Caption: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Photo: T&T Parliament

Summary

• Historic US Alliance: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced that Trinidad and Tobago has officially joined the US-led Americas Counter Cartel Coalition following her attendance at the Shield of the Americas Summit hosted by US President Donald Trump.
• Scathing Attack on PNM: During her parliamentary address, the PM fiercely condemned the former PNM administration, accusing its hierarchy of having deep ties to the criminal underworld and blaming them for a decade of bloodshed.
• Parliamentary Clash: The PM’s remarks—including labelling the PNM’s Balisier House a “gravestone to drug money”—sparked fierce objections from Opposition MP Camille Robinson-Regis and required intervention from House Speaker Jagdeo Singh.
• Hemispheric Security Plan: The new coalition, spearheaded by US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, will provide T&T with stronger intelligence sharing, enhanced maritime security, and direct military support to combat illegal firearms and dismantle transnational gangs.
• Immediate Economic Wins: Beyond security, the PM reported major diplomatic and economic breakthroughs, noting that US energy giant Chevron reached out to do business with T&T just hours after her meeting with the US Secretary of Energy.

 

By Prior Beharry

PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar launches a blistering attack on the People’s National Movement (PNM) during a statement in Parliament on Friday.

She also announced Trinidad and Tobago’s strategic alliance with the United States and 15 other nations to dismantle transnational drug cartels, while slamming the PNM government’s handling of national security.

Reporting on her recent diplomatic trip to the inaugural Shield of the Americas Summit in Doral, Florida, hosted by US President Donald Trump on March 7, the Prime Minister described the event as a “historic moment” for the nation.

Trinidad and Tobago is now officially part of the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, a hemispheric partnership designed to confront cartel violence through coordinated security, intelligence sharing, and joint military operations.

“Many people do not yet fully understand the significance of this coalition. It is a shield for the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” Persad-Bissessar told Parliament. “Our crime crisis cannot be solved in isolation. The dangers posed by illegal drugs, illegal firearms, and organised gangs are not local problems. They are part of a transnational criminal system.”

Scathing attack on the Opposition

The Prime Minister used the occasion to fiercely condemn the former PNM administration, blaming them for a decade of bloodshed and accusing the party’s hierarchy of deep ties to the criminal underworld.

“For a decade, while the PNM were in government, blood flowed in our streets, driven by violent gangs fighting for turf to sell illegal narcotics trafficked into our country by drug cartels,” she said. “The PNM hierarchy fattened their pockets from their local drug mafia financiers while the people of our country suffered.”

Persad-Bissessar cited grim statistics from the PNM’s tenure between 2015 and 2025, noting over 124,062 recorded crimes, including 5,000 murders and 9,000 sexual assaults and more than 11,000 were robbed of their possessions. She accused the opposition of viewing the expanded American security presence with fear, claiming their new Balisier House headquarters “stands as a gravestone to drug money, paedophilia and theft.”

Government MPs thumped their desks in support while Opposition MP Camille Robinson-Regis objected, citing Standing Order 48(4), which states that it “shall be out of order to use offensive and insulting language about Members of either House or to threaten a Member”.

House Speaker Jagdeo Singh then asked the MP for Siparia to use “neutral language.” Persad-Bissessar replied: “If it falls in your garden, your front yard, so be it.”

She said, “Some of them on the other side crying every day. They like crybabies, crying every day about radars, US troops, about US lists.”

A Hemispheric response to crime

Addressing the operational goals of the new coalition—spearheaded by US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth—the prime minister outlined four key benefits for Trinidad and Tobago: stronger intelligence sharing, enhanced maritime and border security, direct support in combating illegal firearms trafficking, and advanced capacity building for local forces.

“Partner nation militaries will be trained and mobilised to dismantle cartel networks and prevent the export of violence,” she noted, referencing the joint security declaration signed by the 17 member countries. Prior to the summit, Minister of Defence Wayne Sturge attended the Americas Counter-Cartel Conference to advocate for stronger support to protect T&T’s national interests and energy sector.

Diplomatic and economic wins

Beyond national security, the Prime Minister reported significant diplomatic and economic breakthroughs. During the summit, she held direct talks with President Trump, Special Envoy Kristi Noem, and several high-ranking US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

A key meeting with US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright yielded immediate economic prospects. “Our meeting with Secretary Wright produced immediate results. Within hours, energy giant Chevron reached out expressing interest in doing business with Trinidad and Tobago,” Persad-Bissessar announced.

The Prime Minister also engaged in bilateral discussions with Latin American leaders to advance T&T’s application for associate membership in MERCOSUR, and visited the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) to request greater support in cybersecurity, forensics, and ballistics.

Wrapping up her address, Persad-Bissessar highlighted her engagement with the T&T diaspora in South Florida before declaring the diplomatic mission a resounding success for the country.

“This trip was not just a diplomatic visit. It was a strategic victory for Trinidad and Tobago,” she declared. “Trinidad and Tobago’s government was present. Trinidad and Tobago’s government was heard. And Trinidad and Tobago’s government will continue to stand strong in defence of our nation.”