JESSE RAMDEO
Senior Reporter
Former Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has denied claims by Attorney General John Jeremie that the former People’s National Movement (PNM) administration spent over $120 million on Dragon Gas project negotiations with nothing to show for it.
Speaking at a press conference today, Dr Rowley called the figure “completely false and misleading”, adding that the project reflected years of meticulous diplomatic and technical work that laid the foundation for progress under the current government.
Flashback: Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Venezeulean President Nicolas Maduro shake hands after the signing of the terms of the development of the natural gas from the Venezuelan Dragon Gas field between NGC, PDVSA and Shell in Venezuela, August 2018.
RISHI RAGOONATH
“When Mr Jeremie said we spent over $100 million and have nothing to show for it, let me take you through the work that was done,” Rowley said. “Before 2016 there was no initiative to access Venezuelan gas. It was my government that started those discussions with Shell.”
The former PM also urged the current administration to approach the next phase of the Dragon negotiations with humility, cautioning that the gains so far resulted from persistent lobbying and strategic engagement with international partners.