Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago yesterday signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will see the establishment of a high-level bilateral commission and address areas such as non-tariff barriers which have strained relations between the two countries.
The MoU came in the backdrop of a major agricultural conference here and after months of wrangling by government and private sector officials in both countries over trade and prospects in Guyana’s oil and gas sector. Georgetown and Port of Spain vowed that the MoU will challenge the “current status quo” wherever trade is impeded.
“By this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Renewed and Enhanced Cooperation the Parties agree to work with each other in the areas of trade and investment, agriculture and food security, security, energy, and infrastructure, and other areas as may be determined, with the aim of developing a strategic cooperation partnership for the mutual benefit of their respective countries and the wider Caribbean Community,” the document signed by Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd and his Trinidadian counterpart Amery Brown at State House said.
It adds, “The Parties may enter into complementary cooperation agreements in specific areas of common interest.”
Both President Irfaan Ali and Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Keith Rowley witnessed the signing and then held a joint press conference.
For Ali, the MoU demonstrates that both countries will take “the bull by the horns and identify in an open and frank way the many missed opportunities for the future and blocks to those opportunities.”
He has already underscored that less talk and more tangible work towards realistically achievable targets is what is needed if the region is to meet its ‘25 per cent by 2025’ food import reduction bill.
Ali, who is the lead Head of Government for Agriculture in the CARICOM Quasi-Cabinet, according to CARICOM Secretary General Carla Barnett, repeated what he told regional leaders at the opening of the recent Agri-Investment Expo, that the onus is on current leaders to start an active process for achieving food security.
It is why he yesterday said that communication will be swift and not necessarily take the conventional models in phone calls and lots of paperwork but adding other communication mediums to ensure that timelines are met.
Guyana’s President said that the approach will be a holistic one, as with other CARICOM countries, since both sides want “the private sector of both countries to be on board … the investors to be on board… the peoples of both countries to be on board.”
“At the end of the day, we are not only neighbours. We are part of a family and we want our relationship to not be detained by such constraints,” he added, while pointing out that the leaders are “not naïve or unaware of the impediments, the constraints and the challenges” that they face.
For his part, the Trinidadian PM said that the citizenry of both countries and the wider region should judge the commitments by the actions which now follow, as he underscored that he was not afraid to disrupt “the status quo” or “artificial boundaries” in trade and investment in the region.
Said Rowley, “Focus on that, I, as Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, speaking to your President and speaking to our people, have said that we will not change our circumstances for the better, unless we are prepared to challenge the status quo. It is that which has us where we are – the current business models and the way we are doing it.” To preserve that status quo, he said will see the region remaining as it is.
“If we are prepared to make those interventions and new business models, then the solutions can be realized. We are buying our food from external sources. The status quo says we continue doing that, the change requires we invest in better production systems, or create those which do not exist within our borders so that we can supply, at least 25% [the target for reduction of imports to the region] , at least in the first instance, from within our borders. The answer to that is, find our production systems, draft them up, locate the investment… get the production and distribute. We have to challenge the status quo.
“…If you see us not making those changes then you know we are failing. Look carefully at what is going to be said and who is saying it and categorize it, either in defence of the status quo or in support of the change we require to put us in a better position,” he added.
Surmises
And while he surmises that there will be push backs against areas outlined in the MoU, possibly out of fear in trying something new, he said that the business community in the region need not fear as there is enough for everyone to make profits and still meet the desired food output and trade targets.
“I can tell you there will be some pushback to what we are saying …we are saying to them ‘Participate in the something else and you have no losses’”.
According to the document, which was also made public following the signing, areas of cooperation, encompassed, “a) Encouraging cooperation and joint action between enterprises in their respective countries; b) Pursuing enhanced cooperation in agriculture and food security, security, energy, infrastructure, trade and investment, including addressing non-tariff barriers and other impediments to the flow of goods and services between them, and any other areas, as may be determined, to contribute towards sustainable and resilient development of the two countries, and to the advancement of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy; c) Promoting cooperation in the areas of sports and culture, tourism, and the strengthening of educational exchange.”
The aspect that deals with financing states that the implementation of the programmes arranged under this MoU will, where possible, be undertaken through any modality as agreed by the Parties.
“For the implementation of the specific programmes that are adopted, the Parties may seek, once agreed jointly and when it is considered feasible, the participation of third-Party sources of funding for the execution of the joint programmes and projects,” it says.
The document points out that for the purpose of its implementation, a High-Level Bilateral Commission will be established, which will meet alternately in both countries or virtually, as may be determined between the Parties.
“The Commission will be coordinated by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two Parties and will include experts from both Parties and representatives of the public and private sector organisations concerned. The first meeting of the Commission will take place within three (3) months of the entry into force of the present MoU and thereafter, the Commission will meet annually, or as otherwise agreed by the Parties.”
The functions of the Commission will include: Formulation of specific proposals for cooperation and collaboration between the two states in identified areas; b) Supervision and execution of the present MoU; c) Examination and approval of specific projects to be undertaken by the Parties; d) Review of the progress of cooperation activities between the two countries and formulation of recommendations to the Parties on activities and projects that may be undertaken;” and any other function that may be mutually agreed by the Parties.
The Commission will determine its own rules of procedure.
