Why Dragon deal stalled…

ROWLEY LACKS ART OF THE DEAL

THE lack of diplomatic skills in the Keith Rowley Administration is the reason there is no action on the billion-dollar Dragon Field natural gas project.

The Government is in the second round of shuttle diplomacy in Caracas after Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro rebuffed the limited lifting of sanctions to monetise the field.

“This is colonialism.” Maduro said in response to the ruling of the United States that there must be no any cash transactions with respect to the project.

The Venezuelan leader snapped: “They tell a country it has permission to negotiate with Venezuela, but it cannot pay in dollars.

“It must pay with food products.”

Without consulting Maduro, Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley made a grandiose statement following the US announcement.

The cold silence from Venezuela and Maduro’s subsequent outburst were eggs on the face of the Rowley Administration.

Energy Minister Stuart Young was then dispatched to dialogue with the Venezuelan authorities.

He has held two meetings with a high-powered team led by Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and including Oil Minister Tareck El Alssami.

The Young delegation includes Mark Loquan, President of the National Gas Company, and Edmund Dillon, Ambassador to Caracas.

Informed sources say the bilateral discussions have so far not yielded much, since Maduro has been uncompromising on the matter of payments.

Both countries have recommitted themselves to strategic cooperation and general alliance with respect to oil and gas.

But there has been no headway with respect to exploring the Dragon field, which has a capacity for 150 million standard cubic feet of gas a day.

Diplomatic sources say the lack of progress reflects Trinidad and Tobago’s absence of diplomatic footwork and negotiating skills.

Before his public statement, Rowley should have held discussions with Maduro on terms and conditions of payments for the extracted gas, one experienced envoy said.

“This matter requires expert negotiations,” she stated.

In contrast, the diplomat pointed to the “comprehensive discussions” which recently took place between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Guyanese President Dr.Irfaan Ali, and Surinamese leader Chan Santokhi.

There were successful talks on energy, infrastructure development, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, technology and innovation, and defence cooperation.

In discussing energy, there were discussions on India’s interest in Guyana’s share of oil from the Stabroek Block.

“The discussions were intense but straightforward and focused,” it was explained.

Modi and the Caribbean leaders reiterated their similar economic interests and the potential for growth with united action.

“The Art of the Deal,” is what is required during challenging international discussions, an envoy stressed.

Trinidad and Tobago’s team does not include any member with diplomatic skills or with cross-border negotiating know-how.

Dillon is a former military officer who served for three years as Minister of National Security.

Young, who is Rowley’s point person on international negotiations, is an attorney who was drafted into politics in 2015.

Rodriguez is a former Foreign Affairs Minister who has held diplomatic postings in Europe, with considerable experience in high-level representation and official dealings.

In 2016, she aggressively defended Venezuela when the Organisation of American States sought to ban the South American country for allegedly violating the group’s charter.

She has headed Venezuela’s intelligence agency, is also a labour lawyer, and, two decades ago, held a senior posting in the then-Ministry of Energy and Mines.

She has also advocated Venezuela’s position in a longstanding land dispute with Guyana.