AMONG the prerequisites needed for a country to achieve the status of “developed” is for its citizens to be thought-independent, educated, well fed and healthy. On the whole, Trinidadians and Tobagonians have already achieved a higher standard of living than many other developing countries thanks to its abundant gas and oil resources, but it still has a long way to go to catch up with the First World states. In an effort to help Trinidad and Tobago achieve developed country status, a US-educated Trinidadian economist and inventor has proposed to Government specific plans that convert a series of inventions to lay the foundations of a major T&T publicly owned company. Daniel de Lima Jr., who now lives in the United States, says his plan would allow the country to feed itself more cheaply, earn foreign exchange from proprietary technology exports, establish a trading network into Latin America and establish a template for converting inventions to globally competitive publicly-owned start-up companies in smaller countries. De Lima Jr. has proposed that the Government set up a pilot plant in Trinidad to improve the effectiveness of converting plant residue such as bagasse and sugarcane tops into new technologies in proteins and liquid bio-fuels. The start-up company would co-develop then exploit the biomass technology with other USA technologies under license in Latin America. In a letter sent to a senior Government official last August, De Lima said he was developing a new solar energy technology programme to provide electricity, heat and air conditioning for homes and offices. The solar energy would enable the new process to convert plant residues like bagasse pith and corn stalks into liquids and then into proteins and bio-fuels.” “The organic liquids from crop residues would enable the production of inexpressive single cell proteins and bio-fuels while solar heaters would produce steam and electricity at very low cost to power machines and effect materials conversion,” he said. De Lima said the new processing of our bio-mass could help make Trinidad self sufficient in the production of meat, fish and milk while developing an exportable technology business. He also said that Trinidad and Tobago could export animal feed technology and equipment to other Caribbean and Latin American countries, earning valuable foreign exchange and boosting its trade links. Such developments in food production and trade could pave the way for Trinidad and Tobago to become knowledge-based and a sustainably developed country, he added. He said it was important that the total facility and others be set up well before the cheaper gas runs out, adding that the export facilities and royalty streams will take a few years to establish economies of scale and enable a seamless transition from oil and gas dependency to exports dependency based on human resources. He said the simultaneous closure of primary gas users and their “downstreams” would result in form of a “bust”. The effect would negate most of the gains from the present gas boom as capital flight and brain drain will kill the institutions now being formed with gas derived cash. The resulting recession and frustration will encourage negative moves like crime and corruption. De Lima said that it was essential that additional patents in bio-mass process be applied for immediately as inventions patentability window of opportunity are limited by one year statutes. He said this country is still awaiting the Government’s response and that the production of these plant liquids could be the starting point for many mass bio-mass processes leading to the output of numerous exotic and expensive products. “The ability to produce these materials cheaply and salvage the dilute downstream and ligneous by-products will have major potential for the country and its exploits in this area could have significant other rewards as biomass replaces petroleum in organic synthesis,” he added. De Lima also suggested that the Government set up mixed companies with the private sector to develop these bio- plants.” De Lima also suggested that Trinidad and Tobago begin building houses powered by solar-thermal energy, following the example of several Latin American countries. He said his plan would help Trinidad and Tobago achieve developed country status by the year 2020 whichever Government was in control of the country at that time. “Eventually, when our gas becomes too expensive, a diversified economy with self-reliance in most foods will enable T&T to negotiate a best gas supply pipeline prices for Pt. Lisas’s continued viability. “If we have weak alternatives, we may negotiate for cheap gas and end up being manipulated with a loss of independence,” he added, preventing Trinidad and Tobago from moving in the right direction to becoming a first-class world country.