Prakash wants TT to apologise to Dominica

ST AUGUSTINE MP Prakash Ramadhar has called for TT to apologise to Dominica.

In his message for the observance of Baptist Liberation Day, the Hindu festival of Hanuman Jayanti, and Easter, Ramadhar took the opportunity to chastise the government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the recent debacle involving Dominica’s request for its fees to be waived to the Organisation of American States (OAS).

At an OAS meeting in Washington DC, this country’s ambassador to the OAS objected to the request made by Dominica’s First Secretary Judith Anne Rolle’s plea for a two-year waiver of its fees to the OAS, for 2018 and 2019, because of that country’s post-hurricane challenges.

A statement from the ministry on Thursday, said the position presented at the OAS meeting was “not aligned with the actions, policy or orientation of Trinidad and Tobago towards Dominica.”

An investigation has been launched into the briefing arrangements of TT’s representatives at the OAS meeting.

Ramadhar, however, said, “We should not, however be embarrassed by the actions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in its treatment of our neighbor, Dominica at the OAS. When they asked for an exemption for fees, we alone offered a deferral.

“A fee that amounts to possibly less than the roaming charges of a minister’s phone and a ministry’s jaunt in Tobago for a weekend.

“Is this Government’s policy? One can reasonably glean this from the words of our Ambassador. If it is Government policy then we need to immediately rethink it. Our position at the OAS is in violent contradiction to our people’s action when called upon to help, after Dominica’s devastation by Hurricane Maria.

“Our Prime Minister asked the nation to open our homes. Our people opened their hearts and wallets. We saw selfless contributions from Toco to Cedros, Siparia to Charlotteville, Caroni to Chaguaramas, Chaguanas to St. Augustine.”

Ramadhar said he felt proud when citizens acted as one and responded to Dominica’s plight.

“This is who we truly are. A nation in difficult times, yes, but our character is at its core, caring, loving, and charitable. We need to remove the stain of what happened at the OAS.”

He said he awaited the report ordered into the incident and hoped that TT’s ambassador to the OAS Anthony Phillip Spencer is not made a scape goat.