Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana to set up Joint Commission

Last Updated on Saturday, 1 August 2015, 2:11 by GxMedia

Reproduced from Trinidad Express

TRINIDAD and Tobago and Guyana have agreed to a Joint Commission to initiate and oversee collaboration in construction, education, business and other areas where it would be mutually beneficial to deepen ties.

The Office of the Prime Minister, in a release yesterday on the visit to T&T by Guyana President Brig David A Granger on Thursday and yesterday, stated the commission was agreed upon during bilateral talks headed, from the local end, by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

The discussion, held yesterday at the San Fernando Teaching Hospital, included Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie, Minister of Planning and Sustainable Development and currently acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Kevin Ramnarine, Minister of Energy and Energy Affairs, and officials from those ministries.

Need for political will

Talks focused on enhancing the existing bilateral relationship in various industries while both leaders exchanged views on deepening the collaboration already initiated in agricultural production, skills development, and energy cooperation, the Office of the Prime Minister stated.

“Additionally, it was agreed that a Joint Commission will be formed to assess the furtherance of these and other items such as construction, education and business,” the release disclosed.

“President Granger welcomed the presence of Trinidad and Tobago’s expertise and companies and also noted that, in order for significant progress to be made, there must be sufficient political will.”

Following the meeting, Persad-Bissessar and Granger departed for the South Campus, Penal-Debe, of The University of the West Indies, where Granger was expected to deliver the feature address at the ceremonial topping off and deed handover.