The Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Commerce says it is disappointed by the decision of Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to end the Energy Cooperation Framework Agreement signed on February 24, 2015, between both countries.
Venezuela said it may suspend gas agreements with Trinidad and Tobago as US military drills continue in the Caribbean. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez claimed T&T is siding with Washington’s “war plans,” accusing Port of Spain of collaborating with the CIA on what she described as a “staged provocation.”
The Chamber noted that the agreement specifically stated that “no provision of the agreement will affect the sovereign rights of the two nations over their respective territories, maritime zones and other geographical spaces under their sovereignty and jurisdiction,” and said it respects Venezuela’s decision in this regard.
It added that despite Venezuela’s intent to disband the framework, the underlying purpose of the agreement — to jointly develop shared or adjacent gas deposits, cooperate on infrastructure such as pipelines and processing in Trinidad, and monetise Venezuelan offshore gas through Trinidad’s downstream sector — remains economically sound and beneficial to both nations.
“We hope that a return to the rationale for the genesis of this agreement can be rekindled and that the spirit and hope that was fostered through this agreement can somehow survive through the willingness of all parties,” the Chamber said.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said the move will not affect Trinidad and Tobago’s economic plans.
“Our future does not depend on Venezuela and never has. We have our plans and projects to grow our economy both within the energy and non-energy sectors,” she said.
She added, “The last PNM government mistakenly placed all their hopes in the Dragon project. We have not done so, therefore we are not susceptible to any blackmail from the Venezuelans for political support. We continue to maintain peaceful relations with the Venezuelan people.”
