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US can put troops in Trinidad and Tobago – Government signs agreement as White House ups pressure on Maduro

NATIONAL Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds signed off on five agreements with the US on December 10, two of which can allow the US Department of Defense (DoD) to deploy forces to Trinidad and Tobago in the event of a "conflict" in Venezuela.In a statement on December 10, the US Embassy said the Prime Minister, Hinds, Energy Minister Stuart Young, Finance Minister Colm Imbert and Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne met and held talks with US diplomatic and navy officials on security, energy, cybersecurity and human-rights issues.

The embassy said the SOFA “will facilitate interoperability between the two countries’ armed forces.”
Newsday asked Rowley how important those agreements were to TT via WhatsApp.
He replied, "Please speak to the minister who signed the agreements for the Government and the people of TT."

It also allows for US troop deployment to TT in times of natural disasters.In the event of a conflict on TT's doorstep in Venezuela, the US can also deploy troops to TT for a possible response by enacting the SOFA. As the southernmost country in the Caribbean, TT is mere miles away from Venezuela. Its closest point is Cedros.The ACSA agreement, also signed on December 10, provides a similar opportunity for US troops to be deployed to TT to respond to conflicts in Venezuela.

Calls and messages to Hinds and Browne went unanswered.

Can we post TT troops in Niagara and Buffalo if the diaspora start running from Canada back to south Trinidad????

Interoperability my rass

More sell out

In reply to sgtdjones

Oops, Sparrow might have to do a remake of his song, "Jean and Dinah".

Rowley is a Teflon Don

In reply to Halliwell

the standard of journalism in this country is so outrageously substandard it is not funny. . The agreement does not cover Americans putting up a base in TT. I am seeing the journalist finally clarified her writings, no doubt after an epic blow out from her editor.

This is exactly what I refer to. This article appeared 2 days ago in Newsdaytt Nowhere in the agreement says that troops from the US could attack Venezuela from Trinidad territory. This is Treaty that was there and renewed under the previous administration in 2013. It came up for renewal again, which is what took place. After the misinformation from the newspaper, the Prime minister held a press conference yesterday to clarify the misinformation. He challenged the reporters to show where it was stated that US troops can operate form TT soil to deal with conflict with other countries, none of the media could point that out. The PM categorically declared TT a sovereign nation that would never allow its territory to be used in that manner. He emphasized the strict adherence of Trinidad and Tobago to the CARICOM position of the Caribbean being a zone of peace. After, all that, this misleading article is posted on caribbeancricket,com today. Why would we post articles that we know are not not truths?

If the original article was not placed on this forum from 2 days ago, that headline should not make the room after the PM dealt with the matter yesterday. Most times, the headline is the message for those who are not as attentive. This article was not posted to correct any previous posting, it was posted as the message of the day.

In reply to Halliwell

T&T gats troops?...oh, yeah, dem robbing citizens.
Which normal human in the diaspora wants to go back to T&T?

In the last nine years, has T&T progressed? Therein lies the answer.

The T&T government is paying Madero one million US per year for a worthless agreement for exploration on the Dragon gas fields over the last 7 years.

The booboolees in T&T are giddy with excitement over the last 20 years since the discovery. Shell hasn't done a darn thing about recovering the gas.

Gas production: T&T's gas production is around 2.7 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd).
Processing capacity: T&T has the capacity to process 4.2 bcfd.

Dragon Field can only produce 250 million cubic feet per day, but T&T is celebrating for something the US government vetoes.

I wouldn't believe anything Rowley says—he is a pathological liar.

.....lastest Rowley and his BS...

The PM took issue with the suggestion that certain provisions would allow the deployment of US troops here in the event of a “conflict” with Venezuela.
“We are not supporting anybody’s military excursion,” Dr Rowley said. “It is the opposite. We don’t countenance, one, a breach of the peace in the region and, two, we will not facilitate any such thing.”
But when confronted with whether the measures signed contain clauses permitting the arrival of US personnel, the PM fell short of contradicting this.

We stand by our story.

If the PNM leader has a job to do, so do we.The facts are that on December 10, when these agreements were signed, Dr Rowley convened no conference.
Nor did he or any member of his Cabinet do so on December 11.
The PM did not even intend to hold one on December 12, but a headline he disliked forced his hand.

Yet, given his own belief that the matters were so grave, so consequential to the interests of TT, and given his own assertion that the media have been “chained up” in the past, it was incumbent on him to address the facts long before this week.Instead, Dr Rowley, when contacted by our reporter, gave the usual runaround: taking the time to say, “Please speak to the minister who signed the agreements.” Calls and messages to that minister went unanswered.

T&T PM’s media war

In reply to Besar

I see you deleted part of your BS.

You need to read and assimilate. It's sad you cannot accommodate both.

My sympathy.

In reply to sgtdjones

In reply to sgtdjones

btw, you know what will happen if the US attack Venezuela from T&T? All the local Venezuelans will run south and east.....Guyana!!

In reply to googley


Billions spent on Coast Guard vessels, borders exposed

Informed sources suggest that the Coast Guard’s roster should have about four to 18 small Coast Guard craft—which consist of four interceptors, six pirogues, and eight RHIBs—to patrol the waters daily.
Guardian Media was told that only two RHIBs and two pirogues are functional as the Coast Guard’s interceptors are no longer fit for use given their age and usage over the years.

Doh worry, all T&T coastal vessels are parked and need repairs.
Our fishermen are taking over such dutes when an SOS is received.

What a country, paradise.