PRIME MINISTER ROWLEY REALLY EYE-PASS GUYANA – HE MUST APOLOGIZE

I once had the occasion to call on PM Keith Rowley to apologize to Guyana for remarks he made on Guyana’s choices for COVID-19 vaccines. I must make a similar call on the Honourable Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago for remarks he made soon after the results of the local government elections which were held in Trinidad and Tobago on August 14th. Questioned about the number of votes opposition parties garnered in a specific local government district, he asked if the votes were like the Guyana dollar. He clearly thought that the reporters’ numbers were inflated, and that the reporters must think of votes in Trinidad as if they were Guyana dollars, which in his mind are worth nothing. Prime Minister Keith Rowley was out of line, and was out of sync with his own business community and the people of T&T, who are looking at Guyana for business and employment opportunities.
Whatever Keith Rowley thinks of Guyana is his own business, and he, as a person, is free to express those feelings. But T&T and Guyana have always enjoyed a strong friendship, even though we are strong competitors in cricket. As Prime Minister of T&T, he has done the most to hurt the relationship between the countries, when he should be working hard to ensure the strongest relationships exist between the countries of Caricom. This column is not calling for heads of government not to criticize countries in Caricom when those countries take actions that are not in the interest of their people, or in the interest of the Region. When the Guyana Government under APNU/AFC was trying to rig the elections in 2020, this was an action that deserved the heads of states raising their voices. To his credit, the Prime Minister of T&T was one of the heads of states of Caricom that intervened.
But the Guyana dollar faux pas in the heat of the election results fall-out reveals deep inner feelings for Guyana, with the PM showing no warm feelings for Guyana. The same Guyana dollar that he seems to have no respect for is paying for many products being imported into Trinidad. We know that Trinidad companies operating in Guyana are procuring products intended for use in Trinidad with US dollars they secure in Guyana because of the shortage of US dollars in the Trinidad market. Prime Minister Rowley’s penchant for off-the-cuff remarks that are inappropriate has highlighted an issue that can only create more harm for T&T’s business communities. He has unnecessarily raised the question as to whether these businesses operating in Guyana are flirting with inappropriate diversion of US dollars from Guyana to support their operations in T&T.
With Guyana today being the fastest growing economy in the world three years in succession, and predicted to maintain high GDP growth rates among the top performers in the world for several more years to come, Guyana is the investment capital of the world right now. Guyana’s economy, which was about 20% T&T’s GDP of US$22B in 2019, is set to surpass T&T’s GDP by 2025. Guyana’s own FDI has increased by leaps and bounds, far more than T7T’s FDI, or any other Caricom country’s FDI. Trinidad and Tobago businesses have flocked to Guyana. With the Local Content Laws of Guyana kicking in, one would think that the PM, whoever it is, would want to strengthen the relationship with Guyana, so that he or she could represent as strongly as possible T&T’s entrepreneurs. His constant and consistent sniping and Guyana-bashing cannot help.
Three of T&T’s biggest corporations have their most profitable enterprises in Guyana. Caribbean Airlines, a T&T corporation, has its most profitable route in Guyana. Guyana imports from T&T more than US$1B in goods, while T&T barely imports anything from Guyana.
Prime Minister Rowley and Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali have developed a strong personal relationship that has already led to strengthening economic relationships. Guyana’s Ministry of Agriculture have worked with their counterparts in T&T, and one of the consequences is helping to resuscitate and strengthen the rice industry in Trinidad. With Trinidad’s experience with OIL and GAS, there are mounting opportunities for Trinidad investment in Guyana that could also help in strengthening T&T’s own economy. Why would a PM want to stir tension with reckless remarks such as the one dissing Guyana’s dollar and insulting Guyana?
Asked about Keith Rowley’s remarks, VP Bharrat Jagdeo dismissed them as irrelevant. The VP pointed to his own remarks about the struggles of T&T’s economy and the controversy it caused, and therefore he has decided not to make such comments. Bharrat Jagdeo was a spokesperson for his government, and therefore for his country, and he acted and behaved in a manner that avoided tension. When it comes to Guyana, PM Rowley can hardly resist his “cold” feelings towards our country. He needs to recognize it is not about him, it is about the people of T&T. The people of T&T do not share his resentment towards Guyana.
Guyana and T&T share a remarkable friendship and camaraderie. Guyana is grateful to T&T because, when we were in need, T&T was there for us. T&T was part of the Paris Club arrangement that softened our international debt burden when it was unsustainable. A significant amount of our debt to T&T was waived under the Paris Club. Guyana has not forgotten. But PM Rowley is playing the fool in mixing his own prejudices with the diplomatic and brotherly relationships between our two countries.
I am certain that PM Rowley regretted those remarks. He needs to act like a man and own those remarks and apologize for being so flippant. But from the perspective of our two populations, in the words of President Irfaan Ali, whether it is chicken curry or curry chicken, we are one.