Caption: Minister of Defence Wayne Sturge. Photo: T&T Parliament
By Prior Beharry
DESPITE numerous reports of sightings of warships and US military aircraft in Trinidad and Tobago’s airspace over the past week, Minister of Defence Wayne Sturge refused to say whether the government had granted authorisation.
Sturge was asked the question during a sitting of the Lower House on Friday and invoked the Standing Orders to avoid answering.
He was asked by Opposition MP Marvin Gonzales: “In light of videos, satellite imagery, photographs and associated media reports of US warship sightings in the Gulf of Paria and US military aircraft in Trinidad and Tobago’s airspace, can the Minister state whether authorisation has been granted for such military operations by US military forces within Trinidad and Tobago’s territory (land and sea)?”
Sturge said, “Until the member can convince me that disclosure either way is in the public interest, I would have no choice but to rely on the protections afforded by Standing Order 27(i)(g).” This Standing Order gives the minister immunity from answering a question to protect the public interest.
The Standing Order states: “A Minister may decline to answer a question if in his opinion the publication of the answer would be contrary to the public interest.”
The United States Marine Corps’ 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted joint exercises with the military of Trinidad and Tobago, a country neighbouring Venezuela.
The exercises started on November 16 and ended on Friday.
During the exercise, residents reported seeing Osprey and Black Hawk helicopters, and there were also reports that a US warship was in the Gulf of Paria, which separates Trinidad and Venezuela.
Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said her country would not be used as a launching pad by the US for a military strike on Venezuela.
Given the arrival of the USS Gerald R Ford in the Caribbean Sea and the US Marines arriving in the country for training exercises with the T&T Defence Force, the Prime Minister sought to allay fears about any military action against Venezuela from T&T soil.
She said, “Trinidad and Tobago has suffered tremendously under the weight of drug and gun trafficking. My government will not shy away from supporting international partners who are committed to confronting this plague head-on.”
Persad-Bissessar said, “Trinidad and Tobago will NOT participate in any act that will bring harm to the Venezuelan people. We continue to have peaceful relations with the people of Venezuela.
“The Trinidad and Tobago government supports the selection of leaders through free and fair democratic elections. Trinidad and Tobago citizens and infrastructure are NOT at risk as we are NOT participants in any aggression against the people of Venezuela.”
In late October, the US warship the USS Gravely docked in Trinidad for six days for training exercises.
