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Django

President David Granger (left) and Prime Minister Keith Rowley signing the MOU

September 19 2018

Guyana and Trinidad today signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Energy Sector Cooperation with the leaders of both countries, President David Granger and Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Dr. Keith Rowley assuring that there is no “takeover” of any sector by either side.

“There is nothing in the MOU which seeks to harm the interest of one state or the other. There is no sellout. There were some unjustified fears that Guyana is giving away the family jewels but that is not true. It is simply a means of collaborating,” Granger said at the State House signing.

Dr. Rowley said that he was disappointed to hear that there have been concerns by Guyana’s private sector that the MOU allows for a “takeover” by his country’s businessmen. This is since his country has always been a “good neighbour” and wants to sincerely help not just this country, but all of CARICOM develop holistically.

“I can only say, for me that is disappointing because we are working towards ensuring that we as a people, not just a people of Trinidad and Tobago but of CARICOM, do better for all ourselves and to hover against that is disappointing. To the extent that there is any potential takeover, that I do not think is going to happen, it is simply the participation of a good neighbour working with those who have the need for our presence”, he said.

The MOU’s contents were not released to the press but the Ministry of the Presidency said it will be made available later today. Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge in a statement last Friday said, the signing of the MoU was “consistent with our rights and obligations within CARICOM and in keeping with our relationship with Trinidad and Tobago.”

The energy sector cooperation MOU, he said, is one of two agreements Guyana shared with T&T. The first, which was renewed earlier this year, he said, is a platform to discuss all bilateral cooperation and the second to be signed is for cooperation in oil and gas. The Foreign Affairs Minister noted that it “is more for co-operation on a governance level than it is an invitation to Trinidadian companies, which already enjoy the rights to establish businesses here within the framework of free movement of goods and services under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.”

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NehruBig Mouth Member

Dat FOOL dont even know what he signed

9/19/184:08 PM

Billy Ram BalgobinBilly

He already pawned it.

9/19/184:59 PM

Former Member

Given that Guyana is deficient in oil & gas management experience, I see no harm in a partnership with Trinidad, in principle. But I will defer to expert analysis of the text of the MOU.

9/19/185:19 PM

Former Member

Nehru posted:
Dat FOOL dont even know what he signed

Bhai Nehru, he just wake up after sleeping for weeks, so indeed he does not know what he was signing.

9/19/185:19 PM

Former Member

Gilbakka posted:
Given that Guyana is deficient in oil & gas management experience, I see no harm in a partnership with Trinidad, in principle. But I will defer to expert analysis of the text of the MOU.

The question will be whether T&T entities will get the contracts or whether it will be those from the USA. If the latter get it then Guyana can kiss goodbye to any development of expertise by Guyanese entities. Guyanese companies should be able to negotiate joint venture arrangements with those from T&T. Now that the oil & gas sector in T&T is imploding good negotiation on the part of Guyanese entities gives them leverage.

Under CARICOM there is free movement of goods and services so T&T professionals, tradesmen and companies can enter whether Guyana likes it or not. Guyanese have been the biggest beneficiaries in the free movement of professionals and tradesmen within CARICOM and I understand that domestic and agricultural workers are also now included. That Guyanese companies mightn't have benefitted is a problem that Guyanese companies have to address.

It is up to the various Chambers of Commerce in Guyana to mount investment missions to T&T to work out models of joint ventures. That the Guyana/T&T gov'ts cannot do for them.

9/19/186:03 PM

Former Member

caribny posted:
Gilbakka posted:
Given that Guyana is deficient in oil & gas management experience, I see no harm in a partnership with Trinidad, in principle. But I will defer to expert analysis of the text of the MOU.
The question will be whether T&T entities will get the contracts or whether it will be those from the USA. If the latter get it then Guyana can kiss goodbye to any development of expertise by Guyanese entities. Guyanese companies should be able to negotiate joint venture arrangements with those from T&T. Now that the oil & gas sector in T&T is imploding good negotiation on the part of Guyanese entities gives them leverage.
Under CARICOM there is free movement of goods and services so T&T professionals, tradesmen and companies can enter whether Guyana likes it or not. Guyanese have been the biggest beneficiaries in the free movement of professionals and tradesmen within CARICOM and I understand that domestic and agricultural workers are also now included. That Guyanese companies mightn't have benefitted is a problem that Guyanese companies have to address.
It is up to the various Chambers of Commerce in Guyana to mount investment missions to T&T to work out models of joint ventures. That the Guyana/T&T gov'ts cannot do for them.

True true. That's what a Govt official recently told me! TT is in a advantageous position as they have the assets and expertise. The oil is offshore so may never land on Guyana's shores. It should not matter, Guyana will need to develop the economy to create employment and viable business environment.

Anyway, Guyana oil will be around for 20 to 30 years, then all wash and tun down, so use oil money to think and plan beyond oil!

9/19/187:57 PM

Former Member

Slow TT process holds up Guyana’s honey exports – Agri. Minister

Even as the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago committed to changing its laws to allow the transshipment of Guyana’s honey in its waters, Guyana’s Minister of Agriculture says the process is taking too long.

Guyana is unable to transship honey exports through the twin island republic because of decades-old law that prohibits the movement of the product within one mile of the island’s shores.

In 2015, Trinidad and Tobago fined local shipping company Laparkan US$3,000 for transporting honey in its waters.

The country’s Prime Minister, at a brief press conference on Wednesday, said that he is committed to amending the law, providing that there are no risks to Trinidad and Tobago.

“Once we are satisfied that there are no phytosanitary risks that we should not ignore, we will look at it with an eye to furthering the business of Guyana without risking the biodiversity of Trinidad and Tobago,” he told reporters after an event at State House.

The issue was discussed earlier in the day when Dr Rowley met with a Guyanese delegation headed by President David Granger.

In a brief interview with media operatives, Guyana’s Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder said that Trinidad is “definitely” taking too long amend its laws.

He nonetheless said he is satisfied with the new commitment given by the TT Prime Minister.

This issue with the transshipment of the honey is one of the reasons by the local private sector was cautious of Guyana entering into deals with Trinidad and Tobago.

Junior Vice President of the Georgetown Chamber of Industry and Commerce Timothy Tucker had explained that the business community is not against foreign investments but those countries must also be equally facilitative of Guyanese businesses.

https://newsroom.gy/2018/09/19...ports-agri-minister/

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9/20/185:48 AM

DjangoAdmin

T&T to revisit restrictions affecting transshipment of Guyana’s honey, agro-products

September 20 2018

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Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Agriculture,Land and Fisheries, Clarence Rambharat

Trinidad and Tobago yesterday committed to revisit restrictions, which have affected some agro-products, including honey, being trans-shipped through the Twin-Island Republic.The issue was raised yesterday during a meeting at State House between high-level delegations that included President David Granger and Trinidad’s Prime Minster, Dr. Keith Rowley.“I thought that was a Grenada issue, but I didn’t realise it was a Guyana issue as well,” Dr. Rowley told reporters after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on energy cooperation.Rowley indicated that the issue was raised by Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder and Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge.

9/20/188:31 AM

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Slow TT process holds up Guyana’s honey exports – Agri. Minister

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T&T to revisit restrictions affecting transshipment of Guyana’s honey, agro-products

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