HAIL PETER: PETRO PRINCE OF GRENADA

by Dr. Francis Alexis

SIGNING OF THE TREATY

Tomorrow, the 21st, there will be signed in Port of Spain a Treaty delimiting maritime boundaries between Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago. Prime Minister Tillman Thomas will sign for Grenada.

BILLIONS OF DOLLARS NET

Presumably, the Treaty will entitle Grenada, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to exploit certain blocs of maritime space between Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago.

The Treaty with Trinidad and Tobago should be a forerunner to a similar treaty with Venezuela. As such, the Treaty could well, more than any other event in decades past, begin to move our national Grenadian economy into high gear. For our maritime waters between those two countries have appreciable oil and gas resources. Such resources, properly managed, can launch our economy on to a path of sustainable economic development, and keep it there long.

Meeting our own energy needs will save us spending foreign exchange. Exporting oil and gas will earn us foreign exchange. Dealings can amount, over time, to billions of dollars in net foreign exchange earnings. This will be a significant change in the economic fortunes of Grenada. This can translate into fundamental affirmative social transformation of Grenada. The signing of the Treaty is therefore momentous.

WHAT OF BLOC 21?

Of the Blocs of maritime space which came up for delimitation under the Treaty, one particularly has over the years attracted extraordinary interest. It has long been called Bloc 21. This Bloc 21 has for some time been perceived to be especially saturated with petroleum resources.

There will be much interest in the way the Treaty treats Bloc 21, whatever the name the Treaty gives it. We wait with great expectations to find out, what does the Treaty say of Bloc 21? When the Treaty becomes available to the public, the matter of its provisions generally and its disposal of Bloc 21 particularly will be reverted to by this writer.

MINISTER AND TEAM

Prime credit for reaching this positive historic milestone must go to Peter David. For it was Mr. David who, as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Grenada, in terms only of individual ministerial responsibility, led the team that blazed the trail through to this clearing. This is all the more a spectacular triumph for Peter doing so in less than 2 years as Minister.

Not that Peter David did this all by himself; of course not. He did what a savvy and confident Minister does. He assembled a formidable team, with personnel of known relevant expertise. It was indeed a team effort.

At the helm was Dr. Carl Mitchell, the experienced and able petroleum economist. The team included Reynold Benjamin, a person very knowledgeable on Grenada’s maritime oil and gas resources; Anslem Clouden, maritime law specialist; Arley Gill, properly certified in international maritime affairs; Gilbert Massell, the focussed land surveyor; and John Auguste, energy officer in the Grenada public service. No doubt Prime Minister Tillman Thomas’ Cabinet also helped, with logistics, supplies and otherwise.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

Perhaps Trinidad and Tobago was not particularly negative or truculent in the negotiations generally, rather reflecting the good-neighborly CARICOM spirit. Even so, NNP in 13 years failed to hammer out such a treaty. And it is beside the point that the fruits of this treaty might not reach the table for some time. Except that this undererscores how amazing it is that NNP did not settle the boundaries all those years. Better late than never.

KEEP THE TEAM INTACT

At least, the experience gained by Grenada in the engagement with Trinidad and Tobago, generally uncontentions though it might have been, will serve Grenada in good stead, going forward to the really demanding maritime boundaries negotiations with Venezuela. Chavez’s Venezuela will be a horse of a different colour from Manning’s Trinidad and Tobago, not only in language and culture , but elsewise too. Peter and his team must be kept intact for the Venezuelan round. Where possible, they should be strengthened; in whatever way appropriate.

HAIL PETER: PETRO PRINCE

The signing of the Treaty with Trinidad and Tobago should be a welcome achievement in itself, and can open up to further prospects . From here, onward goes Peter and the team forward to Venezuela in such of oil and gas for Grenada . Simon Bolivar, true liberator that he was, must be wishing Peter well. When he pulls that off we shall shout-- HAIL PETER : PETRO PRINCE OF GRENADA.