Now that an agreement for energy cooperation has been signed between T&T and Barbados, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said discussions are ongoing to sign a treaty that would allow Barbadians and Tobagonians to share fish stock.
The discussion comes 13 years after the 2006 case between Barbados and T&T in which the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea tribunal resolved the maritime border dispute between the two countries.
Speaking to the media after signing a Memorandum of Understanding for joint energy cooperation in Barbados on Saturday, Dr Rowley said both countries were now considering investment in the fishing industry which will be of benefit to the fishermen of Tobago and Barbados.
“We are discussing cooperation from point of view of participation, sharing products in the marketplace and also an investment in the industry. We are mindful of the fact that cooperation is needed between the fishing interest of Barbados and Tobago and Trinidad. Notice I said Tobago first because this is of particular interest to the people of Tobago who are the closest neighbour to Barbados,” Rowley said.
He noted that shared fishing interest will be of mutual benefit to both countries.
“We can find a way to cooperate in such a way that benefits will be had and both local markets will receive the products and will be attractive on the international market,” Rowley said.
He also noted that both countries were also in discussion on shared foreign missions.
“We are following up on discussions to sharing diplomatic efforts abroad. Prime Minister (Mia) Mottley just mentioned to us about opportunities in Africa and Asia. We need not be duplicating our efforts. We have the T&T mission in Nigeria and you have one in Ghana. There is no need to have missions in both. We can cooperate and share. For example, the Ghanian mission of Barbados could be the T&T and Barbados mission where both countries will get the benefits and our technical people could operate seamlessly together,” Rowley said.
He said sharing missions will reduce the cost of maintaining missions for both T&T and Barbados, adding that “the reach of areas of interest will be increased.”
“Those discussions are in preliminary stages and some can be advanced in the near future. I am hoping that our Foreign Ministry and the Barbados foreign mission could give us a framework paper, an agreement on diplomacy, just as we have here on energy,” he added.
Prime Minister Mottley also said cooperation for fishing would be beneficial.
“It is taking place at a time when the Caribbean Single Market and Economy is a lived reality. I agree that we need to root our citizens in the investment framework for the future so they can exercise their right to establish businesses in Tobago and have Tobagonians coming into Barbados. Whether the fish is below or above the line ought not to matter because we have joint enterprise in both countries that can benefit,” Mottley said.