CARICOM CONCERNS OVER T&T’S VENEZUELA’S TIES

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s warm relationship with Venezuela is raising eyebrows across the region, as the South American country heads to the polls.

The administration of Dr. Keith Rowley signed a natural gas exploration contract with the Nicolas Maduro regime just four days before Sunday’s presidential election in Venezuela.

In addition, T&T’s authorities have great fraternal ties with the Maduro Government, which is a source of concern along the corridors of power in some Caricom capitals and among the exiled population.

Tens of thousands of suffering Venezuelans have fled the country in recent years to seek better times, with many, both legal and illegal, in T&T.

There have been muted criticisms about Port of Spain’s bond with Caracas.

Political sources indicate disenchantment among some regional leaders about the friendly ties amid concerns over the fairness of the presidential poll and Maduro’s authoritarian leadership.

“With so much at stake in the election and the international community’s focus, it may have been wise not to engage in official business at this time,” one university political scientist said.

The Rowley’s Government’s rapport with the Maduro Government is also unlike most of Venezuela’s Latin American neighbours.

But analysts say that the T&T authorities are largely driven by their ambitions since monetising natural gas assets would given Rowley bragging rights ahead of the general election, due in a year’s time.

With low gas supplies and limited exploration activities, the T&T Government has been pursuing cross-border initiatives with Venezuela.

The UWI expert pondered whether Rowley fears that an Edmundo Gonzalez administration would decline to agree to gas exploration deals.

“There are several crucial questions in the mix,” he said.

He acknowledged that the relationship is a source of regional speculation.