Guyana wants deals continued with new T&T Govt

With the new Keith Rowley Administration in place in Trinidad and Tobago, the David Granger Administration in Guyana has promised to meet with the twin-island Government to continue economic ties.

Governance Minister Raphael Trotman on Wednesday said Government would be taking the soonest opportunity to meet with Trinidad and Tobago’s newest Head of State, Dr Keith Rowley, who was sworn in on Wednesday, to ensure the pledges made between the Governments of Guyana and Trinidad are maintained.

After months of heavy political campaigning, Rowley’s People National Movement edged to victory in the September 7 General Election, prevailing over the Kamla Persad-Bissessar-led People’s Partnership (PP) regime 23 seats to 18 seats.

Guyana and Trinidad have had a number of commitments together, with pledges even being made by former Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to assist Guyana in the oil and gas sector.

Guyana, more recently, upped its quota of oil imports from the neighbouring Caribbean country, after its reported shortfall from neighbouring Venezuela from the PetroCaribe deal.

Guyana has, for years, been accessing oil from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela under PetroCaribe deal, but the recent revival of the border controversy by that country could see the deal altogether abandoned.

Through the deal, Guyana and Venezuela have been bartering rice for oil. The arrangement has been on a ‘go-slow’ recently, after Venezuela upped its claims to a significant portion of Guyana’s territory – an issue which was settled by arbitration more than a century ago.

Venezuela has become increasingly aggressive, after US-based oil company ExxonMobil reported that it had discovered oil off the Stabroek Block.

“I think the commitment was not between Head of State and Head of State, but country to country. And so even with a change of government we intend to continue and deepen the ongoing arrangement between Guyana and the sister Caricom Country… we will refresh and renew the commitment made with the former Head of State, Ms [Kamla] Persad-Bissessar,” Trotman assured.

Among the other arrangements between the two countries is the establishment of a joint Commission to initiate and oversee collaboration in construction, education, business and other areas where it would be mutually beneficial to deepen ties.

The two countries under the leadership of both the People’s Progressive Party/Civic and the PP, had agreed to a Guyana-Trinidad farming deal. There had also been a number of projects that were discussed but not yet implemented including plans for the establishment of an ethanol plant, the establishment of a cheese factory, a meat processing unit and the leasing of land around ponds for the rearing of Hassa and other sweetwater fish.