General manager of the Barbados National Oil Company Ron Hewitt, yesterday accused Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez-led government of trying to “mash up” Caricom.
Speaking in a Guardian interview at yesterday’s seventh annual Energy Caribbean Conference held at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, Hewitt accused Venezuela of using its PetroCaribe initiative to fragment and ultimately crush the regional body.
“PetroCaribe is a perfect example of the Caribbean gone wrong. We cannot allow a non-Caricom member to mash up things,” he said.
Hewitt said under the PetroCaribe initiative, Caricom countries will pay for the oil used today, in the future.
T&T and Barbados were the only two members of Caricom to oppose the Chavez plan.
Jamaica, which subscribed to PetroCaribe, is said to be reaping huge rewards.
Venezuela reportedly supplies Jamaica with 24,000 barrels of oil out of the 28,000 its needs daily, while providing funds for road infrastructure works.
Hewitt said, “It doesn’t represent what we are looking for in Barbados. You have to pay part of the cost now and get a credit. That credit then goes onto your national debt. It’s not an asset; it’s a commodity.”
Hewitt explained that Caricom States were at different stages in the development of their respective energy sectors.
“One can’t help but feel that a joint approach would have been better than the bilateral approach to PetroCaribe,” he said.
Speaking in a Guardian interview at yesterday’s seventh annual Energy Caribbean Conference held at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, Hewitt accused Venezuela of using its PetroCaribe initiative to fragment and ultimately crush the regional body.
“PetroCaribe is a perfect example of the Caribbean gone wrong. We cannot allow a non-Caricom member to mash up things,” he said.
Hewitt said under the PetroCaribe initiative, Caricom countries will pay for the oil used today, in the future.
T&T and Barbados were the only two members of Caricom to oppose the Chavez plan.
Jamaica, which subscribed to PetroCaribe, is said to be reaping huge rewards.
Venezuela reportedly supplies Jamaica with 24,000 barrels of oil out of the 28,000 its needs daily, while providing funds for road infrastructure works.
Hewitt said, “It doesn’t represent what we are looking for in Barbados. You have to pay part of the cost now and get a credit. That credit then goes onto your national debt. It’s not an asset; it’s a commodity.”
Hewitt explained that Caricom States were at different stages in the development of their respective energy sectors.
“One can’t help but feel that a joint approach would have been better than the bilateral approach to PetroCaribe,” he said.
Via: Trinidad Guardian| by Sean Nero
