U.S. Ambassador John Rood has sent a coded message to the PM regarding the PLP’s signing of an oil deal with anti-American Venezuela President Hugo Chavez.
Speaking in an interview to ZNS reporters, Ambassador Rood said PM Perry Chrlstie should not get caught up in the oil deal.
Instead, said Rood, the PM ought to let our three private sector oil and gas companies, Esso, Texaco and Shell, negotiate with Chavez. But Esso, Texaco and Shell have their own oil supply. Therefore, Rood knows they have no need to sign a deal with Chavez, a close commmunlst pal of Fldel Castro, Cuba’s President and dictator.
So, Rood’s veiled message was clearly that the Government must not follow Jamaica and sign the PetroCaribe agreement with Venezuela, which like communist Cuba, is an arch-enemy of the U.S. Ambassador Rood sent his coded message as PM Christie and his Cabinet Ministers meet this week to discuss the PetroCaribe deal.
Trade & Industry Minister Leslie Miller has said that the Cabinet will decide by this Friday whether or not to sign the deal.
Under the deal, Chavez claims that he can sell oil to Carlcom countries at a cheaper price. But the deal is riddled with problems. First, if the PM signs a deal with Venezuela, he will upset the U.S.-the world’s sole super-power, provider of 95 per cent of our tourists and our closest ally. In other words, Christie will be “biting the hand that feeds The Bahamas”.
Second, Venezuela is a member ﾠof OPEC, the group of oil-producing countries who control prices. And under OPEC rules, Venezuela is not allowed to sell oil at below world market prices. This means the PetroCaribe deal is “Illegal” under OPEC rules.
Third in a bid to duck round OPEC rules, Chavez has devised a questionable scheme. It will entail a country getting cheaper oil on a 25-year payment plan.
Source: The Punch
