’WPCm ź@·—…yޟę(Óķ9ČXXŻ&žę›ż-:äMY¹Dų@P^PxPęōŹL‚±~ł°ÕŽWŒŅ/ĮEŪóˆl0ŗnw‡47Š5‘Ä,ŸńSĻŪ‚ÜĻlĮJ‰Œ“i=߯Ł~ĻF5łD±gU‚ÓcśüÄA·&õ¤ÉńŒĆžY±ZĖłPżad=6ī”;…s*ž³J+×āŽZMž ’D›>LĖą`ū¾™Ī6.݇Ś+Śü˜Nk7ü®]ÜG’l߅–÷‹éÖ*¼”‹Źj8³)īˆ:Ż”ņŠ[īb…²;ĖÖ¹Ž\Ķ(kTHaŒ²ä"‘¹zZ½ŻPxcęqzƒ”³wwߒ…@ż‡ō›n 4ó¹:æWƒ³MŒ•«Ž±¶q£·—0_ŪŲ€ŹXiÆÖ’å »‚ÅōÕHhŹģpōņüŌō9@Zż™°łģ”¼ĄEśŒ‡lŠxtA­L1ż¬sųØm wŽ}šI7…q.ŗÕæōŽųXHŁŽĪ~ęBWœ1 Ł-¾N rQ‡?ßõ wÉ*@œT‚$XkBĪ„QUt =üW8Ęä¾õe=‘f,Q*éT蓌˜wh$ŖųrČRū"y^©[Š—ˆÖä,Ę #ɶUN %Ķ 0(Ówū4’" m$$;N_^ a˜Lexmark X1100 SeriesPX,..,PX0(ÖĆ9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX($””yP¤0ź:i¢Ų+003|x’U‹’ĄĄĄ HonourableWebsitespectreintranetSadiqBakshSalamKnowlson IIC Jos)ViniciusHarborneappriseCouvafavours$­0é Ż ƒ!ŻŻ  ŻŌ_ŌÓ  ÓŌ‡ TłXXŌņ ņStatement€by€theŠ ° ŠPrime€Minister€of€Trinidad€and€Tobago€on€theŠ ź: ŠBritish€Travel€Advisory€on€Trinidad€and€Tobagoó óŌ#†XšÄX Tł7#ŌŠ $t ŠŌ‡¼¦»XXšÄŌņ ņHouse€of€Representativesó óŌ#†XšÄX»¼¦(#ŌŠ ^® Šņ ņFriday€17€January,€2003ó óŠ r Ā ŠÓ  ÓĢĢMr.€Speaker,Š 6 † ŠĢņņņ ņThe€Issueó óóóŠ ^  ŠÓ™Óą  ąOn€the€6ņņthóó€December,€2002,€there€appeared€on€the€Website€of€the€foreign€andŠ śJ  ŠCommonwealth€Office€of€the€United€Kingdom,€a€change€in€the€Travel€Advisory€on€Trinidad€andŠ żM  ŠTobago.Š P  ŠĢą  ąUnder€the€heading€ššSummaryšš,€the€Advisory€stated:Š V ŠĢą0  ąš šMost€visits€to€Trinidad€and€Tobago€are€trouble„free.€€However,€sensible€precautionsŠ  \ Šshould€be€taken.€€Following€recent€developments,€including€the€terrorist€bombing€of€aŠ _ Šnight€club€in€Bali€on€12€October,€UK€nationals€worldwide€should€be€aware€of€the€risk€ofŠ b Šindiscriminate€attacks€on€civilian€targets€in€public€places,€including€tourist€sites.ššŠe(#(# ŠĢą  ąUnder€the€heading€ššTerrorismšš€the€Advisory€indicated:Š k ŠĢą0  ąš šWe€believe€Trinidad€and€Tobago€to€be€one€of€a€number€of€countries€where€there€may€beŠ !q Šan€increased€terrorist€threat.€€British€nationals€should€exercise€vigilance,€particularly€inŠ $t Špublic€places€frequented€by€foreigners€such€as€hotels,€restaurants€and€shopping€malls.Š'w(#(# ŠĢĢņņņ ņSteps€taken€to€prevent€the€issue€of€the€Travel€Advisoryó óóóŠ 0!€ Šą  ąMr.€Speaker,€consistent€with€the€view€that€the€Advisory€was€unwarranted,€on€5ņņthóóŠ 3"ƒ ŠDecember,€2002,€the€Trinidad€and€Tobago€Acting€High€Commissioner€in€London€who€hadŠ 6#† Šbecome€aware€on€4ņņthóó€December€of€the€proposal€to€update€the€Advisory,€on€instructions€from€theŠ 9$‰ ŠMinistry€of€Foreign€Affairs,€wrote€to€the€Foreign€and€Commonwealth€Office€seeking€to€dissuadeŠ <%Œ  Šthe€British€authorities€from€issuing€the€Advisory.€€On€the€17ņņthóó€December€Baroness€Amos,Š ?&!! ŠParliamentary€Under„Secretary€of€State€in€the€Foreign€and€Commonwealth€Office,€who€shortlyŠ B'’"" Šbefore€had€herself€safely€returned€to€London€from€a€visit€to€Trinidad€and€Tobago,€responded€toŠ E(•## Šthe€Acting€High€Commissionerššs€request€to€reconsider€the€change€in€the€travel€advice€forŠ H)˜$$ ŠTrinidad€and€Tobago€in€the€following€terms:Š K*›%% ŠĢą0  ąš šWhilst€we€understand€the€concerns€you€outlined€in€your€letter,€the€lessons€of€Bali€andŠ Q,”'' ŠMombasa€make€it€clear€that€no€one€is€free€from€risk,€and€no€group€of€individuals€orŠ T-¤(( ŠŌ_Ōcountries€is€exempt€from€the€threat€of€terrorism.€€We€therefore€believe€the€current€travelŠ ° Šadvice€for€Trinidad€and€Tobago€is€measured€and€entirely€appropriate.г(#(# ŠĢą0  ąThe€international€community€has€a€joint€responsibility€to€tackle€global€terrorism.€€SuchŠ ¹  Šincidents€have€all€too€clearly€demonstrated€that€we€must€take€each€and€every€threatŠ ¼  Šseriously€and€act€to€advise€and€protect€our€citizens€accordingly.€€To€fail€to€do€so€would€beŠ æ  Ša€dereliction€of€our€duty,€particularly€in€the€light€of€the€press€reports€now€circulating€inŠ Ā  ŠTrinidad€about€the€threat€to€UK€nationals€and€interestsššŠÅ (#(# ŠĢņņņ ņDamaged€caused€by€the€Travel€Advisoryó óóóŠ Ė   Šą  ąThe€Travel€Advisory€that€was€updated€on€6ņņthóó€December,€2002,€remains€in€effect.€€ThisŠ Ī  ŠAdvisory€has€already€caused€real€economic€harm€to€the€tourism€industry€in€Trinidad€and€Tobago,Š Ń!  Šincluding€the€cancellation€of€visits€by€two€cruise€lines,€P&O€and€Princess€Lines,€and€it€has€theŠ Ō$  Špotential€to€do€damage€beyond€the€tourism€industry.€€Quite€unjustifiably,€the€tragic€occurrence€inŠ ×'  ŠBali€has€now€become€a€cautionary€tale€for€some€British€visitors€contemplating€a€visit€to€TrinidadŠ Ś* Šand€Tobago.€€We€have€every€confidence€that€when€the€true€situation€is€accepted,€such€concernŠ Ż- Šwill€be€dispelled.Š ą0 ŠĢą  ąMr.€Speaker,€there€is€no€getting€away€from€the€fact€that€the€spectre€of€terrorism€and€theŠ ę6 Šconstant€threat€of€terrorist€attack€anywhere€and€anytime€have€become€a€feature€of€todayššs€world.€Š é9 ŠIn€these€circumstances,€the€Government€of€Trinidad€and€Tobago,€cognizant€of€our€ownŠ ģ< Švulnerabilities€remain€vigilant€and€condemnatory.€€However,€we€do€not€believe€that€there€isŠ ļ? Šanything€happening€in€Trinidad€and€Tobago€which€warrants€our€being€singled€out€for€specialŠ ņB Šmention€and€treatment.Š õE ŠĢą  ąMr.€Speaker,€I€must€remind€you€that€notwithstanding€any€local€difficulties€that€we€mayŠ ūK Šhave,€there€are€many€British€citizens€happily€living€here€amongst€our€people,€enjoying€the€sameŠ žN Šlevel€of€comfort€and€security€without€undue€complaint.€€While€we€may€appreciate,€and€I€dare€sayŠ  Q Šunderstand,€the€position€advanced€by€Baroness€Amos€and€those€who€do€not€know€ourŠ !T Šcircumstances€or€who€reside€thousands€of€miles€away,€there€is€absolutely€no€excuse€for€theŠ "W Šdamaging,€irresponsible€rhetoric€of€the€Leader€of€the€Opposition€and€his€mouthpieces€who,€fullyŠ  #Z Šconscious€of€the€damage€that€could€result,€continue€to€seek€out€persons€of€influence€and€theŠ  $] Šmedia€in€the€United€Kingdom,€Canada€and€the€United€States€to€deliberately€misrepresent€ourŠ %`  Šsituation€and€besmirch€the€reputation€of€our€country.Š &c!! ŠĢą  ąFor€example,€Mr.€Speaker,€an€article€under€the€by„line€of€Scott€L.€Wheeler€of€INSIGHTŠ (i## Šmagazine€which€was€posted€on€14ņņthóó€January,€2003,€on€the€news€bulletin€site€on€the€World€BankššsŠ )l$$ Šintranet€quotes€extensively€from€an€interview€with€a€certain€Senator€Sadiq€Baksh,€š ša€MuslimŠ *o%% Šwho€says€he€is€concerned€about€the€threat€posed€by€radical€Islam€to€the€safety€of€the€citizens€ofŠ "+r&& ŠTrinidadšš.€€According€to€INSIGHT€magazine,€Senator€Baksh€avers€that€there€is€reason€forŠ %,u'' Šš šprofound€alarm€over€the€escalating€crime€rate€in€our€republic€over€the€past€11€monthsšš.Š (-x(( Їą  ąThe€goodly€Senator€has€conveniently€forgotten€the€preceding€11€months€when€hisŠ ° ŠPolitical€Leader,€then€Prime€Minister€and€Minister€of€National€Security€despairingly€threw€hisŠ ³ Šhands€up€in€the€air€and€publicly€confessed€his€own€impotence€in€the€face€of€rising€crime.€€TheŠ ¶ Šsame€Senator€Baksh,€well€known€to€all€of€us€here€in€Trinidad€and€Tobago,€reports€to€INSIGHTŠ ¹  Šmagazine€that€he€is€concerned€about€the€threat€posed€by€radical€Islam€to€the€safety€of€the€citizensŠ ¼  Šof€Trinidad€and€Tobago,€knowing€fully€well€that€such€alarmist€references€made€in€the€currentŠ æ  Šinternational€climate€could€elicit€nervous,€negative€reaction€acutely€damaging€to€the€interests€ofŠ Ā  Šthe€people€of€Trinidad€and€Tobago.€€This€follows€numerous€references€from€the€Leader€of€theŠ Å  ŠOpposition€that€terrorists€form€part€of€the€business€of€Trinidad€and€Tobago.€€Senator€Baksh€is€soŠ Č  Šconcerned€about€crime€that€he€joins€his€Leader€to€block€the€reform€measures€which€wereŠ Ė   Šdesigned€by€previous€bipartisan€agreement€to€improve€the€effectiveness€of€the€Police€Service€inŠ Ī  Šits€daily€battle€against€the€criminal€elements€in€our€midst.Š Ń!  ŠĢņ ņņņIs€the€Advisory€warranted?óóó óŠ ×'  Šą  ąRecent€press€reports€in€Trinidad€and€Tobago€highlighting€exaggerated€threats€to€theŠ Ś* ŠBritish€High€Commission€and€British€interests€by€a€Princes€Town€Muslim€cleric€have€beenŠ Ż- Špicked€up€by€the€foreign€media€and€have€done€damage€to€Trinidad€and€Tobago.€€Mr.€Speaker,Š ą0 Šfollowing€the€carnage€in€Mombasa,€Dar€es€Salam€and€Bali,€Governments€around€the€world€nowŠ ć3 Šwish€to€be€š šsage€rather€than€sorryšš€in€so€far€as€the€provision€of€information€on€foreign€travel€toŠ ę6 Štheir€citizens€is€concerned.€€Unfortunately,€in€this€instance,€with€a€little€help€from€our€ownŠ é9 Šsubversives,€it€is€the€Government€and€people€of€Trinidad€and€Tobago€who€are€being€called€uponŠ ģ< Što€pay€the€price,€economic€and€otherwise,€for€the€new€doctrine€of€ņ ņš šjust€in€casešš.€€ó ó€We€in€theŠ ļ? ŠGovernment€of€Trinidad€and€Tobago€do€not€believe€that€the€Travel€Advisory€is€warranted.Š öF ŠĢņ ņņņLesson€learnedóóó óŠ üL Šą  ąA€countryššs€reputation€is€a€precious€asset,€Mr.€Speaker,€which€can€be€so€easily€damagedŠ ’O Šor€destroyed.€€We€intend€to€repair€any€damage€that€has€been€done€and€to€ensure€that€the€goodŠ R Šname€of€the€Republic€of€Trinidad€and€Tobago€as€an€attractive€investment€and€tourist€destinationŠ  U Šis€protected€and€preserved.Š !X ŠĢņņņ ņInitiative€to€counteract€effects€of€the€Advisoryó óóóŠ #^ Šą  ąMr.€Speaker,€the€Cabinet€has€therefore€decided€to€despatch€a€team€of€experiencedŠ $a ŠMinisters€to€London,€New€York€City€and€Washington,€DC€in€the€coming€week€in€order€toŠ %d  Šcounteract€the€negative€effects€of€the€British€Travel€Advisory.€€Senator€the€HonourableŠ &g!! ŠKnowlson€Gift,€Minister€of€Foreign€Affairs,€is€being€despatched€to€London.€€There€he€will€holdŠ 'j"" Šdiscussions€with€the€Right€Honourable€Jack€Straw,€British€Secretary€of€State€for€Foreign€andŠ (m## ŠCommonwealth€Affairs€and€with€other€senior€British€government€officials.€€Senator€Dr.€theŠ  )p$$ ŠHonourable€Lenny€Saith,€Minister€of€Public€Administration€and€Information€is€being€sent€toŠ #*s%% ŠWashington,€D.C.€where€he€will€hold€meetings€and€discussions€with€the€World€Bank,€theŠ &+v&& ŠInternational€Monetary€Fund€(IMF),€the€Inter„American€Development€Bank€(IADB)€and€theŠ ),y'' ŠInter„American€Investment€Corporation€(IIC).€€In€New€York,€former€Minister€of€Foreign€AffairsŠ ,-|(( Šand€National€Security,€Ambassador€John€S.€Donaldson€will€hold€discussions€with€United€NationsŠ ° Šofficials€and€Ambassadorial€counterparts€of€selected€countries€with€a€view€to€setting€the€recordŠ ³ Šstraight€in€so€far€as€these€perceived€threats€referred€to€in€the€advisory€are€concerned.Š ¶ ŠĢą  ąThese€representatives€of€the€Government€of€Trinidad€and€Tobago€will€also€meet€withŠ ¼  Šofficials€of€the€host€Governments,€members€of€the€Media,€Business€Leaders€and€nationals€ofŠ æ  ŠTrinidad€and€Tobago€in€order€to€inform€them€of€the€true€situation€in€Trinidad€and€Tobago.Š Ā  ŠĢą  ąIt€is€worth€noting,€Mr.€Speaker,€that€in€the€case€of€one€of€the€international€financialŠ Č  Šinstitutions,€„€the€World€Bank€„€these€advisories€are€taken€so€seriously€that€even€nationals€ofŠ Ė   ŠTrinidad€and€Tobago€employed€with€the€Institution€are€required€to€seek€and€receive€the€supportŠ Ī  Šof€Management€before€they€can€travel€to€their€own€country.€€Indeed,€in€diplomatic€circles€in€PortŠ Ń!  Šof€Spain,€such€developments€have€not€gone€unnoticed.Š Ō$  ŠĢą  ąFor€my€own€part,€earlier€today,€at€his€invitation,€the€Prime€Minister€held€discussions€withŠ Ś* ŠH.E.€Jos€Marcus€Vinicius€de€Sousa,€Ambassador€of€Brazil€and€Dean€of€the€Diplomatic€Corps,Š Ż- ŠH.E.€Peter€Harborne,€High€Commissioner€for€the€United€Kingdom€and€H.E.€Prof.€Roy€Austin,Š ą0 ŠAmbassador€of€the€United€States€of€America€to€apprise€them€of€these€initiatives.Š ć3 ŠĢą  ąMr.€Speaker,€I€regret€to€inform€you€that€this€initiative€is€not€our€first€response€toŠ é9 Šmisrepresentations€of€the€situation€in€Trinidad€and€Tobago.Š ģ< ŠĢą  ąNot€too€long€ago,€during€a€visit€of€the€former€Prime€Minister€and€Member€for€CouvaŠ ņB ŠNorth€to€the€United€Kingdom,€he€met€with€a€number€of€British€Parliamentarians€and€Members€ofŠ õE Šthe€Commonwealth€Parliamentary€Association.€€During€these€meetings€Trinidad€and€Tobago€wasŠ ųH Špainted€in€the€worst€possible€light€with€respect€to€terrorism,€loss€of€democracy€and€the€existenceŠ ūK Šof€a€dictatorship.€€I€found€it€necessary€to€despatch€one€of€our€experienced€Cabinet€Ministers,Š žN ŠSenator€Dr.€the€Honourable€Lenny€Saith,€to€these€same€corridors€of€influence€in€the€UnitedŠ  Q ŠKingdom,€to€assuage€the€fears€of€the€British€and€all€those€whose€minds€had€been€poisoned€by€theŠ !T Šmisrepresentations€from€such€ššauthoritativešš€sources€in€Trinidad€and€Tobago.Š "W ŠĢą  ąMr.€Speaker,€we€make€a€connection€between€these€developments€and€this€unwarrantedŠ  $] ŠAdvisory.€€We€trust€that€our€friends€in€the€United€Kingdom€will€continue€to€support€our€efforts€inŠ %`  Šthe€ongoing€international€battle€against€crime,€including€terrorism,€and€that€our€people€will€makeŠ &c!! Šclear€to€those€who€seek€their€mandate€to€govern,€their€own€convention€that€local€politics€mustŠ 'f"" Šstop€at€the€waterline,€and€that€the€national€interest€must€prevail€at€all€times.€€Our€people€must€beŠ (i## Šunder€no€illusion€that€in€this€troubled€world€we€can€expect€few€favours€and€we€must€thereforeŠ )l$$ Šdemand€of€our€leaders€that€they€refrain€from€acting€in€a€manner€that€reinforces€other€peoplesššŠ *o%% Šnegative€views€of€our€beloved€country.Š "+r&& ŠĢMr.€Speaker,€I€thank€you.