Guyana, T&T Energy Sector Cooperation MoU
…says President Granger dropped the ball again
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Governments of Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) has been dubbed a ‘sell-out’ by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo who said a broader development cooperation agreement was expected.
Addressing media operatives at his weekly press briefing on Thursday, Jagdeo said the agreement is lopsided and does not take into account issues that affect Guyana.
“Issues on the entire spectrum of development cooperation should be on the agenda too. So, when Government goes to negotiation they have to look out for our interest too. So, I would say yes, it was a sell-out from that perspective,” he explained.
Jagdeo pointed to the fact that Guyana already signed a MoU with T&T in 2013, which had as its objective, the promotion of greater cooperation in energy and energy related matters between the two countries.
He therefore feels that the MoU could have looked at other issues including export, and the treatment of Guyanese at Trinidad ports of entry.
While reiterating that he is a huge supporter of regional integration and the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), Jagdeo, a former President, said Guyana is also a sovereign State and the Government of the day is expected to ensure that this is protected by all means.
“We share a common history. We have a common culture and we should work as a Region to enhance the prosperity of all our people….the [People’s Progressive Party] PPP, historically, has worked on pushing regional endeavours: free movement of goods, capital and people… We will support any effort to bring our countries closer together.”
He continued, “But we have to look out for our interests too and when our interests, Guyanese national interest, are downgraded by other countries we have to stand up for Guyana…unfortunately, we have a President who has a proclivity for presiding over lopsided agreements… I believe that the President does not understand his responsibility in this regard.”
The Opposition Leader pointed to the fact that T&T Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley noted that he was unaware of Guyana’s problems with the transhipment of some agro-products, including honey. Rowley told the Guyanese press following the MoU signing at State House on Wednesday that he thought it was just a Grenadian problem.
Dropped
“When our Government goes to a negotiation they have to look at our interests too. (President) Granger and his Government dropped the ball again,” he said, while questioning whether there was even a negotiating brief that informed the meeting between the two leaders.
Jagdeo said the issues he raised are not targeted at starting a war with T&T, rather is it about the failure of the coalition Government to represent the interests of Guyanese. He said Guyana and T&T have shared a good friendly mutual relationship for many years.
On that note, the Opposition Leader said there must be a focus on reciprocity, even while Guyana and countries in the Region continues to foster deeper relations with Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states.
Particular concern was raised with regards to the fact that the MoU proposes the setting up of a technical work group. He said Government undermined the intellect of Guyanese by agreeing to set up that group in the twin island republic when it has not even considered developing same here.
“Imagine we don’t have a technical working group in our Parliament to look at the future of our oil and gas industry, but we can sign a MoU to establish a joint technical working group with another country… It just shows how we value or how we don’t value our own people’s opinions,” Jagdeo stated.
The framework agreement for the MoU will come on stream on October 1, 2018. The areas of cooperation as outlined in the MoU include technical assistance in the areas of exploration and production of hydrocarbon resources; and the exchange of information on public policies in the area of the regulation, administration and sovereign management of oil resources.
It also includes the exchange of information on Government programmes throughout the hydrocarbon value chain and related experiences; the promotion of training and capacity-building of technical personnel and the development of energy technologies through, inter alia, technical visits, secondments, seminars and presentations.
Further, the promotion of cooperation and exchange of experiences between State-owned petroleum enterprises for the development of joint projects utilising mechanisms convenient to the parties has been listed as an area of cooperation between the two countries.
The MoU signing comes on the heels of concerns raised locally by the observers and stakeholders about the benefits that would redound to Guyanese, more specifically the local businesses within the Private Sector, with the singing of such an agreement.
