TT, Venezuela meet virtually on border security

NATIONAL SECURITY Minister Stuart Young and Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne met virtually with their Venezuelan counterparts, Minister of Defence Admiral Carmen Meléndez and Minister of Foreign Affairs Jorge Alberto Arreaza Montserrat, on Friday, to discuss a number of issues including border security.

In a media release, the National Security Ministry said the ministers along with Venezuelan Ambassador Carlos Amador Perez Silva, acting permanent secretary in the ministry Gary Joseph, Chief of Defence Staff Commodore Darryl Daniel, Coast Guard Commanding Officer Captain Don Polo, Chief Immigration Officer Charmaine Gandhi-Andrews and deputy director, international affairs unit, in the ministry retired Major Richard Lynch, met online for the talks.

The release said Young noted that border security was a critical element in Government’s efforts to mitigate the spread of covid19 in TT and he reaffirmed his commitment to working with local and international stakeholders.

“The meeting focused on strengthening the bilateral mechanisms for maritime security cooperation between both countries. Both delegations expressed their commitment to continued collaboration on security matters of mutual interest and promoting the maintenance of law and order.”

The group also came up with a framework for a joint effort to combat human and narcotics trafficking, migrant smuggling and other forms of transnational organised crime.

Recently, the minister was criticised for the deportation of 160 Venezuelan migrants while they sought asylum after entering the country illegally. Young said last week that securing the country’s borders was a top priority in the face of the pandemic and human traffickers were using women and children to continue their nefarious activities.