T&T
must reclaim our resources, says Dookeran
By
Kim
Boodram
Trinidad Express
Port Spain
Petroleumworld.com
06 25 06
Former Central Bank Governor and Opposition Leader
Winston Dookeran has called on the nation to reclaim
profits of its natural resources through the revisiting
of policies regarding the sale of oil and gas.
Dookeran
said that it is time for "true partnerships"
to be entered into by this country and by foreign
investors.
He
was speaking earlier this week at the launch of
the book Caribbean Integration and Co-operation
in the Americas, by Dr Sahadeo Basdeo and Heather
Nichol. Dookeran contributed to the book on the
subject of "Foreign Direct Investment-Blessing
or Curse"-the same topic he addressed at the
launch.
"There
is one issue that burns on the agenda today and
this is the issue of energy sector ownership,"
Dookeran said. "We have an offshore economy
of gas and oil primarily owned by foreign investors.
Today, we have no clearly articulated policy with
respect to the energy sector."
Dookeran
said it is a pity that an "energy country"
could not show a single energy company listed on
its stock exchange. He added that the people of
this country need to feel a greater sense of ownership
of its resources.
"Reclaiming
our national resources and reviewing our ownership
strategy are some of our major challenges."
Trinidad
Express
Friday,
June 23rd 2006
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©2006 Trinidad Express. All Rights Reserved.
