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FORMER prime minister and energy minister Stuart Young was not surprised by announcements by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and the US State Department on September 30 that the Dragon gas project has been resurrected.
These announcement were made after a meeting in Washington, DC, between Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier in the day.
The OPM statement said after the meeting, government was informed that Rubio "supports the approval of the relevant Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) licences to begin discussions toward developing its cross-border hydrocarbons." OFAC falls under the US Treasury Department.
A subsequent statement issued by Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Rubio "outlined US support for the government’s Dragon gas proposal and steps to ensure it will not provide significant benefit to the (Venezuelan President Nicholas) Maduro regime."
Piggott said Rubio acknowledged the importance of energy security to Trinidad and Tobago’s economic prosperity and regional stability.
In a statement issued via WhatsApp, Young said, "This development is consistent with what Secretary Rubio told me when I was prime minister. Amazingly, one of the first announcements of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar after she was sworn in was that Dragon was dead."
He added, "Now in a not surprising complete about turn, the UNC is pursuing Venezuelan Dragon gas."
Young said, "The success of cross border gas depends on multilateral diplomacy as the gas is owned by another state."
At a news conference at Whitehall on April 8, Young announced the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had revoked licences issued for the Dragon and Manakin-Cocuina fields in Venezuela. Those licences were granted under the former Joe Biden administration in 2023. Trump won the November 2024 US presidential election.
The statement from the OPM on April 18 said Young had a telephone conversation with Rubio.
It added, “They both agreed to continue working towards the successful pursuit of TT’s energy initiatives.”
The statement said Rubio also recognised energy security was important to TT’s prosperity and economy and suggested any adverse effect on TT was not meant to harm relations.
“Any outcomes of sanctions upon the Maduro regime and Venezuela is in no way indicative of our relationship with TT and the value we place on it.”
It added, “Both sides agreed that we are going to work very closely to find a solution that achieves US objectives regarding Venezuela without harming TT.”
The statement suggested any compromise, however, must be in line with the US policies regarding Venezuela.
Young was sworn in as prime minister on March 17, one day after Dr Keith Rowley resigned from this post. On March 18, Young advised the general election would be held on April 28.
The UNC won the election 26-13-2.
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