Persaud: Revisit CSME

A former government minister in Guyana is accusing TT of being "predatory" on its country's oil and gas sector. Robert Persaud is calling for a revisitation of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME).

Guyanese news website, Demerara Waves, reported that the former environment and natural resources minister made the plea on Tuesday.

The CSME was formed in 1989 to foster free movement of goods, people, services and capital among Caricom state members. Its members include TT, Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname.

On its official website, it says the ultimate goal is to "provide the foundation for growth and development through the creation of a single economic space for the production of competitive goods and services."

Persaud said, over the years Guyana has been treated unfairly by the other member states. He believes the Treaty of Chaguaramas has always been "applied unevenly." The treaty was signed in 1973 by TT, Barbados, Guyana and Jamaica to establish Caricom.

"The time has come for us to redefine what we want out of Caricom and, Guyana, we must start that conversation because we are the ones, we are expected to do more, to pay more and to get less.

"TT has been, so far, very predatory in how it has approached opportunities in the oil and gas sector in Guyana and we need to push back."