Robert Persaud, Guyana’s Foreign Secretary, has described as “a bit disingenuous but understandable” comments made by the heads of two T&T business chambers in response to a recent statement by Guyana Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.
On Friday, Richie Sookhai, president of the Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce, said Caricom countries should be focusing on unity at this time, while the head of the Couva/Point Lisas Chamber, Mukesh Ramsingh, pointed out that the T&T economy is reopening.
In a recent YouTube video, Jagdeo spoke about the benefits of Guyana’s developing energy sector and said some of the country’s oil and gas resources should be pumped into building the infrastructure so the non-oil and gas sector can generate jobs in the future.
He added: “Look at what’s happening in Trinidad now. Trinidad is falling apart and that’s putting it mildly...falling apart! No jobs, sustained periods of negative growth and can’t see the light of day for the near future.”
Responding to Sookhai and Ramsingh in a Facebook post, Persaud said: “Vice President Jagdeo never questioned the importance of close T&T-Guyana ties, nor our commitment to regional integration. What’s wrong with a leader making a factual observation about another country’s economic state, especially given the interdependence of our economies both at the bilateral and regional levels?
“If Trinidad and Tobago’s economy is such a bright star, why do we have close to 100 companies from Trinidad and Tobago in a desperate campaign to dominate our economic space at a rate unheard of for any Caricom country? I was in Trinidad and Tobago a few days ago and met with these two individuals and I’m sure they are seized with their country’s true economic reality. Guyana values our relationship with Trinidad and Tobago and stands ready to offer any advice to help our sister Caricom state navigate out of its current economic condition.”
