Political Analyst Dr. Indera Sagewan has praised the efforts of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on the decision to join the newly formed Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition.
The agreement was finalised during the Prime Minister’s visit to the Shield of the Americas Summit over the weekend.
Dr. Sagewan said the initiative forms part of a wider regional strategy to dismantle organised crime cartels, bolster military training across Caribbean states, and strengthen border security.
“Her partnership with the United States is about security. It is about protecting the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, and I think whatever is done, because we’re the most southerly state, whatever we do in Trinidad and Tobago with respect to curbing crime, is going to redound to the benefit of the entire CARICOM.”
She added that beyond security, the partnership is expected to deliver major economic advantages, unlocking new revenue opportunities for the country across several sectors.
“Dealing with crime is one thing, but obviously there would be opportunities for other things, such as trade, for example, it gives us the opportunity to strengthen our trade relations with many of these countries for a very long time. We’ve been talking about South-South trade, so here she’s in partnership not with the United States but with 15 other countries, you know, in Latin America, Central America.”