Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley Friday said Trinidad and Tobago has to date received no communication from Venezuela more than one week following the decision by the United States to grant licenses to countries and companies to resume taking crude oil from Caracas on the condition no funds be paid to Venezuela.
Rowley told Parliament that apart from the statements he made on January 24, when the United States Treasury Department agreed to grant a license to Port of Spain to develop a major gas field located in Venezuelan territorial waters, there was not much more to be said.
“Persons familiar with the oil industry, the gas industry, the energy business in Trinidad and Tobago will know that when I said we have to wait for the developments of the operator, in that case, Shell, to give us these details now that we are able to proceed in some way…I did indicate that there are some significant negotiations to take place.
“So the (opposition member, David Lee) asking about first gas is really mischievous. We are not nowhere here talking about first gas; Madam Speaker and the member knows that. But having said that this is a waste of time and nothing good will come out of it (and) this question is in that mode,” Rowley said.
“I am afraid Madam Speaker I have no new information to add other than what I gave on the day when I made that statement.”
But asked by Lee to indicate if Venezuela has agreed to the terms and conditions outlined by Washington for granting the license, Prime Minister Rowley told legislators “this matter is one that requires state to state communication, the first hurdle has been crossed, the government of Venezuela has made no public statement with specific to Trinidad and Tobago’s use of the OFAC licence.
“Trinidad and Tobago is in touch with Venezuela, we have meetings scheduled and negotiations ahead of us and therefore I can say nothing further at this time,” Rowley said
President Nicolas Maduro in a broadcast on Thursday remained critical of Washington’s decision to allow companies doing business with sanctioned Venezuelan state firms from paying cash to his administration.
“They tell a country it has permission to negotiate with Venezuela, but it cannot pay in dollars or any form of cash. It must pay with food or products,” Maduro said, adding “that is colonialism”.
On January 24, the Trinidad and Tobago government welcomed the decision by the United States Treasury Department to grant a license to Port of Spain to develop a major gas field located in Venezuelan territorial waters.
Venezuela has not said publicly if it will negotiate with Trinidad and Tobago, and Rowley acknowledged that while there is “still a lot more work to be done”.
CMC/
