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Vol. 31, Issue 42 QUEENS/LONG ISLAND/BRONX/MANHATTAN October 16-22, 2020
US EYES
CARIB
PETRO
Washington pursues
opportunities in CARICOM
members Guyana, Suriname
By Bert Wilkinson
US Secretary of State, Mike
Pompeo’s visit to CARICOM
member nations Guyana and
Suriname last month triggered
widespread speculation that
Washington was soliciting support
for some kind of military
action against Venezuela, but
it is also becoming clear that
the administration has its eye
on the two because of the billions
of barrels of oil lying in
offshore sandstone, other under
sea rock formations and investment
opportunities that would
spring from viable oil and gas
sectors.
Pompeo had made it clear
that the US was uncomfortable
with the growing levels of Russian
and, in particular, Chinese
influence in the Caribbean and
northern South America. The
US now wants to muscle its way
in to capitalize of the largest
portion of the investment pie
now that the two are part of one
of the world’s richest offshore
basins, containing more than 15
billion barrels of oil so far.
Washington this week sent
high level teams from six separate
American state departments
to Guyana and Suriname,
indicating to government and
private sector organizations
that up to US$200 billion dollars
could be available in loans and
grants to the region’s largest and
most resource-rich nations. The
departments included Treasury,
the Export-Import Bank, USAID,
State, Homeland Security and
the International Development
Finance Corporation.
“We looked at the quantum
of funds they can lend. From
all the agencies in the room, we
would be able to access US$200
billion,” Private Sector Chair
Nicholas Boyer told reporters
after a joint presser in Georgetown
on Tuesday.
Surinamese officials echoed
similar sentiments after talks
with the same delegation, not-
Democratic Congresswoman, Yvette D. Clarke. Offi ce of Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke
Caribbean Americans urged to vote
By Nelson A. King
A national nonpartisan “getout
the-vote” virtual event
aimed at increasing overall Caribbean
American voter participation
in the 2020 US Presidential
Elections will be held this
Saturday at 3:00 pm EST.
This nonpartisan grassroots
event is being organized by a
host committee of young Caribbean
American leaders, known
as the Caribbean American Vote,
Planning Committee, dedicated
to ensuring eligible Caribbean
American voters throughout
the US can have their voices
heard by Election Day.
“2020 is a critical year for
democracy and the Caribbean
American community,” said the
group in a statement. “As the
US continues to grapple with
the challenges of the COVID-
19 pandemic, several emergency
measures have been put in
place to protect public health
and every eligible citizens’ right
to vote in the November election.
“In response, we need to
ensure our community has all of
the information needed to vote
safely in unprecedented ways,
demonstrating the full power of
the Caribbean American vote in
what we know will be one of the
most important elections of our
time,” it added.
“Join us for an engaging virtual
discussion aimed at ensuring
Caribbean American voters
know their voting options,
where to find nonpartisan information,
their rights as voters,
and understand the overall
impact they collectively have if
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