Dominica Joins ALBA

The government of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit signed new agreements with Venezuela in mid-January prompting criticism in the press in neighbouring Guyana that it was accommodating Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez' desire to bring the Caribbean under his influence. It was reported that Venezuela had extended funding of XCD12mn (US$4.44mn) to support the Dominican agricultural sector, with a further US$8.7mn for improvement work at Melville Hall Airport. Venezuela had earlier also agreed to build a US$80mn oil refinery on the island, and was funding student scholarships and a housing programme. Guyana's Starbroek News took a dim view of deepening Dominica-Venezuela ties,

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