Prime Minister Stuart Young is optimistic about the outcome of talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jamaica on Wednesday.
The Prime Minister, who spoke to the media after attending the Preliminary Nomination Exercise at the Belmont Secondary School on Tuesday, will be in Jamaica on Wednesday as CARICOM Leaders meet with the US Secretary of State.
He said, “We all in Trinidad and Tobago know the importance of the relationship between ourselves and the United States. And as I’ve always been saying, we have kept completely engaged with the Government of the United States, regardless of who is in power in the United States.”
Forty-eight hours before his travel to Jamaica, Secretary Rubio tweeted that countries that allow their oil companies to produce, extract, or export oil and oil-related products from Venezuela will be subject to new tariffs; additionally, companies will be subject to sanctions.
The Prime Minister was asked how that will impact Trinidad and Tobago. He stated: “Trinidad and Tobago has very specific issues that we will be discussing, and that bilateral. We have never hidden from the facts that this relationship and the geopolitics between Trinidad and Tobago, quite frankly, the United States and Venezuela, is not one that is completely within our control. But you have seen us navigate the waters. We will continue to navigate the waters. I am confident that we will be respectful in our discussions.”
Before he resigned from office on March 16th, former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley highlighted the importance of the Dragon Gas Deal to Trinidad and Tobago’s economic future.
Prime Minister Young has been instrumental in getting the Dragon Gas Deal off the ground.
“Who is it that was the one that went all over the world and negotiated the Dragon Gas deal? It was me. So fortunately I am very, very aware. I have done the advocacy in the United States, in Venezuela, in Europe and elsewhere. So I am very familiar with the arguments. And I believe, I believe in Trinidad and Tobago and I know what are the best arguments for us to put forward. So what it is, is a respectful relationship.”
Prime Minister Young is also aware of the strained relationship between the US and Venezuela. In February, the Trump administration cancelled oil production concessions granted to Venezuela by former US President Joe Biden.
Prime Minister Young said: “Managing it, there are a lot of issues related to the relationship, not just energy issues. And we have a good relationship. The United States is our largest trading partner. Venezuela is our closest neighbour. And I am very cognisant of that. And what the population of Trinidad and Tobago can measure me by is those are two relationships that I’ve been an integral part of for the last nine years and managing, despite whoever is in office. And you’ve seen some of the success so let us just hope that that continues.”
The Prime Minister promised to update the nation on the outcome of the bilateral talks at the Post Cabinet Media Briefing on Thursday.