Venezuela, plagued with shortages of basic goods, was offered a reprieve by the Prime Minister of neighboring Trinidad & Tobago: exchange oil for tissue paper.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar suggested an oil-for-tissue swap in a news conference Tuesday following a meeting in Port of Spain with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. She said the deal would benefit both countries.
“The concept of commodity sharing is simple -– the Government of Trinidad and Tobago will purchase goods identified by the Government of Venezuela from T&T’s manufacturers, such as tissue paper, gasoline, and parts for machinery,” Persad-Bissessar said.
Alas boy skerrit hatred of non-laborites will crush us as a people. I take offence skerrit Savarin etc are these guys Labourites or infiltrators? Or guys who are raping the authentic DLP in broad day light?
Lang Papa I disagree here.
Facts go put ur self to sleep in ur rocking chair. U full of it. you need to be flushed.
As you state to others so shall you receive. When will you sleep in your rocking chair? It is a good thing you do not know for it may come at any time when you least expect it. Stay tuned.
Hey I like the idea of a swap for oil. How about we send them all our substandard goods ? That’s what happens to poor countries around the world, isn’t it ? They get everyone else’s crap.
What we have confronting us a situation of confrontation instead of negotiation. During the cold war China was calling America ” a capitalist running dog” and America was turning its allies against a communist China. America reversed its policy. Now both super powers are partners in trade, and have stop aiming nuclear weapons at each other.
When Mexico naturalized its oil industry its leaders did not go abroad lambasting the USA and its international corporations , but negotiated with the US to defuse tension. Chavez on the other hand went all over, even as far as the middle east castigating the US and partnering with the US enemies and calling the President a donkey. So the US is retaliating by destabilizing Venezuela to remove Chavez people in the hope that regime change will make Venezuela toe its line. Monduro should have negotiated with the US for normalization of relations. Now the people are suffering, the country is being destabilised and the whole region is put at
the entire region is put at risk. We can pay attention to policies to normalize Cuban-American relationship or the new Iran -US moves. Negotiation not confrontation.
Closer home…..People have commented that export of our toilet paper to Venezuela is because of political differences between Makenzie and the ruling party because Makenzie favours the opposition.
Does the same scenario holds for export to our Eastern Caribbean partners where we enjoy treaty preferences and protection for our paper products. And what role does Caricom play in this.
Dominica’s population is 70,000. We can safely say that represent 70,000 roll of paper per week, so how does government prevent this sale.
When an entrepreneur of an infant industry has no rapport with the government of the day and openly oppose the government of the day the infant industry run the risk of becoming a parentless child.
Why can’t a infant company oppose the government of the day If we are a thriving democracy. It is no surprise that we have very little investors because everyone must bow to the feet of this corrupt regime.
Listening to your crap is nauseating. Better of red than dead. This here is the kind of rationale that those who know better impart on the naive and ignorant people.
By the way is not true that you corrupt idiots were offering Venezuela agricultural products when Venezuela was demanding payment? Interesting though Venezuela never ask for dasher and fig but the world know that Venezuela wanted toilet paper way back in 2013.
No wonder we are last under your administration-it is your petty corrupt and childish behavior.
Neo DLP didn’t do it to Mckenzie’s Toilet paper industry?
The best thing we can do now for Venezuela is pay them the huge debt we owe them under Petro-Caribe and bata toilet paper, water, chubbily beer and soap products. We may even convince them to give us back Bird Island and we will send them free coffee from the coffee plant.
Assertive, NOT Aggressive!
This news item is so hilarious I am not sure it is serious. In this day and age our best idea to help a struggling country is to exchange toilet paper for oil. A country just so recently in its abundance was spreading its wealth in the Caribbean. Reminds me of a calypso by sugar allows, no body loves no body. In good times you have lots of friends. As soon as money done you see how many real friends you have. Some will even try to take the little you have left for nothing. I would like to see the measurements of the value of oil to toilet paper. Is it the amount of ….holes it can wipe per barrel. There are lots of holes full of waste in Dominica and Venezuela that need cleaning. How about pay up all the free oil you all been getting. Tell me who is honest with their dealings. What a society!!!!!!
now that is common sense for the intelligent UWP comments here on DNO,how the hell that they are broke but can exchange oil for tissue paper, no you all so busy hitting on the government with bull,these people are being suppressed with their oil sales somewhere somehow,or i most be come from some other planet.
This labor party government did not have the vision to get such economic trade going. The Man reason is because it was Mackenzie. These people have no clue how to run a country.
how much tissue can McKenzie produce to supply the international market, hate the American and hate their biscuits
Mackenzie to the rescue. Put all our differences aside and let Sev supply Venezuela with toilet paper. Stop that political victimization and allow Dominica to come to their rescue by giving Sev Mackenzie,, a humble, and generous man, the opportunity to let his dream materialize. Sev has been talking about that trade between Dominica and Venezuela for a long time now. It was almost there, but his hopes were dashed on the rocks because of partisanship. He also talks about developing our coconut industry also, but alas, his ideas don’t stand a chance with the cabal.
I can give Venezuela 10 cartoons per mamacita….
when lennox mentioned the toilet paper story and indicated that our dominica toilet paper company supplying Venezuelan, uninformed repeaters :which are labourites who repeat what labour politicans say”, said that lennox was lying on the Venezuelan people and hate the Venezuelan government… ITS BEFORE OUR EYES TO SEE NOW.
To the Dear Leader: our new Motherland is in deep doo-doo and we need to hear from you. It is said that the phrase “getting the sh….y end of the stick” originated in Ancient Rome where they developed a stream-fed trough toilet and provided sea sponges on sticks for wiping the lower posterior. But in the dark, if one wasn’t careful they could reach down and grab the wrong end of the stick. The solution by the PM of Trinidad offers some relief but is not exactly an ideal solution. How can you help our motherland from getting the wrong end end the stick offered?
amusing piece as our gov’t is so often.
Cheers Erasmus.
Nothing is more important to these in government than selling our passports to the underworld where proverbial tunnels return money underneath the table.
I recall Mackenzie bringing this issue to the public and from all indication the response from the so called close friends of Venezuela was that they the friends dont have any contacts in Venezuela. But the Trinidad PM found the contacts.
Who am I to question whether yo ka twavaille or not cause they sure know how to work for their own personal interest.
Is there anyone immune from that, working for their interest as also individuals? In whatever matter, I am certain you are no exception yet you find fault. If only you were perfect.
If you find someone who does not work for his/her personal interest and who does not seek his/her own interest let us know. I can assure you that person would be a saint and should not be living on this earth but should be in Heaven.
factless you around still?
I am sorry that I need to spell it all ou to you cause your brain is up your behind. The next time piticians come to you tell them that you will only vote them if they put their interest before that of the people. Good idea you si called holy catholic.
Poor Venezuela. Dominicans eat up all the people money in red clinic , NEP, yes we care, petro cariib and now the people hungry.
Your comment is one ignorant and silly one. Why does DNO allow such?
Talking to too late Facts?
They allowing you! what’s the difference between us am a citizen so are you we not denizens like some people who post here and toeing Gov’t side.
You are too much.
Lol.
i wonder how skerrit feeling about that news now! knowing that mckenzie and linton have been talking about that for some time now
Just deja vu JUST
god for bid if somting have to haping our primister d same thing will haping to dominica
Dominic it might be happening already . They say he malade He sayit will happen to those who say he is malade first lol!LMAO that sounds like a primary school kid in de school yard a kind of bebbell thing. hahahahahahahaaha
Toilet paper is important, but the best way for Venezuela to clean up all that caca would be a free and fair election.
That would apply to DA also.
Ok Denizen Forerster. I would extend it to our D/can Gov’t & Opposition too. Don’t be a bias veteran.
See Denizen Forester the play of words to the d/can Culture was cool as Facts would say good tweak.
The dif between Denizen & citizen is the Citizen says the truth the other says what the party in power needs to hear in more ways than one.
I commented about the Venezuelan government because the article was about the Venezuelan government. It seems a bit odd that you’d criticise me for NOT going off topic.
Did I? It’s all in the game denizen.
Touched a nerve?
Nice to exercise control in a foreign land denizen Forester
I concur. Their caca issues require much more than a toilet paper bandaid. They may be in need of radical surgery. And bus drivers should be banned from the operating room.
What heck does that have t do with te ssue. We ave our nw concernswithfreeand fair elections in Dominica. Stop trying to divert te discussion. The discussion is about the failure of this administation to seize opportunities for the local business ventures. They are way to busy trying to peddle our passports to crooks.
Its all politics. The greater evil
Well DA you guys that begged Venezuela for money, helped that country for being broke..
You really do not know how countries operate. These countries have a contingency budget for assisting other countries, people of those countries in times of need. Believe me I do not think Venezuela is as broke as you people think.
Did you access the other Website on this subject? The headline states, “The US economy is finished.” I did not read it but I will return to it sometime.
Dominica is not a rich country. Yet, should other member nations of CARICOM of all experience a disaster, the PM will always assist them. It is imperative that all governments have some funds in reserve for emergencies. This is the way it works. Learn from that.
Facts thou clueless himself is now teaching policy!
Soon we will have coffee to trade.
Whatever, if need be, it is a good idea. Every country has resources which could be utilized beneficially. Dominica is no exception. If only D/cans, as farmers, would pull their resources together, be ambitious and hard working, those who do would fare well and also make Dominica a well-to-do (rich) country.
Some people lack ambition. They expect the government to do everything. They do not pull their weight and do something for themselves and for the nation. Ask yourself if you are one of those and get with it and do something constructive instead of criticisms and sarcasms which get nobody anywhere and do not contribute to enhancing the country. Look into this and try to contribute something for the good of your country.
Here Fact goes again lol Dream on dream on facts well to do rich country facts where is ur brain are sitting pon it? You will have to exchange names with Hartley not the Bajan the d/can Bottom brain.
Bwaaaaaaaaaaa! deep breaths…..bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
This is a band aid “solution” to a serious problem of shortages and economic chaos.Trinidad is awash in petroleum. They don’t need that.They evidence is clear Maduro and his henchmen are destroying Venezuela.Its time for them to GO!
Likewise their friends in DA. Who are no friends when they are in need.
See this one Man Show (not the cologne) screws up everything. When Juice/Hugo Chavez was around it was stable. The Middle East was too, with Sadam, brother Ghadaffi etc though deadly and dictatorial guys were scared to try a ting. They say in philosophy where there is contradiction there is change. I wondering all now.
wonder what the Ambassador to Venezuela ‘s opinion on that. Are we to listen next WED to the mom & papa show on Kairi fm?
Juanito you obviously have no idea what you are talking about. Trinidad is not away in petroleum (by which I assume you mean oil). Trinidad’s economy is based primarily on natural gas. They do have oil, but even for their own refinery, they import a lot of that crude.
Trinidad produces about 100,000 bpd of oil. That is a drop in the bucket.
So we have gone back to battering. I have some shells and cocoa beans I am willing to exchange for a flat screen TV and a gold chain. Anyone… Shoot our governments doing so we can work something out. I have top of the line beans an my shells have an extra pearly luster
Any other country in the Caribbean would have jumped on an offer to sell toilet paper to Venezuela. Perhaps our government is not mature enough to see the need to help grow our private sector even if some may not agree with the party. It is sad that our so called non-resident Ambassador to Venezuela and his government did not see the wisdom in supporting Mackenzie’s bid to sell toilet paper to Venezuela. When are we going to grow up and do what is in the best interest of the country and not the party. Wake up Dominica!
There is a big difference Tampa. We don t manufacture our own paper like Trinidad does. In fact the tissue paper manufacturer in Dominica has to import his paper for processing here. Secondly, we already owe Venezuela for fuel imports and don’t have refining facilities for crude oil like Trinidad. What Venezuela really needs right now is an injection of U.S.$. and they don’t have that either.
Even if we don’t have refining facilities for crude oil like Trini does???
Naturally we would have to broker a deal that suites us in our best interest. Not because Trini brokered or suggested toilet paper for oil means we would have been subjected to the exact same deal. The point remains that there was that opportunity available for us to capitalize on
I read your post Tampa and thought, Pampa for the elderly then free toilets for every home given away last year by the administration the Neo-DLP now we talking toilet paper. Medard have his priorities upside down.
When he was building his corrupted nest Hugo helped him build it.
If a friend was good to you in life, the least you could do as a friend is care for the family he left behind.
Skerrit this is a colossal shame on you et AL.
A friend in deed is a friend in need we all learned that in kindergarten Skerro. Anyone who was breast fed have empathy. That leaves us to wonder…………………………………….if some people went straight to the bottle of formula direct!
There you go with your accusations and unfounded ones when you absolutely know nothing. Some of you put your foot into your mouth and it will remain there always due to your mentality.
Are you aware if the PM has been in contact with the government of Venezuela? Why do you not find out prior to making such a statement?
,SKerrit i guess you have no say,bc he wants all his money back,oil for tissue paper,what a joke.
Whether we give Venezuela a Dasheen swap or a toilet swap for oil or whatever, the writing is on the wall. Can the Dominica really expect to get assistance from Venezuela in a sustained way whilst its people continue to starve and undergo hardship. This will not last for long, particularly in the face of declining oil prices. Wake Up people.
Mr ambassador why can’t we wipe Venezuela’s A; with our toilet paper production. What happen Mr Ambassador you want to be the only one wiping A.
Mag wa ca we could havE been supplying Venezuela with toilet paper but instead we are Hearing lies about Venezuela giving g us money when Venezuela need money.
Lang Mama A is for what Arsenal , Accessories; Aston Villa,
Greg, All of the above. plus moreso astounishing
Hahaha! Wasn’t that suggestion made by our local toilet paper manufacturer? Skerritt and others of his followers laughed at the idea but someone else has taken it and ran with it. This is yet another example of how backward thinking and incompetent that government is. This also goes to further strengthen the point that skerritt is not interested in growing the economy. As he and his ministers have said its all about aid not trade.
But didn’t the government of Dominica kibosh a similar offer that was proposed by McKenzie Severin since in 2014? … De country nice…. 5 more years… of misery!
Mr Skerrit and his Labour party have failed us less than 100 days in a new term in office.
DLP in power in DA for 14 years.
Where is de innovative genius in our Ministry of Trade?
Where is our PM?
where is our Finance Minister?
You mean we lost a golden opportunity like this/
De Prime Minister of T & T can see de positive in such an arrangement.
What happen to de 13 hour negotiation skills of Roosevelt Skerrit?
Dis man is a farce?
Disgraceful DLP.
If it was Krazy T that owned nature Island paper Products. we would have heard de big pronouncements already…..de number of rolls of tissue we send……and de open contract we have to keep supplying Venezuela with toilet paper as long as DLP in power.
Look at opportunities for us just flying away boy.
Alas boy skerrit hatred of non-laborites will crush us as a people.
So much for olive branch.
Greedy lazy politicians!!!!
I’m afraid looks like Roosevelt Skerrit won the battle but lost the war.
This is very sad for Venezuela. Daddy Chavez died and it looks like the country is slowly dying with him. My question to Dominica that was always benefiting from Venezuela when Daddy Chavez was alive, what are you doing for Venezuela?? Now they are in a Crisis, what is Dominica offering to them? Dominica you need to give back to Venezuela, may it be provision, water, or soap, something that we have a lot of. The situation is so sad in Venezuela right now. I believe they need a hand from Dominica right now.
Medard only receives he does not give. Only in the red clinic he gives something for something.
Daddy Chavez was able to keep the people in check. Since he died, recall the numerous protests/demonstrations. These are obstinate people.
Were these people, at least some of them, not employed? Some refused to work and contribute to the economy of the country. They preferred staging those protests. So what do you expect in the long run?
Some of you never see the situation in this manner. Utilize your basic common sense and put your thinking cap on. People could contribute or not to the country’s economy. What are you doing for Dominica’s economy?
If Venezuela’s situation gets worst, the PM will always do his utmost to assist. He is not ungrateful as you people make him out to be. Some of you do not give him a chance. You are always ready to pounce on him and unfairly so.
How do you take a country with such abundant petroleum resources, with oil, until recently trading at $140/barrel and still have an economy where people cannot get toilet paper to wipe their backsides?
And then all you do is blame the US for your troubles. And these guys want to continue governing.
On flip side, you have an opposition waiting in the wings who cannot wait to get their hands on the nation’s money so they can bleed the country dry lining their and their friend’s pockets.
What a flocked up country.
its laughable, why couldnt Prime Minister of Dominica Roosevelt Skerrit offer the same? strange.
perhaps he was asleep?
no he wasn’t asleep. he did not want Nature island paper to get the money because management not in his corner
but wait nah, why cant our home grown paper company benefit from their situation? why doesn’t the gov’t facilitate such a process instead of selling our lands to pay back their election loans
Hi SKERRIT! What does DA have to swap with our friend to the South who is undergoing serious hardship? Suggestion- Help Mckenzie increase production by lowering his tariff then we can negotiate a deal with Venezuela. Mc K knowing him for over 40 yrs is a nice and extremely approachable and patriotic individual. I know this from our long association. When we state & ask in our Tourism Logo Am D/can are you we are referring to people like him not peeps like ur Tourism minister and others.
Does Nature Island have the capacity to ramp up production to serve that market?
I don’t know, just asking.