By Sue-Ann Wayow
PRIME Minister Dr Keith Rowley has spoken to Vice-President of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez concerning the death of the one-year-old migrant baby boy by a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) last Saturday.
Dr Rowley in Parliament on Friday said, “I myself as Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago have sought and spoken directly to the Vice-President of Venezuela on this matter and I continue to stay in touch with our officials here in Trinidad and Tobago.”
He also said that a meeting was planned for next week with Venezuelan Coast Guard and the TTCG to further discuss the issue.
And Trinidad and Tobago’s Ambassador to Venezuela Edmund Dillon was also in talks with Venezuelan’s Foreign Affairs Minister Felix Plasencia Dr Rowley said, which meant that comprehensive discussions were being held with several key individuals from the two countries.
Last year, the Opposition had questioned the reason for Rodriquez’s visit which took place during border closure and which Government stated was to discuss the issue of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Questions also arose then as to whether Trinidad and Tobago had violated the Rio Treaty by allowing in Rodriguez, who is subject to travel restrictions.
On Friday, the Prime Minister was grilled by Member of Naparima Rodney Charles on the issue surrounding the death of the child that has now engaged international attention and a call for a full investigation into the matter by the Venezuelan authorities.
During the Prime Minister’s Question segment, Dr Rowley was initially asked, “Will the Prime Minister state what diplomatic steps will be undertaken to contain the fallout from international reports suggesting that this country is not treating its Venezuelan refugee/migrants humanely?”
He responded, “The first thing I will do and I will do it here now is to ask the Leader of the Opposition and her minions to stop bad-mouthing this country.”
However, his statement was objected by Member of Parliament for Couva South Rudranath Indarsingh.
Following a brief back and forth of words between the two, Indarsingh was asked by House Speaker Brigid Annisette-George to apologise and Dr Rowley was asked to withdraw the word “minion”.
Dr Rowley said, “I withdraw the word minion and I trust that I would never use it again in this house.”
But, he did not allow that to stop his attack later on on the Opposition.
“Why are our people trying to put a rope around the neck of the people of Trinidad and Tobago in a matter which is purely accidently, which is minuscule, compared to what is happening worldwide. The more main fallout from this is from the Opposition Leader accusing the coast guard of murder,” he declared supported by desk-thumping from the Government’s side.
“And I have nothing more to say on the matter so you might as well keep your seat,” he told Charles.
Chaguanas – a sex hub
Quoting from a recent Venezuelan document called Gender and Crimes dated February 11, Dr Rowley read, “Some stay in the south while others head to the north and the central region many to the borough of Chaguanas where the demand for prostitute thrives.”
He continued, “The experts reported that unlike other countries such as Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, where human trafficking had been on decline, demand for sex and prostitution in Trinidad and Tobago is being driven by a high rate of local consumption especially in the borough of Chaguanas.”
“My colleagues in here, if you want to fight this matter, let us begin by fighting this,” Dr Rowley declared followed by more desk-thumping.
