PM seeks Most Favoured Nation Status for TT

Prime Minister Patrick Manning again raised the issue of Trinidad and Tobago obtaining “Most Favoured Nation Status” for items not included in the CBI (Caribbean Basin Initiative), namely petroleum, iron, steel and aluminium products.

According to a Government release, Manning raised the matter on Wednesday in discussions with Robert B Zoellick, US trade representative with the rank of Ambassador in Washington. Zoellick serves as President Bush’s principal trade policy adviser and chief trade negotiator. In the meeting, which lasted just over 30 minutes, the Prime Minister and Zoellick discussed several issues critical to trade relations between Trinidad and Tobago, other Caricom countries and the US. Manning stated that Trinidad and Tobago was also interested in obtaining a special dispensation (duty-free entry into the US) for goods that are packaged in Trinidad and Tobago. Manning emphasised that, as a representative of Caricom, one of his goals was to achieve special and differential treatment for Caricom countries, the release said.

On the issue of energy security, the Prime Minister assured Zoellick that Trinidad and Tobago was well positioned to provide a secure supply of energy to the United States. Manning provided details of the LNG Train 4, which, when it comes on stream in 2006, will be the world’s largest LNG Train. He also gave particulars about the agreement which was recently signed with Venezuela for the monetisation of Venezuelan gas in Trinidad and Tobago. Manning and Zoellick discussed Trinidad and Tobago’s pivotal role in securing the Caribbean region. The Prime Minister stated that Trinidad and Tobago had a responsibility to deal with illegal drug trafficking not only in Trinidad and Tobago, but in the region as a whole. He stressed that all of the Caribbean was closely interconnected and therefore, social, economic and political problems that affected one island, had a direct impact on all the other islands of the region.

In concluding the meeting, the Prime Minister and Zoellick agreed that the US and Trinidad and Tobago shared a common interest of securing the stability of the Caribbean region. He agreed that further discussions must  follow in order to deepen the relationship between the two countries, so that both nations may achieve their mutually beneficial objectives.