GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday April 26, 2018
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TT Govt holds talks with UN on Venezuela deportation issue The Trinidad and Tobago government Tuesday held talks with senior United Nations officials in a bid to “correct the misinformation in the public domain’ regarding the deportation of nearly 100 Venezuelan nationals over the last weekend. A statement issued by the Ministry of National Security said that National Security Minister, retired Major General Edmund Dillon and Attorney General, Faris Al Rawi, met with the United Nations Resident Coordinator Richard Blewitt and Protection Officer of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Ruben Barbado. “The purpose of the meeting was to correct the misinformation in the public domain, with respect to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago’s handling of the voluntary repa-
triation of the 82 Venezuelan nationals to their homeland on Saturday, 21st April 2018.” The statement said that both Dillon and Al Rawi “took the opportunity to once again emphasize the fact that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago respects the human rights of any person who seeks asylum in Trinidad and Tobago. “Additionally, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago respects the right of any foreign national to voluntarily return to their country of nationality.” The United Nations has expressed concern that a number of Venezuelan nationals who had sought asylum in Trinidad and Tobago had been deported to the South American country over the last weekend. The United Nations system here Monday said it was concerned for the welfare of the Vene-
The St. Kitts-Nevis government Wednesday said it would host a major international conference on the controversial Citizenship by Investment (CIP) programme next month. Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris told a news conference that regional and international delegates would attend the high-level discussions on issues affecting the sector, as well as exploring opportunities for further growth of the CIP
during the Caribbean Investment Summit 2018.
zuelans, some of whom had reportedly sought asylum here. and Blewitt had indicated that they were in “contact with the appropriate authorities in Port of Spain to ensure that any person in need of protection will get it without fail”. The Living Water Community (LWC), a religious based organisation
that works with the UNHCR said that it too had received reports of Venezuelans being deported. Amnesty International in an open letter to Prime Minister Dr. keith Rowley also expressed concern at the situation. “Amnesty International has received information that
suggests that those returned did not do so voluntarily, contrary to the Minister’s claims, but were presented with papers to sign, in a language they do not understand, stating that they would return voluntarily,” it said. ““If indeed those deported were forcibly returned without an individualised assessment or having the opportunity to challenge or appeal their deportation orders, without having their legal options explained to them in a language they understand and without access to their lawyers or UNHCR, the actions of your government have undermined due process, your government’s own policy on asylum, and your country’s international human rights obligations. This cannot be repeated,” Amnesty International said. But the statement Tues-
stakeholders in various fields such as banking, due diligence, risk management and cyber security, cryptocurrency and real estate will also be in attendance. Under the CIP, several Caribbean countries provide citizenship to foreign investors in return for making a significant financial contribution to the socio-economic development of the country. The government said that the summit will discuss new
technology for better CIPs; responsible conduct for service providers; key approaches to sustainable development and collaboration for a common cause. Harris said the summit will be held under the theme “Unity in the Age of Division, Emerging Trends of CIPs in an Uncertain World,” reflecting the changes in the industry. “Never has there been a better time to unite. As CIPs proliferate across the globe,
we urge the world to remember where it all began – right here in St. Kitts and Nevis in 1984 and we ask them to recall that with age comes wisdom. “As the market continues to grow amid political and economic tensions, the industry must take a holistic approach to ensure its longevity, and in doing so, must provide the appropriate fora to engage and stimulate the growing numbers of industry participants,” Prime Minister Harris told
National Security Minister Edmund Dillon (center) chairing meeting between government and United Nations officials
day reiterated that “the repatriation exercise” was strictly carried out on a voluntary basis, in collaboration with the Ambassador of Venezuela to Trinidad and Tobago, Coromoto Godoy Calderón. “The Government of Trinidad and Tobago also expressed its commitment to treating all persons humanely and fairly and to upholding its international obligations,” the statement said, noting that “at the end of the very cordial meeting, both parties agreed to continue the ethos of collaboration and cooperation. “The Government remains cognizant of its responsibility, to look after the national security interests of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago,” the statement said. (CMC)
reporters. Harris said that the twin island Federation maintains the longest-running and one of the most trusted CIP globally and in January this year, the Caribbean island was ranked the top country within the sub-regional Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) by a quality of passport index survey conducted by the international firm, Henley & Partners. (CMC)
St. Kitts-Nevis to host major summit on Citizenship by Investment Programme CIP Harris Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris speaking at news conference The summit, which will be held May 16-19, will also be attended by representatives from CBI units in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Lucia and Grenada. Harris said the summit will also be attended by other
Prime Minister confirms CCJ referendum by year end Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchel Wednesday confirmed that a second referendum on whether the island will join the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) will be held before yearend. “The CCJ is not just about Grenada alone. It’s about the Caribbean man and woman and we felt it defines us as a people more than any other bill on the table, the other was
more specific Grenada and Grenada is part of a wider family, the Caribbean family and it makes sense that the wider family must get its act together, and therefore we felt that the CCJ must be the first one to bring back before the people,” Mitchell told reporters. The CCJ was established in 2005 to replace the London-based Privy Council as the region’s final court. But
while Barbados, Guyana, Dominica and Belize are members of the Appellate Jurisdiction, no other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has done so even though most are members of the Original jurisdiction. The CCJ also serves as an international tribunal interpreting the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas that governs the 15 member regional integration movement.
In the November 2016 referendum, Grenadians voted against accepting the CCJ as their final court by a margin of 12, 434 to 9,492 votes. The CCJ was among several other measures that the voters rejected, including the mandatory appointment of an Opposition Leader and a term limit for prime ministers. Mitchell said then that he regretted the defeat for the CCJ, noting that he should
have done more to encourage voters to accept the CCJ as the island deepens its political independence from Britain. In his first news conference since winning the March 13 general elections, Mitchell said that Cabinet had agreed on re-starting the debate on Grenada joining the CCJ because it’s an important regional institution impacting on the lives people in the region. He told reporters that the
2016 referendum had too many bills and this might have confused the voter. Mitchell said that a chairman for the committee is yet to be decided on but at present the process is being spearheaded by the Attorney General Dr Lawrence Joseph. The former committee was headed by constitutional lawyer and former attorney general, Dr Francis Alexis.(CMC)