ArthurBRIDGETOWN, Barbados (AP):
BARBADOS' PRIME Minister, Owen Arthur, blasted neighbour Trinidad and Tobago for arresting Barbadian fishermen in its waters despite the Caribbean's move toward economic integration, and threatened cut back on Trinidadian imports.
Prime Minister Owen Arthur accused Trinidad of allowing fishermen from outside the Caribbean to fish in its waters, but fining Barbadians who do the same.
In the past two weeks, three Barbadian boats were detained and their captains fined. Fines have ranged from Barbadian $3,000 to $ 6,000 ($1,500 to $3,000), with jail terms for those who cannot pay. Fishermen threatened to protest this week at Barbados' Parliament to air their complaints.
"The fishermen of Barbados are members of the Caribbean single market and economy in much the same way and for the same reason as the industrialists of Trinidad and Tobago," Arthur said in a speech Saturday.
Arthur also complained that Trinidad is protesting a U.S. oil company's plan to conduct exploratory drilling under a deal with Barbados by saying the project is in Trinidadian, not Barbadian, waters. Houston-based Conoco Inc. is to invest $50 million in the project in a deal announced in November.
Trinidad and Barbados are members of the 14-member Caribbean Community, which has been working to create the single market.
Trinidad and Tobago's ambassador to CARICOM, Kamalludin Mohammed, said the countries have not yet finished negotiating maritime boundaries and other related areas, which should be concluded in six months. He said he could not directly address Arthur's comments.
The Trinidadian Government has been in limbo since its December 10 parliamentary elections ended in a tie, leaving it with no prime minister and unable to convene Parliament. The president, whose role is mostly ceremonial, is to choose the winner later this week.
Arthur said he would complain to CARICOM and also would consider cutting back on imports from Trinidad, reassessing airspace agreements with Trinidad-based airline BWIA and deporting Trinidadians living in Barbados illegally.
Trinidad exported Barbadian $300 million ($150 million) in goods to Barbados last year, compared to Barbados' Barbadian $16 million ($8 million) to Trinidad.
