Venezuela Opens Showroom In Vieux Fort

Contact: Rose Marie Harris

Friday, August 17, 2001 – The Government of Venezuela has moved to capitalize on the strategic advantage offered by the Vieux Fort Free Trade Zone by establishing a showroom there to display and promote Venezuelan products.

The showroom was opened on Tuesday this week and forms part of a wider Caribbean initiative to establish a series of Venezuelan business houses to showcase and promote products made in the Spanish-speaking South American nation.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Senator Julian Hunte, explained the free zone seeks to attract international, regional and local traders who import large volumes of finished products from the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia for re-export to neighbouring countries.

He said: “The Free Trade Zone is in the process of consolidating its operations and to date five companies have begun operations in the Zone.  Two of these companies are already involved in regional trading with Saint Lucia’s core markets.”

“The Vieux Fort Free Zone is destined to be one of the central pillars of the foundation that is being created in Saint Lucia for the stimulation and growth of our international trade,” the Minister added.

Speaking on St. Lucia-Venezuela relations, Senator Hunte noted that both countries have consistently strived towards the continued strengthening of diplomatic and development cooperation relations.   

He said: “Saint Lucians do not take for granted the fact that Venezuela is the only Latin American nation that has established, since 1979, an embassy in Saint Lucia, with a resident ambassador; nor do we take for granted the fact that Venezuela is the only Latin American nation to have established a cooperation institute in Saint Lucia, where Saint Lucians receive training in the Spanish language on a gratis basis, and where the police are receiving free lessons in Spanish as well.  We are deeply gratified with the embassy’s plans to also include teachers in this programme very soon.”

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