Mexican Experts to Train Persons in Petroleum Industry

Stakeholders in Jamaica’s petroleum industry are to benefit from training and technical services from experts out of Mexico.

This is being facilitated under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which was signed today (March 6) between Group General Manager of the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ), Winston Watson; and Director General of the Mexican Petroleum Institute, Dr. Ernesto Rios Patrón.

Foreign Secretary of Mexico, His Excellency Dr. Luis Videgaray Caso, who is in the island for a working visit, and Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, also participated in the signing, which took place this afternoon at Jamaica House.

Speaking at a press conference, hosted by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, at Jamaica House, Dr. Videgaray said the agreement will involve the transfer of state-of-the-art technologies and knowledge in refining to make Jamaica’s energy supply more flexible.

He noted that through Mexico’s expertise, Jamaica’s petroleum sector will be able to transform itself into a more reliable and more secure source of energy for the country.

Secretary Videgaray pointed out that under the leadership of Mexico’s President, Enrique Peña Nieto, that country’s energy sector has been completely transformed from a public-sector monopoly model “to a market-based (model), open to investment from anywhere, that has been very successfully and rapidly implemented”.

“With that mindset, we think there are opportunities to work with Jamaica,” he added, noting that continuing to explore more areas of cooperation in energy “will be a good chunk of our relationship going forward”.

For her part, Minister Johnson Smith welcomed the new partnership, which will build on the successes of previous collaborations in the area.

“Indeed, our two countries have had a long history of cooperation in energy, dating back to the San José Accord of 1980, which supplied oil at discounted prices to Central American and Caribbean countries,” she said.

She noted that both countries will work to intensify cooperation in the critical areas of petroleum exploration and exploitation, as a means of ensuring greater energy security.

Minister Johnson Smith and Secretary Videgaray also held discussions on bilateral cooperation projects in agriculture, education, technology and culture.

Discussions also focused on current and future developments in the Jamaica-Mexico bilateral relationship as well as on recent regional political developments.

“We agreed to work together to strengthen our bilateral cooperation framework, deepen trade and investment ties, as well as promote a peaceful prosperous and democratic Latin American and Caribbean region,” she said.

Additionally, Secretary Videgaray paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister, the Most Hon, Andrew Holness, prior to the press conference and met with high-level officials from the Economic Growth Council (EGC) and Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO).