Saturday March 25, 2006
PROPOSALS FOR A COMMON CARIBBEAN ENERGY POLICY
The South Trinidad Chamber of Industry and Commerce (STCIC), the voice of the energy sector in Trinidad & Tobago, has released a document making proposals for the creation of a Common Caribbean Energy Policy. The objective of the document is to stimulate discussion and debate aimed at creating a single energy policy for the Caricom Single Market and Economy.
The proposed policy framework is based around the following principles:
° Energy policy is central to the economic and social development of the region.
° Caribbean energy resources must be utilised for the social and economic benefit of the people of the region.
° Trinidad & Tobago has considerable expertise and experience in the energy sector, in both the public and private-sectors, and Trinidad & Tobago must, therefore, play a leadership role in the development and implementation of a regional energy policy
° Caricom must adhere to the established practice of negotiating trade, economic co-operation and related agreements with external parties as a region. Trinidad & Tobago must play a leadership role in these negotiations, but include all parties.
A regional trade agenda, including energy issues, must be agreed upon and pursued with respect to agreements with Venezuela and the United States of America, in particular.
Caribbean ownership (private and public) of energy resources and of the energy industry is a key factor in ensuring energy security and in ensuring a pricing structure that meets regional development objectives.
The size of the energy market in different members of the CSME varies considerably and different solutions will be needed to meet the particular issues facing different markets.
Caribbean energy policy must be driven by the realities of the global, regional and local market-forces.
The Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC) has submitted this discussion document to regional Ministers of Trade for their consideration and further discussions will be held amongst the regional private-sector and with regional Governments over coming months.
The full text of the proposed policy is available at the STCIC website: www.southchamber.org
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