‘Freeco’ by Caricom Santa Claus

THE EDITOR: I looked on in astonishment seeing how our patrimony was being frittered away during the “Christmas in November” Meeting of the Heads of Caricom Governments. I noted that PM’s Manning’s fixation with instant political integration was inconsistent with that of PJ Patterson and Owen Arthur. I also noted with some confusion the MOU signed with Jamaica to supply 1.1mn tonnes annually of LNG at generous, secretive concessionary (profitless) prices for 20 years when our known reserves have been downgraded and Train V is in doubt.

My confusion was increased when PM Manning stated that the Jamaican deal would stimulate regional trade, reduce the TT/Jamaica trade imbalance and create “a higher standard of living for the people for the Caribbean.” How giving away our gas patrimony to Jamaica can shift the trade imbalance and stimulate trade when Jamaica will become a major competitor for TT’s proposal aluminium industry escapes me. TT will make the Reynolds company in Jamaica corner all the markets before the ALCAN smelter comes on stream in TT. Jamaica will use its foreign exchange to buy Mexican oil as it did in the late 70s with TT’s money. Guyana/Suriname is always a better bauxite option for us given their proximity, shipping facilities already located in Chaguaramas and their credibility factor.

Is not Jamaica’s “significant expansion of its alumina capacity” a stupid economic decision to be funded by TT and potentially detrimental to TT’s future export capacity in a dwindling aviation market? Since I cannot quantify the scope of the ‘freeco’ that the Caricom Santa Claus dispensed at the November feeding frenzy, our Parliament must be engaged because too many politically-partisan decisions have been made in giving away unconditionally part of our crown jewels. With 30,000 people starving in TT we are bent on eradicating poverty up the islands. A detailed statement in the interest of transparency and accountability must be debated in Parliament including the link established between our “freeness,” Ivan and political integration in the southern Caribbean. Parliament is the watchdog of the public purse and cannot be marginalised further.

When PJ Patterson speaks of integration he means a “union of sovereign sates.” When Manning speaks of integration he means “small island votes” to prop up his regime forever. When Arthur speaks of integration (Caribbean Single Market and Caribbean Single Economy) he means getting an extra-Caribbean judicial entity to impose maritime boundaries between us in a hurry.

STEPHEN KANGAL
Caroni