[NYTr] Text: Speech by Cuba's VP Carlos Lage at PetroCaribe Summit 8/11/07

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Granma Daily - Aug 11, 2007
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/english/news/art10.html


                          SPEECH BY CARLOS LAGE, 
    VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL OF STATE OF THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA, 
                    AT THE PETROCARIBE SUMMIT MEETING 
                      CARACAS, AUGUST 10 - 11, 2007

Esteemed Heads of State and Government and representatives of countries
united by one sea,

The human species that inhabits our planet Earth has not demonstrated:

• Capacity for peaceful coexistence.

• Determination to preserve the environment.

• Intelligence to produce sufficient energy for its members in a
sustainable fashion.

These are three great challenges, not the only ones, which we must face
responsibly, so that future generations do not accuse us of committing
passive genocide.

As Evo and Chávez have said, bio-fuels, more correctly referred to as
agro-fuels, are being presented to us as the magic solution for the
approaching energy crisis. To realize that this is not the case, it
would suffice to do the simple arithmetic: no complex mathematical
calculations are needed, just arithmetic.

The United States, in order to reach the goal of producing 35 billion
gallons of alternative fuel by 2017, set by their president, and to
substitute 20 % of the fuel consumed by cars, must harvest 320 million
tons of corn. Today, as the leading producer and largest exporter of
corn in the world, it produces less than this; it produces 280 million
tons.

We are not even mentioning the amount of fuel consumed in the
production of corn and other cereals, directly and by the use of
fertilizers, herbicides and other needs, or of the carbon dioxide which
is emitted into the atmosphere by these processes.

There are even some who doubt that the net fuel balance will be
positive and that the final result will be less contamination.

It would be well worthwhile to wonder why, in a world where 800 million
starving people live in poor conditions, something that so obviously
makes food prices go up, leads us to consume more water and to plunder
forests, should be imposed on us without any solution.

One need not be a scientist to figure it out.

• The North seeks to extend its domination over the South even more.

• Multinationals will have the most to gain from this new business.

• Rich countries do not want to renounce the irrational consumerism of
their privileged societies.

• Our countries’ lands will be bought by Soros, Bill Gates, Monsanto,
Archer, Syngenta, and others like them, by virtue of blind market rules.

We must find an answer to the inevitable exhaustion of fossil fuels
through rationality, economy, integration. It is the thesis upheld by
Fidel.

Petrocaribe must be a way of guaranteeing our region’s energy security,
not a simple commercial instrument; a mechanism for integration, not
merely an extension of markets; an instrument used to solve social
problems, not an accumulation of capital. An endeavor which is based on
being complementary, on the recognition of inequalities and on
solidarity, has a future ahead of it which is as bright as we can dream
of.

Today, no other oil-producing country in the world promotes an
initiative as strategic, just and generous. Since June 29, 2005, when
we met for the first time, we have taken steps forward and run into
obstacles. The next two years could witness many more steps forward and
far fewer obstacles. Realism and optimism must take center stage at
this meeting.

Cuba is not here today as a beneficiary of the commercial facilities of
Petrocaribe. At the Puerto La Cruz meeting, where Petrocaribe was
officially constituted, Fidel affirmed that we would not avail
ourselves of the economic advantages, even if they are greater than
those of Caracas agreement to which we are a party.

Petrocaribe had to consolidate itself first, focusing all of its energy
and efforts on the region’s smallest economies. Today, we ratify that
position.

Our country has worked to contribute its experience in the area of
saving fuel.

A program aimed at replacing incandescent bulbs with energy-saving
ones, carried out by young Cubans, is already yielding positive results.

In Venezuela, 53 million bulbs have already been replaced in the
residential sector. A reduction of 1400 and 1100 MW, in the peak energy
demand and by improved services, respectively, has been confirmed,
which means that over a billion dollars in fuel and no less than 2.4
billion dollars in investments are being saved every year. Work is
currently underway in the public sector.

In eleven Caribbean countries (Jamaica, Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda,
Belize, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Suriname and Saint Lucia), over 4 million
bulbs have been replaced, lowering the peak energy demand by 139 MW,
which translates into over 40 million dollars in yearly fuel savings
and no less than 160 million dollars saved in investments.

Experience related to more efficient generation, distributed
generation, the reduction of losses in networks and the recycling of
electric and combustion equipment has also been shared.

PDVSA of Venezuela and CUPET of Cuba have set in motion TRANSLABA, a
cost-efficient joint venture company for fuel transportation for
countries in the area. Before the close of the year, an oil refinery
capable of producing 65 thousand barrels of oil a day will be in
operation in southern Cuba and talks are already underway to construct
a storage base and distribution centre which could benefit the region.

What we have done in Cuba does not suffice and we are not wholly
satisfied with our achievements or our modest contribution, but we
would like to assure our Caribbean brothers that we will share all our
successes with you.

Thank you very much.