(Trinidad Guardian) Trinidad and Tobago and other Caricom states are expected to benefit from US$130 million in financial assistance from US President Barack Obama to deal with crime and security in the region. This was revealed by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday in an interview with the T&T Guardian following the conclusion of the Sixth Summit of the Americas in Colombia.
PM Persad-Bissessar, who has lead responsibility for security within Caricom’s quasi-Cabinet, and other Caribbean leaders met with Obama for one hour on Saturday evening. She said she was happy about the outcome of the discussions, as assistance to one nation in the region would effectively be assistance to all Caricom nations. PM Persad-Bissessar said the initiatives, for which the money will be used, will be given in due course.
Asked to comment specifically on the summit, the PM said it was “useful” as it provided an opportunity for T&T to network with other nations. She said this was done in the interest of promoting “Brand T&T.” PM Persad-Bissessar said T&T had bilateral discussions with Brazil and Guatemala and other nations.
In her address to delegates at the summit, Persad-Bissessar called on the OAS heads to encourage prompt action to enhance safety and security levels for the people of the Americas. “We must act decisively on crime and violence in ways that make a difference,” Persad-Bissessar added.
She said: “We know that the criminal elements operating in the Americas are very organised, in some instances to the extent that their resources exceed in number and sophistication in the resources of the State.” PM Persad-Bissessar said the crime-fight in the region cannot be won without cooperation among OAS states.
“We must be our brother’s keeper. No one, no one country can do it alone and indeed I take inspiration from my country’s own motto: Together We Aspire, Together We Achieve.” The summit ended without agreement on a move to have communist Caribbean nation, Cuba, become a member of the OAS. PM Persad-Bissessar told the T&T Guardian the issue was “not put to a vote and there was no consensus.”
She said T&T remains in favour of the Caricom position to have Cuba included as a member of the OAS but other countries objected. Caricom and Latin American nations were in support of Cuba being allowed to join the body but the United States and Canada objected.
“T&T is of the view that a sovereign nation, such as the US, has a right to act in accordance with its domestic and foreign policy as does every sovereign nation,” PM Persad-Bissessar added. “We in T&T and the Caricom can’t force any nation to support our position on Cuba, we can’t strong-arm anyone,” Persad-Bissessar insisted. The Fifth Summit of the Americas was held in Port of Spain in 2009.
