Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley will lead a team of four government ministers on an official visit to Chile, in South America on Sunday.
The two-day visit is on the invitation of Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet.
A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister said while the travel policy allows for the Prime Minister and Cabinet members to fly first class while on official duty in an effort to curb costs they will travel in business class on Copa Airlines.
“The cost for the delegation to fly with American Airlines would have been TT$1,067,256 while the cost to fly Copa Airlines is TT$375,368. This is just one of many instances where the Prime Minister has demonstrated his commitment to be judicious with the public purse,” the release stated.
This means that there would be a saving of close to $700,000 in travel costs. The statement comes on the heels of allegations of misuse of public funds by the Sport Ministry during last weekend’s event in Tobago where Sport Minister accompanied 11 employees to the Tobago House of Assembly Sport Awards at a cost of $92,000. The PM has asked Smith for a report on the trip which has since been delivered.
This country’s ambassador to Chile Dr Amery Browne, security officers, protocol and communications personnel will accompany the government ministers — Dennis Moses (Foreign Affairs), Franklin Khan (Energy), Paula Gopee-Scoon (Trade) and Stuart Young (Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister).
Speaking at yesterday’s post-Cabinet press conference, Young said Rowley is expected to return on May 31. He said the delegation will have bilateral talks in Chile on energy matters.
He said Chile was the largest importer of T&T’s LNG. He said the T&T delegation will also be looking at some of Chile’s renewable energy projects while there.
Young said Rowley is expected to sign agreements respective to the recognition of Intellectual Property and trade related matters.
He said Chile was one of this country’s South American partners “and we need to broaden the scope of the relationship between T&T and Chile.”
