“No need to get at each other’s throats” – Rowley on Guyana’s local content laws

…says T&T Govt has taken no “aggressive” position

By Jarryl Bryan

Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has assured that his Government has not taken any “aggressive” position on Guyana’s local content laws, which were the subject of much wrangling between the private sectors of the two countries earlier this year.

Rowley made this pronouncement while participating in a joint press conference with President Dr Irfaan Ali at State House on Sunday following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two Caricom neighbours.
While Rowley noted that they have no intent at present in challenging the local content laws, he did not rule out the possibility of the matter being brought before the court for legal interpretations of whether the laws infringe on the Treaty of Chaguaramas. He noted that even in the United States, laws made by the Government are challenged in court and interpretations sought.
“There has been a lot of interest in this matter. The interpretations of what the Government of Trinidad and Tobago are trying to do is not to view it through negative lens, but to understand what Guyana is trying to do,” Rowley said.
“And from that standpoint, we have not aggressively taken any position to put the Guyanese objective under any litmus test. We do rely very heavily on the cooperation that is written and embodied in that MoU, and also understand that whatever our intentions are, those intentions are codified in a treaty called the Treaty of Chaguaramas.”
According to Rowley, there was no need for Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana to “get at each other’s throats” on the issue of local content and misrepresenting intentions. He noted that they must approach the matter from a positive perspective.
“You have to go in thinking positively, that you have what it takes to pass. And we believe that the Treaty of Chaguaramas is sufficiently robust to deal with any of these matters,” Rowley further explained.
Rowley urged the attendees at the press conference to judge for themselves the motivations of the naysayers against their efforts in removing the trade barriers.
“What we hope not to happen is individuals going off on a frolic of their own and seeking to control the narrative into nothingness for us. This is why I’m asking you, try and (see) who is talking, what they’re saying and focus only on the value of what it is being said. And then identify agendas,” Rowley said.
Trinidad and Tobago itself has had local content laws for decades, which it has used to build a framework around its oil and gas industry to protect locals. Guyana only signed its Local Content Bill into law in December 2021.
Earlier this year, there was widespread public outrage among Guyanese Private Sector stakeholders over comments made by the Head of the Caricom Private Sector Organisation (CPSO), who in a leaked email claimed that Guyana’s local content law, which makes provisions for Guyanese persons and Guyanese businesses to benefit from the oil and gas sector at specified percentages, violates certain provisions of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.
The issue had also sparked calls for Guyana to consider exiting the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME), with GCCI President Timothy Tucker pointing out that Guyana has always been short-changed within the regional bloc when it comes to trade.
The Guyana Government’s position has been that while the country is open to foreign investors, especially those within Caricom, including Trinidad and Tobago, they must partner with Guyanese businesses and individuals.