Wired868 Wired868 for smart sport news and opinion
“[…] Today the government is putting us on the wrong side of history and in support of a colonial and imperial agenda, grounded in the 200+ year old Monroe Doctrine which US administrations have used as justification for interfering in this hemisphere to militarily invade sovereign states (Haiti, Cuba, Dominican Republic among others), effect coup d’etats (Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Guatemala among others) and finance political parties that are in alignment with their (US) interests and/or foment crises and chaos to bring about political change…”
The following press statement on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s position on the United States deployment of Navy warships in the southern Caribbean, in the vicinity of Venezuela, was submitted to Wired868 by Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) political leader David Abdulah:
Photo: Sunil Lalla.
The Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) states that today is a day of both shame and sadness for Trinidad and Tobago—one week away from our commemorating the 63rd anniversary of our independence and just weeks away from marking the 49th year of our republican status.
We say this in light of the statement issued yesterday by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, in which she unequivocally expressed support for the: “US government’s deployment of American military assets into the Caribbean region”.
In justifying this, the Prime Minister swallowed the Trump administration position that this deployment is to deal with “terrorist drug cartels”.
Photo: Washington Post.
The MSJ repeats that the reason advanced is a lie. As we made clear in the statement that we issued last Thursday, the nature and size of the US military assets are for offensive purposes, not drug interdiction.
If the US had said it was deploying additional Coast Guard vessels to collaborate with regional countries that would be believable. But destroyers with guided cruise missiles are meant to take out military targets; amphibious vessels are designed to land troops.
What is the military target? Where are the 4,000 troops to be landed? To destroy what drug cartel? And in which country? Or is it to effect a naval blockade of Venezuela contrary to international law?
The US can’t or won’t say. Yet our PM endorses it. Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar should say in clear words who is the target, what is the cartel and in which country.
We repeat this is a fiction meant to legitimise what is a military intervention against Venezuela.
The Prime Minister’s statement is shameful for another reason and that is disrespect for Caricom. As she stated: “the T&T Government has not engaged and has no intention of engaging Caricom on this matter—each member state can speak for themselves on this issue.”
(Copyright AFP 2016/ Mandel Ngan.)
We remind the people of Trinidad and Tobago that the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas under which Caricom functions, sets out as one of its objectives as collaboration on foreign affairs.
It has a specific body, the Council for Foreign and Community Relations, that has as its objectives to:
“Establish measures to co-ordinate the foreign policies of the Member States of the Community, including proposals for joint representation, and seek to ensure, as far as practicable, the adoption of Community positions on major hemispheric and international issues; establish measures to co-ordinate the foreign policies of the Member States of the Community, including proposals for joint representation, and seek to ensure, as far as practicable, the adoption of Community positions on major hemispheric and international issues.”
Copyright: Office of the Parliament 2025.
The Trump regime has achieved one of its objectives—and we in the MSJ warned about this many months ago—the weakening and division of Caricom.
Trinidad and Tobago has had a long record of conducting foreign policy based on the principles of recognition of the sovereignty of states and non-interference in the internal affairs of other states.
We have taken positions on principle even when this meant opposing US foreign policy. We did this in recognising Cuba and in opposing the illegal and illegitimate US blockade of that Caribbean nation.
We have recognised the State of Palestine. We strongly opposed apartheid in South Africa and supported the liberation movements in colonial territories.
In all of this we stood on principle and were on the right side of history.
Today the government is putting us on the wrong side of history and in support of a colonial and imperial agenda, grounded in the 200+ year old Monroe Doctrine which US administrations have used as justification for interfering in this hemisphere to militarily invade sovereign states (Haiti, Cuba, Dominican Republic among others), effect coup d’etats (Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Guatemala among others) and finance political parties that are in alignment with their (US) interests and/or foment crises and chaos to bring about political change.
The issue of “the Maduro regime launching any attack on Guyana” is a smokescreen. This is not the issue.
And for clarity, the MSJ’s position, stated several years ago, is with Caricom. The Essequibo is part of Guyana; and we further endorsed the Argyle Accord initiated by the PM of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines with the support of other Caricom heads, the UN Secretary General and the President of Brazil.
But for the PM to give carte blanche approval for the US to use our country as a military staging point in that conflict is unacceptable.
Photo: UNC.
Lastly, the Prime Minister made the preposterous statement that: “it is shocking to hear some persons using referrals to the Caribbean region as a zone of peace to push negative commentary on the US military deployment… The only persons who should be worried about the activity of the US military are those engaged in or enabling criminal activity.”
Well, the MSJ and many progressive and proud Caribbean citizens insist that the Caribbean is and remains a Zone of Peace and view the US military deployment as being opposed to this. Does that make us criminals?
We simply respond by saying that the US and most of the global north termed Nelson Mandela as a terrorist and a criminal. Why? Because he and his comrades were fighting against injustices brought about by colonialism and imperialism.
“[…] Dr Eric Williams was clear in his articulation—in a democracy, citizens have both rights and responsibilities. The government, too, Read more
“[…] The US operates with a policy of imperial hegemony—that it and it alone must be in charge. This is Read more
“[…] Independence Day is not merely a ritual—it is a vital reaffirmation of national unity, resilience, and cultural pride… Cancelling Read more
“[…] Individuals in authority cannot stand before the population and openly claim criminals have weapons of war, the relevant agencies Read more
“[…] Seek feedback about the performance of your councillors, ask the right questions and most of all ensure that people Read more
“[…] During public consultations, Minister Wayne Sturge went so far as to suggest that citizens might be justified in shooting Read more
Want to share your thoughts with Wired868? Email us at editor@wired868.com.
Please keep your letter between 300 to 600 words and be sure to read it over first for typos and punctuation.
We don’t publish anonymously unless there is a good reason, such as an obvious threat of harassment or job loss.
