Above: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissesar shaking hands with Minister of Energy of Panama, Juan Manuel Urriola Tam. Others in photo are Larry Howai, CEO of First Citizens Bank Group; Lindsay Gillette, Chairman of Petrotrin; Ambassador Arline Gonzales Costa, Kevin Ramnarine, Minister of Energy; Neil Gosine, Chairman of NP and Dr Surujrattan Rambachan, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Photo: OPM Trinidad)
By the Caribbean Journal staff
The governments of Trinidad and Panama have begun talks aimed at signing a Memorandum of Understanding on economic and technical cooperation between the two states.
“The aim of this meeting was to further discussions for economic and technical cooperation between both countries,” said Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. “Panama’s demand for energy is now developing and as such they are looking to Trinidad and Tobago for expertise and supplies for energy.”
The talks focused on the supply of a number of fuels, including propane, butane, gasoline and bitumen to Panama, along with securing LNG supply to Panama.
Panama is transitioning toward natural gas for power generation, and Persad-Bissessar said that Trinidad, as the Americas’ only natural gas exporter, could take advantage of the opportunity.
A task force will be set up to move forward on these aims immediately, she said.