PM PERSAD BISSESSAR GIVES US MILITARY FULL SUPPORT
Trinidad and Tobago’s government has given its full backing to the deployment of US military assets in the Caribbean, stating the move is crucial for combating “terrorist drug cartels” that have contributed to a significant increase in crime across the region. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said in a statement that small island states like Trinidad and Tobago lack the resources to tackle transnational crime, gang activity, and violence on their own. She said the US military’s presence is a welcome form of assistance, and only those involved in criminal activity should be concerned. The Prime Minister added that despite “misinformation,” the US military is operating legally in international waters and has not breached any nation’s sovereignty. She also stated that Trinidad and Tobago has not and will not engage CARICOM on the matter, noting that each member state can speak for itself.
Regarding the ongoing tensions between Guyana and Venezuela, the Prime Minister clarified that the US government has not requested access to Trinidadian territory for military action against Venezuela. However, she made it clear that if the Maduro regime were to attack or invade Guyanese territory and the US requested access to defend Guyana’s people, her government would “unflinchingly provide them that access.”
