Dear Editor,
I am responding to your editorial `A Storm after a Storm’ (SN Nov 5) critiquing Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissesar’s comment on giving assistance to storm (Hurricane Tomas) stricken islands of the Caribbean. I do not view the P.M’s comment, essentially arguing that benefits should redound to Trini businesses for assistance rendered to the islands, as insulting to Caricom nations or peoples. That is the way aid is given everywhere, except under immediate emergencies. The timing of the P.M’s statement and the manner in which it came across were unfortunate. Perhaps she should have said it directly and quietly to the governments seeking help but the P.M was basically reflecting the views of her country folks who complain of constantly giving aid to outsiders but not to perennial victims of disasters at home. Charity begins at home, they say.
I studied international relations, foreign aid policy and US foreign policy and textbooks show how countries and international agencies, save UN bodies, attach strings to their aid policy. The US is the chief enforcer of this rule. Countries benefit a lot by giving aid. So Kamla was stating a truism, as recognized and accepted by international relations experts, that if her country gives assistance, the suppliers of aid must be from the T&T business community. Nothing is wrong with that policy. Take for example, the US provided flour aid to Guyana that was supplied by American producers. The US did not give cash for Guyana to purchase flour from Canada or India, which is much cheaper than flour sold by the US. The beneficiaries of Trini aid should be grateful for the assistance even if they have to acquire it from Trini merchants.
I was in Trinidad to conduct a survey when the storm struck the region and I can tell you Kamla’s statement reflects the sentiments of an overwhelming majority of Trinis. They indicated they are fed up of giving aid to poorer islanders with little in return especially since the previous government gave a ($TT) billion in aid to the small islands over the last five years. T&T is undergoing tough economic times with a flat economy. The country has a deficit of TT $8 billion in its current budget with public service workers demanding 25% wage increases (over 3 years) and Clico investors demanding a further TT $19 billion. Official unemployment is over 10% (closer to 20% in actuality) and climbing. The government is asking contractors owed billions of dollars to take a bond instead of being paid cash. But the contractors cannot pay bills with bonds. So T&T, as the P.M reasoned, could hardly afford to give aid without in someway benefiting her nation as the major supplier of rebuilding the island.
Nevertheless, as a result of the harsh response to her comment, Kamla has retracted her statement and agreed to give assistance with no strings attached. And that is a welcome statement sure to soothe critics. In a visit to St. Lucia, the TT P.M was praised by her St Lucian counterpart Dr Stephenson King for her response to rally assistance to the devastated island. Kamla traveled to the island to get a first-hand look at damage caused by Tomas. In a press briefing, she said she is committed to assisting St Lucia. “There are no strings attached to the humanitarian aid that we bring and will continue to send to you for reconstruction.”
There is a lot of destruction to infrastructure and to the banana crop in St. Lucia and St. Vincent. Their tourist industry is severely affected and yes they need help. St. Lucia says it needs US half a billion to rebuild. St. Vincent will need around the same amount. No Caribbean country, not even oil rich T&T, is in a position to rebuild St. Lucia or any other island hit by Tomas. The US and other wealthy countries have to commit to the rebuilding.
In their response to my survey, Trinis say everyone in the Caribbean must fend for themselves during this tough economic time and agreed with their PM that their nation is not an ATM cash machine amidst dwindling energy revenues. The islands need to look to the North to rebuild and for economic recovery as T&T is now experiencing a lot of financial problems and it would be difficult for Kamla to assist infinitely her Caricom neighbours. No amount of storm about the P.M’s statement or diplomatic etiquette would change this harsh reality.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
