UNC: Let technocrats carry out oil negotiations

Naparima MP Rodney Charles said the PM and Energy and Energy Minister Stuart Young should stop negotiating oil deals on behalf of Trinidad and Tobago and, instead, send its best and brightest energy experts to negotiate on the country’s behalf.

Speaking at the UNC’s mid-week conference at the Office of the Opposition Leader, Charles Street, Port of Spain, on Thursday, Charles said, “In a real country, Rowley and Young would be banned from carrying out negotiations without on-hand technical support from proven local experts in energy, finance, diplomacy, and law.

"Both Rowley and Young lack finely tuned nuanced and proven diplomatic skills. They have no known qualifications, expertise and/or track record on energy matters. TT is yet to see their proficiency as accomplished negotiators. Both men are not known to be experts in international law or finance.

"Therefore we have to ask, if they have none of these things, what are you going abroad to do? The two men negotiate with highly qualified energy experts from some of the world’s largest Fortune 500 companies, while TT sends two novices unaccompanied by local experts. The experts probably laugh at us behind closed doors.”

He said between October 2015 and September 2022, Dr Rowley racked up $1.8 million in tax-free per diems for official travel, while Young pocketed $809,899, but TT has nothing to show for it.

Charles said Rowley’s offer of the Petrotrin refinery to the altar of Guyanese-TT energy co-operation while in Georgetown cemented an unsavoury perception of the country.

“Of all the things Rowley could announce in Georgetown, to such a distinguished audience, was his willingness to palm off a moribund scrap-iron refinery to global energy experts who understand everything they need to know about refinery operations.

“According to those present, senior Guyanese officials looked at each other in utter dismay and disbelief on hearing Rowley’s ill-conceived, poorly timed and foolish sales pitch.

"It reinforced an unfortunate narrative taking root in Guyana that Trinis believe they are inherently more intelligent. It played into a false narrative that Trinis are all smartmen and women interested solely in feeding off the Guyanese trough.”

He said the official response was swift, contemptuous and dismissive.

Charles suggested that Rowley could have seized the opportunity to highlight TT’s centuries-old expertise in energy, or deepening collaboration between UWI and the University of Guyana in petroleum engineering, or the willingness to use TT’s expertise to the mutual benefit of both countries and the region.