MPs clash over ‘rumours of war’

Minister of Foreign Affairs Sean Sobers. - File photo

AMID reports of soldiers being called up to duty circulating earlier, the House of Representatives saw MPs clash as to whether the government had or had not done enough to allay the fears of the general public, amid claims of pupils being sent home early and of panic buying in groceries.

On October 31 the House debated a government motion to extend the state of emergency (SoE) for a second three-month period, a move needing just a simple majority vote by MPs, without any follow-up oversight by the Senate. MPs voted 27 "for" and 12 "against" to pass the motion.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Sean Sobers said he was assured by a White House spokesman earlier saying US President Donald Trump has said the US was not about to militarily attack Venezuela.

However Arouca/Lopinot MP Marvin Gonzales, opposition chief whip and a former minister of national security, said Sobers had patently failed to allay public fears of an outbreak of conflict.

With the US government deeming the Venezuelan administration to be illegal and President Nicolas Maduro a narco-trafficker with a US$50 million bounty on his head, Trump recently mulled extending onto land the US military's recent obliteration of several purported drug-boats off the Venezuelan coast. A heavily-armed US fleet has gathered in the Southern Caribbean including the USS Iwo Jima support group, to be supplemented soon by the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier and its support group.

Sobers dismissed rumours of war and chided the opposition.

"A lot of noise would have been made or attempted to be made in terms of trying to amalgamate or throw into this discussion on the state of emergency about war and rumours of war and all sorts of nonsense." He recalled the message he had sought to convey at the post-Cabinet briefing the evening before. "It does no good to the country – both locally to our citizenry and internationally to those who may be listening – to peddle false rumours and false narratives of war and unrest and bad relations and what-not internationally."

Sobers said he wished to set the record straight. "We put out a release because we thought it was necessary. If we don't, friends opposite will continue to peddle misinformation in the ways in which they know they are doing."

He read out his ministry's statement.

"The Government of Trinidad and Tobago notes the current heightened sense of anxiety and concern in the national community based on false news reports suggesting that there will be an imminent change in the status of the national and regional security environment.

"Earlier this afternoon, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly denied reports that the United States was imminently poised to engage in military action in the region and advised that 'Any announcements regarding Venezuela policy would come directly from the President.'

"Not from the PNM!” he interjected.

"'In addition, the Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs on behalf of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago is in active contact with the Embassy of the United States of America in Port of Spain. Based on the information received, there is no need for the population to be concerned. All citizens are therefore urged to remain calm.'"

He read that the US, as a responsible administration just like TT, through its Southern Command (SouthCom) was in fact focused on assisting in the disaster recovery efforts for Jamaica.

"'The Government of Trinidad and Tobago gives the assurance that it will inform the population of any changes which would warrant a change in the security environment in the country.'"

Arouca/Lopinot MP Marvin Gonzales. - File photo

Sobers said that statement was made after the government secured proper information from its US partners.

"To try now to somehow tether the two – ridiculous statements of war to an application or a resolution being made here today for an extension of an SoE – is shameless, Mr Speaker. Shameful! It is shameful by shameless persons!"

After arguing for the SoE extension, Sobers returned to the topic of regional security to say the focus of both the US and TT government's was to get aid to hurricane-ravaged Jamaica.

He said, "And the fear-mongering and the peddling and the old talk about war and rumours of war will not assist anyone.

"And we denounce that incredulous, ridiculous behaviour that is being proffered by members of the other side, and their inept proxies and media warriors, keyboard warriors and sorcerers and sorceresses, when the day comes."

Gonzales said he thought Sobers' intent had been to redeem himself from an allegedly "disastrous performance" at the post-Cabinet briefing.

Gonzales said TT was in a state of emergency and not in normal times, so the government must demonstrate it was serious about managing the affairs of the people of TT.

"Any by so doing, the spokespersons of the government must observe and must recognise that every word that comes from their mouth is being scrutinised, not only here in TT but in the region and in the world."

Saying governance was not joking matter, he said, "When the Minister of Homeland Security (Roger Alexander) could come in front of no other place but your Parliament and blow into a bag it tells you what we have in this country, because they are unprepared and not serious about governance in TT."

Dubbing the government a bunch of jokers, he shot, "I am not speaking to no blow-bag waste! (an apparent reference to Alexander)."

Gonzales chided Sobers, whom he said he had expected to speak clearly to the people of TT.

"Because as we speak now, there are news outlets in the region and in the world speaking about the state of national security and security issues in this country."

He said if the government did not speak clearly to the citizens, the latter could not be blamed for getting their information from other news outlets.

"The government has a responsibility to speak to the people of TT, who at this point in time are living under constant fear.

"As we entered into this Parliament here this afternoon, pandemonium in Port of Spain.

"Businesses are emptying, people are asking to go home, traffic gridlock all over. Schools – parents are calling for their children.

"This is the state of affairs in TT and if you don't know, it means you are unprepared to govern this country."

Gonzales said Sobers had wasted his time by allegedly not allaying people's fears.

"While they are busy trying to tell the people one thing, and we observe what is taking place in the region and around TT, we know these are not normal times.

"We are not foolish people. We are educated people. We are the children of Eric Williams.

"When you go on a platform and you speak to the people in a way where they know you are taking them for fools, you are undermining your credibility."