Antigua & Barbuda’s PM Spencer calls for a role to be identified for Trinidad and Tobago in the expanded context of Petrocaribe

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – In a presentation at the IV PetroCaribe Summit that was very well received by the other fifteen participating member states, Antigua & Barbuda PM Spencer announced Antigua & Barbuda’s readiness to assent to the current version of the Energy Security Treaty. The Treaty was first presented during the III PetroCaribe Summit which was held in Venezuela in August 2007. At that time Antigua & Barbuda deferred its assent pending further examination of the document.

In announcing the country’s decision to sign on to the Treaty, the Prime Minister went on to assert that it was imperative that the PetroCaribe member states acknowledge that Trinidad & Tobago had a major role to play in the broader context of regional energy security. He also took the opportunity to publicly thank the Government and People of Trinidad & Tobago for the generous support that they have provided and continue to provide to the various CARICOM territories.

Hon. Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer

In responding to the Prime Minister’s statement, President Hugo Chavez expressed a desire to have Trinidad & Tobago, as a lead oil producer within CARICOM, become fully involved in PetroCaribe and acknowledged that this desire was reflected in the decision to invite that Republic to attend the Summit as an observer.

Trinidad & Tobago’s Ambassador Yvonne Gittens-Joseph who represented her country at the Summit expressed appreciation for the remarks made by Prime Minister Spencer and went on to acknowledge the wider mandate of PetroCaribe and opined that a dialogue between Venezuela and Trinidad & Tobago’s would be both timely and useful in that context.

Antigua & Barbuda first raised the issue of identifying a role for Trinidad & Tobago during the meeting of the Council of Ministers held on December 21st.. Ambassador Joan Underwood advised the meeting that it was not prudent to engage in discussions on energy security and an integrated energy plan for the region without taking into consideration the vital contribution that Trinidad & Tobago had made and continues to make in supporting the CARICOM member states as well as the ongoing work of the CARICOM Energy Task Force.