(Trinidad Guardian) US Ambassador to T&T Candace Bond has affirmed the strong ties between the two countries and has assured that those good relations will continue in 2024.
She made the comments at AmChamTT’s annual ambassador’s reception at the official residence of the US Ambassador in Port-of-Spain on Thursday night.
“I was just in Washington last month and can confirm that congressional support for a strong bilateral relationship is a top concern for many of our legislators. I also had the opportunity to speak with the EximBank, interagency partners, and the vice-president.
“Without going too far into details yet, I do know that 2024 should propel our engagement on shared priorities such as citizen security, addressing the climate crisis, and economic partnership further than ever,” Bond said.
She said other plans for T&T include further advancing key Biden-Harris administration regional and global goals such as supporting the rule of law, increasing trade and economic engagement and through the US-Caribbean partnership, addressing the climate crisis 2030 and accelerating regional efforts at mitigating and building resilience to the effects of climate change.
“We know so many of our shared objectives are interrelated or reflect cross-cutting themes. One of those themes is rule of law, since it not only has an impact on safe communities and controlling borders, but also sets the conditions for easier yet secure trade and a more competitive investment climate. Those conditions benefit foreign companies and investors, but also ensure that local companies thrive and local innovators and entrepreneurs are able to make economic contributions,” she said.
Bond also commented on what she described as one the most critical economic achievements for the US and T&T in 2023, the Dragon Gas licence.
“I have to tell you all, I put in an amount of work that you wouldn’t believe to get that over the finish line and that was in January. I thought we were over that hill and we could ride off into the sunset but I was wrong,” she admitted.
“Instead, the issue again cropped up, requiring strong partnership between our governments and another big lift by so many and we did it. We know the fruits of that work are still years away and additional challenges might crop up here and there but I also know that our shared visions of energy security and regional stability provide a strong foundation to face any new hurdles that might materialise.”
In sharing her experience, ambassador Bond revealed that the work is never done and with issues as diverse as trade, ensuring protection and humane treatment for migrants, and improving citizen security, progress has been achieved but there is more work ahead.