Former trade minister Mariano Browne yesterday recalled the protocol for visiting foreign dignitaries and said unless the usual custom was changed, there was no reason not to have at least a biography sheet on each visitor.
“Whenever a visitor came to see the minister or the PM, the relevant desk officer would be required to prepare a detailed briefing note, including a bio of the individual coming to the meeting, the issues to be covered, matters of concern to this country and suggestions on the strategy to be followed by the minister or PM,” Browne said.
“If the visitor was coming on a private plane or non-commercial means of transport, clearance for entering Trinidad airspace and for landing had to be given by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security.”
Browne said the Chief Immigration Officer, head of Customs and director of Port Health would be informed and copies of the correspondence would be sent to their subordinates at the Piarco International Airport.
“Unless the practice has changed, there is no reason why ministers meeting visitors coming on an official visit should not have information about them,” he said.
According to Browne, that protocol dictates that the visitors are met at the plane or in the arrival hall and have the documents stamped.
“The dignitaries would be seated in the diplomatic lounge. And the arrival manifest, showing the arrival names and passports would be faxed to Ministry of National Security (Stuart Young), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Dennis Moses) and the Prime Minister’s office to keep everyone in the loop,” he said.
Browne said the only other alternative was to “pre-clear” the group.
“Meet at the plane with docs and have special transportation arrangements from tarmac to city and back,” he said, adding that would mean involvement of airport security and the TTPS Special Branch.
“Meaning all parties would need to know passenger details et al. Everyone would need to be in the loop. Documents would still need to be with all parties. It is possible that the PM and the ministers would not know the details but that would be because they didn’t want to know.”
Browne also questioned the logistics of the actual meeting.
“If only two people met the PM, where were the others in the Venezuelan delegation? In a room by themselves? At the Diplomatic Centre? Wouldn’t that be in poor taste? And they spoke to no one and met no one? Then why were they in the delegation?” he asked.
Browne said Young was an attorney and should understand how evidence worked.
“So the Prime Minister, Minister of National Security, Minister of Foreign Affairs met with Delcy and (PDVSA president Asdurbal) Chavez lone? They all spoke English? Translators? MOFA was the translator?”
He said if there was no translator, then only Rowley, Young and Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses would know what was discussed, especially as there were no technical advisors in the room.
Browne also questioned whether such high level and private talks was really about COVID-19.
“Very private conversations of this nature at such a high level on matters of state with no documentation and follow up? Clearly, the conversations were very private and very delicate. And unlikely to have dealt with COVID-19. Where was the rest of the delegation? And with whom?,” he asked.
Browne also referenced the timeline of events presented in yesterday’s Trinidad Guardian.
“The timing of the events as set out in the timeline is instructive. Especially March 26/7 the visit and next day (Paria) sale agreement, the proximity/secrecy, none of your business attitude, does not inspire confidence,” he said.
Guardian Media messaged and called Moses for information on the protocol but there was no response.
Guardian Media also emailed both Permanent Secretaries at the Ministry of National Security, Vel Lewis and Gary Joseph. Neither men acknowledged the email nor did they respond to questions.