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THE EDITOR: The arrival of US naval vessels off Venezuela is justifiably of concern to Caribbean leaders and the population at large. In the ensuing firestorm, the voice of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as a forward-looking, brave and progressive leader should be an example for other Caribbean leaders to follow rather than condemn.
Let me establish a few facts that could help create the right atmosphere for constructive debate on the US military presence in the region:
1. The US announced the entry of its naval vessels as a counter drug-smuggling measure. This is not a new initiative by the Donald Trump administration. Any other intent by the US is based on speculation at this time. Nevertheless, taking into account the magnitude of the drug and other illicit activities engulfing the Caribbean, Persad-Bissessar should be congratulated for taking the correct stand.
2. Jamaica entered the Shiprider Agreement in 1997 which came into force by the passage of the Drug Trafficking Act in 1998, with amendments in 2004 and 2016. Jamaica and the US finalised improved protocols pertaining to the Shiprider Agreement, allowing both countries to co-operate in curtailing illicit drug trafficking through Jamaican territorial waters from South America to the US.
Although the Shiprider Agreement has somewhat floundered over drug interdiction policy, 11 Caricom countries signed on to it with the US. Some countries initially rejected the provision that US vessels could enter their territorial waters in pursuit of smugglers including drug dealers, because it would infringe their respective sovereignty. Former PM Basdeo Panday, who supported Shiprider collaboration with the US, said at the time that in looking after the interests of TT he could not take sovereignty to the bank.
3. The US government and the TT government entered into an agreement concerning maritime counter drug operations on March 4, 1996. The last PNM government strengthened the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the US during the Joe Biden administration in 2024 that facilitates military to military engagement for security co-operation.
The agreement governs the temporary presence of US military and defence personnel in TT for activities they both agree to and is part of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. Persad-Bissessar’s statement that she will allow US forces to be stationed in this country should Venezuela attack Guyana is perfectly in keeping with the SOFA agreement.
4. All accusations against Persad-Bissessar that she is working against Caricom unity on this issue by taking an individual stand highlights for yet another time the historical lack of consensus and unity among Caricom countries on many issues including security. The Caricom Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), for example, has been hampered by the fact that several countries do not make the required financial contributions to this organisation that is responsible for Caricom security.
Caricom has not been able and is still not capable of protecting its members from the devastating drug problem engulfing our islands. Waiting on Caricom leaders to get their act together on regional security matters would be a big mistake, given that our islands are now overrun by drug cartels.
5. No amount of emotive pronouncements without solid commitments towards Caricom unity would help us deal with the desperate situation we face and which is now being addressed by the US and Persad-Bissessar. She was absolutely correct when she stated that whether Caricom liked it or not, the US is the only power with the capacity to disrupt the cartel at scale.
Former PM Keith Rowley and the current PNM MPs, who were obviously asleep over the past ten years as far as dealing with illicit drug and other related security matters are concerned, will do well to take the Prime Minister's advice: that to partner with the Americans is not to undermine the Caricom region but to defend it.
Congratulations to Persad-Bissessar for her brave stand, determination and enlightened leadership.
CHANDRADATH SINGH
via e-mail
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