritime waters should be governed by international law and not effectively deny due process.

The former Heads reminded of the Shiprider Agreement which they signed on to, explaining that the agreement states that drug traffickers could be tracked, perused, searched and lawfully apprehended without extrajudicial killing and destruction of that which will provide conclusive evidence of criminal operation.

The former leaders said they fully support the preparedness of the leaders of the Caribbean community to “assist in the peaceful resolution of all conflicts and disputes” to maintain the rule of law and strengthen security within our region in the spirit of the friendly relations to exist within the community and hemispheric neighbor,” the statement noted.

The statement noted that the safety and livelihood of the region are imperiled by any act or utterance which threatens the norms and international law or undermines the region’s sovereign territorial rights.

The former CARICOM Heads of Government who have signed on to the agreement are former Guyanese President, Donald Ramotar, former Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Keith Rowley, Former Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Baldwin Spencer, former Prime Minister of Belize, Dean Barrow, former Barbadian leader; Fruendel Stuart, Former Dominican Leader Edison James and Tillson Thomas of Grenada. Former Jamaican leaders Bruce Golding and P.J Patterson as well as former St. Lucia leader, Kenny Anthony are the other signatories to the statement.

The United States has been building up military assets in the region as part of a fight against narco traffickers using the Caribbean sea. More than 30 suspected narco traffickers have been killed in US military airstrikes. The US Government is adamant that it will continue the strikes against narco traffickers.

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