‘TT’s World Cup Cricket package, a bribe for FTAA’

GOVERNMENT’S decision not to bid for a package in the Cricket World Cup 2007 was really a bribe to other West Indian countries to get their support in making this country the FTAA headquarters. NAR political leader Lennox Sankersingh made this claim while speaking to reporters yesterday at the party’s Victoria Square headquarters. He was at the time criticising Govern-ment’s acceptance of the “Brown Package.” He said the Prime Minister’s statement that Government did not bid because they were giving other countries an opportunity, because they needed it more than us, was “laudable if it was his motive.”

Sankersingh said such a move was only meant to get countries to support TT in our bid to become the headquarters of the FTAA. He also wondered if such objectives would apply to other initiatives relating to the economy, labelling it a “foreign policy statement” although there was no statement from the Foreign Affairs Minister. He said it was also “highly unprincipled” the way Government was lobbying to be the FTAA headquarters, expressing scepticism that our lobbying efforts would pay off, especially since we are up against the USA. He also questioned the possibility of the FTAA becoming a reality.