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“[…] The refugee crisis in Venezuela was not spawned by any government in T&T, either past or present. We are the victims of geo-politics… The shame is not on our country, but on those politicians and so-called validating elites/professionals […] who are willing to be pawns of a bully to the North.
“[…] As if it wasn’t terrible enough for the Leader of the Opposition to firstly accuse the Coast Guard of murder in the unfortunate death of a baby on board a migrant vessel, she returns with an even more foolish statement that she wasn’t accusing the entire Coast Guard but only the seaman who pulled the trigger…”
The following Letters to the Editor, which both discuss reactions to the incident in which a Venezuelan baby boy was accidentally killed by a bullet from a T&T Coast Guard gun, were submitted to Wired868 by Louis Williams of Freeman Road, St Augustine and Roger Mohammed of Oropune:
(via Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force)
T&T ought not be blamed or shamed for Venezuela crisis (by Louis Williams)
I have followed with great consternation the views of some of our more prominent citizens on the recent matter regarding the killing of a Venezuelan migrant baby by our Coast Guard.
In this context, some persons have opined that our country has been ‘shamed’ internationally. Are they really serious? Or, have they been brainwashed by the USA, Canada, some lackeys of the USA in Western Europe and Latin America, fewer than 60 countries out of 193 member states of the United Nations (UN)?
Most of these US allies and the USA itself have a chequered, shameful history in their treatment of indigenous people/non-whites, slavery, and collaboration with the apartheid regimes in South Africa and Zimbabwe in the last century.
What about the views of countries on the continent of Africa, India, China, etc? I guess that their opinions do not matter as they are viewed as uncultured, uncouth and somewhat primitive people.
The USA, its lackeys and Juan Guaidó have treated the UN with contempt by, among other things, the imposition of illegal, unilateral sanctions on Venezuela in contravention of all the relevant provisions/protocols of the UN. Might is right! That is shameful!
We need not mention that Guaidó, like a stock gangster character out of some old western TV series, is holding his fellow citizens to ransom in order to get into office. His mantra seems to be support me or my bully partner, the USA, and I will ensure that your lives are a living hell. You will not be able to purchase or sell anything. You are my hostages.
Long before the imposition of sanctions by the USA, the parasitic oligarchic Venezuelan elites have had a historic stranglehold on the Venezuelan economy which they do not intend to relinquish and have, therefore, enlisted the support of the USA which fed into an anti-communist narrative construct devised by these greedy, opportunistic parasites.
The refugee crisis in Venezuela was not spawned by any government in T&T, either past or present. We are the victims of geo-politics.
The USA is obsessively paranoid about having any socialist/ communist administration in its so-called sphere of influence and will sabotage any attempt to create such.
(Copyright Newsweek)
In this regard, history is replete with evidence of subversive activities by the USA in Latin America, in the last century, with disastrous consequences for poor/indigenous people in those Latin American countries. However, thus far, their efforts have failed in Cuba.
The UK Guardian, on 7 February 2022, published an article on the incident under reference in T&T, and cited a report on Facebook by the T&T Coast Guard explaining that its officers had acted in self-defence.
However, that article, also represented the views of Geoff Ramsey, director for Venezuelan Affairs, at the Washington office on Latin America, a think tank, who said this: ‘This needs a thorough investigation into not only the circumstances around the child’s death but also a migration system that apparently allows the use of deadly force…’ (emphasis added).
Why should any self-respecting, patriotic citizen of T&T accept that comment, without reservation, as a valid ‘shaming’ of our country? Are we still living as slaves on a plantation?
That there was no reference by Ramsey to the self-defence explanation by the T&T Coast Guard to bring some balance to this issue should have elicited collective outrage. Similar to our own Kamla Persad-Bissessar, he has convicted our Coast Guard officers without a trial, in fulfilment of the US-Guaidó mandate.
Guaidó himself, as detailed in the article, convicts our Coast Guard for what he considers to be an ‘unjustified’ killing. What about innocent until proven guilty? I guess that once you are an ally of the USA that does not matter.
No, no, no, the shame is not on our country, but on those politicians and so-called validating elites/professionals (I am almost tempted to say ‘professional hitmen’) who are willing to be pawns of a bully to the North, and who refuse to stand up and be counted.
It is slavery, indentureship and colonialism once again! Kowtowing, deception, intrigue, treachery, betrayal, divide-and-rule and brainwash education.
After almost 60 years of Independence, we need to get off the plantation!
(via Office of the President)
When will we become a strong and united nation against all those who unfairly attack our character and integrity. How despicable! What are we telling our children? What will be our legacy? I daresay that history will not be kind to us. May God have mercy on our souls!
Marcus Garvey was so prophetic when he advised us that, ‘we are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery, for though others may free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind; our mind is our only ruler’.
Come out and apologise, Kamla (by Roger Mohammed)
I do not know why politicians in Trinidad and Tobago find it so difficult to apologise whenever they blunder. As if it wasn’t terrible enough for the Leader of the Opposition to firstly accuse the Coast Guard of murder in the unfortunate death of a baby on board a migrant vessel, she returns with an even more foolish statement that she wasn’t accusing the entire Coast Guard but only the seaman who pulled the trigger.
That is what you call playing smart with foolishness because it is just saying the same thing differently.
(Copyright Office of the Parliament)
Secondly, her second statement was just as egregious because, as an attorney who is no less than a senior counsel, she ought to know that one cannot make such an accusation without having the facts and before a proper investigation has been undertaken.
It would be so much more credible if Kamla Persad-Bissessar would just come out and apologise.
But then again, maybe my expectations are simply too high…
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