Moses: TT will pay UN dues

FOREIGN and Caricom Affairs Minister Dennis Moses insisted that TT will pay all of its outstanding dues to the United Nations (UN).

He made this statement in response to questions from Naparima MP Rodney Charles during yesterday's Standing Finance Committee meeting in the House of Representatives.

In posing his questions to Moses, Charles observed, "It was published recently that we are one of 64 nations that are recorded as bad-pay (countries) to the UN."

On October 8, Newsday reported that TT is one of 64 countries which have not paid their mandatory annual contribution to the UN’s regular budget and working capital fund for this year. Charles urged Moses to pay attention to the allocation of $5.7 million to the ministry in the UN regular budget and working capital fund for fiscal 2020. He claimed this could affect TT's efforts to secure a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

After he praised TT's UN permanent representative Pennelope Beckles Robinson as an excellent ambassador, Charles said, "I know how it is embarrassing that you are attending meetings and you are reminded you have not paid your dues."

Charles was TT's UN permanent representative under the PP government.

Moses replied that sums of $1.3 million and $5 million had been paid to the UN's Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and UN peacekeeping operations respectively.

While admitting there were outstanding payments to the UN, Moses said, "Currently we are making our best efforts to meet the other payments."

At one point, he seemed upset by Charles' statements. He claimed there seemed to be an attempt to "lay a platform for personal aggrandisement or to go in a slant which I deem not appropriate."

Government MPs thumped their desks when Moses declared, "There is an excellent and substantive Foreign and Caricom Affairs minister in the House. Gallerying will not get us anywhere." Charles said he only wanted Moses and Finance Minister Colm Imbert to ensure these dues were paid expeditiously.

Moses said TT will soon be opening new missions in Guyana and Qatar.

He added that payments have been made to settle expenses related to TT's missions in India and China. He also identified Romania as a country with which TT was looking to establish diplomatic ties.

As TT seeks to strengthen ties with existing international partners, establish ties with new partners and extend its reach in various foreign jurisdictions, Moses boasted that the efforts of the Prime Minister have placed TT in a prominent place in the international arena of which all citizens can be proud.