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Trinidad blames Jamaica
Trade minister says boycott campaign being led by J’cans with other agendas
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Trade Minister Stephen Cadiz has blamed "persons with other agendas" in Jamaica for leading the effort to boycott products from Trinidad and Tobago following recent comments by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar suggesting that Port-of-Spain must benefit from any humanitarian aid to Caribbean islands devastated by Hurricane Tomas.
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The comments, which Persad-Bissessar said had been taken out of context,</span> have generated heated discussion across the region, including several Internet campaigns calling for the boycott of goods from Trinidad and Tobago.
But speaking on a radio programme here yesterday, Cadiz said that the call for the boycott originated in Jamaica, possibly by persons with other agendas.
"Now, Jamaica was not even affected by the storm, which will tell me that's a situation that is ongoing, this is not only about that statement (by the prime minister), it is not only about the issue of aid and storm and what have you, the statements coming out of Jamaica... these are issues that have been there for some time and I think certain persons, for whatever reasons, would have taken advantage of the statements that were made by our prime minister and to use it for their own benefit.
"So to say that they are going to boycott Trinidad goods, I really think that is a wrong reaction to the statement that was made. I don't support it of course," he added.
In her statement, the Trinidad and Tobago prime minister said "we will have to look at ways in which we would be able to assist.
"But you would recall my comments earlier this year, when I said there must be some way in which Trinidad and Tobago would also benefit. So if we are giving assistance with housing, for example, and that is one of the areas that we (the prime minister of St Vincent and myself) spoke about, then we may be able to use Trinidad and Tobago builders and companies, so that whatever money is given rebounds back in some measure to the people of Trinidad and Tobago."
During the radio interview, Cadiz defended the statements made by Persad-Bissessar, saying that her remarks were misinterpreted.
While he did not identify those with the other agendas calling for the boycott, Cadiz said he cannot understand why any Caribbean island would want to stand against what was said by the leader of the five-month-old Government.
"I can't see any territory really and truly getting so vex that they want to boycott Trinidad goods as a result of that," said Cadiz.
"We are still giving aid, the prime minister never said that Trinidad and Tobago is not going to help, you know. All we said is that we can't help in the way in which we have done it in the past by writing a cheque; we just don't have that cash and [are not] able to do that," he added.
Meanwhile, the controversy continues in Jamaica with former junior foreign affairs minister Delano Franklyn indicating that the remarks were unbecoming of a prime minister.
"It is not the first time in her short reign that she has made a comment which has led to other prime ministers across the region and people being upset. (During a Caricom meeting) in Jamaica she said, or gave the impression that Trinidad ought not to be viewed as an ATM machine," Franklyn said on Radio Jamaica's weekly current affairs discussion programme That's a Rap! hosted by journalist Earl Moxam on Sunday.
"I believe that when you occupy the position of prime minister, you have to be able to develop the capacity, very quickly, to move yourself from your domestic environment to a regional environment and become far more diplomatic in terms of how you would say things and how you would wish what you say to be transmitted," said Franklyn.
"I found her remarks very, very unfortunate and unbecoming of a person occupying the seat of prime minister," he added.
Social commentator Judith Wedderburn, who was also a guest on the programme, said she does not accept the explanation given by the Trinidad and Tobago leader.
"Her original statement, to me, was unambiguous... there was no doubt about what she said but it was also careless and uninformed," said Wedderburn.
"Her claim that other countries do it, does not reveal the fact that several modalities of aid do exist, but initially the first aid for humanitarian reasons -- if you look across countries -- it's usually cash and then down the road, for developmental purposes, the other parts kick in about using the goods and services from whichever country, but she needed to have made that clear," Wedderburn said.
Last week, Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who is also the Caribbean Community chairman, refused to comment, saying that he had not heard Persad-Bissessar's utterances himself.
<span style="font-weight: bold">However, he said it was not fair to expect Trinidad to take on every country's burden when it has its own problems to deal with.</span>
<span style="font-style: italic">SR: Is this an expectation?</span>
Trade minister says boycott campaign being led by J’cans with other agendas
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Trade Minister Stephen Cadiz has blamed "persons with other agendas" in Jamaica for leading the effort to boycott products from Trinidad and Tobago following recent comments by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar suggesting that Port-of-Spain must benefit from any humanitarian aid to Caribbean islands devastated by Hurricane Tomas.
<span style="font-weight: bold">
The comments, which Persad-Bissessar said had been taken out of context,</span> have generated heated discussion across the region, including several Internet campaigns calling for the boycott of goods from Trinidad and Tobago.
But speaking on a radio programme here yesterday, Cadiz said that the call for the boycott originated in Jamaica, possibly by persons with other agendas.
"Now, Jamaica was not even affected by the storm, which will tell me that's a situation that is ongoing, this is not only about that statement (by the prime minister), it is not only about the issue of aid and storm and what have you, the statements coming out of Jamaica... these are issues that have been there for some time and I think certain persons, for whatever reasons, would have taken advantage of the statements that were made by our prime minister and to use it for their own benefit.
"So to say that they are going to boycott Trinidad goods, I really think that is a wrong reaction to the statement that was made. I don't support it of course," he added.
In her statement, the Trinidad and Tobago prime minister said "we will have to look at ways in which we would be able to assist.
"But you would recall my comments earlier this year, when I said there must be some way in which Trinidad and Tobago would also benefit. So if we are giving assistance with housing, for example, and that is one of the areas that we (the prime minister of St Vincent and myself) spoke about, then we may be able to use Trinidad and Tobago builders and companies, so that whatever money is given rebounds back in some measure to the people of Trinidad and Tobago."
During the radio interview, Cadiz defended the statements made by Persad-Bissessar, saying that her remarks were misinterpreted.
While he did not identify those with the other agendas calling for the boycott, Cadiz said he cannot understand why any Caribbean island would want to stand against what was said by the leader of the five-month-old Government.
"I can't see any territory really and truly getting so vex that they want to boycott Trinidad goods as a result of that," said Cadiz.
"We are still giving aid, the prime minister never said that Trinidad and Tobago is not going to help, you know. All we said is that we can't help in the way in which we have done it in the past by writing a cheque; we just don't have that cash and [are not] able to do that," he added.
Meanwhile, the controversy continues in Jamaica with former junior foreign affairs minister Delano Franklyn indicating that the remarks were unbecoming of a prime minister.
"It is not the first time in her short reign that she has made a comment which has led to other prime ministers across the region and people being upset. (During a Caricom meeting) in Jamaica she said, or gave the impression that Trinidad ought not to be viewed as an ATM machine," Franklyn said on Radio Jamaica's weekly current affairs discussion programme That's a Rap! hosted by journalist Earl Moxam on Sunday.
"I believe that when you occupy the position of prime minister, you have to be able to develop the capacity, very quickly, to move yourself from your domestic environment to a regional environment and become far more diplomatic in terms of how you would say things and how you would wish what you say to be transmitted," said Franklyn.
"I found her remarks very, very unfortunate and unbecoming of a person occupying the seat of prime minister," he added.
Social commentator Judith Wedderburn, who was also a guest on the programme, said she does not accept the explanation given by the Trinidad and Tobago leader.
"Her original statement, to me, was unambiguous... there was no doubt about what she said but it was also careless and uninformed," said Wedderburn.
"Her claim that other countries do it, does not reveal the fact that several modalities of aid do exist, but initially the first aid for humanitarian reasons -- if you look across countries -- it's usually cash and then down the road, for developmental purposes, the other parts kick in about using the goods and services from whichever country, but she needed to have made that clear," Wedderburn said.
Last week, Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who is also the Caribbean Community chairman, refused to comment, saying that he had not heard Persad-Bissessar's utterances himself.
<span style="font-weight: bold">However, he said it was not fair to expect Trinidad to take on every country's burden when it has its own problems to deal with.</span>
<span style="font-style: italic">SR: Is this an expectation?</span>
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