Venezuela gives back island to US

[Thrill]

Venezuela gives back island to US



The Venezuelan government has formally donated an island near Philadelphia back to the United States.

Petty Island, an uninhabited island some 528 acres (214 ha) in size, is situated in the Delaware River in the state of New Jersey.

It was bought by Venezuela's state-run energy company, PDVS, in 1990.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced the move at a regional summit last week as part of an improvement in ties between the two nations.

At the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, President Chavez presented Barack Obama with a gift of a book: The Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano.

The book is widely considered the bible of the Latin American left.

But the BBC's Will Grant, in Caracas, says Mr Chavez also gave Mr Obama something much bigger: Petty Island.

The Venezuelan government has used it for fuel storage and refinement since 1990.

Our correspondent says that in recent years the tiny island has been the subject of some controversy, with waterfront property developers pushing to construct a golf course, hotels and a casino on the site.

Environmental groups have opposed such measures, saying it has unique flora and fauna which must be conserved.

Now, as part of what the government has called a renewed spirit of co-operation between Venezuela and the US, Mr Chavez announced that the island would return to the US for environmental conservation projects.

While Mr Chavez's gift of a book to his US counterpart may have made headlines around the world and launched the publication up the New York Times bestseller list, the return of Petty Island may prove a more lasting donation our correspondent adds.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8013592.stm

[PM7nj]

1. Very Interesting. This island is literally 5 minutes from me. nt

[Clio the Leo]

2. And it's REALLY called "Petty Island" ... how funny. NT

[BrklynLiberal]

3. Sure hope the island stays in the hands of the conservationists....

BTW...Is o'lielly or insHannity or Limpballs or crybaby beck mentioning this on their shows...?

[cali]

4. how could he do that? It was never anything but U.S. territory

The laws of the U.S. and NJ always applied there. If someone was murdered on the island, for instance, NJ would prosecute. If someone was kidnapped from Delaware and taken there, the FBI would be involved and the Feds would prosecute.

It's a nice gesture and all, but it always was part of the U.S.

[Lex]

5. Same could be said of my lot, but I own title to it because I bought it.

Evidently Venezuala owned title to the island because it purchased it and has transferred ownership/title to the U.S now.

[cali]

8. exactly that was my point- that and that it was always U.S. territory

subject to U.S. laws.

[Lex]

9. Sorry, I didn't see where anyone was disputing that it was a US territory

subject to US laws. Of course it was.

[cali]

11. The title of the piece isn't as clear as it could be.

[jkshaw]

6. I'm assuming it was bought as a piece of real estate

as a rancher would buy acreage for crops or grazing land. My husband's uncle bought a thousand acres in Idaho years ago, but it was still a part of Idaho.

[Lex]

7. Exactly. It says right in the article

"It was bought by Venezuela's state-run energy company, PDVS, in 1990."

[berni_mccoy]

10. See what a handshake and a smile can do?

[aceofspades]

12. Nice gesture

Obama's openness is yielding positive results, unlike the Super-tough-guy approach of Bush.

[CAcyclist]

13. Yet again, the BBC tells me what the US press ignores

Thanks, DUer Thrill , for posting this!

[NYC_SKP]

14. Dibs.

I called it, I want an island! :party: