August 14, 2016: On Monday August 8, 2016, at the Office of the Prime Minister, the Honourable Colm Imbert, Acting Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, accompanied by the Honourable Stuart Young, Acting Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago, and the Honourable Nicole Olivierre, Minister of Energy and Energy Industries, received a Japanese and local delegation for the ceremonial signing of the Amendment Agreement, the Letter of Comfort and the Attorney General’s Opinion, related to the Project Agreement for the establishment of a Natural Gas to Petrochemical Complex for the production of Methanol and Dimethyl Ether (DME) at Union Industrial Estate, La Brea. The establishment of the plant is a collaboration among Japan’s Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Inc, Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the National Gas Company (NGC) and the Massy Group of Companies.
The delegation included Mr. Toshikiyo Kurai, President of the Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Inc; His Excellency Mitsuhiko Okada, Ambassador of Japan to Trinidad and Tobago; Mr. Takeshi Hagiwara, Group Chief Executive Officer, Mitsubishi Corporation Chemicals Group; Mr. Yoichiro Ban, Senior Vice President, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries; Mr. Hiroshi Kita, Chief Executive Officer, Caribbean Gas Chemical Limited; Mr. Robert Bermudez, Chairman, Massy Group of Companies and Mr. Gervase Warner, Chief Executive Officer, Massy Group of Companies.
Following the signing ceremony, the Acting Prime Minister, accompanied by Minister Young and Minister Olivierre, proceeded to a Courtesy Call with the delegation.
Both the Government and members of the delegation underscored the importance of the petrochemical downstream project to Trinidad and Tobago. It was noted that the project had already reached its 20% completion target. His Excellency Mitsuhiko Okada confirmed that the project was Japan’s single largest investment in Trinidad and Tobago, to date. Ambassador Okada also acknowledged the potential of the project to positively impact the economy of Trinidad and Tobago through increased foreign exchange earnings and boosting employment.
This project is now proceeding apace after being re-negotiated over the past few months and has the commitment of both the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Government of Japan.
Photo Caption: Members of the Trinidad and Tobago and Japanese delegations during the courtesy call on the Acting Prime Minister, the Honourable Colm Imbert (Monday August 8, 2016).
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