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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Concern over 200,000 Trinis holding US visas T h e re a re m o re t h a n 200,000 Trinidad and Tobago citizens who hold United States visas and can be impacted by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s “not-soveiled attack” on the United States over its stance on Venezuela. So said Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, at the United National Congress (UNC) national assembly meeting at Couva South Hall yesterday. United States Ambassador Joseph Mondello had slammed the Trinidad and Tobago Government for continuing to recognise Nicolas Maduro as president of the troubled country. Rowley, in response, said he took umbrage to this. “In the Parliament on Friday, while the Prime Minister waged his own war on the US ambassador and President Trump on the Venezuela matter, both the AG Faris and the Planning Minister Robinson-Regis could be heard and seen supporting the Prime Minister by saying ‘what could Trump do we?’” she said. “I take umbrage at the Prime Minister’s lack of decorum and his non-diplomatic tone in dealing with this matter in Parliament. In particular, I take issue with his not-so-veiled attack on one of our most important trading partners, the United States of America.”
Persad-Bissessar said these hasty, bad decisions of the Government on the diplomatic front have far-reaching consequences in the area of national security and trade. “Today I tell Rowley, Faris and Camille that while you and your family hold diplomatic passports and you are provided with immunity, over 200,000 of our citizens hold ordinary passports with US tourist visas. So, you want to know what Trump could do to them?” she said. “I tell this Government while you wine and dine off taxpayers’ dollars in fancy restaurants, 70 per cent of all our food is imported from the US at an annual cost of over US$1 billion (TT$7 billion). So, you want to know what Trump could do?” she continued. She said T&T exports more than US$2.7 billion (TT$18.9 billion) annually to the US in the energy sector. Persad-Bissessar said Trinidad and Tobago is the biggest beneficiary of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) and receives trade preferences which grant duty and quota free access to the US to the tune of US$400 million (TT$2.8 billion) annually. She said participation in CBI requires among other things a waiver of certain WTO (World Trade Organisation) conditions. Persad-Bissessar said T&T’s
Supporters wave flags during the United National Congress (UNC) National assembly in Couva yesterday. -Photo: DEXTER PHILIP
current waiver will expire in 2021. She added that the US president and congress have to approve renewing the agreement. “And you want to know what Trump could do?” she asked repeatedly. She further noted Trinidad and Tobago benefits from the CBI with more than US$400 million (TT$32 billion) annually, together with technical advice and cooperation on border control, Customs and Excise and mutual assistance which are heavy features of T&T’s national
security apparatus. PAVEMENT POLITICS “Rowley, Camille, Faris and others still want to know what Trump could do? Before standing in the wrong side of history and diplomacy and creating bacchanal and scandal with the US and our allies, they should have thought about all of these things before handling the affairs of our nation like pavement politics,” she said. Persad-Bissessar said a leader doesn’t attack and
Antigua PM warns Caribbean could also be destabilised as a result of situation in Venezuela ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, Jan 28, CMC – Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne says the Caribbean should be careful not to be drawn into the ideological war unfolding in Venezuela where attempts are being made to remove the socialist Nicolas Maduro from office. “These people are fighting an ideological war. They believe that socialism in Venezuela would plunge the people into poverty and so on. They want to get rid of these socialist regimes. Okay fine, they can fight their ideological wars but we have to deal with the practicality and the effects (on the region),” Browne said. The United States, backed by several countries including Canada and Brazil have said they support the Opposition Leader, Juan Guaido, who last Wednesday proclaimed himself as interim president. But China, Russia and Cuba have said
they will continue to support Maduro, who was sworn into office earlier this month for a second consecutive term. Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries though divided on the issue, have nonetheless said that were against any interference in the internal affairs of the South American country and has sent a delegation to the United Nations seeking the intervention of Secretary General Antonio Guterres on the matter. Browne, who said his administration will not support Guaido, warned that the unfolding situation in Caracas could cause serious problems for the Caribbean. “Further, the destabilisation of Venezuela, you will have more refugees starting to come north. They coming to the Caribbean, they coming to us. “So you will have a refugee problem. Now if there is say, any form of military action, especially if you have the intervention of other
states outside of this region, then you could imagine that we could turn a region right now that is a hemisphere of peace and tranquillity into a war zone”. Browne said there were other implications for the region, many of whom are dependent on tourism and have open economies. “I am saying here the implications are very serious for us because we have an open economy. So if there’s any instability in this region and all of those containers and ships that normally come to the Caribbean they get diverted or they can’t move or can’t come, what you think is going to happen to us? “What if the tourists decide based on the instability in the region they do not wish to come here. What is going to happen to our tourism receipts? “I am saying here the consequences for us in the region, they are grave,” he said.
alienate its largest ally— whom T&T depend on for regional security and economic stability. “A leader doesn’t tell the entire free world--they wrong, but he is right!” she continued as a section of Venezuelans in the audience cheered in support. Persad-Bissessar noted the Prime Minister said he is standing on principle on the Venezuelan matter. “I want to say to him one must first have principles in order to stand on them. You cannot be
bouffing, humiliating and ostracising our world trade partners and then run off to the US to appear as though you are trying to make peace. “But that is how they do things...they are an upside-down, back-to-front Government,” she said. She noted that while the superpowers, the largest democracies in the world and the economic giants have taken a firm stand on the Venezuela matter, the Government is playing “dolly house” with foreign policy. “I am in no way influenced by the US or other free world nations on the position that I have taken; I believe in doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do and we cannot all be wrong. “Our world has changed; we are no longer isolated from each other by water; we are connected in real time by technology and globalization. “It is either we move with the times and realise our geopolitical environment has changed from the 70s, 80s and 90s. We cannot be like dinosaurs extinct but still hoping to be relevant.” Persad-Bissessar said today’s diplomacy, as Ambassador Mondello has stated, requires tough choices “and if anything, as your prime minister, I was known for taking those tough choices”. (Trinidad Express)
Anger grows towards Brazil mine firm
SENIOR Brazilian politicians have called for Vale SA to be held to account for last week’s dam disaster, as anger grows towards the mining firm. Brazil’s Vice-President Hamilton Mourão said those to blame should be punished, and a top prosecutor said executives could be held personally responsible. Vale, which owns the complex, says safety procedures were followed. Firefighters say 60 people are now confirmed dead after a sea of mud engulfed a canteen and nearby houses. Some 192 people have been rescued near the south-eastern town of Brumadinho but nearly 300 are still missing. Rescuers say they are very unlikely to find more survivors. The cause of the dam burst remains unclear. Shares in Vale, the world’s largest iron ore producer, fell by more than 20 per cent on the Sao Paulo stock exchange on Monday. Search operations were suspended for hours on Sunday amid fears that a separate
dam, also owned by Vale, was at risk of giving way in the area. Vice-President Hamilton Mourão, who is standing in for President Jair Bolsonaro as he undergoes surgery, said the government would need to investigate and punish those found responsible for the disaster. He added that the government would set up a working group to look at the company’s management. Meanwhile top prosecutor Raquel Dodge said it was important to hold the company “strongly responsible”. The mayor of the state capital Belo Horizonte, Alexandre Kalil, said “Vale’s board of directors should be in jail”. Vale president Fabio Schvartsman said the company had followed safety recommendations by international experts. Mr Schvartsman promised “to go above and beyond any national or international standards. The company also says it has suspended payouts to shareholders and executive bonuses. (BBC)