Trinidad and Tobago wants to join South American energy corridor

Last Updated on Wednesday, 17 August 2022, 14:58 by Denis Chabrol

President Irfaan Ali and Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley. (File picture)

Trinidad and Tobago is interested in joining the proposed South American natural gas energy corridor, President Irfaan Ali said Wednesday ahead of his departure for an official visit to that twin-island nation.

He told reporters that Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has expressed an interest in being part of the natural gas link known as Arco Norte. That twin-island nation has huge reserves of natural gas. “The Prime Minister and I, in our discussion, discussed this and the Prime Minister has expressed Trinidad’s willingness to work with Guyana and Suriname in the development of our gas resource and look at other opportunities in the energy sector,” Dr Ali said.

Suriname, Guyana and Brazil are forging ahead with an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)-studied Arco Norte project to build pipeline to supply gas to massive Brazilian electricity generation facility.

The talks are expected to focus on integrating the manufacturing sectors, industrial development, agriculture and food systems of the two sister Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states.

The President said the second part of his visit would include other CARICOM leaders who would all be assessing their progress since they participated in the inaugural CARICOM Agri-Investment Forum and Expo in May, 2022. Dr Ali said he would be outlining how the strategy is being implemented during the update, with Guyana being responsible for agriculture in CARICOM’s quasi cabinet.

Talks are due to be held with Trinidad and Tobago’s state-owned Republic Bank on a number of proposals that Guyana has worked on with a number of other CARICOM nations.

The Guyanese leader noted that Guyana was working with other CARICOM members on revitalising the coconut industry, the shade house strategy and addressing the transportation challenges facing the region.

The President is also due to attend an exposition that would focus on innovation, technology and trade barriers.