Hi Wes,

Have been reading the drivel about all this on SH - man, but the bashers are out over there like vultures on a hot day! The air is black with their wings.

VEN made a deal - and I have no doubt that management dotted all their "I"s and crossed all their "T"s when they made that agreement - these guys have been around the block before. And the family got well compensated AND VEN honoured their committments...a $7 Million payout plus a million shares of VIT...that's a lotta pina colada - particularly when it was worth squat back then. So, what is happening right now is a simple shake-down...and it would seem to me that the government in Columbia would take exception to a diminishing of the trickle-down from all the exploratory action happening now (to say nothing of their tax-rake when things start producing) - so, you would think that to panic would be counter-productive.

The real news is...that they said that they have an offer to buy Ventana...and if you put the two together, this looks very promising. VEN offered to pay out the family early (as was their legal right from what I can ascertain, and it seems that this triggered this storm in a teacup)...but WHY would anyone gladly pay anything before its time? Because they want all their ducks in a row - because they already have a deal in place. Seems clear to me.

Any other thoughts out there?

El D