London hopes fishermen’s release not due to diplomacy

THA Chief Secretary Orville London said he would be very disappointed if the release of the captains of two Barbados fishing vessels allegedly held fishing in Trinidad and Tobago’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) without a licence earlier this week was an act of diplomacy.

London emphasised that once the law was broken it was the responsibility of those in authority to enforce it. “If we wish to change the law, we change the law but as long as the law is this, it should be respected by everybody, nationals as well as non-nationals alike. There is no room for diplomacy in a situation like this,” he said. The Chief Secretary said once the law which governs inter-island relationships and each other’s rights to protect its interest within this law are respected, the dispute between this country and Barbados can be resolved. “I believe that countries within the region understand the need for them to relate to each other in a way that deals within the parameters of the law, regulations and convention while, of course, recognising that the self interest is going to remain. I think it should be a matter of common sense,” London said.