00:00Well, there's a lot of interest now on the issue of deportation because some of the commentaries
00:06coming from the White House itself.
00:08Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr. Amy Brown fielding questions from the media on
00:13Tuesday about the impact of some of the policies of the new U.S. President Donald Trump, including
00:19the ongoing mass deportation of illegal immigrants from the U.S.
00:24What I can tell you is that we have continued to receive deportations over the years, as
00:29I've indicated to the media recently.
00:32It's something that's very well managed, responsibly managed, with excellent communication, collaboration,
00:39and coordination between teams in Washington, D.C., the Embassy of the United States of
00:45America here, as well as our immigration authorities, the Ministry of National Security, and the
00:50Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs.
00:53At this point, we've received no official communication to suggest that that routine,
00:59that collaboration will change in any respect.
01:02The foreign minister spoke with the media after the ceremonial signing of the Technical
01:07Assistance Grant Agreement under the European Union-Latin America and Caribbean Facility
01:12in collaboration with the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean on Tuesday.
01:18The head of cooperation of the EU to CARICOM did not mention President Trump, but did make
01:23an apparent reference to the aftermath of the U.S. presidential election late last year.
01:29In times where the world seems to be moving towards power politics and transactional relationships,
01:37this operation illustrates that the EU is still there to partner and support for the
01:41sake of partnership with other like-minded nations.
01:46These three million euro grants, no loans, that the EU provides are without anything
01:56in return, with no restraints at that.
02:00TV6 News posed a question to the foreign minister.
02:03We've already seen some impact in terms of the defense force working with the U.S. and
02:07so on.
02:08The U.S. AID program, that is also something that's been reviewed.
02:13How concerned should citizens of Trinidad and Tobago be that there is a major shift
02:19in the relationship between Trinidad and Tobago and the United States under the second Donald
02:24Trump administration?
02:25Well, the fact is the United States of America and its current administration is exercising
02:32its sovereign right to evaluate and adjust its policies and programs, both domestically
02:39and those with regional and international impact.
02:44Minister Brown said the government is using all of its available channels of communication
02:48to advocate with the new United States administration.
02:51I've been having regular meetings with the embassy of the United States of America.
02:56That's something that we've made even more regular now during this period of change and
03:02adjustment.
03:03And we'll continue to exercise our responsibilities and duties to the best effect, always in the
03:09interest of all the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.
03:13There's no reason for panic, but there is reason for us to redouble our efforts and
03:19to ensure that we can advance the interests of the people of Trinidad and Tobago at this
03:24time of change.
03:25The immediate impact of the second Donald Trump presidency is set to be discussed during
03:30an upcoming CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Barbados, which Prime Minister Dr. Keith
03:35Rowley is scheduled to attend.
03:37Jule Brown, TV6 News.
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