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CCNTV6
  • 9 months ago
Professor Hamid Ghany says the government should seek a meeting with the U.S. President soon, on the way forward concerning its oil and gas policy.

He told TV6 this country needs to know how the Trump Administration's policy would impact on Trinidad and Tobago.

Nicole M Romany tells us more.
Transcript
00:00Professor Ghani says the attitude of the United States toward Venezuela is very concerning.
00:07However, he notes that no specific mention was made of the Dragon gas deal with Trinidad and Tobago
00:14and the OFAC licenses that expire in October of this year.
00:19The Office of Foreign Assets Control, OFAC, is part of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
00:25OFAC licenses for Trinidad and Tobago will allow us to explore, produce and export natural gas from Venezuela.
00:34Today, the political analyst says the government must move with haste.
00:40I think that there has got to be some kind of engagement on the part of the government of Trinidad and Tobago
00:47to find out exactly where it stands in relation to these licenses that were granted.
00:53No definitive statement has been made.
00:56Generic statements have been made, but nothing definitive.
00:59And that is where I come back to the question that was asked by Anna Ramdas of Minister of Energy Stuart Young.
01:05Has the government of Trinidad and Tobago made any attempt to secure a meeting with President Trump
01:10to which the answer was no?
01:12He notes also that the opposition holds a very different position from the government
01:18as it relates to dealing with Venezuela and on the sale of the Petrotrin refinery to a Nigerian energy solution company.
01:26It's going to be a question of political communication, political strategy and the handling of the process going forward.
01:33And I think that that is obviously going to be a major part of the election campaign
01:39because the Petrotrin refinery is a matter that has engaged our attention for some years now
01:45and continues to engage our attention.
01:48And there has been no final determination by the government with regard to a final bidder.
01:54Professor Ghani also gave his perspective on the resignation of Dr Keith Rowley as prime minister on March 16th
02:02while maintaining his position as political leader of the People's National Movement.
02:07Professor Ghani says, under the Westminster system,
02:11one must be political leader of the party before you can be the prime minister
02:16while this country's constitution has no specific rule.
02:20That is a matter for the president but of course it does raise certain issues
02:26that a new way is found to change a prime minister
02:29other than a party leader being removed or a motion of no confidence.
02:35Now you may have the change of a leader by a letter signed by a majority of MPs.
02:41Following a general council meeting at Balize House in January,
02:46it was announced Energy Minister Stewart Young received unanimous endorsement
02:51from all 21 government MPs to succeed Dr Keith Rowley as prime minister upon his resignation.
02:59Nicole M Romany, TV6 News.
03:05For more information visit www.fema.gov
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