As T&T celebrated Republic Day yesterday, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar pledged that this country will play its part in the global fight against terrorism. Her statement came hours after United States President Barack Obama delivered the feature address at the United Nation’s 69th General Assembly meeting in Manhattan, New York in which he urged world leaders to unite to eradicate terrorism.
The prime minister spoke to members of the media after hoisting the T&T flag at the Charging Bull, sometimes referred to as the Wall Street Bull or the Bowling Green Bull, an iconic symbol of New York’s Wall Street and the financial district. Present were Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran and T&T’s Consul General in New York, Rudrawatee Nan Ramgoolam The US flag remained at half mast in honour of a police officer who died in a vehicular accident last Sunday. “We are part of the family of nations of the United Nations and we will play our part in the role in the fight against local terrorists, regional terrorists and international terrorists,” Persad-Bissessar said.
The UN Security Council, at a meeting chaired by Obama, unanimously passed a legally binding resolution yesterday that required member states to counter the recruiting and movement of terrorists through their territory. T&T is not a member of the UN’s security council therefore could not vote but as a UN member can contribute to discussions. Persad-Bissessar said what the resolution envisaged was an interdependence and a collaborative effort in the fight against terrorism and matters dealing with boarder security issues. “T&T recently passed laws at our boarders which would help us to identify those who may be coming out of terrorist movements,” she said. “It (the resolution) deals with the issue of financing terrorism and again we have laws which were already passed. We have strengthened the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU)...so we are well on the way to meeting many of the obligations which would arise under this particular resolution. “Whether we co-sponsor, whether we vote or not and we do not vote in fact, the resolution will be accepted,” she saud.
Persad-Bissessar said no country was immune from the global threat of terrorism. She reiterated Obama’s call for unity to combat terrorist activities. “We will play a role as we always have in this global threat which we now face. In the history of the world this is a red letter time, a very historic time in the fight against evil, in the fight against terror and Trinidad and Tobago must not be left out. There may be some who would prefer to be left out,” Persad-Bissessar said. She said this country had a taste of “extremists” during the July 1990 attempted coup. “This is not a time to sit on the sidelines and let others take the front. This is a time to be courageous because it is a fight against evil as we fight terrorists, the drug cartels and all those involved in terrorism. “We will have to do legislative initiatives and we will also have to do administrative initiatives with respect to immigration, border controls and law enforcement,” Persad-Bissessar said.
She said she already had discussions on the matter with Dookeran, National Security Minister Gary Griffith, leader of government business in the House Dr Roodal Moonilal and with several other ministers. “We believe this is the right thing to do as we join with other nations on this very serious global threat,” Persad-Bissessar said. She said T&T has agreed to sponsor the UN Security Council resolution on foreign terrorist fighters: “My government recognises the grave threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters to peace, law and order and is therefore pleased to collaborate with the USA and other member states to combat the scourge of terrorism.” She said technology and the use of internet for the purpose of mobilising and recruiting support in different forms highlights the urgent need for international co-operation to prevent terrorists from exploiting technological advancements for radical extremism that is rooted in violent, deadly and subversive acts of terrorism.