GIFT FLIES SOUTH —TT whips up support for FTAA site

As Government intensifies its campaign to have Trinidad and Tobago as the site of the FTAA, Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift leads a delegation to Bolivia in an effort to whip up support among Latin American countries. Gift, said Government was targetting Bolivia, Brazil and Peru as well as Argentina, Colombia and other countries.

Trinidad and Tobago already has the support from 17 countries, mainly the Caricom region. But Gift said that Government not only wanted the support of small territories, but also wanted the larger countries to back its bid. He stated that Guyana and Jamaica have also agreed to host delegations to support this country’s bid and that Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves  had also offered to lead another delegation. Gift said he would go to Bolivia next week while a Latin American summit, usually attended by presidents and prime ministers, is taking place. The annual meeting is attended by the 21 member countries.  Gift said that while there were no English or Caricom members at this summit, it was an ideal opportunity to showcase the positives of Trinidad and Tobago as a preferred location for the headquarters.

On reports that the UN Security Council had named Trinidad and Tobago among the list of countries which failed to meet an October 31 deadline in which to submit reports on measures to deal with terrorism, Gift stated that Trinidad and Tobago had ratified 13 of the 14 international agreements. He said the one that was outstanding required legislation in the Parliament for which a special majority was needed. He also noted that the Parliament was hung for a period of one year.