MSJ: PM U.S DINNER, INAPPROPRIATE

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Inappropriate!  That's how the Movement for Social Justice sums up Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's decision to host United States Embassy officials at her home for a Divali dinner.  It has noted with concern, the country's reservation at CARICOM, which took an official position on the United States and Venezuela situation on Saturday.  Alicia Boucher tells us more.

Transcript

00:00Movement for social justice leader David Abdullah has taken note of a Diwali dinner

00:04Prime Minister Kamala Passat-Bissessa hosted for U.S. embassy officials

00:08amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela.

00:12Abdullah says this includes the sanctioning of the CIA by President Donald Trump

00:17to engage in covert operations in Venezuela.

00:20For her to be hosting officials of the U.S. for Diwali dinner was most inappropriate.

00:27And if you hosted a dinner for the entire diplomatic corps, that would be a different thing.

00:33But when you host a dinner for the U.S. embassy officials, that is most inappropriate,

00:38especially as CARICOM eventually did have a meeting yesterday and a statement was issued.

00:44That statement called for dialogue towards peaceful resolution

00:47and maintaining the region as a zone of peace.

00:51Abdullah is pleased that CARICOM finally met on the matter and took a position,

00:55noting that just last Thursday, the Assembly of Caribbean People engaged in demonstration

01:00and made the call to CARICOM.

01:03And from your view, Mr. Abdullah, what does that signal,

01:06that hosting of that Diwali dinner for officials of the U.S. embassy?

01:10Well, it says, the posting of that dinner says, in my view,

01:15you know, that the Prime Minister has doubled down more than once,

01:19more than twice, more than three times now,

01:21on her position of supporting, unquestionably supporting,

01:26uncritically supporting the foreign policy position of the United States

01:29insofar as sending military deployment to the Southern Caribbean

01:34and its intentions to deal with the Maduro government.

01:39And that is not a good thing.

01:40Abdullah notes the announcement of the retirement of head of the U.S. Southern Command,

01:45Admiral Alvin Halsey,

01:47amid the attacks carried out by the U.S. military in the Caribbean.

01:50In commentaries in the U.S. media, on CNN, on MSNBC and others,

01:58identifying that the strikes against the boats in the Caribbean by the U.S.

02:03are illegal, contrary to international law.

02:07And that, you know, this may have been one of the reasons

02:10why the head of U.S. Southern Command decided to resign his position.

02:14Abdullah says the country could have taken an independent position

02:18while maintaining its relationship with both countries,

02:21as it has done in the past on issues such as the Israel-Palestine war.

02:25Pertaining to the U.S. Embassy advisory to its citizens,

02:28telling them to stay away from all U.S. government buildings over the Diwali weekend,

02:33he questions the embassy's intentions.

02:35It is the U.S. Embassy simply trying to create, you know,

02:39a certain amount of confusion and panic in Trinidad and Tobago.

02:43It is the U.S. Embassy going to try to raise what is known as a false flag,

02:49in other words, to create an issue that is not real in order to justify something else.

02:57Abdullah says it leaves room for speculation and rumors,

03:00and he calls on the government to address the nation on it,

03:04especially in light of the TTPS saying it is also unheightened alert.

03:09Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.

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