The Energy Minister says he will have no problem travelling to the U.S or Caracas to hold talks on the Dragon Gas deal or any other matter that will benefit the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
And the Energy Minister is expressing his optimism that this country "will have a successful future with" the Dragon Gas project.
00:00And this time we want to assure you that while the dragon was dead under our administration, the dragon project has been resurrected in record time for the benefit of the people of Trinidad and Tibet.
00:13Energy Minister Dr. Rudolf Munilal during a conference call with journalists on Wednesday. The Energy Minister initially responded to statements made by Opposition MP and former Prime Minister Stuart Young about the Energy Minister having declared that there has been a revival of the deal for the supply of natural gas from Venezuela's dragon field to Trinidad and Tobago after a bilateral meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Prime Minister Kamala Passat-Besessa in Washington on Tuesday.
00:41We were working extremely hard with Prime Minister Kamala Passat-Besessa leading the drive with our international partners and stakeholders and we are extremely happy. The dragon project is very important for this country, that is very clear. We always knew that. We were concerned with the PNM handling.
01:04MP Young said that the dragon gas belongs to the people of Venezuela. Have you received any communication from any government official from Venezuela concerning their willingness to resume on their end those discussions regarding dragon gas?
01:23Well, Mr. Bronk, could I say that whether I did or I did not, I would not like to speak about any communications I've had with stakeholders on this matter.
01:38But what I can tell you is that I personally am very positive that we will have a very successful future with this project and I'm very positive that all stakeholders would be happy with the outcome of yesterday and would be extremely elated when this matter advances to the point of a license.
02:03And will Energy Minister Munilal fly to Venezuela to hold talks with the Vice President of Venezuela who MP Young said is now the Energy Minister of Venezuela?
02:13If and when necessary, I am not debarred from going anywhere in the world. I can easily find myself anywhere to pursue the interests of the people of Trinidad and Tobago and our economic advancement.
02:29And if it becomes necessary, I would have no difficulty going back to Washington, to Houston, to Caracas, to anywhere once it advances the interests of Trinidad and Tobago.
02:41Dr. Munilal made reference to the revocation of OFAC licenses or special waivers granted by the former Biden administration in the U.S. that paved the way for progress on the drug and gas deal under the former PNM administration.
02:55The new UNC-led government's declaration of the return of the drug and gas project follows the support by the administration being led by Prime Minister Passat-Basasa for U.S. military strikes on boats which the U.S. said were being used by narco-terrorists from Venezuela to carry illegal drugs, even as the government has said it supports the people of Venezuela.
03:18We will work with all stakeholders. The government of Venezuela is a critical stakeholder here, of course, given the circumstances of the Dragon Project.
03:28And we are willing to work with all stakeholders and we have demonstrated that. As I said, I cannot overstate now our work of the last four months.
03:37All I can tell you at this stage is that we have worked with all stakeholders, whether directly or indirectly.
03:45The energy minister said the government has secured the support at the highest level of the U.S. government.
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