West: US/TT tax info sharing not affected by Delcy visit

THE TAX information sharing between the US and TT has not been affected by the visit to this country by Venezuelan vice president Delcy Rodriguez, said Minister in the Ministry of Finance Allyson West.

She was responding to a question in the Senate Monday from Opposition Senator Wade Mark who asked whether the formal relationship with the US Department of the Treasury pursuant to the Tax Information Exchange Agreements (United States of America) Act 2017 has been adversely affected by the Government engagement with Rodriguez.

West replied that the agreement was in effect and fully functional.

"(It is) not impeded in any way by any issue."

Government has reported that Rodriguez and a contingent visited in March to discuss covid19-related issues but the Opposition has questioned whether the visit was associated with an alleged fuel sale to Venezuela from Paria. On May 19 US Ambassador Joseph N Mondello in a statement said he expressed concern about the issue of Rodriguez’s visit to TT in light of the Rio Treaty in a conversation with Minister of National Security Stuart Young.