By Alicia Chamely

ENERGY Minister Roodal Moonilal will be heading to Washington, DC, next week to meet with officials of the Government of the United States of America to discuss energy security and collaboration between Trinidad and Tobago and the USA.

Speaking at Thursday’s post cabinet press briefing, held at the Red House, Moonilal said, “A very important decision today at Cabinet authorized Minister of Energy and Energy Industries to embark upon a very important trip, along with a small delegation, to the United States in the period May 28 to 30 to travel to Washington DC and to undertake a series of important meetings, to have discussions in the United States with officials of the US Department of Energy, with officials of the Secretary of State, and with officials of the Treasury Department to discuss Trinidad and Tobago’s future collaboration with the United States in the area of energy security and to focus on strengthening ties between both countries.”

He said himself and the delegation would also be meeting with top officials from Shell Global, the Americas Council, and the Inter-American Dialogue.

Moonilal said, “This is a very important mission in keeping with our strategic focus as outlined by the honourable PM to ensure that Trinidad and Tobago remerges as the energy hub of the Caribbean. And particularly at a time like this when we are joined by other territories such as Grenada, Suriname and Guyana.”

He commented that this trip was coming at a crucial time for T&T given the decline in oil and gas production and the consequences of that felt by the petrochemical sector.