Challenging road ahead warns Trinidad’s PM
By Nelson A. King
As the United Nations
approaches the 75th anniversary
since its establishment, Trinidad
and Tobago Prime Minister,
Dr. Keith Rowley warns about
the challenging road ahead,
“unless we collectively do what
is necessary to alter the current
trajectory of global events.”
“We continue to note with
alarm, the number of persons
living in poverty, the innumerable
threats posed by the effects
of unmitigated climate change
and the continued exclusion
of the most vulnerable in our
societies with respect to access
to education, social protection
and healthcare,” said Rowley
in his maiden address to the
United Nations General Assembly
on Friday.
“Migration, violent extremism,
the scourge of terrorism,
the threat of violent conflict
and the spread of communicable
diseases, such as the recent
resurgence of the Ebola virus
and measles are pressing challenges
that transcend the borders
of individual countries,”
he added. “We have witnessed
extreme flooding, droughts,
coral bleaching, rising sea levels,
heat waves and devastating
hurricanes with increasing
strength and frequency in
many parts of the world.”
In this regard, the Trinidad
and Tobago prime minister said
it was with “profound sadness
that we witnessed, just a few
weeks ago, the horrific destruction
of our CARICOM (Caribbean
Community) neighbor, by
Hurricane Dorian, which sat on
the small islands of the Bahamas
for almost 30 hours.”
He, therefore, joined other
speakers during the debate of
the 74th Session of the General
Assembly, in offering Trinidad
and Tobago’s deepest condolences
to the Government
and People of the Bahamas on
the loss of life and extensive
destruction of properties and
livelihoods as a result of this
unprecedented weather event.
“Trinidad and Tobago stands
in solidarity and strong support
of our brothers and sisters in
the Bahamas,” he said.
As a family of nations, Rowley
said the challenges facing
the global community require
emphasis on multilateral
approaches, rather than unilateral
ones.
Caribbean L 56 ife, Oct. 11-17, 2019 BQ
“We should be strengthening
our partnerships through
mutual respect and cooperation,”
he said, stating that this
approach “would allow us to
regain some ground in reversing
the current patterns of
growing inequality and insecurity,
and transform current
circumstances to the benefit all
of humanity.”
It is against this backdrop,
Rowley welcomed the opportunity
to share the perspectives
of Trinidad and Tobago on the
appropriately selected theme
of the General Debate, “Galvanizing
multilateral efforts
for poverty eradication, quality
education, climate action and
inclusion.”
Stating that since 1956,
nationals of Trinidad and Tobago
have been central to the
republic’s develop¬ment and
its people remain its greatest
assets, Rowley called for
the building of a society that
shares the principles and cultural
norms of trust, goodwill,
honesty, respect, tolerance,
integ¬rity, civic pride, social
justice and community spirit.
“Accordingly, Trinidad and
Tobago has adopted an integrated
National Poverty Reduction
Strategy that is collaborative,
sustainable and meaningful for
all stakeholders involved,” he
said.
“The consolidation of our
economic stability and capacity
to remain effectively integrated
into the global financial and
trade architecture remains a
priority for my Government,
as we continue the search for
measures to strengthen our fiscal
resilience through diversification,”
he added. “Our national
development ambitions should
be buttressed by an enabling
international economic environment
through international
trade, development cooperation,
business activity and finance.”
Fully aware that financial
services play an important role
as a contributor to economic
growth and international
trade and investment, Rowley
expressed “grave concern
regarding the unilateral insertion
of some CARICOM Member
States including Trinidad
and Tobago on the list of noncooperative
tax jurisdictions by
a number of our international
partners.”
He said the label of “non-cooperative
tax jurisdictions” has
the potential to inflict irreparable
damage to the reputations
and economies of small island
developing states, calling on
“our international partners to
adopt a more collaborative, just
and fair approach in addressing
this issue.”
At the same time, the prime
minister said Trinidad and
Tobago remains “deeply concerned
about the progressive
decline in correspondent banking
services by international
banks.”
Prime Minister Keith Rowley.