Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC says Trinidad and Tobago is prepared to deepen regional cooperation through healthcare, transportation, and security initiatives as CARICOM Leaders begin closed-door discussions at the 51st Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in St Lucia.
Speaking ahead of a Retreat and Caucus on Monday, Mrs Persad-Bissessar said she intended to place several proposals before CARICOM, including the use of the National Prosthetics Centre by other member states.
She added that discussions would also include a proposal involving the use of Trinidad and Tobago’s ferry service within the Eastern Caribbean.
“So, for example, I want to offer to those CARICOM members who are interested our prosthetic limb centre that they can bring their people down, and we will try to accommodate them. We have other areas for discussion. The ferry, it’s a discussion about a ferry that we can use our ferry on certain days and bring it up here to the Eastern Caribbean.”
Mrs Persad-Bissessar also identified regional crime and security as a key issue for discussion, noting that several CARICOM countries were facing similar challenges.
“We have security issues to discuss, serious matters. We have been grappling with crime and crime surges in T&T and apparently that is happening in the other countries in the CARICOM. So security matters will be another very major matter. And of course, there is a matter with respect to the Secretary General. I suppose that may come up at this meeting as well.”