Barbados moved yesterday to deepen trade, tourism and energy ties with Venezuela, as Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley declared that Bajans must no longer allow “history or language” to block closer cooperation with one of the Caribbean’s nearest neighbours.
Speaking at a joint press conference at Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre following her meeting with Acting President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, Mottley said the two countries had agreed to pursue practical measures to lower food costs, improve shipping and air links, expand tourism and explore new energy partnerships.
“You took one hour to travel from Caracas to Bridgetown. There are many of us who spend more than one hour on the road in our respective countries travelling and therefore this is to show you how close we are to each other,” she added.
The Prime Minister said Government wanted Venezuelan produce to help ease food prices locally, while creating export opportunities for Barbadian farmers and manufacturers.
Broader range of products
She noted that shipments of pineapples had already arrived from Venezuela over the last year and a half, but far greater opportunities existed.
“We therefore want to be able to engage on a broader range of products for the benefit of Barbadian people and Bajans to be able to access food at cheaper prices, particularly nutritional food.”
Mottley said Barbados also wanted planes and ships arriving here not to return empty.
“We are committed to ensuring that the planes and ships that come here do not go back with their holds empty, but in fact can go back with produce that can benefit our farmers and our manufacturers,” Rodríguez described yesterday as a turning point in relations.
“I have also told the Prime Minister that today, April 27, is the birth of the cooperation in economy and trade between Venezuela and Barbados.”
Tourism also featured prominently in the talks, with both leaders signalling plans to increase airlift through Venezuelan carrier Conviasa and to develop twin-destination packages.
Rodríguez said discussions included increasing flights between the two countries and adding nearby destinations, while offering travel packages to Venezuelans and Barbadians.
Mottley said Barbados could benefit from its close proximity to Venezuela’s varied geography.
“As I indicated before, Venezuela is a vast country with every climate known to mankind . . . to have a different experience from what Barbados can offer and still be back in Barbados for dinner at night,” she said.
Educational travel
She also highlighted student exchanges, saying educational travel could become another important pillar of cooperation.
On language, the Prime Minister renewed her call for Spanish to become Barbados’ second language, as the country had to equip its people for hemispheric trade and movement.
“Given all that is happening globally, it is critical that Barbados establishes Spanish as our second language and allow our people to benefit from movement within this hemisphere,” she said.
Rodríguez pointed out that Venezuela had agreed to expand the capacity of its cultural institute in Barbados and use technology to allow Venezuelan teachers to deliver more Spanish training to Barbadians.
Energy cooperation was another major plank of the discussions.
The acting president said Barbados had been invited to invest in Venezuelan oil and gas fields, while the two sides were also examining collaboration in renewable energy, including the possible manufacture of solar panels.
Mottley made reference to past regional arrangements such as the San José Agreement and PetroCaribe as examples of how Caribbean countries had weathered oil shocks with outside support.
“We welcome the opportunity for this cooperation to see how best we can invest to the benefit of both countries at this very, very difficult time of energy insecurity,” she said.
Both leaders indicated that investment treaties and double taxation arrangements would also be reviewed as they seek to modernise the bilateral relationship. (CLM)
