APBEL Celebrates 10 Years of Petrocaribe

Dean Barrow

While Espat is concerned about the spending of Petrocaribe funds, the initiative turned ten on Monday. The milestone achievement was celebrated in grand fashion at the APBEL office in Belize City, complete with a courtesy toast and all the bells and whistles.  But, the merrymaking was set against the controversy surrounding the use of the funds.  While addressing a gathering of dignitaries and government officials, Prime Minister Barrow acknowledged the ongoing argument but firmly stated that the people of Belize are indebted to the government and people of Venezuela for the much needed assistance.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“It, I suppose, is as well to acknowledge that there has been this campaign locally against this Petrocaribe initiative and I don’t think those that lead the charge who say they are not against the program, they are only against the way the program is being operated.  Nobody seriously can buy that, especially when there is a challenge before the courts of this country seeking to shut the program down.  Now, that’s local politics and we certainly don’t want to have the relations between Belize and Venezuela viewed through the prism of local politics.  There are times when I have been embarrassed by some of the incendiary statements that some people in the Opposition have made and I note that recently there has also been an attack against Venezuela.  What is crystal clear is that the people of this country greatly appreciate the tremendous benefits that Petrocaribe has brought to Belize and the people of this country are grateful to the government and people of Venezuela.”