Tewarie addressed the issue at the post-Cabinet media briefing Thursday.
The minister, who chairs the JSC, said so far he has not received any official correspondence from the Opposition stating its intention to withdraw from the JSC.
Opposition leader Keith Rowley announced at a news conference on Monday that the three PNM members of the JSC will not longer participate. And he reiterated that position on Thursday.
Rowley expressed concern about two issues - a $1-billion 70-acre state development project at Invaders Bay, Port of Spain and a proposed light transit project from Port of spain to Arima.
Twearie told reporters no contracts have been signed yet for the Invaders Bay project. However he said recommendations made to Cabinet have been accepted.
He added that a committee headed by Economic Development Board chairman Dr Thackwray Driver, has been established to deal with negotiations. That committee, he noted, has been meeting with the proposed investors over the last few weeks and they are close to coming to a decision.
Tewarie made it clear that the Invaders Bay project is seeking private sector proposals with private sector funding.
"It is not a procurement issue. It is a call for investors to optimise the land at values that will accrue to the best benefit of the people of Trinidad and Tobago, and it is in that spirit we have put out requests for proposals (RFPs) and gotten proposals," he said.
He added that a committee headed by Economic Development Board chairman Dr Thackwray Driver, has been established to deal with negotiations. That committee, he noted, has been meeting with the proposed investors over the last few weeks and they are close to coming to a decision.
Tewarie made it clear that the Invaders Bay project is seeking private sector proposals with private sector funding.
"It is not a procurement issue. It is a call for investors to optimise the land at values that will accrue to the best benefit of the people of Trinidad and Tobago, and it is in that spirit we have put out requests for proposals (RFPs) and gotten proposals," he said.
On the proposed light rail project he said the best person to answer questions would be the Transport Minister, who was not present at the media briefing. However he explained that the project is in its earliest stages with ads merely requesting information from interested private sector parties.
Tewarie said in any case that project will be totally funded with by the private sector with the government merely acting as a facilitator to protect the public interest.
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