BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE Sixth PetroCaribe Summit ended yesterday (June 12) with all 18 member countries committing to further their national development through PetroCaribe funding, particularly in the areas of energy and agriculture.
The summit was co-chaired by St. Kitts-Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Hon. Denzil Douglas and Venezuelan President His Excellency Hugo Chavez. Both leaders took time during the seven-hour meeting to outline the importance of furthering the cooperation amongst the members.
“Capitalism has managed to manipulate the prices of resources,” Chavez stated. “The capitalists have been farming the third world people.”
He went on to detail the large amount of money that the members of PetroCaribe have saved since signing onto the agreement, and said that “food sovereignty” should be obtainable for many countries, thanks to the developmental projects funded by the PetroCaribe.
Chavez also recommended during the Summit that members share raw materials amongst each other, and create a unified currency eventually to “combat the tyranny of the [United States] dollar”.
Douglas said that PetroCaribe is “one of the most progressive agreements that has been made in our hemisphere”, particularly in enhancing the development of member countries.
“Certainly as a response to energy, as a response to social and economic challenges, PetroCaribe stands out as a beacon that enhances the prospects of growth and development in Latin America and the Caribbean,” the Prime Minister said to the gathered heads of government.
Though oil is at the heart of the PetroCaribe agreement, Douglas emphasised that comprehensive energy programmes should be a long term goal for the members.
“I believe it is important that every small island state has a well-managed energy programme for fossil-based energy; however, we must also augment fossil fuels with alternative sources of energy. The fundamental issue is that energy use must be reduced and used in the most efficient and environmentally friendly manner,” he stated.
The Prime Minister echoed President Chavez’s commitment to agriculture development and said that crop production in the Caribbean to feed the local population and tourism markets is increasingly important.
In his summary remarks near the close of the Summit, the St. Kitts-Nevis Minister with responsibility for Energy, Dr. Hon. Earl Asim Martin, said that PetroCaribe is a unifying force across South America, Central America and the Caribbean.
“PetroCaribe has helped to build a bond of friendship throughout the region and we hope to extend our cooperation following this Summit,” he said.
