Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced her willingness to personally negotiate with Venezuela to restart the Dragon gas project after meeting U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sept. 30. Both governments agreed to advance energy cooperation between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela, but Washington insisted the arrangement must not significantly benefit Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government. Persad-Bissessar stated on Oct. 1 that Foreign Affairs Minister Sean Sobers or Energy Minister Roodal Moonilal could lead talks, but she remains available to participate directly.
The prime minister revealed her administration began pursuing U.S. Treasury Department licenses immediately after winning the April 28 election, and discussions with Washington addressed other offshore fields such as Loran-Manatee and Cocuina-Manakin. Her government supports U.S. military deployment in the southern Caribbean Sea while maintaining that the project benefits all three nations. Persad-Bissessar previously declared the Dragon deal dead in May after years of delays under the former administration.
The prime minister revealed her administration began pursuing U.S. Treasury Department licenses immediately after winning the April 28 election, and discussions with Washington addressed other offshore fields such as Loran-Manatee and Cocuina-Manakin. Her government supports U.S. military deployment in the southern Caribbean Sea while maintaining that the project benefits all three nations. Persad-Bissessar previously declared the Dragon deal dead in May after years of delays under the former administration.
