Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, has assured citizens that there is no reason for alarm over the USS Gravely docking in Trinidad and Tobago.
In a statement issued on Friday afternoon, the Prime Minister welcomed the United States Navy and Marine Corps to our shores for joint military training with the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force, saying their arrival “augurs well for our nation” as it “represents a continued partnership in strengthening our national security, enhancing operational readiness, and improving protective capabilities.”
However, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar condemned detractors who saw the arrival of the USS Gravely as something sinister.
“For far too long, our open and poorly secured borders have facilitated the trafficking of humans, drugs, and firearms. Tens of thousands of illegal migrants have entered our country, and over 10,000 citizens have been brutally murdered in the last two decades. Unfortunately, the Opposition PNM and their agents are persistent in creating unnecessary hysteria and conspiracy theories in a desperate attempt to create instability and chaos.”
The Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs has stated that the USS Gravely (DDG-107) will visit Trinidad and Tobago from October 26th to 30th, mooring in Port of Spain, while the 22nd US Marine Expeditionary Unit will conduct joint training exercises with the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) during the same period.
The Prime Minister reminded that in December 2024, the former Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and the US Department of Defense renewed and amended a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between T&T and the United States to facilitate interoperability between the two countries’ armed forces, the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Technical Assistance Field Team (CBSI-TAFT), and the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA). The agreement, she noted, was in place since 2007, renewed in 2013, and again in December 2024.
“We need all the help we can get to protect our people. Trinidad and Tobago must always come first. My government will continue to work with our international partners to strengthen our institutions and safeguard our nation.”