The Trinidad and Tobago Government is being less than honest about the total amount of proven gas reserves in this country, energy expert Reg Potter charged yesterday.

Potter, speaking yesterday at a symposium entitled ’Economics of Alutrint’ at St Mary’s College in Port of Spain, said Government has been misleading the public about the total amount of proven gas reserves which has been on the decline since 2002. He said the Government continues to give the impression that this resource was still available in abundance, even though the data suggests otherwise.

’Our Government is very fond of saying don’t worry, we have exploration potential and we ought to be happy....’ He added, ’I reject that (Government) is privy to some special science, and they know more about this than everybody else. That seems to be their attitude, and this special knowledge is supposed to reveal that we have plenty more gas out there.’

Potter, who worked in the energy sector for 40 years and is now retired, noted that reserves are classified as proven, probable and possible.

’The possible reserves are out there, far out; very little is known about them. The proven reserves are what the companies have drilled and know conclusively they have. You can only base a gas supply contract on proven gas reserves.’ He said also that the data was showing that all three reserves, ’proven, probable and possible, have been steadily declining since 2002’.

Potter, also a geologist and engineer, said recent statements made by British Petroleum Trinidad and Tobago and British Gas about there still being an abundance of gas in T&T was ’diversionary.’

’Bp says they have enough gas to satisfy contracts. I am sure they do, but how long are these contracts to last, next five and ten years? We need to look at much longer than that.

’And BG was reported in the press as saying that we have a bright future because we know that gas prices are going to go up. But what the hell have gas prices got to do with it if you don’t have any gas? If our gas reserves are inadequate, we simply have no future,’ Potter said.

Former independent senator, economist Mary King agreed that this country’s gas reserves were on the decline. She noted that the recent gas audit conducted by United States petroleum consultants Ryder Scott onfirmed ’the downward trend in proven gas reserves’ in T&T.

She said Government seems to be in denial of these facts.

’...The prime minister says there is nothing to worry about. It is in capable hands, and we know what we are doing ...and I think now we need to worry.’