Energy Minister extends condolences to Petrocaribe

St. Kitts and Nevis Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, Honourable Dr. Earl Asim Martin

Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 06, 2013 (SKNIS): St. Kitts and Nevis Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, Honourable Dr. Earl Asim Martin, has expressed sadness on the passing of President Hugo Chavez, of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

President Chavez died yesterday (March 05) after more than a year long battle with cancer.

Deputy Prime Minister Martin said in his capacity as Energy Minister, he had the opportunity to meet President Chavez on several occasions the most memorable being during the PetroCaribe conference held in St Kitts in June 2009. He said, President Chavez was an exceptional friend of the Caribbean, and a special friend of St Kitts and Nevis.

He added, the President’s commitment to his Caribbean neighbors was one built on mutual respect and assistance and spoke of President Chavez’s zeal for the PetroCaribe agreement of 2005 that gave Caribbean Nations relief from rising oil and gas prices through a partnership developed by his Government.

Through the agreement, St Kitts and Nevis also benefited by gaining affordable access to materials required to effect road repairs. This was described as “significant” as it helped to reduce the overall cost to upgrade the local road infrastructure.

“This will be one of the legacies of President Chavez in St Kitts and Nevis,” Deputy Prime Minister Martin stressed.

The Energy Minister revealed that he has expressed condolences on behalf of his Ministry and the citizens of St Kitts and Nevis to the Manager and Staff of PetroCaribe St Kitts-Nevis.