Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar says Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley failed to provide actual evidence-based answers to most of the questions posed to him during Friday’s media briefing at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s.
In a release, she said his inability to respond to probing questions is frightening.
She said: “The Prime Minister cannot hide behind assertions of confidentiality agreements. Citizens must be presented with an evidence-based report on what the Government agreed to and signed regarding the ALNG restructuring.”
“Following Keith Rowley’s press conference, citizens of Trinidad and Tobago should be very concerned about what he and Minister Young negotiated regarding the restructuring of Atlantic LNG.”
According to Persad-Bissessar, both men were unable to:
1. Identify the potential liabilities costs that will now be incurred while claiming that the new shareholding came at no cost.
2. Identify the market value of the Government’s new shareholding of ALNG. How could a Prime Minister and Minister of Energy negotiate a shareholding agreement without knowing the asset’s value?
3. Explain the new pricing formula to be used for LNG export.
4. Provide evidence to explain their claims about future additional revenue to be gained.
5. Provide any details about how NGC will fulfil its natural gas supply obligations.
6. Identify the costs paid to consultants who worked on these negotiations.