Farley not worried by US-Venezuela tension

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said he is not concerned by the rising tension between US and Venezuela nor the blowing up of boats allegedly carrying illegal drugs in the southern Caribbean.

Augustine broke his silence on the issue on September 16 while speaking to the media at the opening of the Kilgyn/ Store Bay Local Road/Friendship connector road.

On September 2, a US missile strike destroyed a pirogue allegedly heading from Venezuela to Trinidad with illegal drugs. All 11 people aboard were killed. Another boat was blown up on September 15 and three alleged traffickers were killed.

On September 15, US president Donald Trump acknowledged that the strikes on the various boats have had a negative effect on fisherfolk. He said many of them would be worried to go out at sea.

Asked whether he was worried about the escalating conflict, Augustine said, "No, I am not.”

He added, “From all the reports I’ve seen, they’re not in TT waters, they’re certainly not in Tobago’s waters as well which means that our fishers and Tobagonians will continue to ply their trade within TT waters, because I know that Trinbagonians operate above board and we don’t go outside of our borders illegally so... we should be safe in our waters.”

The US has sent a fleet of warships to the southern Caribbean to combat drug cartels, particularly out of Venezuela. The US does not recognise Venezuela president Nicolas Maduro as its legitimate leader and has a US$50 million bounty for his arrest.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has expressed her support for the US' aggressive approach to fighting drug traffickers.

On September 14, Venezuela Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said TT and Guyana would get "an answer" if it allowed the US to use their territories to attack Venezuela. Persad-Bissessar has said the US would get "unflinching" access to TT to defend Guyana should Venezuela attack that country.

Asked whether he had spoken to Persad-Bissessar on the issue, Augustine said, “I tend not to make sixth-schedule items my business, I don’t usually speak to prime ministers about sixth-schedule items. Fifth-schedule items is what I speak to the Prime Minister about.

"I want vessels to guard Tobago and Tobago’s fishers; I want faster response time from Coast Guard; I need a much more efficient Coast Guard which means that their base including operational bases and their sea assets are working and available; I want our defence systems to be working – that I would talk to the prime minister about, but sixth-schedule items, no.”

Augustine dismissed the concerns expressed by Tobago's fisherfolk, saying they should be glad for the extra security in the southern Caribbean.

“Our fisherfolk has been for a long time complaining about outsiders in our waters, they should be the happiest now because it means there is a deterrent to outsiders moving from their waters through international waters and into our waters.”

He added: “The Tobago fisherfolk, they are law-abiding people, they don’t carry drugs, they don’t go in international waters and so Tobago fisherfolk operating within Tobago waters and operating within TT waters remain safe.”

He said he has not spoken recently to the All Tobago Fisherfolk Association, led by Curtis Douglas. He said the last communication from Douglas was a letter on the 2024 oil spill.