People are electing parties that will deliver – US deputy secretary of state

Last Updated on Monday, 10 August 2026, 22:06 by Writer

United States’ Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on Monday said political trends show that people are voting parties in government that they are confident will deliver rather than merely engage in lip service.

“I think anybody who’s looked at the news over the last several years has seen that in democracy after democracy around the world, the voters have been calling for something different. Business as usual has ceased delivering for the people,” Mr Landau said in neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago, ahead of his visit to Guyana.

Mr Landau cited that twin-island nation and the US where voters have returned Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and President Donald Trump as examples of more action and less talk.

“I think as distinguished from a number of former leaders and other leaders around the world. These are two leaders who are absolutely focused like a laser beam on not just producing words, but producing results and this celebration here today is, ironically, we’re using words, but we’re actually here to commemorate tangible achievements,” he said at an event at which bp Trinidad and Tobago announced that the country’s state-owned National Gas Company has taken a 20 percent stake in the Manakin-Coucina cross-border gas field with neighbouring Venezuela.

bp has bought the remaining 70 percent in Woodside Energy’s Block TTDAA14, the Calypso Gas project in Trinidad and Tobago’s deep-water and so increasing its total share to 100 percent.

Earlier Tuesday, Chief Executive Officer of Pinnacle Steel and Vanadium Company, Edwin Bennet said the U.S. company would initially invest $250 million and begin steel and vanadium production by the end of 2027 at the Point Lisas steel plant that was closed in 2016.

Pinnacle Steel and Vanadium Company CEO Edwin Bennet said the company would initially invest $250 million and begin production by the end of 2027.

The Deputy Secretary of State praised the Trinidad and Tobago leader and the American President for laying the energy groundwork through ExxonMobil, Curlew and bp that would change the “energy trajectory” in the US and Trinidad.

“This is going to allow us to have a much more fruitful commercial relationship and mutually beneficial. I mean, this is what diplomacy is really all about. It is countries looking to advance their own interests, but finding mutually beneficial solutions. It’s all about win-win,” he said.

He told Ms Persad-Bissessar that “capital will flow where it is welcome” and that her administration had shown that capital was welcome in her country. “That’s why these industries, these plants that are now rusting, are getting reopened,” he said.

The State Department said Mr Landau’s visit to Guyana would focus on enhancing collaboration in strategic sectors including energy and critical minerals.

The Guyana government has so far not mentioned anything about his visit to Georgetown.