[Trinidad Express] – Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela have agreed to create police posts on both sides of the border, the Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
After Trinidad and Tobago Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses, Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon and Community Development Minister Nyan Gadsby-Dolly met Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Ministry issued the following statement:
“The national security ministers agreed on an agenda against cross-border crimes, to create police posts (attaches), and cooperation in civilian protection.”
On official mission to Venezuela in preparation for a summit between Maduro and Prime Minister Keith Rowley in Caracas, the T&T ministers signed agreements covering energy, national security, trade and culture with their Venezuelan counterparts.
Trinidad and Tobago signed a new agreement with Venezuela to unify Manakin-Cocuina, another gas field in the same basin as Loran-Manatee.
Trinidad and Tobago also signed an agreement with Venezuela to boost “bilateral and complementary” trade as it relates to “the oil and gas bill” between the two countries, Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Delcy Rodriguez said.
During Maduro’s last visit to Port of Spain, then Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar had offered to barter Venezuelan oil and gas for locally manufactured goods.
Under education, Trinidad and Tobago agreed to provide scholarships to Venezuelans to learn English.
In September, Jamaican Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell had said English language classes were being considered as an acceptable form of repayment for discounted PetroCaribe oil.
Under culture, an agreement was signed to explore the replication of a Venezuelan music system for underprivileged children to help improve their academic prospects; and from the Trinidad and Tobago side, to take steelbands to Venezuela.
