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BEST FRIENDS: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio shakes hands with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar at the State Department on September 30, in Washington. AP FILE PHOTO - PRIME MINISTER Kamla Persad-Bissessar says the US is the only country in the world which can defend Trinidad and Tobago against any external threat.
Persad-Bissessar made this statement as she gave arguably her strongest defence to date of the ongoing US military deployment in the Southern Caribbean and installation of a US military radar system in Tobago.
She also warned that criticism of the US and its actions could result in an estimated 350,000 Trinbagonians with US visas, having them revoked.
She made these statements during the UNC's Christmas Supper at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's on December 18. Media was not invited to cover this event.
Persad-Bissessar questioned why some people are criticising the US for its ongoing actions in the region and criticising the TT government for the radar that was installed in Tobago in November.
"I think it's the height of hypocrisy and unkindness that there are people in our country who want to fight the Americans," she declared. Persad-Bissessar reiterated she has no desire to engage the Trump administration in any fight.
She repeated her commitment to strong bilateral relations with the US saying TT has billions of dollars in trade with the US, while, "With Venezuela, we have 0.00 trade." The PM told her audience there are many things people do not understand about TT-US ties.
She disclosed that approximately 350,000 TT nationals have US visas "because people like to go and visit the US. How many of you going to other parts of the world? I wouldn't name where."
Leave Americans alone
She scoffed at those who frequently visit the US and criticise them in the same breath. "You want to go in the people country but you want to bad mouth them!"
Persad-Bissessar had a message for local critics of the US – "Leave the people (Americans) alone."
She warned, "Careful you don't end up like Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica...bad-mouthing the US and guess what happened...all their visas rescinded now." Earlier in the week, the US included those countries in a group of 15 nations for which a partial travel ban will take effect on January 1.
Other nations in this group include Angola, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Tanzania.
"I don't want a single Trini to lose their US visa," Persad-Bissessar said, adding, "If it happens it won't be because of me. We made a partnership with the USA, so let's live with that."
Persad-Bissessar said, "Understand where our help comes from. Understand who could help protect and defend TT." She told her audience, "Right now there is only one country in the world who can do it. They have the money. They have the equipment. They have the assets and (they have) TT first."
Persad-Bissessar singled out Minister in the Ministry of Housing Phillip Edward Alexander, reminding him of his recent comment about India using nuclear missiles to protect TT from any attack from Venezuela.
"India not coming here. They are too far away," Persad-Bissessar said.
She repeated that citizens have to be aware of "who will give us the best...to put TT safely and TT first." And that nation, she said, is the United States.
Persad-Bissessar then singled out Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) president general Ancel Roget – who was in the audience – for questioning the US military presence, saying, "I hope all of you got the memo tonight."
She said people also do not know that approximately 2,500 Trinis live in the US, while in TT, there are 20,000 citizens with dual (US-TT) citizenship. Persad-Bissessar did not hint about these people experiencing any fallout if TT is perceived to be critical of US action and policies.
Persad-Bissessar, who is also chair of the National Security Council (NSC), continued to defend the US military radar in Tobago
"So while you are worrying about the radar. I want you to know that every one of you is on my radar! Everyone is on my radar because I am looking out for you. So you worry about radar and you worry about Venezuela...don't worry."
Persad-Bissessar said no citizen should have any concern about ongoing US-Venezuela tensions in the southern Caribbean and if it would affect TT.
"Concerns about what is happening in our region, let not your hearts be troubled. Do not fear because Kamla is here." Persad-Bissessar also said the UNC has kept its general election promise to make TT safe.
In the last six months, she continued, murders have fallen by 240. "We (UNC) did that."
PM's support
since August
Since the US military deployment began in August, Persad-Bissessar has publicly supported it, defended the Trump administration's position that the deployment is an anti-narcotics exercise, and agreed with US military strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean which several countries have described as extra-judicial killings.
In August, Persad-Bissessar said TT was prepared to allow US troops to operate on its territory if Venezuela made any incursion into Guyana.
The US made a formal request to government under the SOFA (Status of Forces) agreement that was signed with the US in December 2024 – under the then PNM administration. SOFA allows bilateral military co-operation between TT and US.
Venezuela and Guyana have had an ongoing dispute over the Essequibo border region between them for decades.
Persad-Bissessar has publicly differed with other Caricom leaders such as Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley and former St Vincent and the Grenadines PM Ralph Gonsalves about US military deployment in the Caribbean, as well as the Caribbean continuing to be regarded as a zone of peace.
Persad-Bissessar first disclosed the establishment of the radar in Tobago by US Marines after a laptop distribution ceremony at the Penal Secondary School on November 27.
The radar is a G/ATOR system which is a three-dimensional, medium/long-range multi-role radar designed to detect unmanned aerial systems, cruise missiles, air-breathing targets, rockets, artillery, and mortars
On December 11, at a CXC awards ceremony in Port of Spain, Persad-Bissessar credited the radar's reported role in helping police seize $171 million in Colombian "creepy" marijuana in an unmanned boat in the Caroni Swamp.
In a subsequent Facebook post on December 12, she indicated she held talks with US Embassy officials before the ceremony about "our continued co-operation in the fight against crime."
On December 15, the Foreign and Caricom Affairs Ministry said it had given approval for "US military aircraft to transit TT's airports in the coming weeks." That ministry added, "The US has advised that these movements are logistical in nature, facilitating replenishment and routine personnel rotations."
All of these developments come one week after the release of the US National Security 2025 report, published in November by the White House, and signed by US President Donald Trump.
In that document, the US said, "We will enlist established friends in the hemisphere to control migration, stop drug flows, and strengthen stability and security on land and sea.
"We will expand by cultivating and strengthening new partners while bolstering our own nation’s appeal as the hemisphere’s economic and security partner of choice."
On December 15, the Venezuelan government immediately terminated all energy ties with TT, after accusing the UNC government of knowing about the US military's interception of an oil tanker reportedly headed to Cuba from Venezuela on December 10.
Persad-Bissessar and Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal dismissed this action as propaganda. They both said TT is not dependent on Venezuela for its energy security.
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