分类： politics

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad and Tobago has declared that unregistered vessels operating in Caribbean waters will be treated as pirate ships, granting them no legal protections. This statement comes amid growing controversy over US military strikes targeting suspected drug trafficking boats in regional waters.

Speaking to journalists outside the Red House in Port of Spain on December 9, Persad-Bissessar addressed reports of a September 2 incident where US forces allegedly struck a boat twice—a tactic known as ‘double tapping’ in military terminology—resulting in eleven fatalities. While expressing no sympathy for drug traffickers, the Prime Minister emphasized that the United States operates as a sovereign nation whose actions fall outside Trinidad and Tobago’s jurisdiction to judge.

‘US is a sovereign nation and they are free to exercise their sovereignty in manners they see fit,’ Persad-Bissessar stated. ‘I cannot be judge or jury here to determine whether they are right or wrong.’

The Prime Minister revealed that her government receives no advance notification of US military actions and does not intend to request additional information, characterizing these operations as US security matters. She articulated a firm stance on unregistered vessels: ‘Within the law, they are treated like pirates and therefore will not have the protection of others carrying a flag and identifying who they are.’

However, maritime lawyer Nyree Alfonso offered a more nuanced perspective, noting that while unregistered vessels might be ‘up to no good,’ they aren’t necessarily pirates in the legal sense. She explained that vessel registration functions as a maritime passport, and without it, boats become ‘almost like a ghost’ without national protection.

Alfonso acknowledged that while many might disagree with the US methodology, the results of disrupting drug trafficking networks would likely be welcomed by law-abiding citizens. She emphasized the interconnected nature of maritime crimes, noting that drug trafficking often correlates with gun running and human trafficking operations.

The ongoing US interdiction operations have resulted in at least 87 fatalities across nearly two dozen strikes since September, highlighting the intensifying efforts to combat drug cartels operating in Caribbean and South American waters.

In a landmark ruling that has significant implications for parliamentary conduct standards, House Speaker Jagdeo Singh has dismissed multiple privilege complaints against Trinidad and Tobago’s political leadership, declaring one key motion against Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar ‘stillborn.’

The Speaker’s comprehensive decision, delivered during the December 9 parliamentary session, addressed three separate privilege motions filed by opposition members following heated exchanges in the November 21 sitting.

Central to the ruling was the complaint brought by Diego Martin North/East MP Colm Imbert against Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar. The controversy stemmed from an exchange where the PM told Imbert to ‘stop pointing at me,’ to which he responded ‘Why not?’ before Persad-Bissessar retorted, ‘Because I will cuff you down.’

Speaker Singh invoked UK parliamentary precedent, emphasizing that privilege powers should only be exercised to protect members from ‘substantial interference’ with their official duties. He determined that the exchange constituted ‘light-hearted banter’ rather than a genuine threat, noting that laughter followed the interaction and no point of order was raised at the time.

‘The personal view of the member was irrelevant,’ Singh stated, adding that ‘mere words in themselves do not, ipso facto, constitute a breach of privilege.’

The Speaker also dismissed a complaint by Arouca/Lopinot MP Marvin Gonzales based on alleged unparliamentary language from background audio in social media footage. Singh criticized the evidentiary standards, noting the absence of official Hansard records and the failure to raise objections during the actual proceedings.

A third complaint by Couva South MP Barry Padarath alleging harassment was deemed ‘devoid of merit altogether’ for failing to meet procedural requirements.

Singh expressed concern about the potential floodgates of ‘frivolous complaints’ if evidentiary standards were lowered, warning against allowing external parties to ‘scour every single second of parliamentary time for hot mic conversations.’

The Speaker concluded with a call for heightened decorum, urging members to ‘exemplify productive and respectful debate’ and reminding them to turn off microphones during private conversations to avoid future controversies.

In a significant development within Trinidad and Tobago’s public utility sector, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has officially confirmed the appointment of Dain Maharaj as the interim Chief Executive Officer of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA). The announcement came during the December 9 parliamentary session in response to pointed inquiries from Arouca/Lopinot opposition MP Marvin Gonzales.

During the House of Representatives proceedings, the Prime Minister provided definitive clarification regarding the leadership transition at the state-owned water authority. “The individual designated to serve as acting CEO of WASA is Mr. Dain Maharaj, who remains a current employee of the organization,” Persad-Bissessar stated authoritatively.

The parliamentary exchange grew notably contentious when Gonzales questioned the circumstances surrounding the departure of former CEO Jeevan Joseph, who had held the position for approximately five months. The Prime Minister firmly rejected the premise of the questioning, asserting that no administrative leave had been imposed regarding the previous acting CEO.

“The previous interim CEO tendered a resignation based entirely on personal considerations,” Persad-Bissessar clarified. “Therefore, the foundational assumption of your inquiry is fundamentally inaccurate.” This response highlighted the government’s position that the leadership transition occurred through voluntary resignation rather than administrative action.

The appointment comes at a critical juncture for WASA, which faces ongoing challenges in water distribution and infrastructure management across Trinidad and Tobago. Maharaj’s internal promotion suggests continuity within the organization’s operational framework during this transitional period.

Opposition Senator Vishnu Dhanpaul, a former finance minister and permanent secretary in the finance ministry, has raised significant concerns regarding the government’s proposal to substantially increase Trinidad and Tobago’s external borrowing capacity. During Senate deliberations on the Finance Bill 2025 on December 9, Dhanpaul questioned the administration’s decision to elevate the statutory borrowing limit from $30.5 billion to $45 billion.

Dhanpaul emphasized that this borrowing threshold has remained unchanged through multiple administrations from both major political parties (PNM and UNC), serving as a crucial parliamentary safeguard. The established limit historically compelled governments to seek legislative approval and undergo opposition scrutiny for any borrowing exceeding the $30.5 billion cap.

The senator expressed apprehension that this substantial increase might be intended to finance the government’s recently launched Revitalisation Blueprint infrastructure initiative without adequate parliamentary oversight. He warned that unchecked borrowing could potentially lead Trinidad and Tobago toward requiring International Monetary Fund (IMF) intervention, reminiscent of the country’s economic challenges during the 1980s.

Dhanpaul clarified that while many nations carry larger public debts than Trinidad and Tobago, the critical factors are “the trajectory of the debt and the ability of a country to repay.” He noted that international credit rating agencies like Moody’s and Standard & Poors closely monitor these indicators when assessing national creditworthiness, suggesting the government’s approach “is making an excellent case to have this country downgraded.”

Additionally, Dhanpaul objected to provisions in the legislation that would transfer responsibility for official financial statistics from the Central Statistical Office (CSO) to the Central Bank. While expressly noting he imputed no improper motives to current Central Bank Governor Larry Howai, whom he described as “a gentleman,” Dhanpaul worried this change could potentially enable future politically-appointed governors to manipulate financial statistics. He advocated instead for establishing an independent national statistical institute as previously envisioned.

The senator further echoed opposition concerns regarding the appointment of non-public servants to the Board of Inland Revenue, granting them access to citizens’ confidential tax information without adequate safeguards.