Bolivian gas row may boost TT LNG

Bolivian President Evo Morales on Monday seized gas fields and relegated firms like Brazil’s Petrobras and Spain’s Repsol to minority stakeholders.

Gift said the nationalisation now causes long-term problems for the “energy security” of the hemisphere. The taking over of the gas fields by armed Bolivian soldiers, said Gift, was seen as a hostile act by Brazil and Argentina. Apparently noting global news reports that the nationalisation may cause a crisis, Gift said, “The disruption of Bolivia’s natural gas fields could put Trinidad and Tobago at an advantage.”

In an obvious reference to the United States but without naming that country, Gift also alluded to potential problems in the energy supplies of Iran and Venezuela.

On other energy matters, Gift said three Petrotrin employees had recently visited Haiti to assess that country’s energy needs and would soon return for a second visit after the inauguration of the country’s president.

He remarked, “The situation in Haiti has greatly stabilised.”

He said a meeting of Caricom foreign ministers last week was attended by the Brazilian minister with whom discussions were held on the possible entry of Brazil to the Caribbean Development Bank.

Gift noted that the region has several border disputes between neighbouring countries including Belize/Guatemala and Guyana/Venezuela.

He said elections would soon be held for membership of the United Nations Security Council which handles border disputes. He noted that both Venezuela and Guatemala were seeking the backing of Caricom for their candidacy for membership of the Security Council. Gift warned, “Caricom must be careful giving support because we could be between the devil and the deep blue sea.”

Speaking on Caricom’s links to Europe, he suggested a single Caricom presence in Eastern Europe whose countries were set to become new members of the European Union (EU).

He said Caricom’s relationship with the EU had become shaky in the past year over the lapse of the Lome II agreement which harms the exports of sugar, bananas and rice. “There should be a development component with our trading arrangement with the European Union,” he said.

Gift also lamented the transhipment of nuclear waste through the Caribbean Sea, but did not spell out any moves to oppose it.