Opinion
- Editorial- Commentary
Reynold
Benjamin:
Grenada must not be bullied
ARE
we, in Grenada as a nation, truly sovereign and independent
if we cannot secure and protect what is rightfully
ours under international law? After 34 years of Independence,
1974-2008, the maritime boundaries of the Sovereign
State of Grenada, remains undefined and unsettled.
This failure rests on two things; the negligence
of a succession of Grenadian governments, and the
obduracy of the government of Venezuela.
For
economic survival and progress, Grenada's access
to oil and gas under the seabed around Grenada, Carriacou
and Petite Martinique must be secured, without further
delay.
The
people of Grenada must be made to understand the
vital importance of these resources to their economic
uplift and the social and economic security of future
generations of Grenadians.
The
people of Grenada must be called upon to stand up
and to demand immediate and meaningful action from
the government towards settling the nation's maritime
boundary with Venezuela.
The
young people of Grenada, in particular, owe it to
themselves and their children to show the world that
they are prepared to stand up and fight to acquire
and protect what is rightfully theirs.
We
should not, because we are a small island state,
allow ourselves to be pushed around, be bullied,
be cowed and hoodwinked by Hugo Chavez of Venezuela,
while he extracts hundred of millions of dollars
worth of oil and gas from under the seabed, in areas
that would rightfully fall to Grenada under international
law.
Our
young people must be shown how to stand up, lift
their hands and remove the economic noose of unemployment
from around their necks, the choking hand of lack
of educational opportunities that is gripping their
throats, the suffocating pillow of rising cost of
living that is covering their faces, and they must
be made to do so, now!
As
an independent nation we cannot continue to crawl
on our hands and knees to donor nations with begging
bowl in hand. There is no dignity in that posture!
As
an independent nation, we cannot continue to allow
ourselves to be treated as a defenceless woman to
be wantonly raped and abused by every foreign adventurer
and con-man posing as an investor. There is contempt
in that!
Our
young people must be shown how to walk upright, heads
held high, a glint in their eyes and money in their
pockets. They must be shown how to walk tall and
be proud Grenadians. They must be taught to identify
international fraudsters and tricksters and how to
deal with them.
We
know that by international law every nation is entitled
to 12 miles out to sea as its sovereign territory.
A nation is entitled to 200 miles out to sea as its
exclusive economic zone (EEZ), in and under which
waters that nation is entitled to exclusive exploitation
of whatever is to be found. Where there are two or
more nations closer together than these distances,
the boundaries are settled by agreement or by arbitration
in the tribunal established for that purpose, that
is, the United National Commission on the Law of
the Sea (UNCLOS).
Chavez
has refused to sit with Grenada to fix the boundary.
Our recourse is to apply to UNCLOS to have the boundary
settled. If Chavez refuses to submit to the authority
of international law, then Grenada should set its
own boundary.
In those circumstances, we must seek to enter into a treaty with a powerful
neighbour who has the military capacity to assist us in defending our sovereign
territory so that we can begin exploring and exploiting our oil and gas
resources.
-
We would have no other choice.
-
What is our alternative, in a world environment of
escalating oil and gas prices?
-
What is our alternative, in a domestic environment
of climbing national indebtedness?
-
What is our alternative, in an international climate
of rocketing food prices?
-
What is our alternative, in our present situation
of virtual collapse of our economy?
None
but an immediate and forceful call by "we the
people of Grenada'' on Hugo Chavez, president of
the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, or whatever
else he chooses to call himself, for the quickest
possible settlement of our maritime boundary with
Venezuela.
Chavez
must be told in the clearest and strongest language
we can use that: "We want we damn oil and gas.
It's ours. We want it, and we want it now!''
Wait,
my people! Wait for the call.
Reynold
C Benjamin is
leader of the Grenada United Labour Party.
Petroleumworld does not necessarily share these views.
This
commentary was originally published by Trinidad Express,
on 01/18/2007. Petroleumworld reprint this article
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Petroleumworld
News 01/20/08
Copyright© 2008
Reynold Benjamin. All rights reserved.
