00:00Just behind me is U.S. warship, the USS Gravely, which arrived in TNT just after 9 this morning.
00:07Now the ship has arrived amid much speculation and even anxiety as to the real reason behind the visit.
00:14However, Prime Minister Kamala Passat-Bissessa has sought to allay any and all fears,
00:19dispelling claims of potential conflict as fear-mongering.
00:23However, as we speak, international media report that at least 10 percent of the U.S.
00:28naval assets are deployed here in the Southern Caribbean.
00:31And of course, President Donald Trump has given the CIA authorization to conduct a covert operation in Venezuela.
00:40Now, with Trinidad and Tobago being the only CARICOM country to fully support the U.S. actions here,
00:45it begs the question, what exactly is Trinidad and Tobago's arrangement with the United States?
00:52Armed with advanced weapon systems such as surface-to-air missiles,
00:57torpedoes and helicopters featuring Penguin and Hellfire missiles,
01:02the USS Gravely is capable of conducting anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare and anti-suffice warfare.
01:11Now the warship is here in Trinidad and Tobago, triggering mixed responses among the national population.
01:17This thing is very, very frightening.
01:20It has nothing to do with picking sides.
01:22It has nothing to do with a frightening situation.
01:26Are you satisfied with the government's response and the information that has been forthcoming?
01:32Negative, negative.
01:33They haven't given us no kind of information pertaining to why the ship even being here training exercise.
01:38Why we have to be good and training exercise with these people and then let them, with all the respect,
01:48let the U.S.A. handle their own training exercise and let them handle their own sin,
01:52because we're not in this league now.
01:54And anytime we push up ourselves to the end of the league, we might get the ball out of the league.
01:59You understand?
02:00So, I don't know what she did with all the respect.
02:03I could be happy if they could defend me.
02:05In case any disturbance they could defend me, I could be happy body if they need me.
02:10You know, I really would like to know the disturbance that comes towards the country,
02:14and if they could break you from getting involved in that,
02:18I would be happy if they could defend me from getting hampered from that then, you know.
02:25As far as I know, there's about 14% of the U.S. military in the Western theater here in this area,
02:31and I just have to trust what the authorities and the Prime Minister are saying to us,
02:35and allow them to guide us.
02:38And how do you feel personally about the development?
02:41It's a bit worrying, but it's just a bit unfortunate,
02:45and hopefully things will be settled without any drama.
02:49Do the Venezuelan chair and the Venezuelans back home in Venezuela
02:53support U.S. President Donald Trump and the actions of the U.S.?
02:58Yes. Very, very, very good.
03:01Very good that Donald Trump, that take the government in Venezuela.
03:06Everybody in Venezuela is very like Donald Trump.
03:10As tensions escalate between the United States and Venezuela,
03:14MSJ leader David Abdullah is of the opinion that despite what the authorities say,
03:20the facts suggest otherwise.
03:23When we have a U.S. destroyer guided missile on board the gravely docking in Port of Spain,
03:32at the request according to Minister of Defense Sturge,
03:37at the request of the United States,
03:39then we cannot pretend that this is about dealing with drugs and narco trafficking.
03:46This is about a U.S. strategy of regime change in Venezuela.
03:52It might be by direct military action by the United States.
03:56It might be otherwise.
03:57It might be indirect.
03:58It might be attempting drone strikes to kill President Maduro and other leaders of the Venezuelan government and party.
04:05We don't know what form it will take.
04:07But you do not locate all of these assets to deal with some drug running modes.
04:14With more questions than answers, security expert Dr. Gavin Heer is urging the Prime Minister
04:20to face the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
04:24I think it is critical now and almost immediate that there be an address to the nation,
04:30probably by the Honourable Prime Minister herself,
04:33flanked by her ministers of defence and homeland security and of course the heads of security,
04:38so as to speak directly to the nation and to the citizens,
04:41assuring safety, security and of course a semblance of order.
04:45Because as it is right now, they are pulling information from all over
04:50and nobody is really hearing from an authenticated source or representative of government.
04:57And I would go further to say that it is also time now to consider the establishment of a national coordination task force
05:05that can probably update the citizenry once a week on the developments
05:10and keep us up to date on how these developments are unfolding
05:15and until it is laid to rest and laid to rest peacefully is our prayer.
05:19Renessa Cutting, TV6 News.
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