(Trinidad Express) Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington, DC, on Monday.
According to a media release from the Prime Minister’s office, the discussions focused specifically on national security and firearms trafficking and the work being advanced through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, (which is the US regional citizen security and development programme).
Talks also touched on “the historical and emerging issues surrounding Venezuela as it relates to Trinidad and Tobago’s pathway towards achieving energy security for the region”.
The release added that the meeting’s agenda also included a conversation on collaborating to strengthen cyber and digital policy and the approach to the ongoing instability in Haiti.
A video posted on the Office of the Prime Minister Facebook page showed the interaction between Blinken and Rowley at the start of the meeting, in which Blinken stated that the two countries were working together “in many areas including to advance energy security and climate resilience, which is something that the people of Trinidad and Tobago feel very strongly about”.
“And we’re doing this in particular under the United States Caribbean Partner-ship, to address the climate crisis, which is a vital initiative that our countries are engaged in. We’re partnering as well to fight violent crime, and firearms trafficking and this is a priority for the work that we’re doing, as well as of course seeking and building up prosperity and opportunity in the region as a whole,” he added.
According to Blinken, “We have vital work that we’re doing as well to address other regional challenges, whether it’s in Venezuela, or whether it’s in Haiti. But in all of these areas, and others, including the strengthening of our own bilateral ties…This really is a vital partnership and I’m just grateful, Prime Minister, to have you here in Washington, especially after the very memorable and positive visit to Port of Spain last year (to attend the Crime Symposium).”
Hectic schedule
Rowley said he was very pleased that in the very hectic schedule that Blin-ken was engaged in, that he would’ve made the time to receive the Trinidad and Tobago delegation.
“The relationship between the United States and Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caricom is extremely important to us and we keep emphasising that it’s also important to the United States. The US is our major trading partner and a lot of our citizens are residing in and working and living in the United States. I think every time I go to an office on these trips, I meet some national from Trinidad and Tobago or whose parentage is of Trinidad and Tobago in the United States.
“We keep emphasising that we might be small, but we are not insignificant and we acknowledge our trading relations, our diplomatic situations, and the challenges in the Caribbean that you mentioned,” the Rowley said, adding, “In recent years, we have raised issues with you and you have taken them on board.”
He said the safety and security challenges were extremely important to Trinidad and Tobago as well as energy security, all of which are matters of day-to-day conversation. “We believe that you are part of that and thanks for being a part of it,” Rowley said.
Trade talks
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister met with US Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai, who as a member of the President’s Cabinet is the chief trade adviser, negotiator and spokesperson on US trade policy. The US remains Trinidad and Tobago’s largest trading partner.
Rowley and Ambassador Tai advanced their ideas on further strengthening the bilateral economic partnership and opportunities to expand trade. This included examining views on improvements that can be made to widen participation in the Caribbean Basin Initiative, secure supply chain management and ensure that trade policies are people centred.
Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs Dr Amery Browne, Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Stuart Young, Minister of Digital Transformation Hassel Bacchus and Chief of Defence Staff, Air Vice-Marshal Darryl Daniel, were also present for Monday’s meeting.
