BUILD A T&T-SOUTH AMERICA TRADE CORRIDOR
By Dr Jack Austin Warner
For too long, Trinidad and Tobago has behaved like a country surrounded by water, rather than one strategically positioned at the doorstep of a continent. We often speak about diversification, foreign exchange shortages, and the need to expand beyond energy, but rarely do we confront the simplest truth: our greatest untapped opportunity lies just across the Gulf, in South America.
If I were the Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago, I would move decisively to build a Trinidad–South America trade corridor, not as an abstract policy but as a structured, measurable national project, because while Guyana is aggressively positioning itself as a gateway to Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago remains largely reactive, watching opportunity take shape elsewhere. The difference is not geography. It is intent.
Guyana recognises that trade doesn’t happen by chance; it is engineered. Roads are being extended into northern Brazil. Logistics are being aligned. Policy is being shaped around a clear objective: move goods, attract investment, and earn foreign exchange. That is thinking regionally, acting strategically, and executing with urgency.
Trinidad and Tobago, by contrast, has the infrastructure many countries are trying to build: deepwater ports, industrial estates, energy-based manufacturing capacity, and a skilled workforce. Yet these advantages remain underleveraged because they are not integrated into a coherent trade strategy. We have the pieces, but not the plan. A trade corridor would change that.
It would begin with connectivity. Regular, reliable maritime links between Trinidad and Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and northern Brazil, not sporadic shipping, but scheduled, commercial routes supported by efficient customs systems and predictable turnaround times. Trade cannot thrive on uncertainty; businesses need confidence that goods will move when they are supposed to move.
This would require policy clarity. Exporters must know what incentives exist, what standards apply, and how quickly they can access foreign markets. Investors must see consistency, not shifting signals. A corridor is not just a physical link; it is a regulatory commitment that demands sector focus
Trinidad and Tobago is not starting from zero. We already produce goods that regional markets need: food products, construction materials, chemicals, manufactured items, and services in energy, finance, and education. A trade corridor would prioritise these exports, identify demand in South American markets, and actively facilitate entry, and perhaps most importantly, it would shift the mindset.
For decades, the country has operated within a Caribbean framework that, while important, is limited in scale. South America represents a vastly larger market, hundreds of millions of consumers, expanding economies, and growing demand for exactly the kinds of goods and services Trinidad and Tobago can provide. To ignore that is not caution; it is a missed opportunity.
The foreign exchange crisis alone should be enough to force this conversation. We cannot continue to depend on energy revenues while lamenting declining inflows. The answer is not simply to conserve foreign currency; it is to earn more of it. Trade is one of the fastest, most sustainable ways to do so.
Of course, this will not happen overnight. It requires coordination between government agencies, the private sector, port authorities, and regional partners. It requires investment in logistics, technology, and diplomacy. It takes leadership willing to go beyond announcements and deliver measurable results. If we don’t, we will end up watching others build the networks we could have led.
A Trinidad–South America trade corridor is not a luxury project. It is an economic necessity. It is a pathway to diversification, resilience, and growth and an opportunity that, if missed, will not wait for us to reconsider.
If I were the Prime Minister, I would not allow that opportunity to pass because in a world defined by the movement of goods, capital, and ideas, the countries that thrive are those that connect, and Trinidad and Tobago has every reason to be one of them.
That is why, if I were the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, I would move decisively to build a Trinidad–South America trade corridor.
