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NO ENERGY BETWEEN T&T AND GUYANA- KEN ALI
GLOBAL public and private sector leaders were discussing sustainable energy in Guyana while Trinidad and Tobago was blanketed with an electricity blackout.
They were talking in Georgetown about “investment opportunities... economic development... industry trends (and) future projects,” while T&T was enduring another season of water rationing.
Ghana’s President Nana Addo wereDankwa Akufo-Addo told the conference of the vital importance of keeping faith with the people, even while the T&T authorities were skimpy with the facts about the electrical shutdown.
International leaders and more than 150 companies were discussing oil blocks, gas potential, downstream services, and business and job prospects, while our Pointe-a-Pierre refinery and Point Lisas plants remain idle.
ExxonMobil’s Chairman Darren Woods was heralding progress that is “virtually unprecedented” and “potential for additional growth” and was eyeing business partners, but T&T was not there to pitch its case.
This country’s under-utilised deepwater harbours and port infrastructure did not even come up for mention even as Woods spoke of the “unmatched” 10 billion barrels of oil in the Stabroek Block.
More than 800 Guyanese businesses have already benefited from the extensive oil and gas discoveries and there are strident moves at capacity building, but our country has no formal presence at the scene of the action.
While the Ministry of Natural Resources is setting up a local content secretariat, the T&T Ministry of Energy is not advancing the case for this country’s service providers, many of whom have vast expertise in the sector.
Barbados’ dynamic Mia Mottley was advocating energy transition, but T&T, the region’s largest emitter of toxic gases, did not book for the conference.
While Guyanese Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo spoke of accelerated exploration and of forming a national oil company, no one was present to push for synergies with T&T, with 100-plus years’ industry experience.
President Dr. Irfaan Ali and Ms. Mottley held roundtable talks with top Saudi Arabian officials on collaborative projects, while this country was setting up Carnival “pods.”
Suriname’s leader Chan Santokhi stressed that “we will need to empower our people ... in building a sustainable energy future”, but – well, you get the point.
Trinidad and Tobago, a faltering energy economy, was glaringly absent as international industry heavyweights weighed in on drilling sandstone reservoirs and logistics in the world’s fastest-growing economy.
There is dizzying potential for T&T as a regional hub, but Port of Spain seems indifferent on exploration and production, technology transfer, public policy networking, and other value-added matters.
Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley signed a memorandum of understanding with the David Granger administration in 2018 but seems to have no working relationship with the Ali Government.
Ms. Mottley has been cementing Guyana ties, and told the conference the energy discoveries should be used to bring along people “who have suffered the indignity of poverty.”
President Akufo-Addo said the energy bounty is of no use “if stakeholders are not properly represented and they are left impoverished and dissatisfied.”
In T&T, meanwhile, hardship is becoming more widespread, as joblessness, under-employment, and inflation deepen.
Former Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar offered a road map for development and diversification in a wide-ranging address to the Guyanese business community in November 2018.
“Guyana stands at the crossroads of history,” she said, in “monetising the emerging hydrocarbon sector for fair value for the country.”
The Rowley Government has inexplicably not attempted to boost our dying energy sector through meaningful relations with our southern Caricom neighbour with bountiful resources.
But the enlightened energy world continues to descend upon Georgetown.
“These world-class projects are just the beginning,” ExxonMobil’s Woods gushed.
“Many parts of the basin remain unexplored and are still considered a frontier.”
He projected mind-blowing potential for Guyana’s production “by the end of the decade.”
For its part, T&T is dealing with electricity blackouts, water lock-offs and Carnival seating.

In reply to Dukes

In reply to Dukes

In reply to sgtdjones

In reply to sgtdjones

In reply to Dukes
The bitch take over yuh thread

In reply to Dukes

anybody quoting Ken Ali clearly does not want to be taken seriously. Secondly, the TT Energy conference is in May so I'm sure Guyana will be there. Thirdly, Irfan Ali was at a sustainability conference with the TTEC(energy chamber) two weeks ago

In reply to Jumpstart

Thank you.

I believe Poster Duke inadvertently forgot to include the link as required by CCC administration. That small matter aside, the GOG is showing their true colors. I won't go into details about the billions of dollars in forgivable loans and goodies that Guyana received from TT.

The GOG is playing nasty politics in the hope the Trinidad opposition party or what is left of it can reclaim power in Trinidad thus providing cover for the Indo racism emanating from Georgetown.

It won't work and Ken Ali is shameless to write that garbage.

The TT private sector is the largest investor in Guyana at the moment and I expect this trend will continue despite the GOG.

Instead of attacking the writer of the article,, why not refute what allegations he made.

Its typical when one cannot defend facts.

Wouldn't such be more enlightening.

In reply to Jumpstart

In reply to sgtdjones