43rd Caricom Heads of Govt meeting: Pres Ali holds bilateral discussions with T&T PM on food security, energy cooperation

…follow-up also done on MoU signed in May for dismantling trade barriers

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Sunday held bilateral talks with Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), Dr Keith Rowley, during which the leaders discussed cooperation in trade and food security among other issues.

This is according to a release from the Office of the President. Also present at the meeting was Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd, on the side of Guyana, while his Trinidadian counterpart Amery Browne sat on Rowley’s side of the table.
On the Prime Minister’s side, a release from his office explained that a follow-up on the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Rowley signed with Ali back in May, was also done.
“Both leaders continue to work towards the full implementation of the decisions made during the Prime Minister’s recent trip to Guyana which resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the countries.”
“Today’s (Sunday’s) detailed discussions centred on food security and energy cooperation which will benefit both nations and the wider Caricom,” the Prime Minister’s office further said.

During the Suriname Energy, Oil & Gas Summit & Exhibition at the end of last month, President Ali had said that a regional energy strategy that will connect the oil and natural gas producers in the region would be presented in a few weeks.
The countries the strategy would have encompassed had included Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil and even Barbados, which has natural gas potential – most of which are Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries. According to President Ali, a full strategy on energy would have been presented in Suriname in a few weeks.
According to President Ali, they were paying keen attention to the opportunities that the regional strategy and an integrated regional project can provide. He had explained that this was one of the topics of discussion, when Rowley had paid a visit to Guyana last month for the Agri-Expo and Summit.
Rowley was last in Guyana for the Agri Investment Forum and Expo that was held from May 19 to 21. Not long after the expo was concluded, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Guyana and T&T, with the two countries agreeing to work with each other in eradicating trade non-tariff barriers, as well as in the areas of infrastructure development and transportation.
Among the resolutions contained in the MoU, is for the two parties to work assiduously on the removal of barriers to the trade of agricultural products throughout the Region. This includes phytosanitary standards.
According to the MoU, “the Parties agree to work with each other in the areas of trade and investment, agriculture and food security, security, energy, and infrastructure, and other areas as may be determined, with the aim of developing a strategic cooperation partner for the mutual benefit of their respective countries and the wider Caribbean Community.”
It goes on to state that non-tariff barriers and “other impediments to the flow of goods and services between them”, as well as promoting cooperation in the areas of sports, culture, tourism and education, will be pursued under the MoU.
A high-level bilateral commission was also to be established to overlook the implementation of the agreement. The commission will include high-level members of the Government and private sector. (G3)