Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles is urging citizens to read and understand what a nuclear submarine is to get a better sense of the situation the Caribbean finds itself in with the presence of US naval vessels in the region.
Beckles says she is also concerned about how this country’s “Caricom brothers and sisters” felt when they heard Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar say she did not consult the regional body and instead said, “All you talk for yourself; I talking for T&T.”
Beckles made the comments during a People’s National Movement meeting in Morvant on Tuesday.
Last week, the United States announced it was sending three US Aegis-class guided missile destroyers to the waters close to Venezuela to combat drug cartels. This week, two more ships were added, including a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine.
Beckles noted that while Foreign Affairs Minister Sean Sobers said T&T wasn’t getting involved in the US-Venezuela issue, Persad-Bissessar later gave the US her Government’s full support.
“Aren’t they in the same Cabinet? Aren’t they having Cabinet meetings? Same thing happened with the State of Emergency. Five of them talked, and each gave a different story for the SoE,” Beckles added.
Urging the public to learn about Caricom, Beckles named regional leaders, including the late former prime minister Dr Eric Williams, for creating in 1973 the regional movement now comprising 15 member states and six associate states.
“When we’re united as a Caricom body, nobody can beat us. Caricom is unstoppable. But when people forget their history, they’re doomed to make serious mistakes.”
Beckles recounted the US invasion of Grenada, saying it was a challenging time for the Caribbean, and noted T&T’s position on sovereignty. She cautioned the Government against misleading the public with one story today and another tomorrow.
“I say to the Prime Minister, you’re responsible to talk to the people as National Security Council chairman. When last you see Kamla before the press?! We don’t want a prime minister who’s absent or doesn’t want to appear at a press conference; you have to stop only sending WhatsApp messages and press releases, some generated by ChatGPT. You can’t be the prime minister and hiding.”
Beckles also warned that the State of Emergency would end like the last one called by the Persad-Bissessar-led administration in 2011, when almost 8,000 people were arrested and almost all got compensation from the State for unlawful arrest.
“They going to do the same thing now. Detain a whole set of people, then those thousands will be paid compensation!”
The PNM leader also questioned a report that there was an alleged $2.3 million hit on three ministers and reports of a United National Congress lawyer involved in the alleged death threat against Defence Minister Wayne Sturge.
“So, if you have all this evidence, how come no arrests?!”
Beckles called on Persad-Bissessar to say if Sturge had offered his resignation, as was being claimed.
Meanwhile, Beckles said the PNM will hold its consultations on the Government’s proposed stand-your-ground legislation after Independence Day celebrations next week.
