Moses empathises with Trinis in US

However, Moses declined to express any views on what could be any changes to US immigration policy that the incoming Trump administration could make after Trump is sworn in as the 45th US President next January.

Several Caribbean nationals resident in the US, including TT nationals, have expressed concern over what their immigration status would be in the aftermath of the election. Responding to Newsday on this issue at the post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair, Moses said, “Thank you very much for the concern.

I share and empathise with the issues inherent with your question.” He added, “However, our preference would be to treat with the matter in a more circumscribed manner ... meaning those relating to issues of the detainees in Venezuela.” Earlier in the briefing, Moses and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young updated reporters on efforts to bring five TT nationals detained in Venezuela back home.

Commenting on a report which alleged that Eden Charles had been removed as this country’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations in New York, Moses said, “Those are not the facts.” As another reporters asked him to clarify what he meant, Moses only said, “The underlying assumptions...I can’t bring credence to them.” However he explained that the very nature of his ministry and the various overseas missions it is connected to “necessitates staff being rotated among different missions and headquarters.” Regarding the filling of vacant posts at some of these missions, Moses said one such exercise was completed recently and information would be provided about another one to come, in the near future.