Chavez urges Jamaica to join FTAA 'alternative'

[Rockman]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Chavez urges Jamaica to join FTAA 'alternative'</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>BY MARK CUMMINGS Senior staff reporter cummingsm@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>MONTEGO BAY, St James - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has urged Jamaica to join the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) - widely viewed as a counter to the US-sponsored Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).<P class=StoryText align=justify>In making his pitch for support during talks with Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and on other senior government ministers in Montego Bay on Monday, Chavez outlined a raft of benefits which he said Caribbean countries such as Jamaica would receive under the initiative.<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=330 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>MONTEGO BAY, St James - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez greets Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller upon his arrival in Montego Bay on Monday. Chavez signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Jamaican leader which will see Venezuela supplying 2.5 million tonnes of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) annually to Jamaica. Following the meeting with Simpson Miller Chavez left for a visit to Haiti to promote an aid package. </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>"We invite the Caribbean countries and specifically Jamaica in joining ALBA because of the economic benefits that you can receive," said Chavez, adding that already, Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia and Venezuela had signed on.
Citing examples, he said, significant benefits could be achieved by member countries from the planned expansion of oil refineries, bauxite and alumina facilities as well as the petro chemical industries in the Caribbean and Latin America regions.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Under the initiative, member countries will also receive significant medical and sporting assistance.
One of the key aspects of ALBA - the brainchild of Chavez - is the Petro Caribe cheap oil deal which, in part, exchanges oil at below market price levels for a variety of services. The oil deal offers to defer payment and long-term financing for fuel shipments, in addition to fuel under preferential considerations to Caribbean nations.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Chavez first proposed the idea at Isla Margarita at the III Summit of the Heads of State and the Government of the Association of Caribbean States in December, 2001.
But while Simpson Miller on Monday endorsed the proposal, she informed Chavez that the Jamaican Government would give a formal response to the initiative after careful study of the plan.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"The principles underlying ALBA are sound," Simpson Miller said. "This multi- lateral approach that places people at the centre of development is one which Jamaica strongly supports, but we will have to study the proposal in greater detail and then we will have further discussions on it," the prime minister added.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Chavez has been fiercely critical of the US-led FTAA and sees ALBA as serving as a counterweight to it. ALBA advocates a 'socially oriented' trade block rather than one strictly based on the logic of deregulated profit maximisation. By using more effective mechanisms to eradicate poverty, ALBA - as proposed by the Venezuelan Government - provides a counterweight to the policies and goals of the FTAA.<P class=StoryText align=justify>

[Assasin]

RE: Chavez urges Jamaica to join FTAA 'alternative'

A wonder if Chavez can buy Jamaica? Him seems to have better plans for we than our leaders have.

Watch Portia a go try play the middle now. She nuh realise that she can't upset both Bush and Chavez at the same time or dwag eat we supper.

She can't join it as that a go make the US and a lot of the Jamaican population upset, and she have to try and be polite with Chavez and tell him noooooo.

[Karl]

RE: Chavez urges Jamaica to join FTAA 'alternative'

Assasin (3/14/2007)A wonder if Chavez can buy Jamaica? Him seems to have better plans for we than our leaders have.

Watch Portia a go try play the middle now. She nuh realise that she can't upset both Bush and Chavez at the same time or dwag eat we supper.

She can't join it as that a go make the US and a lot of the Jamaican population upset, and she have to try and be polite with Chavez and tell him noooooo.

Go Portia! (tup)

Carefully now!

...for the best of both worlds! (tup)

[Jawge]

RE: Chavez urges Jamaica to join FTAA 'alternative'

Yet unnuh dwag har an say she

can't handle this complex world of politics. See she is showing her savvy in diplomacy. I think JA has it the jackpot on a true leader here. Unnuh might waan check Nanny P lineage; maybe it goes to african aristocracy (asanti from Ghana) :P

[Assasin]

RE: Chavez urges Jamaica to join FTAA 'alternative'

Let us see how well she can navigate this. I assume both Chavez and Bush will be waiting for concrete answers.

Let us hope it don't work out like the T&amp;T LNG supposed deal.

It seems like a cozy place to be in the middle but at some stage you have to take sides as we know Chavez bloc and Bush Bloc are two different things.

[Assasin]

RE: Chavez urges Jamaica to join FTAA 'alternative'

Let us see how well she can navigate this. I assume both Chavez and Bush will be waiting for concrete answers.

Let us hope it don't work out like the T&amp;T LNG supposed deal.

It seems like a cozy place to be in the middle but at some stage you have to take sides as we know Chavez bloc and Bush Bloc are two different things.

[Mosiah]

RE: Chavez urges Jamaica to join FTAA 'alternative'

Assasin (3/14/2007)A wonder if Chavez can buy Jamaica? Him seems to have better plans for we than our leaders have.

Watch Portia a go try play the middle now. She nuh realise that she can't upset both Bush and Chavez at the same time or dwag eat we supper.

She can't join it as that a go make the US and a lot of the Jamaican population upset, and she have to try and be polite with Chavez and tell him noooooo.

<DIV></DIV><DIV>Would you blame her?</DIV>

[Jawge]

RE: Chavez urges Jamaica to join FTAA 'alternative'

Boss yuh nah eas har eeeh,

I am sure Nanny P is aware of the circumstances and will make the right decision. Boss why yuh waan back har into a corner? If you understand the language of diplomacy, I think Chavez already got his answer.Yuh eva ah talk to chritian girl and ask her if unnuh can go out together an she tell yuh say she haffi go talk to har pastor or pray bout it? :P

[Rockman]

RE: Chavez urges Jamaica to join FTAA 'alternative'

If Portia has concerns over ****ing off Bush...... then we need a new PM.

Blessed