PM meets Lord Brown

Prime Minister Patrick Manning and Lord John Brown, Executive Chairman of British Petroleum on Monday met and discussed the role of the major energy companies in accelerating Trinidad and Tobago’s achievement of developed country status.

Manning, who was on his way to Nigeria to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, was on a stopover in the English capital. According to a release, during the one-hour meeting, Manning and Brown discussed the pivotal role energy companies must play in Trinidad and Tobago’s realisation of “Vision 2020.” Discussions focussed on: Trinidad and Tobago’s development and the availability of the vast expertise of the oil companies in guiding development; the role of BP and other major international companies in escalating the rate of development and the importance of Caribbean security to the process of regional development in the context of the drug trade.

The two men also talked about the LNG situation in the Western Hemisphere and Trinidad and Tobago’ own crucial role in the security of this hemisphere’s LNG supplies; the need to modernise taxation arrangements to ensure Trinidad and Tobago gets a fairer share in the exploration of oil resources and exposure of Trinidad and Tobago nationals to the range of managerial positions offered by BP. Accompanying the PM at this meeting were Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift; High Commissioner Glenda Morean and other officials.  Manning assured Brown that Trinidad and Tobago, which viewed bpTT as a good corporate citizen, was committed to deepening the relationship between the company and the country.