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MAIN
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A Joint Project of the Maine
Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods |
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Volume 10 No. 2 |
June 2006 |
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MAIN
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A Joint Project of the Maine
Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods |
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Volume 10 No. 2 |
June 2006 |
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Thank You, Venezuela
In January, Governor Baldacci made an agreement with CITGO Petroleum Corporation to provide 8 million gallons of heating oil at a 40% discount to low-income Mainers. In addition, they agreed to give 120,000 gallons, free of charge, to more than 40 homeless shelters in Maine. Sadly, in a year of record high oil profits, CITGO was the only major company that agreed to help.
CITGO is a subsidiary of Venezuela’s state-owned oil company. This South American nation provided relief to needy American families when Congress didn’t. (Low Income Heating Energy Assistance Program federal funding is down 1% from last year.) Some have criticized the deal as a political move by the Venezuelan government to embarrass President Bush. Such arguments don’t help meet the real needs of hundreds of thousands of U.S. families struggling to stay warm in the winter with increasing oil prices.
For many years now, Congress has flat funded LIHEAP. Current funding is at $1.3 billion for the entire nation. Maine’s share is $30 million. Sounds like a lot of mullah but the average LIHEAP benefit decreased this year to its lowest buying power ever. It’s estimated that Maine’s real need is $77 million.
As a result of this deal, I was invited by CITGO to Venezuela to thank President Chavez. A dozen of us from Maine, including representatives from many of the Maine Indian nations, made up a delegation of 61 from the Northeast states. We went to thank our southern neighbors for this help.
So there we were, over 2000 miles from home for three days. The blue-green ocean, the sand, the green mountains with wild sunflower bushes along the roadway; the adobe-like stacked huts on the sides of hills. In the mountains about an hour from the coast is Caracas, the capitol. The winding roads up the steep landmass seemed to be endless. City life was bustling at dawn as here in the USA: people up early and off to make a living. The volume and staccato tempo of car horns seems to be “universal” to rush hours everywhere. At the end of the day, neighbors visit, listen to music, and children play in the streets.
A handful of us were invited to be on a nationwide TV broadcast. Some 2000 people congregated. There I met President Chavez who I found to be intelligent and witty. I thanked the President for the discounted oil, and asked him if he would help next winter. He said yes, and that he plans to expand the program.
Leaving the palace grounds I said, ‘Adios, amigos’ to a couple of the armed guards. I received friendly smiles and words. I felt good about myself as an American, sharing a moment of mutual trust and friendship.
What a great experience! Onward to a better world for all of us. I say, ‘Buy CITGO fuel.’ Tell the clerk behind the counter you support businesses that embrace Social Responsibility.
Russell Anderson, Waldoboro
