KINGSTON–Former president of the Jamaica Manufacturers Association (JMA) Omar Azan has urged the Portia Simpson Miller led administration to hold T&T to commitments made to the region as outlined in the Treaty of Chaguaramas.According to Azan, T&T's National Security Minister Gary Griffith has sent a disjointed message about the stance being taken by the twin island republic as it relates to immigration procedures.
Griffith's declaration came despite a promise by his parliamentary colleague, foreign affairs minister Winston Dookeran, of free travel between Jamaica and T&T when he met with his Jamaican counterpart for bilateral talks on immigration issues.
"I find it quite strange and it is obvious that the Trinidadian government doesn't seem to know what the left hand is doing from the right hand. What I find is that it's a little upsetting in what has been said. Trinidad has signed onto the treaty just like the other Caricom countries and they must adhere to the laws of the Caricom treaty of Chaguaramas."
Azan said he found the statement from Griffith to be strange since a team was dispatched from Trinidad's Ministry of National Security for the bi-lateral talks. He said the utterances from the National Security Minister show an obvious political immaturity and he should be reined-in by prime minister Kamla Persad–Bissesar.He indicated that if the impasse continues, Jamaica could be forced to "hit the Trinidadians where it hurts".
"The Jamaican people are not fools and the Jamaican people realise what's happening ...the Jamaican people are the most powerful set of people in the Caribbean. The Jamaican people understand what is going on and I'm sure that they will act and do what is necessary to prove how important we are to the Caricom market," Azan said.
Last week, Dookeran embarked on a diplomatic mission to Jamaica at the orders of Persad-Bissessar, after local sentiments ran high and Jamaicans threatened to boycott Trinidadian products after 13 Jamaicans were denied entry into the twin island republic last month.
CMC