TT signs air services deal with Nigeria

Speaking at a joint news conference at Whitehall, Manning added that BWIA was the subject of some review. Noting that Government hoped to "adjudicate" on the national airline within the next two weeks, the Prime Minister said if BWIA was not the airline used, another airline would be used. He said he understood that the Government of Nigeria had its own agreement with Virgin Atlantic. Asked if he was appealing to this country and Caricom to support Nigeria’s bid to be on the UN Security Council, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo said the campaign was for Africa (the region) to have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

He said Africa would have to work out how the permanent seats are to be distributed and then it would approach the rest of the world for support as a united body.

Turning to the MOU on air services, he said the two governments planned to make the MOU work. "And by making it work, it means that we will have more interaction and exchanges and movement between the people of Trinidad and Tobago and Nigeria," Obasanjo said. "Governments will come and governments will go, but people will always remain," he added.

Obasanjo identified with Manning’s statement on integration within the Caribbean, comparing it to Nigeria’s commitment to integration within the sub-region of West Africa and within the African continent.

He said there was a lot that the two countries can learn from each other "and that is why we must remain engaged and involved."

He said countries like Trinidad and Tobago and Nigeria had to "stand together" to ensure that the world did not marginalise them. "In unity we have strength," he said.

Speaking generally about his visit, Obasanjo said the last four days was an eye-opener because he said he was able to see first hand the diversity of this country and as well as its challenges.

The Nigerian president departed this country for home yesterday.