Government Information Service

by Emmanuel H. Joseph
Government Information Service

President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Rafael Chavez-Frias, on Saturday, 13th of June, 2009 visited Dominica for the second time in two years, this time to commemorate the commissioning of the Petro Caribe Fuel Storage Plant at Jimmit, named Waitikubuli Fuel Storage and Distribution Plant.

President Chavez’s first visit to Dominica on February 8, 2007, was to lay the cornerstone for the selfsame storage plant at Jimmit.

Dominica’s Ambassador to ALBA, Dr. Philsbert Aaron, in his opening remarks at the brief ceremony to commemorate the commissioning of the Plant, said that the afternoon’s historic occasion was only possible because of integration between the two countries. He heralded the efforts of Prime Minister Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit and went on to list some of the projects across the island of Dominica funded by the Government of Venezuela. Among these projects are the expansion of the Melville Hall Airport, several new primary schools on the island and the housing project in the Carib Territory.

President Chavez, in his remarks expressed how delighted he was to be here and called Dominica a paradise.

“...if you have not visited Dominica, then you have not seen the other half of the world. I am truly happy to be here. The first time I came to Dominica, I said that Dominica was paradise; this time around I really mean it that Dominica is indeed paradise.”

President Chavez thanked the President of Dominica, His Excellency Nicholas J. O. Liverpool and Prime Minister Skerrit for their instrumentation of seeing the strong ties between Dominica and Venezuela. He went on to say that Dominica is the most active member of ALBA.

Amidst the congratulatory remarks and high praised showered on the Dominican leaders, President Chavez called on Dominicans to continue to play the major role in building Dominica. He sees the plant as social property, owned by Dominicans as the Government of Dominica was elected by the people of Dominica and administered by the Government of Dominica.

“There will always be more work to do. There is always need for improvement. We need to select new teams to look at new projects to advance Dominica forward.”

The Venezuelan President highlighted the fact that now, Dominica no longer have to depend on transnational corporations that ‘looted’ Dominica with the prices that they resold at.

“Dominica does not have to depend elsewhere for energy and fuel. Transnational companies came and bought the fuel from us, reselling it to Dominica for sometimes two or three times the amount they paid for it. In my mind, that is looting, that is pillaging. Now, Dominica has been liberated from these transnational corporations. All the oil that Dominica needs for a very long time is just across in Venezuela.”

As part of the Bolivarian Alliance, President Chavez has pledged to build a state of the art coffee processing plant in Dominica. He believes that ALBA itself can generate its own food security; all the food that is needed by ALBA members can be grown within ALBA. Even industries such as cement, fertilizers, steel can be set up to be manufactured within ALBA.

In the meanwhile, President Chavez has also suggested the setting up of a local ALBA Bank here in Dominica. He believes that now is a time for unity following the great Simon Bolivar’s dream.

“Two hundred (200) years ago, Simon Bolivar said that the only thing missing in unity of all among the islands. Today, as children of Simon Bolivar, we can make that vision a reality; we can fulfil that vision, that prophecy.”

In his speech, Hon. Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, spoke of his first encounter with President Chavez whom he met through the former Cuban President, Fidel Castro. His efforts then and now still revolve around how can we work together to reduce poverty and improving the lives of the people of Venezuela and Dominica. He went on to say that Venezuela was the first country to establish diplomatic ties with Dominica after it gained independence in 1978.

Prime Minister Skerrit lauded efforts by President Chavez to ease reduce poverty across the Caribbean and Latin America.

“I wish to thank you, Mr. President for your continued support, even though you do not like me saying so, towards easing the plight of not just Dominica but other Caribbean and Latin American countries. Your assistance has gone a long way in helping reduce poverty levels across the region and you are respected in these parts and across the world for your efforts.”

As a result of the goodwill of Venezuela, Prime Minister Skerrit made a promise to the elderly citizens of Dominica.

“Every Dominican, one hundred (100) years and over, will be getting a free cylinder of LPG gas free of charge for the remainder of their lives compliments Petro Caribe.”

Prime Minister said that as a result of the positive impact of Petro Caribe, a number of Caribbean Islands are signing up and he welcomes all those that are willing to join. As result, the member states of Petro Caribe will be moving a motion in September, at the United Nations for greater recognition to Petro Caribe for the work it has done in aiding countries that are in need and to ask countries who have the capacity to help to lend a hand to those who are in need throughout the world.”

Both Prime Minister Skerrit and President Chavez exchanged gifts at the ceremony.

The commissioning of the Waitikubuli Fuel Storage and Distribution plant followed on the hills of the sixth (6th) Petro Caribe Summit held in St. Kitts on June 12, 2009.

The thirty-five million US dollar (USD$35 000 000.00) Waitikubuli Fuel Storage and Distribution Plant consists of six (6) tanks on seven (7) acres of land and has the capacity to store twenty-five thousand (25 000) gallons of diesel, ten thousand (10 000) gallons of gasoline, two thousand (2 000) gallons of jet fuel and can supply two thousand (2 000) bottles of Liquefied Petroleum gas (LPG). This amounts to a storage capacity of thirty-five thousand (35000) barrels, enough to cover two months consumption on the island of Dominica.

An album capturing the President's second visit to Dominica can be found here.