Cornerstone of Comatose Caricom tells UNGA: ‘Fight fire with fire’

September 26

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar told the 80th UN General Assembly in New York  that Trinidad and Tobago fully supports US President Donald Trump’s retaliation against drug cartels and criminal gangs in the Western Hemisphere.

This threat demands that all democracy-loving nations fight fire with fire within the boundaries of the law. She pledged T&T support for a US, Panama-led initiative to launch a gang suppression force (GSF) to combat criminal gangs in Haiti.

The Caricom Cornerstone lamented the Caribbean Sea is no longer “a zone of peace” because of dangers posed by transnational criminal organisations, such as gangs and drug cartels.

On her first official overseas engagement in her second term as prime minister, in the aftermath of her UNC party victory in the April 28 general election, Courageous Kamla repeated her August endorsement of US military deployment in international waters of the South Caribbean Sea, beyond Venezuelan territorial waters, in the war on drugs and gangs.

Persad-Bissessar declared, “President Trump’s comments on the deleterious effects on countries of relentless narco and human trafficking, organised crime, and illegal immigration are correct. Therefore we will fight fire with fire, within the law.”

Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Barry Padarath and OPM parliamentary secretary Nicholas Morris applauded her statement.

Earlier in the week, addressing UN General Assembly, Trump repeated the US designation of drug cartels such as Tren de Aragua and MS-13 as foreign terrorist organisations.

“For this reason, we’ve recently begun using the supreme power of the United States military to destroy Venezuelan terrorists and trafficking networks led by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to every terrorist thug smuggling poisonous drugs into the USA.”

The US offered a US$50 million reward on Maduro, seeking information to convict him as a drug trafficker. International circles question the legality of US military strikes on alleged drug vessels in the South Caribbean Sea. One strike on September 2, was deemed by the US to be against a vessel allegedly operated by Tren de Aragua.

At a post-cabinet news conference, neither Defence Minister Wayne Sturge nor Homeland Security indicated whether or not the government had evidence which showed the strike was legal.

Persad-Bissessar wisely supported the strike. On September 2, she revealed, “I have no sympathy for traffickers. The US military should kill them all violently. This is why TT willingly supported a US-led international alliance of countries to “combat drug trafficking in the (Western) hemisphere. Other nations in this alliance include Guyana, Argentina and Paraguay.”

“TT is very committed to contributing our resources, scarce as they may be and our capabilities to this alliance in line with the theme of this year’s General Assembly, Better together.”

Persad-Bissessar did not elaborate on the resources and capabilities she mentioned.

Referring to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2025 World Drug Report, Persad-Bissessar charged, “The global drug economy destabilises institutions, corrodes democracy, and undermines development. The cartels and the governments that enable them are taking us for fools.”

Persad-Bissessar warned if left unchecked, criminal gangs could replace governments and states may stand in name only but collapse in substance. This was evident in ungovernable Haiti, buried in self-inflicted carnage and corruption for over 2 centuries.

“Armed gangs, political collapse and food insecurity have converged to overwhelm democracy and create a protracted emergency.”

T&T praised Kenya for taking the lead in a Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) to restore law and order in Haiti. In October 2023 the UN Security Council authorized the MSS, an international police and military force, to help the Haitian government restore law and order amid escalating gang violence and political instability. In addition to Kenya, Jamaica, Bahamas, Guyana, Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin and Chad have personnel in the MSS.

On September 22, the US State Department praised Kenya’s leadership of the MSS which laid the groundwork for this next phase, the GSF.

Persad-Bissessar endorsed US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea’s statements that “the next international force must be resourced to hold territory, secure infrastructure, and complement the Haitian National Police.”

She endorsed Shea’s comments about a parallel approach being taken to disrupt gang financing, arms trafficking and other measures which contribute to instability in Haiti.

“We urge the international community to support us…support the US…to support Panama’s proposed gang suppression force to allow e deployment of a 5,500-member force to subdue the gangs and restore order in Haiti.”

There must be a collective effort “to combat transnational crime, uphold democracy, and restore peace and security in our nations. Therefore despite being a very small country, with limited resources, we are committed to sharing the burden with the US, with Panama and all countries willing, in assisting the gang suppression force (GSF)to bring some semblance of peace to Haiti.”

She did not elaborate on what this meant, with T&T coffers depleted by the defeated regime.

On September 7, Caricom noted the US-Panama proposal to the UN Security Council for the transition of the MSS into the GSF.

“This initiative comes at a critical moment in the continuing degeneration of the insecurity and humanitarian situation in Haiti with its increasing cortège of killings, kidnappings, gender-based violence, loss of territory and the displacement of huge numbers of persons at the hands of the armed gangs.”

Aid addict Caricom asked the permanent members of the UN Security Council to consider the dire and precarious straits of the people of Haiti who have had to suffer for far too long. Caricom believed the adoption of this proposal by the council will bring hope and the promise of relief to Haiti from internecine woes.

Grabbing the goat by the horns, Persad-Bissessar repeated TT’s support for the US military deployment in the South Caribbean Sea. She described this as a war without borders and repeated her view, endorsed by her supporters, that the Caribbean Sea is no longer a zone of peace because of the threat of transnational crime.

“The reality is stark—no such peace exists today.”

Earlier in the day, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley urged restoration of peace in the Caribbean and the removal of US forces.

Persad-Bissessar said TT had witnessed the threat of transnational crime within its own borders.

“In 2024, TT, a nation of 1.4 million, recorded 623 murders — forty-one per one hundred thousand — with over 40 per cent gang-related, driven by narcotics and firearms. In the last 25 years, TT has had over 10,000 murders, equivalent to losing one per cent of its adult population.”

This agreement was signed in December 2024

On August 23, in support of the US military deployment Persad-Bissessar said government would allow the US to use TT’s territory under a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed in December 2024 under the last regime,

If the US made a request to do so to counter any Venezuelan incursion into Guyana.

Venezuela and Guyana have a long-running border dispute over the Essequibo region.

As Exxon invests heavily in risky Ultra Deep Water exploration of T&T, reform of T&T constitution to join the USA Commonwealth as Unincorporated Insular Territory will ensure security and prosperity. Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar can open talks with Secretary Rubio to protect T&T.

Direct internecine conflict rages in Haiti which must accept the AU offer of repatriation to end the bloodshed. Afreximbank can fund repatriation of diaspora to AU homelands as UK aid to Africa this year is £1.2 billion.

 

 

 

Venezuela condemns ‘immoral US military threat’

28 September

YVAN GIL PINTO, Minister of the People’s Power for Foreign Affairs, told the UN General Assembly “Venezuela will not be intimidated by foreign threats” as he reaffirmed Venezuela’s “Bolivarian vocation of peace” and the right to defend its sovereignty.

Addressing the 80th UNGA on September 26, he said Venezuela’s history had been one of struggle against colonial domination and imperialist aggression. He invoked the legacy of independence leader Simon Bolivar and recalled incidences of colonial oppression, coups backed by foreign entities and other hardships.

He accused the US of waging a “criminal aggression” against Venezuela to take its natural wealth and force a regime change. “The aggressions against Venezuela in recent years are countless: destabilisation attempts, conspiracies including an attempted assassination with drones, economic warfare – most cruelly expressed in the 1,042 sanctions imposed against our oil industry and productive sectors – as well as mercenary incursions.

To all this is now added an absolutely illegal and utterly immoral military threat that violates the UN Charter, Venezuela’s rights as a sovereign state and even US law itself.”

He thanked the UNGA for the solidarity of the governments and people who supported Venezuelan democracy and its right to peace and development and warned against false pretexts for war.

“As Venezuela cannot be accused of possessing weapons of mass destruction or nuclear weapons, they now invent vulgar and perverse lies that no one – neither in the US nor the world – believes, in order to justify a monstrous, extravagant and immoral multi-billion-dollar military threat.

That is why we once again thank global public opinion – including within the US – and the governments and peoples of the world for denouncing this attempt to bring war to the Caribbean and South America to enable theft of Venezuela’s vast oil and gas wealth through a regime change.”

 

 

 

Prime Minister greets UNSG Antonio Guterres 

 September 27.

T&T Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is not one of those supporters. During her address at the UNGA earlier, she again threw her support behind US President Donald Trump’s war against drug cartels and criminal gangs.

So far, the US military conducted three strikes targeting vessels Trump said were “trafficking illicit narcotics,” killing at least 17 people. Like a legendary Indian Warrior Queen, Persad-Bissessar said,

“President Trump’s comments on the deleterious effects on countries of relentless narco- and human trafficking, organised crime and illegal immigration are correct. Therefore we will fight fire with fire, within the law.”

She addressed Haiti and the climate agenda and separated herself from Caricom to focus priority on her pessimistic petrostate. She appealed for support for T&T as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Persad Bissessar met the Secretary General Antonio Guterres at UN Headquarters on September 27. Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers said the PM was expected to meet the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, the Emir of Kuwait and “high-level representatives” from the US Secretary of State Department.

 

 

 

 

President Ali updates UNGA on Venezuela’s threats

September 24, 2025

President Dr Irfaan Ali addressed the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly where he provided an update on the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy.

“Guyana is a small and peaceful State. We have endured repeated threats and aggression from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

The territorial controversy between our States is now before the International Court of Justice, which has twice reaffirmed its jurisdiction and which in 2023 issued provisional measures ordering Venezuela to refrain from altering the status quo.”

Venezuela persists with unilateral laws and threats of annexation, flagrantly violating international law, the UN Charter and the very principles that sustain global order. Notwithstanding,  Guyana continues to repose confidence in international law.

“If the rights of a small State can be trampled upon and legally binding orders ignored, what protection remains for any nation under international law? For us, the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference are non-negotiable.

We will not cower to coercion, intimidation, or unilateral action. We thank our international partners and allies for their solidarity.”

He noted that a dark shadow looms over the 80th session of the General Assembly – Genocide in Palestine, annexation of Ukrainian territory, persecution of women in Afghanistan, humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan, brutal gang violence in Haiti, increased transnational organized crime, trafficking, and illegal immigration.

Referring to the slaughter and displacement of Palestinians President Ali reiterated that “we must take urgent action to halt the genocide, return the hostages, and accelerate our efforts towards the two-state solution. Guyana reiterates its call for an urgent end to the Russia-Ukraine war and reaffirms its support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

The international community must act decisively in Haiti where gang violence, displacement and shortages of food and medicine have pushed the nation into deepening despair.

He lamented that globally, spending on peacekeeping budgets is diminishing and humanitarian costs are soaring while the steepest annual increase since the Cold War boosted military spending in 2024. He emphasised that in remaining faithful to its charter, the United Nations must ensure that survival and progress of humanity are not mortgaged to ambitions of the powerful.

“The United Nations’ noble mission to maintain international peace and security will ring hollow if it allows power to triumph over principle and might to override rights. The collective will of our membership must be reflected in institutions and governance structure of the United Nations, including the Security Council,” President Ali said, as he thanked Guyana’s team for their exceptional work and leadership at the UNSC where Guyana is currently a non-permanent member for the 2024–2025 term.

 

 

 

 

US military flypast symbolic in strengthened Guyana–US partnership

September 7, 2025

In an unprecedented show of solidarity, Georgetown witnessed a low flyover by a United States of America aircraft.

This dynamic aerial demonstration, conducted in collaboration with the Guyana Defence Force, symbolises both defence interoperability and shared dedication to regional stability. Since establishing diplomatic ties on August 15, 1966, Guyana and the USA collaborated across multiple spheres, including trade, governance, education, immigration, and notably, energy, security and defence.

The partnership remains grounded in mutual respect, shared values, and a joint dedication to protecting Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. In March 2025, President Irfaan Ali and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio cemented this commitment by signing an enhanced Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen cooperation in transnational organised crime, narcotrafficking, money laundering and other forms of smuggling.

Key frameworks for information sharing and military-to-military collaboration were established. Economically, the partnership continues to flourish; bilateral trade reached a record US$4.7 billion, confirmed by US Ambassador Nicole Theriot.

Joint operations, including coordinated drug interdictions and defence initiatives, underscore the depth of cooperation. President Ali continues to champion a shared vision of peace, resilience and regional progress, rooted in democratic values and institutional harmony. As Guyana charts its future, partnership with the USA stands as a keystone of sovereignty and regional peace.

 

 

 

US destroys alleged Venezuelan drug boat, killing three

Trump posted a video of the boat attacked in the strike

Vanessa Buschschlüter & Jessica Rawnsley BBC News 15 September 2025

President Donald Trump says the US military has destroyed an alleged Venezuelan drug vessel travelling in international waters on the way to the US.

Trump said on Monday that three men were killed in the attack on “violent drug trafficking cartels”. He provided no evidence that the boat was carrying drugs. Shortly before, his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolás Maduro said Caracas would defend itself against US “aggression”, calling America’s top diplomat Marco Rubio the “lord of death and war”.

Tensions between the two countries escalated after the US deployed warships to the southern Caribbean on what officials said were counter-narcotics operations, carrying out a strike which killed 11 people.

Trump said on Truth Social, “This morning, on my orders, US military forces conducted a second kinetic strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists,”

“These extremely violent drug trafficking cartels pose a threat to US national security.“

The post included a video of a vessel exploding and then bursting into flames. Later Trump said the US had recorded proof and evidence that the boats belonged to narco-terrorist groups.

“All you have to do is look at the cargo – it was spattered all over the ocean – big bags of cocaine and fentanyl all over the place.

“We recorded them. It was very careful, because we know you people would be after us. We’re very careful.”

Trump asserted that drug trafficking to the US by sea had decreased under recent efforts, but acknowledged that narcotics were still entering the country by land.

“We’re telling the cartels right now, we’re going to be stopping them too,” he said.

Rubio defended the first attack on a boat said to be carrying drugs from Venezuela, which killed all 11 people on board, saying Washington had “100% fidelity and certainty” that the vessel was involved in trafficking to the US.

“What needs to start happening is some of these boats need to get blown up.” Maduro represented “a direct threat to the national security” of the US due to his alleged involvement in drug trafficking.

Later , Maduro said that relations with the US had “been destroyed by their bomb threats.We have moved from a period of battered relations to a completely broken one”. He said the government would “fully” exercise its “legitimate right to defend itself”.

Legal experts previously told the BBC that the fatal strike on the first vessel in international waters may have violated international human rights and maritime law. Asked whether the US would now “start doing strikes on mainland Venezuela”, Trump answered: “We’ll see what happens.”

The US president said Venezuela was “sending us their gang members, their drug dealers and drugs”.Maritime traffic in the southern Caribbean had reduced significantly “since the first strike”.

Experts questioned the legality of the 2 September attack on the alleged drug boat, saying that it may have violated international law. Venezuela responded by flying two F-16 fighter jets over a US Navy destroyer two days later. That led Trump to warn that any Venezuelan jets putting “us in a dangerous situation” would be shot down.

After a brief lull, tensions rose again when Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil accused US forces of boarding a Venezuelan vessel, which he described as a “small, harmless” fishing boat, seized “illegally and hostilely” for eight hours.

Venezuela’s Ministry of Information released a photo of the vessel it said had been seized for 8 hours. The Venezuelan foreign ministry alleged that those who ordered the seizure were “looking for an incident to justify escalating war in the Caribbean, with the aim of regime change” in Caracas.

The US and many other nations including the UK, have not recognised the re-election of Maduro in July 2024, citing evidence gathered by the opposition with the help of independent observers showing that his rival, Edmundo González, won the election by a landslide.

US officials accused Maduro of leading a drug cartel, the Cartel of the Suns and are offering a reward of $50m (£37m) for information leading to his capture. Maduro denied the allegations and accused the US of an “imperialist move” to depose him.

He urged Venezuelans to enlist in the militia, a force of civilians, used mainly to boost numbers at political rallies and parades. Public sector workers reported being pressured into joining the militia.

 

 

 

Venezuela: Chavismo braces for imminent US invasion

September 15

Nicolás Maduro’s government is prepared for a US military attack and intensified training for troops and militias under the Operation Independence 200.

“We are activating all action and deployment capabilities to be ready. If Venezuela were attacked by the American empire, (we must) activate the armed struggle of the Venezuelan people in perfect popular-military-police fusion,” Maduro declared during a military event in Caracas.

Senior chavista officials claim the presence of a US fleet in the region is not a deterrent maneuver but the prelude to an attack.

“They are in a first phase of threat. They want panic and internal fractures. Without that, what remains? To destroy this country with missiles,” an officer close to the president said.

Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López warned that the Bolivarian National Armed Forces are in “maximum preparation” and that “not only the military, the entire people are ready to give their lives.” At Fuerte Tiuna, he led a training session, stressing that “while they pressure us with psychological operations, we are ready.”

Tensions escalated after a US missile strike on a Venezuelan boat killed 11 people. Chavismo rejects Washington’s version that the victims were members of the Tren de Aragua criminal group.

Diosdado Cabello, the regime’s number two, accused the United States of “murdering innocents” and asked: “What is the objective? To fight drug trafficking? If that were the case, they should have their fleet in the Pacific, where 85% of Colombia’s drugs exit.”

In parallel, chavismo is tightening internal discipline. Cabello now wears a cap in public appearances with the slogan “Doubt is treason,” while Maduro ordered massive civilian training. Padrino López announced that there will be military training sessions “every Saturday” and that this week defensive exercises were carried out in possible amphibious landing areas.

With eight US warships and a nuclear-powered submarine deployed in the region, Caracas believes Washington is seeking to force regime change. Maduro summed it up with a cry before his troops: “This people has defenders! The danger comes from the sea.”

 

 

 

 

Venezuela accuses US Navy of ‘Hostile’ boarding boat

September 14, 2025

Venezuela yesterday claimed a tuna fishing vessel within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) was ‘illegally’ and ‘hostilely’ assaulted by a US Navy Destroyer- the USS Jason Dunham.

This follows a ramped US military presence in the southern Caribbean Sea and the lethal strike which killed 11 departing from Venezuela on an alleged ‘drug carrying’ vessel 2 weeks ago.>

A communique released by the Venezuelan Government condemned the alleged US action which it said occurred on Friday. It stated that the ‘Carmen Rosa’, a Venezuelan vessel manned by 9 tuna fishermen was sailing 48 nautical miles northeast of La Blanquilla Island- off Venezuela’s northern coast- when it was stopped by the Jason Dunham.

18 troops with ‘long weapons’ boarded and occupied the small boat for 8 hours. Communication and normal activities were prevented.  The fishermen had been authorized to engage in tuna fishing. The operation lacked any strategic proportionality that constituted provocation through excessive force.

“Those who order these provocations are looking for an incident that will justify an escalation of war in the Caribbean. By placing their soldiers and officers as cannon fodder and exposing their lives once again, they repeat the history of other events that led to endless wars, such as Vietnam.

This incident reflects the shameful behavior of political groups in Washington that, irresponsibly, commit extremely costly military resources and trained soldiers as tools to fabricate pretexts for military adventures, also undermining their own prestige and military honour by executing such a grotesque and excessive maneuver”.

The Venezuelan government was demanding that the US cease these actions, which jeopardized the security and peace of the region. It urged Americans to reject the use of their soldiers to sustain the desires of the elite.

“Our country reaffirms its commitment to peace and will continue to defend its sovereignty and the security of its waters in the face of any provocation.”

The Jason Dunham is an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer which conducts counter-narcotics patrols, maritime surveillance and escort missions. Its advanced radar and missile systems provide both defensive and offensive capabilities for the broader U.S. naval presence.

A Newsweek, map of the last estimated locations of the US deployments showed that as of last week, the USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, was located closest to Trinidad and Tobago.

The USS Lake Eerie, a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser and the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, a Freedom-class littoral combat ship were close behind, off the coast of Maracaibo. The USS Iwo Jima, the lead command vessel of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, which includes the San Antonio and Fort Lauderdale San Antonio-class transport and logistical support ships, as well as the USS Fort Lauderdale and the Jason Dunham were then in the waters off Puerto Rico.

 

 

 

 

Maduro wrote Trump a letter, Caracas admits

September 22

Venezuela’s Bolivarian regime admitted that President Nicolás Maduro sent a letter dated Sept. 6 to his US colleague Donald Trump to discuss current tensions in the Caribbean Sea and what the Chavista leader has referred to as “fake news” from the White House.

Maduro claims he had always sought direct communication with the Trump administration and regretted “the ‘worst’ of the fake news” involving high-ranking Venezuelan officials with drug trafficking. In Maduro’s view, these false accusations were being used to “justify an escalation to armed conflict” that would harm the entire continent. The letter includes data and maps to support Venezuela’s position as a “drug-free territory.”

According to Maduro, citing UN data, 87% of drugs from Colombia leave through Pacific ports, with only 5% attempting to cross the border into Venezuela.

Authorities have a strong record of intercepting and destroying drug-related shipments and aircraft. Amid rising tensions and a US military deployment in the Caribbean, which the White House says is related to recent drug trafficking interceptions.

Maduro, in his letter, sees this as a threat to his country’s sovereignty.

President Trump did not confirm receiving the letter, simply stating, “We’ll see what happens with Venezuela.” Maduro urged an end to military threats, insisting on respect for Latin America and the Caribbean as a “Zone of Peace.” He was open to new talks with White House Envoy Richard Grenell to overcome media “noise” and “fake news.”

Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez acknowledged the existence of this letter . “Currently, there is much controversy surrounding the relationship between the US and Venezuela. Amid this controversy, we have witnessed countless examples of fake news circulating in the media.”

Since last month, the US has intercepted four vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking, near the Venezuelan coast, at least three of which were believed to stem from Venezuelan ports, according to the White House. The fourth, of unknown origin, sank last Friday in Dominican Republic waters.

 

 

 

 

PM to Venezuelan VP: I will do what’s best for T&T

2025, 09/13   akash.samaroo@cnc3.co.tt

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar declared she will “dare” to do what is necessary for the people of Trinidad and Tobago, in response to Venezuela’s Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez who warned against support for the United States in its alleged “plans “against Venezuela.

Amid deployment of U S warships and troops in the South Caribbean Sea, in a counter-narcotics operation, Rodriguez urged governments of Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, not to “dare” to assist “perverse plans of aggression” against Venezuela.

Entering the Parliament yesterday, the Prime Minister was asked to respond to the Venezuelan vice president.

“I will dare to do what I have to do to keep the people of Trinidad and Tobago safe, and that is my priority. I’ve said T&T first. That is my priority.”

The Government praised the heightened US presence and a recent strike against a vessel allegedly carrying drugs,  killing 11 people. Despite the Government’s alliance with the US, Persad-Bissessar insisted that T&T has no intention of “invading Venezuela” or stepping on Venezuelan soil. There have been no discussions with the US for any invasion of Venezuela.

“Nothing of the sort is happening. At the moment, we have had no discussions with respect to invading Venezuela, T&T going onto the soil of Venezuela. It’s just fearmongering. However, I repeat, should Venezuela invade Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago will definitely step forward in defence of our cousins, our brothers and sisters in the Caricom.”

The Prime Minister reiterated that she welcomes the US military presence which is not new.

“If that can help us stem the criminality, the trafficking, the narco-trafficking, the human trafficking, and the pain and suffering that brings to the people here, then yes, we welcome them, and look forward to their cooperation with us.”

T&T and Guyana remain the only Caricom states supporting the US military presence. Mock-Supranational Caricom is silent as usual, a tax-guzzling club of convenience unable to coordinate foreign policy in sordid political appeasement to aggressors.

Recent elections in Guyana and Jamaica may have led to a delay in a “cohesive” response from the bureaucracy but there is no friction between T&T and the rest of Caricom, despite a difference of opinion.

“We have always had differences. That’s another false narrative. Caricom has always had differences, and that’s why we say we are sovereign, but at the same time, we speak with one voice. So, there are issues that will have differences of opinion. St Vincent and the Grenadines has always had a different kind of opinion to other members of the Caricom. That is not to say that we are fractured.”

 

 

 

US Intervenes as Oil and Drug Wars Escalate, Venezuela renews claim to a Chunk of Guyana

09-12-2025

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth visited Puerto Rico as the U.S. builds its military presence in the region, piling pressure on Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.

Washington accuses his regime of fueling the drug trade but there is much more at stake here. Venezuela’s dispute with Guyana over oil-rich territory adds fuel to the fire.

This year, the U.S. Coast guard seized almost half a billion dollars worth of cocaine off the coast of Venezuela and the USA has had enough. In recent weeks the U.S. military deployed 8 warships, surveillance planes, a nuclear submarine, and 10 F-35 stealth fighters to the region.

Officials say the surge is part of an aggressive counter-narcotics campaign. Last week, the U.S. struck a suspected smuggling vessel, killing 11 on a mission authorized directly by the President.

“Billions of dollars of drugs are pouring out of Venezuela and other countries. Venezuela has been a very bad actor and we understand that,” President Trump said.

Caracas rejects the charges. Maduro insists the drug war is being used as a pretext to destabilize his government.

“Venezuela is not a relevant country in terms of drug trafficking and in all related matters. So this lie is as crude and false as the claim that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. It’s a lie.”

He mobilized millions of militia members and warned Venezuela could declare a “republic in arms” if attacked.

Venezuelan fighter jets twice buzzed U.S. Navy ships in international waters. U.S. commanders say any further threats could be met with force.

Another facet to this conflict is playing out in neighbour Guyana, under threat as Venezuela claims sovereignty over approximately two thirds of the country, along with massive offshore oil reserves.

The U.S. has major business interests here, with ExxonMobil and other companies developing huge new oilfields. Washington’s security posture may also be aimed at deterring Venezuelan moves against Guyana.

The border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana was supposed to have been settled over a century ago but when 11 billion barrels of oil were discovered offshore, suddenly the Venezuelans decided to claim an area of Guyana the size of Florida.

In March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited and announced new security cooperation with Guyana as a warning to Venezuela to keep its hands off. Rubio left little doubt that the U.S. would back Guyana militarily.

“There will be consequences for adventurism. There will be consequences for aggressive actions. You have a very difficult challenge on your hands with a dictator that’s making illegitimate territorial claims and you have our full commitment and support.

It would be a very bad day for the Venezuelan regime if they were to attack Guyana or ExxonMobil or anything like it. It would not end well for them.”

The Trump administration has a $50 million bounty on Maduro. So while U.S. officials frame the buildup as counter-narcotics, the sheer firepower deployed raises questions whether Washington is preparing to go beyond interdiction and possibly move to oust Nicolás Maduro from power.

For certain, the stakes are rising. Whether this confrontation stops at drug enforcement—or escalates into regime change—may depend on Maduro’s next move.

 

 

 

US high-level talks: time T&T joined US Commonwealth

2025, 09/08

United States Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, acknowledged Trinidad support for US military operations in the South Caribbean Sea during talks with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Landau reaffirmed the strength of the partnership between the two countries, describing Trinidad and Tobago as a strong partner in the region, according to the US Department of State. He highlighted both governments’ joint commitment to tackling illegal narcotics and firearms trafficking.

The Deputy Secretary stressed the importance of establishing a United Nations Support Office for Haiti. Both leaders underlined the need for further international assistance to address insecurity and violence in Haiti.

Observers urge Haiti to accept the 2010 invitation to repatriate to AU homelands, free from hurricanes, earthquakes and volcanoes where they can flourish among lookalikes in familiar geography, climate and natural resources.

Since many countries belong to multiple international bodies, Trinidad and Tobago can join the US Commonwealth as an Unincorporated Territory, after Caricom told the AU Summit it was a homecoming reconnecting people of shared heritage. Confirming Caricom is the 6th region of the AU, this writing on the wall signals transatlantic repatriation of AU diaspora.

Then the cosmopolitan remnant of Caricom in TT and Guyana can join Puerto Rico as an UNINCORPORATED TERRITORY AND COMMONWEALTH OF USA. This is a superb opportunity to halt FOREX WOES, allow USA to intercept criminals, enhance security, revoke tariffs, end decolonisation, allow freedom of movement, stop cancel culture, raise standards, cut costs, expand markets and promote democracy around the OCCIDENTAL SEA of the ARCHIPELAGO OF THE WEST INDIES, named for India by noble navigator Christopher Columbus. NOW OR NEVER!!!!

 

 

 

 

Emergency CELAC meeting as T&T backs US

2025, 09/05

Trinidad & Tobago is the sole Caricom member to back the United States’ military presence in the region at an emergency meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers said that CELAC requested a meeting on Monday and sought to draft a communique on behalf of all members, condemning the US military presence in the region.

“Essentially, the communique was saying that the military presence of the US within the region could cause instability and it could be a threat against regional security. They’re saying it goes against the tenets of CELAC, which is about disarmament of nuclear weapons and keeping our region of peace and stability.”

However, T&T and Latin American states Argentina, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Panama and Costa Rica objected. Sobers explained,

“We said we’re not in support of that, and we are not in support for these reasons.

“We support all of those things, region of peace, stability. But there’s no evidence to suggest that the US intervention against transnational crime will destabilise regional security or cause the region to discard the tenets of peace.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio yesterday visited Ecuador to address transnational crime and drug trafficking. T&T is disproportionately affected by crime in the region and must act in its best interest.

Asked if he was concerned that T&T alone in Caricom supported the US, Sobers said, “No, because we respect everybody’s sovereignty. The same way that Caricom respects our sovereignty when it comes to matters of national security.

And this is a national security matter and, in our position as it pertains to support in the US, Caricom respects our sovereignty.

We are not in support because we are the ones disproportionately affected by transnational crime. The statistics with crime and criminality in Trinidad and Tobago are one of the highest within the region. So, when it comes to the rest of Caricom, crime affects us in a disproportionate way.”

This is the first time within recent memory that this country has received a “physical intervention” in its fight against crime. “And any right-thinking person would want to welcome that level of intervention.”

Caricom is yet to make a bloc statement on the ongoing US presence in the region.

However, ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America), which includes Caricom members Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines, unanimously rejected the deployment of US warships, submarines, and troops, calling it a “new demonstration of imperial force.”

Since 1838 the peaceful British Indian majority in Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago have been marginalised as meek and mild, persecuted by predators perpetrating pogroms with impunity, in almost 2 centuries of continuous criminality of armed robbery, rape, kidnap, extortion, VAW, homicide and femicide diven by racial envy which Caricom mock – cabinet ignores, despite their economic, social and cultural contribution to development.

 

 

T&T PM – US naval buildup for drug interdiction, not invasion of Venezuela

2 September

On September 1, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said, “Thus far, there is no evidence of any planned attack against Venezuela by the American navy. The US government made it crystal clear that this is a drug interdiction operation.”

She rejected new claims by Venezuela that the presence of US naval vessels is the prelude to a military invasion, in response to statements by President Nicolas Maduro about vessels outside Venezuela’s territorial waters for what the US calls an operation to combat drug cartels.

Maduro aimed to “constitutionally declare a republic in arms” if Venezuela was attacked by US forces deployed to the Caribbean Sea. Venezuela responded to the US presence by deploying troops along its coast and border with Colombia. He urged Venezuelans to enlist in a civilian militia and vowed to activate a 4.5 million-strong militia if the US invades Venezuela.

“In the face of maximum military pressure, we declared maximum preparedness for defense of Venezuela.”

Persad-Bissessar has publicly supported US military deployment. She said Trinidad and Tobago, with responsibility for national security in the Caricom quasi-cabinet, will not engage Caricom on this issue as member states can speak for themselves.

On August 26, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio identified T&T as part of an alliance the US formed with Guyana, Paraguay, Ecuador, and Argentina to combat the flow of illegal drugs into the US.

Rubio repeated the importance of this alliance in a statement congratulating TT on the 63rd anniversary of its independence. Persad-Bissessar publicly supported this alliance and described Maduro’s claims about an imminent US invasion as ironic.

“We will work with anyone to fight the scourge of drugs, arms and human trafficking. I will accept any help that is available to make our community safe again. The irony is that Maduro is simply falsely accusing the US of the exact behavior that his administration targeted Guyana with for a number of years.”

Venezuela and Guyana have a longstanding dispute over the Essequibo border region . Persad-Bissessar promised her government will grant a US request to use T&T territory as a counter-offensive to any Venezuelan military incursion into Guyana.

The destroyer USS Sampson and the cruiser USS Lake Erie have joined the Aegis guided-missile destroyers USS Gravely and USS Jason Dunham in the Caribbean Sea. The amphibious assault ships USS San Antonio and USS Fort Lauderdale and landing helicopter dock USS Iwo Jima will join these vessels. USS Newport News, a fast-attack nuclear-powered submarine carrying Tomahawk missiles, will soon join the fleet.

Named for the indigenous axe, Tomahawk missiles are used for precision, long-range land attack warfare against heavily defended fixed targets such as command centers, air defence sites and other critical infrastructure.

4,500 personnel are on board vessels assembling in the Caribbean Sea. Half of them are members of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), an elite special force unit within the US Marine Corps.

The MEU is a forward-deployed, crisis-response force for US national interests worldwide. Missions include combat, anti-terrorism and humanitarian relief operations. The MEU’s last action in the Caribbean Sea was as part of Operation Urgent Fury during the US military invasion of Grenada in 1983 after prime minister Maurice Bishop was executed in a coup.

That operation also reportedly involved units from the US Army’s elite Delta Force and the US Navy SEALS. TT did not support Operation Urgent Fury.

On September 1, Maduro called Rubio a “warlord” pushing for action in the Caribbean to topple Venezuela’s government. He also warned US military action against Venezuela would “stain” US President Donald Trump’s “hands with blood.”

Venezuela has also made an official complaint to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres about the US naval buildup violating the UN Charter. Any UN member state violating the charter can be expelled from the UN by its General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council.

 

 

 

 

Venezuelan jets overfly US Navy in the Caribbean Sea

 September 5th 2025 –

US authorities confirmed that two armed Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets flew over the USS Jason Dunham, a US Navy guided missile destroyer, while it was operating in international waters in the Caribbean Sea. The Department of Defense described the action as “highly provocative” and a “show of force” intended to interfere with US counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism operations. The Pentagon said,

“Today, two military aircraft from the Maduro regime flew over a US Navy ship in international waters. This highly provocative action was intended to interfere with our counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism operations.

The cartel that governs Venezuela is strongly advised not to continue any efforts to obstruct, deter, or interfere with counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism operations conducted by the US military,”

This incident occurred amid heightened tensions following a US military strike against a boat allegedly linked to Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua criminal organization, which the US claims resulted in 11 deaths. Washington recently deployed a naval force to the Caribbean Sea to intensify the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime.

President Donald Trump linked the Nicolás Maduro regime to drug cartels and has doubled the reward for his capture from US$25 million to US$50 million. Maduro rejected the US accusations and called the US naval deployment a “criminal and bloody threat” in addition to ordering increased surveillance of Venezuela’s coast.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in Quito that the Ecuadorean Los Lobos and Los Choneros gangs had been designated as foreign terrorist organizations, opening up “all sorts of options” to combat them. Rubio explained that his country was “waging war” on these groups and that further military actions and strikes against them will continue.

“This time, we’re not just going to hunt for drug dealers in the little fast boats and say, ‘Let’s try to arrest them. The president wants to wage war on these groups because they’ve been waging war on us for 30 years, and no one has responded.”

Los Choneros and Los Lobos are reportedly engaged in contract killings, extortion and drug trafficking and authorities hold them accountable for the surge in nationwide violence due to disputes over Pacific drug routes and territorial dominance.

Conflicts extend into the prison system, where clashes led to deaths of hundreds of inmates since 2021. Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa thanked Rubio for US efforts to “actually eliminate any terrorist threat.”

 

 

 

US sinks alleged drug-trafficking boat , killing 11

September 3rd 2025

US President Donald Trump announced a “kinetic strike” on a vessel from Venezuela allegedly transporting illegal narcotics. The attack, the first of its kind since the US deployed warships to the southern Caribbean, resulted in the deaths of 11 people.

Trump stated that the vessel was a speedboat carrying a “lot of drugs.” He shared a video showing an overhead view of the boat exploding and on fire. He identified the crew as members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which the US designated as a terrorist group.

“We just, over the last few minutes, literally shot out a boat, a drug-carrying boat, a lot of drugs in that boat. And there’s more where that came from. We have a lot of drugs pouring into our country, coming in for a long time. These came out of Venezuela. The strike resulted in 11 terrorists killed in action. No US Forces were harmed in this strike.”

The Republican leader insisted that the gang is controlled by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which Caracas has repeatedly denied. The US recently increased its naval presence in the region to combat drug trafficking, to which Maduro responded by deploying his troops and urging citizens to join a militia.

The decision to destroy the vessel and kill the crew instead of apprehending them has been described as highly unusual for a drug interdiction operation. “Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America,” Trump posted.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the operation was part of the administration’s plan to go “on offense against drug cartels…these particular drugs were probably headed to Trinidad or some other country in the Caribbean.” He also warned that ”the president is going to be on offense against drug cartels and drug trafficking in the United States.”

Last month, the US doubled its reward for information leading to the arrest of Maduro to US$50 million. Caracas claims that Washington was building a false drug-trafficking narrative to topple him.

 

 

 

US strike killed 11 on drug vessel from Venezuela

Donald Trump posted a video of a motor boat speeding across choppy waters before it burst into flames.

Bernd Debusmann Jr BBC News 2 September 2025

President Donald Trump says the US carried out a strike against a drug-carrying vessel in the south Caribbean Sea, killing 11 “narcoterrorists”. Tuesday’s US military operation targeted members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.   The vessel was in international waters transporting illegal narcotics bound for the US.

The Trump administration has ratcheted up military and political pressure against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro including through a $50m (£37m) reward for information leading to his arrest on drug-trafficking charges.

Maduro vowed Venezuela would fight any attempted US military intervention. In the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump said that US forces had “shot out” a “drug-carrying boat” in the vicinity of Venezuela.“A lot of drugs in that boat,” he said.

He was briefed on the incident by chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine. Later, the president posted : “Earlier this morning, on my Orders, US Military Forces conducted a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. The strike resulted in 11 terrorists killed in action. No US Forces were harmed in this strike. Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE!”

His aerial video showed a motor boat speeding before it burst into flames. Venezuela’s communications minister, Freddy Ñáñez, suggested, without evidence, that the video shared by Trump was created with artificial intelligence.

The Reuters news agency wrote that its initial checks on the video had not revealed any signs of manipulation, but its verification process was ongoing.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted that “today the US military conducted a lethal strike in the south Caribbean Sea against a drug vessel which departed from Venezuela and was being operated by a designated narco-terrorist organisation”.

It is so far unclear what drugs the vessel was believed to have been carrying. What is Tren de Aragua, the Venezuelan gang targeted by Trump?

The 1798 law that Trump used to deport migrants.  Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has designated several drug-trafficking organisations and criminal groups in Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America as terrorist organisations.

He used allegations of criminality as a justification for deporting Venezuelans. He did suffer a blow on Tuesday when a US appeals court ruled that he could not invoke an 18th-Century wartime law to speed up these removals.

As well as Tren de Aragua, Trump has taken aim at the Cartel of the Suns – a group that the US alleges is headed by Maduro and other high-ranking Venezuelan officials, some drawn from the country’s military or intelligence services.

The US military bolstered its forces in the south Caribbean Sea over the last two months, including through the deployment of additional naval vessels and thousands of US Marines and sailors. The administration has repeatedly signalled a willingness to use force to stem the flow of drugs into the US. “There’s more where that came from,” Trump said of the strike on the vessel.

Venezuela reacted angrily to the deployments. Maduro vowed to “declare a republic in arms” if the US attacked, adding that the US deployments were “the greatest threat that has been seen on our continent in the last 100 years”.

In at least one other respect, Trump has taken a softer stance towards Venezuela – by reportedly allowing US company Chevron to work within the country in partnership with the state-run PDVSA oil firm.

 

 

 

 

 

Bring the evidence.

Kamla rejects talk of US plot to depose Venezuela leader

2025, 08/30   akash.samaroo@cnc3.co.tt

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar insists that her Government has no evidence to suggest that the United States declared clampdown on narco-terrorists in the region is a façade to depose Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

As US warships continue their journey to the Caribbean Sea to wage a “war on drugs.Venezuela and Cuba claimed that the US has a history of creating false narratives to interfere in the affairs of sovereign states.

Persad-Bissessar said, “I don’t agree with them. I do not agree with that. Again, there are those who are for and those who are against. There will always be those who will say yes and no. There’s one narrative coming from one side, the other narrative is coming.

I have no evidence, , that the things that they’re alleging, that is in fact happening. I have no such evidence. What Cuba is saying, what Venezuela is saying, give us evidence. We will consider.”

Also asked if T&T had entered into any formal alliance with the US and other countries, after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US is building an international coalition against drugs, Persad-Bissessar responded,

“We are in alliance with anyone, anywhere who will help us fight drugs, crime, guns, criminals. We are in alliance with any such countries and persons anywhere in the world.”

Asked if any agreement was formalised with the US, Persad-Bissessar said while T&T stands ready to assist in the war against drugs and guns, there is no ratified alliance.

“We have given support for the intervention, as far as we are aware, for these ships and military and whoever to be here. But there’s no alliance saying that I’m going to give Teteron Barracks, I’m going to give Staubles Bay. No facilities in Trinidad and Tobago have been pledged to anyone else.”

Asked if she thought a nuclear submarine may be overkill to fight a drug cartel, Persad-Bissessar said, “That is not for me to determine. This is a sovereign nation. They’re going into international waters as far as our knowledge is and, therefore, it is not for me to judge what is good or not bad.

Trinidad and Tobago, apart from World War II, we have never been engaged in any war. So I cannot assess what they want to do or not do. ,

“They will not be on our soil, they will be in international waters. I want to make that very clear there.”

Persad-Bissessar was also asked to respond to Venezuela’s ruling party, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), which said her support for the US naval presence and offer of T&T as a base to the US, if Venezuela moves on Guyana’s Essequibo region, was “shameful”. The PSUV is sure the people of T&T do not stand by her.

In response the PM said, “I stand by what I’ve said before.

Having the US intervention in the Caribbean waters is beneficial to Trinidad and Tobago. I have no quarrel with Venezuela. We maintain good relationships. If the minister has said those things, I’m not provoked, I’m not worried.”

Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers said this country continues to have a good relationship with Venezuela. “I’ve continued to have discussions with the Venezuelan ambassador in Trinidad and Tobago and as the Prime Minister has indicated, our relationship with Venezuela remains intact and that is the position.”

The PM stressed that T&T must maintain a balancing act.

“We have not had any war zones with Venezuela, but it’s not just for a country like us. It’s all over the world with the new geopolitical architecture that is forming. We all have to balance and we all have to rethink things that might have happened in the past.”

Caricom’s continued silence may be because its chair, Jamaica PM Andrew Holness, and Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali, are busy with election campaigns. Guyana’s election is on September 1 and Jamaica’s will be on September 3.

The US is increasing its military presence in the southern Caribbean Sea. The US first deployed three naval vessels—the USS San Antonio, USS Iwo Jima, and USS Fort Lauderdale—, followed by reports that two more, the USS Lake Erie and USS Newport News, would arrive in the region by early next week.

Venezuela’s UN mission is accusing the US of “nuclear intimidation” and is demanding an end to the US military deployments. It wants Washington to provide guarantees against deploying or threatening nuclear weapons in the region, and is urging UN member states to uphold Latin America and the Caribbean’s status as a denuclearised “Zone of Peace.”

 

 

TT Top CoP supports US strike

Akash Samaroo 2025, 09/03

Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro delivered the feature address during the 70th Women in Police Parade and Dinner, Police Academy.

Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro thanked the United States military for a strike on a vessel in the south Caribbean Sea suspected of transporting narcotics. He said he does not pity the 11 people who died on the vessel or anyone running afoul of the law.

Yesterday’s attack was described by the US as a “kinetic strike” in international waters against a vessel allegedly operated by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. US President Donald Trump stated that 11 “narco terrorists” were killed.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar backed the US strike, saying she and “most of the country” welcomed the success of the naval mission. The United States pledged to target drug cartels and was now delivering on that commitment, and illicit drugs and arms had brought “death and destruction” to Trinidad and Tobago for the past 25 years.

The Police Commissioner is now following suit , supporting the US’ move. Guevarro said, “I am grateful for the decisive U.S. intervention. The resources deployed will undoubtedly place a significant dent in narcotics trafficking across the Southern Caribbean.

Let this serve as a clear warning to our fishers of fortune who board their pirogues chasing perilous tides of profit.”

The Commissioner warned that the “waters have changed”. And he is advising people heading out to sea that it is time to catch fish to feed the nation, not as “drug smugglers masquerading as fishermen. When the US armada comes calling, I wish you luck in treating with what will not be a happy ending.”  Guevarro said he has “absolutely no pity” for anyone caught by the US doing illegal acts.

Venezuelan Communications Minister Freddy Ñáñez questioned the authenticity of the online video purporting to be of the attack on the vessel, suggesting it may have been created with artificial intelligence, as an “almost cartoonish animation.”

 

 

 

Colombia, Celac FMs discuss US Caribbean deployment

September 1st 2025

Colombia, holding the pro tempore presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac), called an urgent virtual meeting of its foreign ministers to address US military movements in the Caribbean Sea.

The purpose is to discuss the implications of these military deployments for regional peace and security. The US deployed warships, including destroyers and a nuclear-powered submarine, off Venezuela’s coast, stating the action is part of an anti-drug trafficking strategy.

Venezuela’s government, led by President Nicolás Maduro, condemned the “hostile action” and threat to national sovereignty, responding by mobilizing its military. Venezuela formally protested the US presence at the United Nations, referencing a 2014 Celac declaration that designated Latin America and the Caribbean as a “Zone of Peace.” The Celac meeting aims to strengthen dialogue and find a peaceful, collaborative solution to the issue.

“The member states hope that this space will allow for an open and constructive discussion of concerns surrounding recent military movements in the Caribbean and their possible implications for regional peace, security, and stability,” from Bogotá’s Foreign Ministry stated.

Colombia reaffirmed that Latin America and the Caribbean have been formally recognized as a Zone of Peace and emphasized that the ministerial dialogue is being held to foster mutual understanding and identify coordinated solutions for the region’s collective benefit.

The United States deployed naval forces near Venezuela’s coast, including three destroyers equipped with Aegis missile systems, under what Venezuela describes as the pretext of combating drug trafficking. In response, Maduro ordered the mobilization of the Bolivarian Militia, framing the move as a sovereign defence measure against an unwarranted external threat.

Venezuela brought the matter before the United Nations, accusing the U.S. of violating core principles of international law and calling for adherence to the 2014 Celac declaration that designated Latin America and the Caribbean as a peace zone. Caracas’ Ambassador to the UN, Samuel Moncada, claimed that Washington is orchestrating “a large-scale propaganda campaign” to legitimize what experts refer to as “kinetic action”—a term used to describe military intervention in a sovereign nation that, according to Venezuela, poses no threat to others.

 

 

IDB

Caribbean Export & IDB Sign Strategic MOU to Boost Investment and Project Development

The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at enhancing cooperation to accelerate sustainable investment and project development in the Caribbean region.

The MOU was signed in Montego Bay by Dr. Damie Sinanan, Executive Director of Caribbean Export, and Anton Edmunds, General Manager of the IDB’s Caribbean Country Department. .

This strategic partnership will support the implementation of the ONE Caribbean Project Preparation Coordination Mechanism (PPCM), designed to create a robust pipeline of well-prepared, market-ready projects to attract financing from regional and global investors.

Under the agreement, both organizations will collaborate to:

1. 1. 1. Enhance project readiness by improving the quality and structuring of projects, making them more attractive to investors and financiers.
      2. Expand investment opportunities by developing a pipeline of bankable projects aligned with the Caribbean’s sustainable development goals.
      3. Maximize regional synergies by engaging investment promotion agencies and stakeholders to strengthen the region’s overall investment landscape.

 

 

 

 

Caribbean Investment Forum 2025 Concludes with Strong Momentum for Regional Growth

The Caribbean Investment Forum (CIF) 2025 brought together over 450 participants from 39 countries—including investors, entrepreneurs, government leaders, and development partners—to explore pathways for sustainable economic growth.

The forum featured robust discussions on key sectors—including agribusiness, digital transformation, logistics, and the green economy—and unveiled twelve investment-ready projects valued at over US$80 million.

The inaugural Investment Sprint showcased the region’s entrepreneurial talent, while keynote speaker Pamela Coke-Hamilton delivered a powerful blueprint for trade resilience.

Dr. Lynette Holder, Chair of the Board of Directors at Caribbean Export, revealed that Barbados will host the next Caribbean Investment Forum in 2026.

“Barbados is a thriving hub for innovation, sustainability, and business growth. We look forward to welcoming you in 2026 for an unforgettable experience where ideas connect, partnerships grow, and the future of Caribbean investment is shaped.

Shift from consumption to production, says Caribbean Export Development Agency head
Executive Director of the Caribbean Export Development Agency, Dr Damie Sinanan, is calling for the region to shift from being a consumer-based society to one that is driven by innovation, production, and export, warning that the region’s long-term prosperity depends on it.

At the opening of the 2025 Caribbean Investment Forum at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on Tuesday, Sinanan challenged regional stakeholders to act with urgency to reposition the Caribbean as a globally competitive player.

“We cannot build resilient economies on consumption alone. We have to move beyond survival mode and into strategic investment in the sectors that will grow our GDP, create jobs, and secure our future.”

The three-day forum, under the theme “Transforming Our Future: Catalyzing Innovation and Investment”, brings together heads of government, private sector leaders, and international partners to discuss investment opportunities in technology, agriculture, and sustainable industries.

 

 

The New Face of Trade

Trade is no longer business as usual. As old economic alliances fray and new global power centers emerge, the Caribbean faces a choice.

The EU-LAC Digital Accelerator launches open call #4
The EU-LAC Digital Accelerator invites partnerships to apply to its open call #4. Partnerships should involve a corporate entity seeking to address a digital challenge and a startup or SME developing a solution to address this challenge.

Deadline: October 31.

 

 

 

Trump and King Charles III promote peace

September 18th 2025 –

The pomp and ceremony between the two heads of State preceded Thursday’s meeting between Trump and Starmer

During his second state visit to the UK, US President Donald Trump was hosted by King Charles III for a day of ceremonies and a state banquet at Windsor Castle. The visit was marked by significant pomp and circumstance, including a large military honor guard, a carriage procession and dinner with 160 guests.

At the banquet, both leaders praised the “special relationship” between their nations. Trump described the visit as “one of the highest honors” of his life, while King Charles emphasized the shared history and values that have strengthened the US-UK bond.

On Thursday, the visit will shift from ceremonial to political, with Trump scheduled to meet with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers, to discuss issues trade, technology, and geopolitical matters, including Ukraine and the Middle East. Prince William and his wife Catherine met Trump and First Lady Melania Trump as their helicopter landed on the grounds of Windsor Castle on Wednesday. Later in the day, Trump laid a wreath at the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II, who was laid to rest at St. George’s Chapel.

Trump said King Charles had raised a “remarkable son” in Prince William. “I think you’re going to have unbelievable success in the future. We’re joined by history and fate, by love and language and by transcendent ties of culture, tradition, ancestry and destiny,” the president said, calling the bond “priceless” and “eternal.”

The king said, “Anchored by the deep friendship between our people, this relationship, which, with good reason, we and our predecessors have long called special, has made us safer and stronger through the generations. Our people have fought and died together for the values we hold dear. We have innovated, traded, and created together, fueling our economies and cultures through myriad forms of exchange. We have celebrated together, mourned together, and stood together in the best and worst of times.

Mr. President, as we appreciate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence next year, it is remarkable to think just how far we have come. I cannot help but wonder what our forebears from 1776 would think of this friendship today.

Mr. President, Mrs. Trump, the bond between our two nations is indeed a remarkable one. Forged in the fire of conflict, it has been fortified through our shared endeavors and burnished by the deep affection between our people. Tested time and again, it has borne the weight of our common purpose and raised our ambition for a better world. So in renewing our bond tonight, we do so with unshakeable trust in our friendship and in our shared commitment to independence and liberty.”

 

 

 

Trump praises ‘phenomenal’ North Sea oil in UK visit

Nicholas Heath Enterprise editorLondon,18 September 2025

Visiting US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a joint press conference during which the Prime Minister said the UK energy mix will include North Sea oil and gas for ‘many years to come’. He insisted that his government will maintain a pragmatic approach to the future energy mix, including the use of North Sea oil and gas.

Asked why he was “turning Britain’s back on oil and gas”, in a policy that contrasted with Trump’s ‘drill, baby, drill’ approach, Starmer said that his priority was ensuring lower energy costs for households and for businesses.

“The mix will include oil and gas for many years to come from the North Sea – we’ve been clear about that for some time. But we also need to mix that with renewables and it’s the mix that’s really important. The approach I’ve taken on this is the same approach I take to many other things: a pragmatic approach.”

Trump has described North Sea oil as a “treasure chest” and in July urged the UK government to reduce taxes for the North Sea oil industry. UK oil and gas companies are currently subject to 78% taxation levels that includes the Energy Profits Levy, a tax introduced in 2022 following crude price spikes amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that year.

Trump reiterated both his support for the UK’s offshore industry and his disdain for wind generation.

“You have a great asset here, and we spoke about it: it’s called the North Sea. The North Sea oil is phenomenal. I want this country to do well, and you have great assets that you’re going to start using under this Prime Minister.”

Trump attributed the ‘drill, baby, drill’ approach to lower fuel prices and slower inflation in the US, while also doubling down on his criticism of wind power.“We had an expression that I used a lot: ‘drill, baby, drill’ and, as you know, we brought fuel way down, the prices way down, and we don’t do wind because wind is a disaster — it’s a very expensive joke, frankly.” (Copyright)

 

 

 

Trump withholds Venezuelan oil approval for non-U.S. majors

August 22, 2025   (Bloomberg)

The Trump administration is withholding approval for several Western oil majors seeking to operate in Venezuela, ramping up pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s government even as Chevron Corp. is allowed to work there.

The pause is focused on non-U.S. firms, leaving companies including Spain’s Repsol SA, Italy’s Eni SpA and France’s Maurel & Prom in limbo. It underscores a delicate balancing act in Washington as officials weigh competing geopolitical, financial and energy considerations. Last month, the Treasury Department granted approval for Chevron to resume producing and exporting Venezuelan oil.

President Donald Trump has taken a tough stance against Maduro, but is also trying to keep a lid on energy prices, even as he pressures Iran to end its nuclear program and Russia to end the war in Ukraine. Late last month, the Treasury Department imposed its most sweeping sanctions on Tehran in seven years.

Washington’s policy towards Venezuelan oil has fluctuated dramatically in the months since Trump returned to office, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio among those advocating for a hawkish approach while Special Envoy Richard Grenell has backed a strategy that’s been more receptive to US business interests.

 

 

 

T&T, Venezuela relations

2025, 09/18

Former trade minister Vasant Bharath said CAL’s recent decision to temporarily halt flights decision coupled with fewer Venezuelan vessels at T&T’s ports are “troubling.”

A source at the Customs and Excise Division said only two Venezuelan cargo boats now dock monthly, bringing in articles of clothing and wood.

While in the past, up to three cargo boats came weekly to the Kings Wharf port in San Fernando, bringing pottery, bags, plastic chairs, lumber and clothing.

At the Cedros port, passenger arrivals are also declining.

Bharath, a consultant with a Japanese bank and advisor to a government in the South Pacific region, explained why all of this spells bad news.

“The recent suspension of flights to Venezuela and the sharp drop in vessel traffic to our ports highlight a troubling reality, the fragile trading links that still exist between T&T and Venezuela are now under severe threat. For many small and medium-sized businesses, these routes represent vital channels of commerce, although not significant in T&T’s total export value.”

However, T&T cannot afford to treat this as a passing inconvenience.
“It is yet another reminder that as a small, open economy, T&T must move quickly to diversify both our markets and our sources of supply. Our energy ambitions with Venezuela have already been stalled by sanctions and geopolitical tensions. Now, even the modest flow of trade is being disrupted.”

“What is urgently required is a clear, proactive plan. Government must establish targeted support for our SMEs — low-interest financing, export facilitation services, and guaranteed cargo and shipping solutions into alternative markets. .

At the same time, we must aggressively pursue trade missions into CARICOM, Central America, and the Dominican Republic, so that businesses that once looked to Venezuela and the USA can find new buyers.”

On the energy front, he advises that T&T must accelerate regional partnerships with Guyana, Suriname, and Barbados, and invest in renewable solutions at home.

“On logistics, we must make our ports and customs processes far more efficient, so our exporters are not priced out of new opportunities. Most importantly, we must restore confidence.

Businesses today, after nine years of decline and decay, operate in a hostile environment and investors need to know that government has a plan to navigate this turbulence. Without that confidence, investment will stall, jobs will be lost, and our economic base will further erode.”

“T&T cannot remain passive observers of global events. If we act swiftly, strategically, and in close partnership with the private sector, we can turn this moment of uncertainty into an opportunity to strengthen our economy and protect the livelihoods of our people.”

Travel agency hoping for recovery
Despite the mounting tensions among T&T, Venezuela and the US, Sophie Navarro, assistant manager at Navarro’s Travel Service, based in Port-of-Spain is confident that T&T nationals will continue to travel to Venezuela for leisure and to do businesses.

In the latest escalation on Thursday, Venezuela’s vice president Delcy Rodríguez called T&T’s Government a “vassal” of the United States and warned T&T from being used to destabilize Venezuela.

Two weeks ago, Caribbean Airlines (CAL) said it will temporarily suspend flights between Port-of-Spain and Caracas.

The airline suspended. its BW300/301 services, set to operate on September 6, 13, 20, and 27. Passengers holding confirmed tickets are advised to reach out to the airline for rebooking/refund options.

Caribbean Airlines resumed flying to Caracas on May 13, 2023, several years after the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered airline routes across the world. The airline has not publicly given a reason for the suspension. Despite this, Navarro said that business is good as locals flock to popular destinations like Margarita via RUTACA airlines.

“We just came off a very successful summer season of travel between Trinidad and Margarita/Caracas. Naturally, after such a boom, we are seeing a decline in numbers with schools reopening and vacations ending. That being said, we have not seen fewer requests than expected for this time of year.”

Given the geopolitical tensions involving the US, Venezuela and T&T, she remained optimistic that business opportunities will endure as the dust settles.

“We have a long history of business with Venezuela and strong family ties between T&T and Venezuela, and I believe this is why there is still a steady stream of requests for these flights. These ‘ups and downs’ are to be expected when it comes to political discourse, and we cannot begin to predict what the governments and political parties have in store for us next.”

She said for now, they are simply taking things as they come and as they are informed.

“At this moment, we remain confident in selling these flights with RUTACA Airlines and in offering these packages to Margarita. We continue to see bookings coming in, and we are happy to provide service to this clientele.

13,000 T&T nationals travelled to Margarita with RUTACA Airlines over the past two years.

Economic forecast
A United Nations Developmental Program (UNDP) economic report stated Venezuela’s economy will have another year of strong economic growth and is projected to grow by 5.8 percent by the end of 2025.

T&T’s exports to Venezuela were US$5.53 million during 2024, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. Some of T&T’s exports for that year included essential oils, cosmetics and toiletries, apparel and plastics.

T&T’s imports from Venezuela were US$2.39 million during 2024, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade and included glass products, iron and steel and spirits and vinegar.

Between 2018 and 2022, there was a sharp decline in trade between T&T and Venezuela, according to official Venezuelan Government statistics.
According to statistics from Venezuela’s now defunct trade agency, CENCOEX in 2018, 22 Venezuelan companies exported US$25,563,473 worth of products to T&T. By 2022, only three Venezuelan companies exported US$76,317 worth of products to T&T.

 

 

 

 

What after this round ends?

2025, 09/18
Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie

The drug trade, which goes beyond cocaine and involves anything that can make money, is a complicated business that weaves a complex web of countries from Jamaica, Bahamas and St Vincent, to Costa Rica, Panama and Mexico and everything in between. Countries as big as Brazil and as small as Trinidad and Tobago, because of location and unprotected coastlines, end up with porous borders.

Any convenient country, like Ecuador, can be a transshipment point. Easy money facilitates corruption. One president, El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele, has taken charge of its internal affairs. He cleaned out the drug cartels, incarcerated thousands of people, violating human rights and turns a blind eye to prisoner abuse.  His country is peaceful for the majority and criminals are the ones now living in fear.

The Trump administration this week decertified Colombia, which now produces four times more cocaine than in Pablo Escobar’s time, because it is not co-operating enough with the US on stemming the production and flow of drugs.

The Colombian president says the problem is US demand. If Bukele is the model the Trump administration wants other countries to follow, it will be a hard pill to swallow in some places. While citizens of any country want human security and peace, they also want constitutional restraints.

It is not a big leap for Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to be supporting President Trump’s war on drug cartels in the region so vehemently. The Prime Minister obviously thinks T&T is surrounded, overwhelmed, that too little has been done for too long and the country needs help. What after the State of Emergency?

In supporting US action against drug cartels in the surrounding seas, our Prime Minister indicated that should Venezuela attack or invade Guyana, she will agree to US troops landing on T&T soil in support of a Caricom country – a bold but not unreasonable position, but with attendant risks.

Our Prime Minister did not have to say that but she did. She set the tone for Caricom’s response to aggression towards a regional country, mindful of a situation where the Opposition in T&T, and some Prime Ministers in Caricom countries, have cozy relationships with Maduro and may find themselves conflicted.

Maduro has been generous to some Caricom countries by reducing and wiping off Petro Caribe debt. But our Prime Minister has been unequivocally consistent against Maduro for the last 10 years.

Persad-Bissessar has made it difficult for Caricom to be doubtful in a situation where a Maduro invasion of Guyana may force a choice. She wants it to be Caricom not Maduro; and she wants it to be Trump not Maduro.

Persad-Bissessar seems willing to part company on these two things with Caricom. And whether it will come to that depends entirely on Maduro, who must invade first to trigger T&T’s response, and on Caricom, who will have to respond only if Venezuela invades. She has declared her position way out front.

Maduro has a choice of whether to attack Guyana to trigger a US-T&T military collaboration or to attack T&T. Some have called Persad-Bissessar’s stance reckless because no Caricom country has the military capability to match Venezuela.

The bigger problem in all of this is President Trump, the issue of respect for international law, the consideration of international norms and the President’s perpetual constitution testing approaches to getting things done in his country, which often violates constitutional and legal limits as, for instance, the use of federal troops challenging state autonomy and mayoral jurisdiction of cities. There is a pattern of arbitrariness.

How much can one rely on this American President? It is not an idle question. Will he persist with the drug war in the Caribbean Sea and for how long? Will he intimidate his way to regime change in Venezuela, or pull back to deploy a different strategy? Will T&T have to find the means to cool the temperature with Maduro? Will President Trump demand hardline policies by Latin American and Caribbean governments with American help against gangs and criminals? And what will that do to the ethos of these societies and the body politic?

And what about the fundamental economic challenges of trade, investment, movement of people and development that this hemisphere, the most unequal region in the world, faces? Where, in this world of tariff negotiations, is there a discussion on that? There has to be a dialogue beyond drugs, gangsters and crime, notwithstanding the importance of this. How will the countries of the western hemisphere move forward peacefully together after this round ends?

 

 

 

PM congratulates US over fatal strike on Venezuelan drug boat

2025, 09/03

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is pleased following yesterday’s US military strike that sank a drug-carrying vessel leaving Venezuelan waters.

US President Donald Trump first made the revelation was  to journalists in Washington. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio subsequently said that the vessel was being operated by a “designated narco-terrorist organisation” and that the operation was a lethal strike. Later, Rubio said the intended destination of the drugs may have been T&T.

Yesterday, Persad-Bissessar backed the US action, saying, “I, along with most of the country, am happy that the US naval deployment is having success in their mission.

The US government has repeatedly said that going after the drug cartels was their objective and they have begun to deliver. Illegally trafficked drugs and arms have caused death and destruction in our society over the last twenty-five years.”

She said the country has been ravaged by bloody violence and addiction because of the greed of the cartels.

“The slaughter of our people is fuelled by evil cartel traffickers. The pain and suffering the cartels have inflicted on our nation is immense. I have no sympathy for traffickers, the US military should kill them all violently.”

Restriction of illegal guns, drugs and human trafficking will decrease violence in the region and, in particular, in this country.

“May God bless and protect the members of the US military engaged in the drug interdiction mission.
Their efforts will save many lives in our country and the region.”

Before departing for Mexico yesterday, Rubio described the operation as a “counterdrug” mission aimed at destabilising cartels operating with impunity.

“These particular drugs were probably headed to Trinidad or some other country in the Caribbean, at which point they just contribute to the instability these countries are facing. “

President Trump was committed to using “the full power of America and the full might of the United States to take on and eradicate these drug cartels, no matter where they’re operating from and no matter how long they’ve been able to act with impunity.”

The operation is part of a broader effort to protect US national security and secure the region from illegal drugs and associated violence.

The US recently deployed five US Navy vessels to the Caribbean, after announcing plans to boost its maritime force in the waters off Venezuela to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels.

 

 

 

Venezuela Accuses Guyana of ‘False Narrative’ at UNGA

FM Yvan Gil reaffirmed the Bolivarian claim over the Essequibo territory.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil accused Guyanese President Irfaan Ali of presenting a “false narrative” about Venezuela and its actions regarding its territorial claim over the Essequibo region.

“The Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) are heading to the community in Guayana Esequiba. Preparation for the Defense of Venezuela. Governor Neil Villamizar and Commander-in-Chief Henrry Gonzalez Velazquez, Commander of ZODI 64, led the special training from the Agua Fria communal circuit in Tumeremo, in the state of Guayana Esequiba.”

Earlier, during his speech at UNGA in New York, President Ali said he placed his full “confidence in international law” in the face of “repeated attacks and aggressions from Venezuela.”

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has been hearing a request regarding the border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana over the Essequibo, a territory of nearly 160,000 square kilometers rich in oil and natural mineral deposits.

Venezuela has repeatedly emphasized that it will not recognize “under any circumstances” any decision issued by the ICJ concerning the Guayana Esequiba, which it has historically considered part of its territorial heritage.

The border dispute over the territory began with the 1899 Paris Arbitral Award. Later, both parties signed the 1966 Geneva Agreement, which established the creation of a commission to resolve the territorial dispute peacefully. Since then, Venezuelan authorities have consistently called for dialogue to be resumed under the principles established in the 1966 agreement.

“President of Guyana once again comes to the United Nations with the same script as always: a speech full of falsehoods, manipulation and submission to the interests of the empire and transnationals. He tries to portray himself as a victim when in reality he acts as ExxonMobil’s administrator and as heir to British colonial tutelage,” the Venezuelan diplomat said.

“He speaks of ‘international law’ while disregarding the 1966 Geneva Agreement, unilaterally handing over resources in a disputed territory and trampling on the sovereignty he claims to defend. That is what constitutes a violation of the UN Charter. The people of Venezuela know clearly that the Essequibo is ours by history and by right, and neither lies nor the corruption of those who sell out their homeland will change that truth.”

 

 

 

President Irfaan Ali claims election victory and a second five-year term

James Chater BBC News 4 September 2025

President Irfaan Ali claimed a second five-year term in office, before official final election results are published. Reuters news agency reported his People’s Progressive Party (PPP) secured at least 242,000 votes in the poll, claiming majorities in eight of the 10 districts. We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), a new political party founded three months ago, came in second with around 109,000 votes. Ali, 45, campaigned on a pledge to use prolific oil reserves, discovered in 2019, to improve infrastructure and reduce poverty, while navigating territorial tensions with Venezuela.

It is not yet clear how many seats each party will have in the 65-member parliament, but current vice-president, Bharrat Jagdeo, told local media that the PPP would have a “bigger majority” than at the last election in 2020. Despite a lower turnout than at the last election, the PPP appeared to have increased its vote share – while long-term opposition A Partnership for National Unity trailed in third.

Much of this election centred on how parties would manage revenues from massive oil reserves discovered by ExxonMobil in 2019. Since 2019, the company found 11 billion barrels of oil offshore Guyana , causing the state budget to quadruple.

With a population around 800,000, Guyana now has one of the highest levels of proven crude oil reserves per capita in the world – and is one of the region’s fastest-growing economies.

Opposition parties say there is unfair distribution of oil earnings to groups connected to the PPP, accusations the ruling party denies. Businessman Azruddin Mohamed, leader of the WIN party, alleged voting irregularities in Monday’s election, even as he celebrated the party having “shaken the pillars of Guyana’s political establishment”.

The Organization of American States deployed observers to Guyana for the election and have not yet reported electoral fraud. The election came the day after Guyanese police said that a boat carrying election officials and ballot boxes was “shot at from the Venezuelan shore” in the contested Essequibo region. Venezuela denied being behind the incident, as the two countries are locked in a dispute over competing claims to the oil-rich region.

 

 

 

United Nations Development Programme

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago — 18 September 2025

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched today the 2025 Regional Human Development Report for Latin America and the Caribbean Titled “Under Pressure: Recalibrating the Future of Human Development,” offering a roadmap for navigating uncertainty, at a high-level event held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

The event was hosted by the Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, with participation from members of Cabinet, civil society, academia, and international partners.

In a context where the Caribbean and Latin America region faces an era of mounting pressures such as the lingering effects of the pandemic, stronger and more frequent climate-related events, growing debt, economic instability, polarization, and persistent inequalities, the report places resilience at the heart of development policy and practice. It emphasizes that in a time of rising crises, human development can only advance if nations and communities are equipped to anticipate, absorb, and adapt to shocks.

Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar said: “Why should geography determine dignity? The Caribbean knows vulnerability—but we also know resilience. We know how to rise, and we must rise together.

Not just for ourselves but for the generations to come. These times of global uncertainty demand proactive strategies. They demand quick action with long-term vision. And that is the kind of leadership I am committed to delivering.

This report shines a light on the path forward. It challenges us to recalibrate our development model—to make it more inclusive, more just, and more future-proof. In a region marked by both vulnerability and resilience, it is a timely call to action for leaders, institutions, and communities across the Caribbean.”

While the report acknowledges the Caribbean’s position on the frontlines of these overlapping crises—from hurricanes and rising seas to external economic shocks and fragile institutions, it also presents a message of hope and opportunity, spotlighting the courage and innovation of the region’s people. It emphasizes that development without resilience is no longer viable, and calls for a new development playbook, centered on what it terms the three I’s of resilience:

1. Instruments – Smarter policies and financial tools that protect people and anticipate risks.
2. Institutions – Transparent, inclusive systems capable of responding to crises and rebuilding trust.
3. Infrastructure – Both physical and digital, built to withstand shocks and expand access to opportunity.

Michelle Muschett, UNDP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean emphasized that “Building resilience is not optional—it is a necessity in the world we live in today. And it is a shared responsibility: individuals should not be left to shoulder risks alone; governments cannot manage them in isolation; the private sector cannot innovate in a vacuum; and international partners cannot just borrow solutions from outside”.

She added, “Nor does resilience emerge automatically as a byproduct of growth or poverty reduction. It must be built—through concrete action, through innovation, through dialogue, through trust. It requires investing in people, strengthening institutions, and re-imagining the social contract for a new era of uncertainty.”

The Human Development Index (HDI) in the Caribbean has increased steadily over the past decades, albeit with temporary setbacks after the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the pandemic. As seen in LAC, its pre-pandemic growth rates were higher: the Caribbean’s HDI grew at an average annual rate of 0.3% in the five years before 2020 but has slowed to 0.1% afterwards. Trinidad and Tobago shows a different trajectory, with HDI now growing at 0.06% annually, above its pre-pandemic rate of 0%, in part due to a recent years of setbacks and recovery.

The report also underscores the transformative role of digital technologies in building resilience noting that true digital resilience is not just about cables and code—but about ensuring that technology strengthens governance, expands opportunity, and protects rights.

Yet the report warns that the benefits of digitalization remain unevenly distributed across the Caribbean.

In a region where fewer than 4 in 10 households have access to a computer, the report calls for a shift from basic connectivity to inclusive digital ecosystems that empower all people to thrive in a digital age. It highlights the importance of investing in digital public infrastructure, such as secure digital IDs and interoperable platforms, while building digital skills and ensuring access to affordable devices, especially for rural and marginalized communities.

The report highlights the importance of a renewed social contract—one that reduces inequality, strengthens civic trust, and protects the freedoms central to the human development approach: the freedom to live healthy lives, to learn, to earn a living, and to participate fully in society.

As the region confronts an increasingly unpredictable future, the 2025 Regional Human Development Report offers a roadmap for navigating uncertainty—and a bold invitation to reimagine development—not as a linear path, but as a resilient journey shared across generations, sectors, and borders.

The digital version of the report also offers interactive resources, including country-level data, animated graphics, practical policy inputs, and a Chatbot with AI-powered tools for quick consultations on the report’s content.

For more information and media inquiries, please contact:

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Sharon Grobeisen, Strategic Communications Advisor – sharon.grobeisen@undp.org
                           2. Vanessa Hidalgo, Regional Communications Advisor – vanessa.hidalgo@undp.org
                           3. Jabarry Garnes, Communications Analyst (Trinidad and Tobago) – jabarry.garnes@undp.org

 

 

 

UNGA 2014 PM Kamla Persad Bissessar debut at UNGA

She was the first female prime minister of T&T from May 24, 2010-September 7, 2015.
Below is her 2014 speech to UNGA 69

https://caricom.org/statement-by-the-honourable-mrs-kamla-persad-bissessar-s-c-mp-prime-minister-

October 8, 2014

Mr President, Secretary General., Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PRESIDENT

I begin by congratulating you Mr President, on your election to preside over the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Your election comes at a time when we are about to commence the second phase in the elaboration of the Post 2015 development agenda, which I am confident, as I am sure we all are, that you will administer and lead with distinction.I also thank and congratulate His Excellency John Ash, of Antigua and Barbuda. During his tenure as President he laid the foundation and set the conditions for the elaboration of a new development agenda geared towards influencing the sustainable development of Members of this Assembly.

INTRODUCTION

It is a great privilege to address you today and share the perspectives of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago on our priorities for the delivery and implementation of a “transformative Post-2105 Development Agenda” in accordance with the theme aptly selected by you Mr. President.

Last year, we considered how we would set the stage to begin the process to be launched during this 69th session on finalisation of the Post 2015 development agenda.

On that occasion I noted that, with the adoption of the Millennium Declaration and the introduction of the Millennium Development Goals, a new chapter was opened for the United Nations.

This chapter would see the UN positioned as a vehicle to assist developing countries, especially the most vulnerable, in their efforts to help reduce poverty and hunger, and provide an enabling environment to assist States to develop their economies so that their people could can rise out of persistent poverty.

Measures must be put in place to spur a proactive rather than reactive approachto the issue of development.

Fourteen years later, with the experience of challenges and lessons the MDGsimplementation, we are now at a critical juncture in operationalising the elements that we agreed to at Rio+20 would, so that they can constitute the Future We Want.

The current model was built on what we agreed to at the Millennium Summit and has fallen short of the expectations of many developing countries, including Trinidad and Tobago, which has surpassed some of the MDG targets.

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has been able to achieve this objective because it forms an integral part of our Medium Term Policy Framework 2011. We have incorporated and aligned the MDGs and their targets with Trinidad and Tobago’s medium -term national priorities.

Consequently, some of the goals, targets and indicators were modified in the light of Trinidad and Tobago’s’ unique development circumstances and achievement of several of the MDGs.This approach resulted in, for example, modified targets for Education with the pursuit of universal early childhood education and a 60 percent participation rate at tertiary education by 2015.

I am delighted to tell you that on both counts, we have surpassed our targets – with universal pre-school education on course for 2015, and with a new tertiary participation rate of over 65 percent.

I am also pleased to underscore that my country is well poised to achieve 70 percent of the 43 targets across 8 goals which are considered to be relevant to the national context. This percentage comprises 42 percent of targets which have already been met and 28 percent which are likely to be met by 2015.

With good success, and lessons learnt, our work is therefore cut out for us.

CARICOM DEVELOPMENT

Mr. President, as part of the global community, Trinidad and Tobago welcomes the outcomes of the various milestones in the processthat we have achieved to date.