Baugh

In the face of hardships triggered by globally driven rising food prices and energy costs, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Dr Kenneth Baugh, has highlighted some of the initiatives being pursued by the ministry to bring relief to the country.

Addressing the Consular Corps of Jamaica International Speakers Luncheon in Kingston recently, Baugh said initiatives were also being undertaken along with the Ministry of Agriculture.

Rising food prices

Speaking specifically to the rising food prices, the deputy prime minister said some of the measures were designed to bring relief to importers, farmers and consumers and were intended to deal with immediate problems of an acute nature. He cited the arrangement negotiated with a Venezuelan firm to supply urea, a key raw material in the manufacture of fertiliser, at a rate below world market prices. The foreign ministry was also cooperating with the Government of Spain to establish a locally based centre for advanced agricultural technology research and training.

A similar cooperation exercise was being carried out with Brazil in the area of sugar and fruit crops production while most recently agricultural initiatives had been forged with Cuba.

Energy needs

Turning to Jamaica's energy needs, Baugh said the country no longer had the luxury of time in relation to the diversification of its energy mix.

"Jamaica cannot, in this current-price environment, continue to rely on crude oil for our energy needs," he said.

The Government had taken a decision to opt in favour of a mixture of natural gas and coal as major sources of alternative energy. In relation to LNG, the Government was actively engaged in discussions with Venezuela about the prospect of securing supplies of natural gas from a new terminal to be built.