Unc’s David Lee Says The Dragon Gas Deal Was Always Risky

Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago – Deputy Political Leader of the UNC, David Lee, stated that any deal with Venezuela to exploit gas within the Dragon Gas and Cocuina-Manakin fields was always risky. He made these remarks in response to the U.S. government’s revocation of the OFAC licenses amid escalating sanctions against Venezuela.

Lee stressed that regardless of who was President of the United States, it was always going to be a risk for Trinidad and Tobago to proceed with the deal. Despite this, Lee stated that the UNC is not pleased that Trinidad and Tobago will miss out on potential economic prosperity due to the revocation of the licenses. While the party has been critical of the deal since 2016, Lee insisted that their primary concern was the lack of transparency regarding the deal’s details, which were never made public.

He also pointed out that the government failed to provide substantial support to the local energy sector. Although Prime Minister Stuart Young indicated that the energy industry remains viable through local production from other fields, Lee expressed doubt, stating he doesn’t believe the central government has done enough to ensure the industry is properly positioned for success. David Lee expressed growing concern about the future of the country’s energy industry.