Cabinet to decide on fast ferries

CABINET will deliberate soon on proposals from Australian shipbuilders Austal and Incat for the provision of new vessels for TT.

Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) Stuart Young made this comment to reporters at Port of Spain City Hall yesterday.

Cabinet holds its regular weekly meeting at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s today.

Young, who was the chairman of a committee which met recently with Austal and Incat, said he made a presentation of the companies’ proposals to Cabinet last week. We are going to take some decisions very shortly and make the official announcement once Cabinet has taken that decision.” Austal is proposing two new fast ferries for the seabridge. Incat’s proposal concerns fast ferries and a Cape Class patrol vessel for the Coast Guard.

The meetings with Austal and Incat arose out of the Prime Minister’s visit to Australia earlier this year. A note proposing the establishment of an inter-ministerial committee that will organise a series of town hall meetings to discuss the decriminalisation of marijuana in TT, is also expected to go to Cabinet today.

A statement issued by the OPM said Dr Rowley and Young met with a high-level delegation from BHP Billiton at the Diplomatic Centre yesterday.

The team provided the PM with an update on their recent drilling programme, including deep-water drilling, seismic work and future plans in TT.

The meeting also focused on the important role TT plays in BHP’s oil and gas business.

BHP expressed gratitude for the positive working relationship it enjoys with this country and reiterated that it intends to continue investing in this country in the coming decades.