Preserve Venezuela relationship

THE EDITOR, Sir:

The impending expropriation of the shares of the Venezuelan-owned Petrojam shares is going to cause a bitter squabble between Jamaica and their former partner. This could have been prevented, or circumvented, if prior analytical work was done and if the Government had collated the relevant documents. We can't afford to lose such a long-standing friend/partner and become their ultimate enemy because of some misconstrued irrelevant overtaken. From the days of Venezuelan legend Simon Bolivar, we have had a remarkable relationship between the two countries.

We need to revisit this latent deal, which is still in its embryonic stages and can be overturned, and make amends. I recall the PetroCaribe deal, when we were in the most unfortunate economic crisis and the Venezuelans took us out of our quagmire. This act of generosity by giving concessionary privileges actually changed our fate and make us into a much more solvent economy.

The Andrew Holness administration cannot be so myopic and unfeeling in their search for economic solvency and stability.

Wanton gambit

This acquisition of Venezuela's 49 per cent shares of Petrojam is a wanton gambit of colossal proportion, which should not see the light of day. We are going to have a very unhappy time in the region because of our stance to disembark from the cordial relationship between us and our former, faithful partner. The road not taken is going to have us on our knees sometime in the future; remember the common saying, "Never bite the hands that feeds you." The Nicholas Madura government must be calling us turncoats because of our less-than-divine move.

Long live the people of Venezuela and the concrete friendship we share.

Paris Taylor

paristaylor82@hotmail.com