US ambassador: We will continue to help Trinidad and Tobago combat crime

THE US is continuing to assist TT in the fight against crime, and its latest demonstration of that commitment is the US$653,000 donation of 45 military radios by visiting Major General Julian Cheater of the US Southern Command to the TT Defence Force on July 19.

Speaking at the celebrations of the 248th anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America on July 19 at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain, US Ambassador to TT Candace Bond mentioned some of the ways the US was “working alongside TT to build a safer and more secure future for the region.”

She also condemned the attempted assassination of former US President Donald Trump at a political rally in Pennsylvania on July 13. Trump, the Republican Party's nominee in the 2024 presidential election, was shot in the ear.

Bond quoted US President Joe Biden who said, “Politics should be an arena for peaceful debate, to pursue justice, to make decisions guided by our declaration of independence and our constitution. We stand for an America not of extremism and fury but of decency and grace.”

She added, “And this sentiment reflects tonight's theme, The Soul of America, because throughout our history, while we’ve experienced moments of tumult and division, our capacity to rise to the moment and come together as a nation is unmatched because of one shared truth.

“Throughout our great nation, there is a sense of relentless optimism that forms our core and guides us through this grand and messy experiment in democracy. It is that common aspiration to not let the things that divide us overwhelm those that bind us together. And that is the soul of America.”

Bond said the two countries shared democratic values and belief in individual freedoms and with over 250,000 TT citizens living in the US, they also shared a common history, and deep cultural and familial ties.

The relationship between the US and TT entered a new era about a year ago when Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his retinue visited Port of Spain to attend Caricom’s 50th anniversary. And again when the Prime Minister visited Washington in January to talk with leaders in government, including US Vice President Kamala Harris on topics such as finance, trade, and security and defence.

She recalled in May, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and National Security Ministry agreed to establish a vetted unit to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute transnational criminal organisations in TT.

They worked together to execute TT’s largest seizure of drugs during an on-land operation, secured the indictment and arrested a major narcotics trafficker. They also worked on community-oriented policing to reduce gang violence, uncovered cases of visa fraud, provided training to TT law enforcement officials, and provided support to TT’s K-9 unit.

“Because of the PM’s (Dr Keith Rowley’s) advocacy and push for a safer TT and safer Caribbean region, the Biden-Harris administration not only listened, but enacted a new policy to severely restrict firearm and munitions exports from the US to TT and 35 other countries in the Caribbean and abroad.”

In addition, president and chair of the Export-Import Bank of the US Reta Jo Lewis signed a US$500 million memorandum of understanding to support financing for border protection, cybersecurity, renewable energy and other initiatives.

The US also supported the Judiciary in modernising the judicial system for swifter delivery of justice as well as numerous other economic, security, environmental, digital, energy, education and humanitarian projects.

“What makes us special, what makes us unique is the realisation that the soul of our nations, our engine rooms, are powered by our people, for our people. Not by a monarch, not by some dictator or autocrat, but by our people, strong and free.

“How very blessed and fortunate we are. But as citizens of democracy, we must recognise that we have duties not only to ourselves but to our nations and the world. We must participate in order for our grand experiments to thrive, remembering that a threat to democracy anywhere is a threat to democracy everywhere.”

She also acknowledged the guest of honour, calypsonian Robert “Lord Nelson” Nelson, who served in the US Army during the Korean War 50 years ago and thanked him for his service.

In his address, Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs Dr Amery Browne too mentioned several of the countries’ collaborations and expressed concern over the attempted Trump assassination on behalf of the TT government.

“It is sad that such an act could have been so boldly committed at this time, to disrupt the democratic choice available to US voters. I extend our heartfelt wishes for full recovery of the injured and for a peaceful continuance of the 2024 Presidential elections, free from further incident. No lone-wolf, or interest group or even foreign power has the right to impose their choice of who they want to lead or not lead a sovereign country, and this applies to the US and every other country.”

He said the history of friendship and co-operation between the two nations officially spanned over 62 years, since TT gained Independence in 1962, but the bonds went back hundreds of years.

“The US has been a dependable partner in our development journey. From providing assistance in times of natural disasters to supporting our efforts, especially on the security front and in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, the American people have shown unwavering solidarity with TT. This support has been crucial in helping us to pursue our national goals and improve the lives of our citizens.”

Browne said one significant project was the signing of two Program Implementation Letters with the Judicial Office of Research and Technical Training by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement and the TT Police Service for the implementation of Case Activity Data Systems in June.

He said as part of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement’s Caribbean Anti-Crime Program, the National Center for State Courts, based in Virginia, will implement the two projects which will run through January 2026.

The Judicial Office of Research and Technical Training project will enhance the case statistical reporting system, and improve strategy and decision-making and performance monitoring. The Police Service project will support the development and implementation of a case tracking, analysis and data collection system.

There were also a joint training sessions conducted by a DEA international training team and the US Embassy’s DEA PoS Country Office at the TT Prisons Training Compound. There, 30 members of TT’s law enforcement agencies were trained in intelligence collection and analysis.

He said the officers were from the Transnational Organised Crime and Intelligence Unit and the Special Investigations Unit of the Police Service, TT Customs and Excise, Coast Guard and Prison Service. They learned best practices in global drug trafficking trends, intelligence, telecommunications, document exploitation, basic first aid, interview techniques and critical thinking.

Among those in attendance were Rowley, Chief Justice Ivor Archie, Senate president Nigel de Freitas, British High Commissioner to TT Harriet Cross, and a number of Cabinet ministers and other members of the diplomatic corps.