Minister of Finance Davendranath Tancoo says Trinidad and Tobago is once again being led with “seriousness, purpose and direction,” pointing to this past weekend’s visit by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to the United States as a step toward strengthening investor confidence and supporting economic growth.
In a statement, Minister Tancoo said the country is “once again being regarded with respect, credibility and renewed confidence,” adding that PM Persad-Bissessar has restored that standard of representation for Trinidad and Tobago.
According to the Finance Minister, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar has placed the country “back in the room, back in serious international conversation, and back in a position to command attention, deepen relationships and create opportunity.”
“The population is well aware of the decade of neglect, drift and underperformance that Trinidad and Tobago have just endured. It was a period in which too much was allowed to fall apart, too many opportunities were wasted, and too much damage was done to the country’s economic strength and standing. That is why the Prime Minister’s diplomacy carries economic weight. It signals that Trinidad and Tobago is no longer content to sit quietly while others compete aggressively for investment, influence and market opportunity. It signals that this Government understands that foreign policy must work for the people of this country by supporting growth, investment and national prosperity.”
The Finance Minister further stated that public records filed under the United States Foreign Agents Registration Act show that in 2016 a two-year lobbying contract for Trinidad and Tobago in Washington was awarded at a cost of US$2.4 million and was renewed over the years. He said that after years of spending public money and scarce foreign exchange on such services, “the country was left with nothing to show for it.”
By contrast, he said the Prime Minister has restored international attention to Trinidad and Tobago through her own leadership and credibility.
“This country has seen before what happens when Kamla Persad-Bissessar leads with purpose. From 2010, Trinidad and Tobago entered a period in which development reached communities across this country and confidence in national leadership was strengthened. Under Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Trinidad and Tobago experienced its strongest period of economic performance, with key indicators reaching peak levels and the country moving forward with confidence, growth and opportunity. That is why any suggestion that growth, confidence and national advancement are beyond us can only come from those on the other side, because decline is their legacy. Growth and prosperity is our record. We delivered it before under Kamla Persad-Bissessar, and under her leadership it will return again.”
The Finance Minister also referred to weekend reporting that Chevron signalled interest in talks with Trinidad and Tobago within 24 hours of the Prime Minister’s meeting with the United States Secretary of Energy. He described this as “a meaningful indication that serious leadership attracts serious attention.”
“What we are now seeing is the beginning of that return. It is the return of a Government that understands that credibility matters. It is the return of a Government that understands that confidence must be earned. It is the return of a Government that is prepared to engage directly, fight for Trinidad and Tobago’s interests, and position this country once again as a serious and respected partner.”
According to the Finance Minister, after ten years of “waste, drift and underperformance,” Trinidad and Tobago is once again under leadership that inspires confidence at home and respect abroad.