Gonsalves criticises T&T’s support for US military strikes in the Caribbean

Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, has labelled the Trinidad and Tobago government’s support for ongoing US military action in the Caribbean as “misguided”.

Speaking on Tuesday at The University of the West Indies Vice Chancellor’s Forum on Promises, Passports and Possibilities – Free Movement, the CSME and the Caribbean Regionalization Project, Gonsalves expressed concern over the implications of US airstrikes on vessels in the region. He urged the Trinidadian government to reconsider its stance, warning that “one state’s action should not interfere in the business of another state”.

Gonsalves said if the ultimate goal of these US strikes is regime change in Venezuela, the entire Caribbean could be destabilised.

“Many bad actors could seek to take advantage of such actions to move to other countries in the region, and this could become a crisis,” he said.

The US has claimed responsibility for a series of strikes on boats allegedly involved in narcotics trafficking destined for the US. The attacks have reportedly killed 32 people, including two Trinidad and Tobago nationals. Two survivors are expected to be repatriated, according to statements from US President Donald Trump.

Over the weekend, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago released a statement fully endorsing the US military operation, describing it as a targeted effort to combat drug trafficking, human trafficking, and transnational crime. The statement emphasised that the operation is not intended to harm law-abiding citizens, including fisherfolk and seafarers.

DID NOT SIGN GONSALVES STATEMENT

However, Trinidad and Tobago did not sign on to an official CARICOM statement, which reaffirmed the Caribbean’s status as a “zone of peace” and called for disputes to be settled peacefully and in accordance with international law. The CARICOM communiqué also stressed respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all member states.

Prime Minister Gonsalves expressed concern over the apparent division within the region, pointing to the lack of coordination of foreign policy among CARICOM states. He called for resolution through diplomacy and leadership, stating that the region needs more “statesmen and stateswomen” to bridge these divides.

On the topic of regional integration, Gonsalves praised the recent free movement agreement among Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St Vincent and the Grenadines as progress toward the goals of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME). However, he acknowledged that significant obstacles remained, including the fragmentation of currencies across member states.

Other speakers at the UWI forum included Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, vice chancellor of the UWI; Justice Anthony Gafoor, chairman of the Tax Appeal Board of Trinidad and Tobago; Dr Indira Rampersad, head of the Political Science Department at UWI, St Augustine; and Ambassador Anthony Hylton, trade policy expert from Jamaica.

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