-say smelter was not on agenda
President Bharrat Jagdeo and Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar met yesterday in the Twin-Island republic and discussed agriculture and oil cooperation but said that relocating the proposed smelter from the southwestern Trinidad town of La Brea to Guyana was never on the agenda.
According to the Trinidad Express, the two leaders discussed exploring opportunities in food production and developing ties in trade and investment. Jagdeo also said that Guyana will be turning to Trinidad for help should oil be found in the country after drilling takes place later this year.
Jagdeo stopped to meet with the Trinidadian Prime Minister on his way back from Canada. And at a joint-press conference held yesterday following their meeting, he said that his visit was a courtesy call, which he used to discuss other issues and to congratulate Persad-Bissessar on her victory in the recent election. He said that the discussions looked at ways the two countries could be brought together “through several practical bilateral initiatives” that would benefit its citizens.
“We’ve pledged that we want to work at the regional enterprise to ensure that it becomes stronger, so that we can build on the synergies offered by a number of countries coming together voluntarily to advance the cause of prosperity for the people,” Jagdeo said.
Persad-Bissessar said that the proposed construction of an aluminium smelter in La Brea remains an issue that will be dealt with after reports are received.
“The matter really remains a national issue here for us, as you realize it was a matter that was dealt with on the campaign trail. I’m awaiting a report from the Minister with responsibility for those matters, the Minister of Energy, and that is yet to come to the Cabinet, so on the smelter issue there’s very little more I can say at this time, except once again repeat that it was not on the agenda for discussion between his Excellency and myself,” she said, according to the Express.
A report in yesterday’s edition of the Trinidad Guardian quoted Persad-Bissessar as saying that Jagdeo was appalled at the newspaper article which appeared on Tuesday in the Trinidad Express which said the two leaders were meeting to discuss the relocation of the smelter from La Brea to Guyana. This report was used as the basis for an article which was published in yesterday’s edition of the Stabroek News. A senior government official had confirmed to this newspaper that the possible relocation of the smelter was on the agenda.
“The headline is totally false, totally false,” the PM said. “In fact, President Jagdeo, through his representative here, was very concerned when he saw that headline, because there was no such agenda. He was very appalled because he has only just received an award that has to do with the environment and it has placed him in a very difficult position in his own country-on something that has been totally false in a Trinidad newspaper,” she said.
Meanwhile at yesterday’s press conference which was held at Persad-Bissessar’s office, she said that in September Jagdeo will lead a team to Trinidad and Tobago to meet with businesses, investors and potential investors.
According to her, Guyana has become a gateway to South America since the opening of the Takutu Bridge, which links Guyana and Brazil.
She said too that Guyana has been successful in the area of food production and said that her country could learn a lot from here. “It is one of the sectors in the economy we would like to see grow in Trinidad and Tobago and we will be able to partner with Guyana in terms of experience (and) expertise in that regard,” the PM said.
Further Jagdeo said that he is optimistic that Guyana will strike oil and said that he would look to the Twin-Island republic for assistance should this be the case. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed but we think the potential is huge based on all the studies, including studies by the US geological surveys.
If it were to hit oil and gas we need tremendous capacity to develop the industry, and Trinidad and Tobago has the capacity and it’s culturally closer to us. I think we may be able to source that capacity, here so we are looking forward to developing strong cooperation with Trinidad and Tobago in this sector,” Jagdeo said at the joint press conference.
Meanwhile a Trinidad Express report last evening, quoted Prime Minister Samuel Hinds as saying that “Guyana would possibly consider a proposal for the relocation of an aluminium smelter project from Trinidad and Tobago.” According to the report, Hinds said he could not comment further on the subject, since matters of foreign direct investment would be in the portfolio of President Jagdeo.
Hinds, however, noted that there are currently two proposals on hold for the establishment of an alumina refinery, aluminium smelter and hydropower installations from two foreign companies operating bauxite mines locally.
The companies he was referring to are the Chinese company Bosai Minerals Group and Russian bauxite giant Rusal. The Prime Minister said that these projects were put on hold due to the global financial meltdown.
