Respect border Ruling

CCL urges Guyana, Suriname to respect border ruling

Rickey Singh Source: Jamaica Observer Thursday, October 11, 2007

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - The Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL) is urging both Suriname and Guyana to abide by the ruling of an international tribunal on delimitation of their maritime boundaries and to avoid any unpleasant developments.

The regional umbrella body of some 30 trade union affiliates across the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean countries, was reacting to last month's unanimous award of an International Law of the Sea Tribunal that substantially favoured the case presented by Guyana.

But Suriname's questioning of the tribunal's judgement led Guyana last week to formally submit the entire text to the United Nations Security Council in order, it said, to avoid "misrepresentations" that could have unnecessary negative consequences.

The CCL, which maintains an operational secretariat in Barbados, welcomed the tribunal's ruling as "an achievement for the rule of law". It expressed the hope that the judgement contributes to "good neighbourly relations", noting that the workers of both countries "have always shared cordial and close relationships".

Consequently, the CCL has also urged workers' support in encouraging "respect for the procedures and adherence to the international rule of law" to discourage "triumphalism and agitation as being counter-productive....

"Especially at this time," it added, "when several countries of Caricom have signed onto the principles of free movement of goods, services and skills in pursuit of a CSME."