Trade, bilateral issues to be discussed during Maduro’s visit

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Guyana is looking to move beyond the new rice agreement in terms of trade relations with neighbouring Venezuela. Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, in a recent comment, said while the rice agreement is working well, the government would be exploring the possibility of exporting other local products to the Spanish-speaking state.
Speaking about the impending state visit of newly-elected Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro later this month, Minister Rodrigues-Birkett said: “Venezuela has been a very good friend to Guyana and this visit will strengthen those relations.” This will be Maduro’s first official visit to Guyana in his capacity as president. It will allow him and President Donald Ramotar to discuss not only bilateral issues, but regional and international issues as well.
Among some of the bilateral issues that will be discussed is Guyana’s associate membership with MERCOSUR, of which Venezuela is the latest full member. Additionally, discussions are also expected to be held on the PetroCaribe deal.
Rodrigues-Birkett said despite media reports, Venezuela has given no indication thus far, of any changes with regards to the PetroCaribe deal.
However, she stated that this is an appropriate time for Guyana and other members of PetroCaribe to review and take stock of what has been happening.
“Guyana has been adhering to the PetroCaribe arrangement, more than many others I think… we have been supplying rice and we have been receiving oil, so in a way we have been repaying our debts,” Minister Rodrigues-Birkett said.
Guyana has been benefitting significantly as a PetroCaribe member state.
The PetroCaribe programme, the brainchild of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, is an oil alliance of many Caribbean states with Venezuela to purchase oil on conditions of preferential payment. It was launched in June 2005. The PetroCaribe deal beneficiaries list now consist of Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Venezuela.

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