Energy protests rock Jamaica

[Yeo]

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) -- The government Wednesday accused the main opposition party of hurting Jamaica's productivity, a day after widespread street protests that left one man dead, blocked roads and forced most businesses and schools to close.

Police began clearing roadblocks of fallen trees, burned-out cars, tires and other debris that demonstrators had pushed into the streets Tuesday to protest the rising cost of water, electricity and public transportation.

A 21-year-old man was shot to death by unidentified gunmen after he got out of a car and tried to remove a roadblock mounted by protesters just outside the capital of Kingston, police said.

A policeman was shot and injured while trying to clear a roadblock in a volatile area of Kingston, police said. It was unclear who fired the shot, and the officer's condition wasn't immediately known.

The protests came as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez met with Caribbean leaders in the resort town of Montego Bay. The leaders of nine nations gave final approval to an oil trading initiative offered by Chavez as an alternative to free trade deals backed by the United States amid rising world fuel prices.

Police reported isolated protests in Montego Bay but said they didn't disrupt the conference being held at a seaside luxury hotel.

The opposition Jamaica Labor Party, which has accused Prime Minister P.J. Patterson's government of hurting the poor by raising prices for public utilities and bus fares, led the demonstrations.

Opposition leaders had urged supporters to demonstrate peacefully, but the government accused the party of letting things get out of control.

"They came out and said the protests would be peaceful, yet a policeman is shot and roads are blocked," said Bobby Pickersgill, chairman of the governing People's National Party.

Another official said the protests hurt the Caribbean island's productivity and raised doubts about its stability.

"The protests ... have only harmed the country, moving us in the direction of reduced output and activity," Information Minister Burchell Whiteman said. "The negative impact will be felt not only domestically, but also internationally, raising questions about Jamaica's stability."

Karl Samuda, the opposition's general secretary, rejected the claims, saying the protests were largely peaceful and noting that demonstrations ended in the afternoon, as instructed by the party.

"We are very pleased with the level of enthusiasm," Samuda said. "The people were told that they should help in the cleanup process. The JLP have made it clear that the protest is over."

At the meeting in Montego Bay, the leaders signed accords that set out the details of Chavez's Petrocaribe initiative, which could help some of the more fragile economies in the region survive the shock of higher fuel prices.

Those signing the accords included the Dominican Republic, which has proposed a series of national measures aimed at curbing fuel consumption, along with smaller countries such as Antigua, Suriname and St. Kitts and Nevis.

Cuba and Jamaica had previously signed onto the plan.

"We have the opportunity to break from the path of imposed domination and servitude," Chavez told leaders and representatives of 16 nations gathered at a Jamaican resort.

Under the plan, Caribbean governments would pay market price for Venezuelan oil, but they would only be required to pay a portion of the cost up front and could finance the rest over 25 years at 1 percent interest, Patterson told the gathering.

Governments could also pay for part of the cost with services or goods such as rice, bananas or sugar, while oil-rich Venezuela would provide assistance in expanding shipping and refining facilities.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/09/07/jamaica.ap/index.html
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