Caption: Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell signs the gust book at the Diplomatic Centre on Friday. He is joined from left, Grenadian Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister Teddy St Louis; Grenada Attorney General Claudette Joseph; Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar; Minister of Foreign Affairs and CARICOM Sean Sobers; Energy Minister Roodal Moonilal; and Attorney General John Jeremie. AZP News/Alicia Chamely
By Alicia Chamely
THERE is no agreement between Trinidad and Tobago and the United States of America for the US Army and Navy to deploy in T&T.
This was the assurance made by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to the media on Friday after holding bilateral energy talks with the Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s.
Addressing speculation that the incoming US Naval fleet may land in T&T, Persad-Bissessar said, “They will not be on our soil, they will be international waters, I want to make that very clear again. Further, we have had no discussions of the US actually deploying on T&T soil.”
The US Government, over the past two weeks, had deployed a fleet of warships, including the USS Newport News, a nuclear-powered submarine, to the coast of Venezuela.
The US stated the deployment of military personnel and naval ships was part of an operation against Latin American drug cartels. The US has also accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of facilitating and being heavily involved in these cartels.
Responding to sugggestions that an alliance may have formed between T&T and the US, Persad-Bissessar said, “We have given support for the intervention, as far as we are aware for these ships and military to be here, but there is no alliance saying that I am going to give Teteron Barracks, I am going to give Staubles Bay, no facilities in Trinidad and Tobago has been pledged to anyone else.”
She said, however, that should Venezuela choose to attack or invade Guyana, her government would offer the use of the country’s facilities to the US in defence of Guyana.
Persad-Bissessar said, “What I have said and maintain is that should Venezuela move against Guyana, it is then that we will offer any space here to protect our CARICOM neighbour, brother and sister.”
Questioned in regards to recent international reports citing that they had been informed that a US strike on Venezuela was imminent, Persad-Bissessar said, “If there are any of those plans, we are not a part of those discussions.”
Addressing accusations made by both the Venezuelan and Cuban governments that the US deployment of military and naval assets was an effort to destabilise the region, the prime minister said she was not in agreement.
Persad-Bissessar said, “I do not agree with them, I do not agree with that. Again, there are those for and there are those against. There will always be those who will say yay and nay. There is one narrative coming from one side, the narrative of the other side, again I have no evidence that things they are alleging are in fact happening.”
She maintained that despite her support of the US’s efforts to combat the drug trade and criminal enterprises within the region, T&T and Venezuela maintained a peaceful relationship.
Persad-Bissessar said, “I have no quarrel with Venezuela; we maintain good a relationship.”
Joining her was Minister of Foreign Affairs and CARICOM Sean Sobers, who said, “I have continued to have discussions with the Venezuelan ambassador to T&T and as the honourable PM has indicated our relationship with Venezuela remains intact.”
She said the only alliance the country had was “with anyone, anywhere who will help us fight drugs, crime, guns, criminals, we are in alliance with any such countries and persons.”
