KINGSTOWN, St Vincent: Addressing members of his Unity Labour Party (ULP), at a political rally last week, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves urged his supporters to come out and give the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, “a warm Vincentian welcome.”
While here, the Venezuelan president will open the LPG Filling Station at Campden Park, which is situated on the South Leeward side of mainland St Vincent, just about two miles outside of capital Kingstown.Chavez will also visit the site at Argyle on the Windward side of the island where the international airport is to be constructed, with assistance from Venezuela, Cuba and Mexico.St Vincent and the Grenadines is among the Caricom countries that are signatories to the PetroCaribe Agreement with Venezuela. This Agreement calls for the supply of petroleum from Venezuela to the countries on a preferential credit basis.Chavez’s visit will be his second to St Vincent. Following the March 2001 general elections, which Dr Gonsalves’ ULP won, Chavez made a State visit from November 22 to November 23 2001. While in St Vincent he addressed Parliament and laid a wreath at the War Memorial.St Vincent and the Grenadines has had diplomatic relations with Venezuela for the past 25 years and a number of Vincentian students are studying in the Spanish-speaking South American country, courtesy of the Venezuela government.
