President Leonel Fernandez said yesterday that the higher oil prices are a serious challenge that has the government “enormously worried”, especially since the agreement with Venezuela does not come into effect for some time. In his statements, given in a passionate and impromptu talk to students who had just been awarded certificates for scholarships both here and overseas, the President said that the new US$65 price for a barrel of crude oil “gives us big, the biggest of worries.” Later, the President said that the PetroCaribe Agreement had not yet kicked in, but that a Dominican delegation was in Venezuela to discuss its workings and the terms and conditions for the DR to get this oil. The master of ceremonies had already closed the session when the President took the podium, and during his brief remarks, according to the El Caribe report, his eyes glistened with emotion.