Prime Minister Stuart Young has underscored the importance of stability, financial prudence, and reputation in governance and business.
Speaking at the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s Annual Business Meeting 2025 on Wednesday, the Prime Minister outlined the Government’s approach to economic management and the role of the energy sector in driving foreign exchange earnings.
He compared business and Government, emphasising the need for stability and responsible leadership.
“You know the formula for success in the business world, and to be quite frank, it shouldn’t be that different to the success formula for a Government. One of the main ingredients has to be that of stability, and another one is about responsibility.”
Prime Minister Young highlighted his recent meeting with global energy giant Shell as an example of the Government’s ongoing efforts to maintain strong international business relationships.
“And you understand when you’re operating at that level, and at the level that you do, that your reputation is critical, the credibility you have is critical, and that is what we have done as a Government in the last 10 years.”
He said the energy sector is a very critical part of the landscape of Trinidad and Tobago.
“It still is the largest earner of foreign exchange and many of the businesses in this room depend on foreign exchange which as we know has declined but to keep it stable and to look for the upward growth immediately depends on a stable energy sector and the type of relationships that exist there. And I don’t hesitate to tell you all that every citizen has an important decision to make in the coming weeks and you have to decide who it is that you want to lead Trinidad and Tobago.”
With the General Election on April 28th, the Prime Minister urged citizens to consider the credibility of leadership when making their decision at the polls.
“You have to decide whose reputation and credibility can go into those boardrooms across the globe, negotiate with the most sophisticated negotiators, the oil and gas sector, have earned the respect and the credibility in those areas to continue to have billions of US dollars invested in Trinidad and Tobago.”
On the issue of financial and economic stability, he reassured the business community that the Government remains committed to responsible deficit management and will not devalue the TT dollar.
The Prime Minister touched on global economic challenges, including rising trade tariffs, and assured stakeholders that his administration is actively engaging with international partners to protect Trinidad and Tobago’s interests.