At the invitation of Her Excellency Raziah Ahmed, Senator,
President of the Senate, and His Excellency Wade Mark, M.P., Speaker of
the House of Representatives of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago, the
Honourable Leo Housakos, Speaker pro tempore of the Senate, led a
parliamentary delegation on an official visit to Trinidad and Tobago on
March 15-17, 2015.
The
delegation has the honour of tabling its report.
The official
delegation led by Speaker pro tempore Leo Housakos, comprised the
following members:
The Honourable Leo Housakos, Speaker pro tempore
of the Senate;
The Honourable Anne C. Cools, Senator;
The Honourable Pana Merchant, Senator;
The Honourable Grant Mitchell, Senator;
The Honourable Betty E. Unger, Senator;
The Honourable David Wells, Senator; and
Ms. Marie-Eve Belzile, Secretary to the delegation.
Background
– Trinidad and Tobago
The
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an island state in the Caribbean. It is made
up of two main islands off the northeast coast of Venezuela, south of Grenada.
In 2014, the country had approximately 1.3 million inhabitants. The
economy of Trinidad and Tobago is the largest, most diversified and most
industrialized in the Caribbean. Because of its relatively large size and the
strength of its economy, it is an influential player within the Caribbean
Community (CARICOM). The country is also one of the region’s major energy
producers. It plays a leading role within CARICOM in terms of energy and
security issues. Foreign investment is a central element of economic policy and
is supported by the business and labour sectors. Trinidad and Tobago also has a
well-developed financial sector. It has the second-highest per capita income in
the Caribbean.
Canada’s
relations with Trinidad and Tobago are close and long-standing. Official
diplomatic relations were established in August 1962, following Trinidad and
Tobago’s independence. Today, bilateral relations cover a spectrum of sectors,
including immigration, education, security and financial services. Canada and
Trinidad and Tobago cooperate within the Commonwealth, the United Nations and
the Organization of American States. Trinidad and Tobago ratified the Landmines
Convention and was a regional leader in ratifying and promoting the Rome
Statute of the International Criminal Court.
As
partners in the hemisphere and the Commonwealth, Canada and Trinidad and Tobago
share common values, multicultural societies, similar systems of government and
a commitment to democracy, freedom, the rule of law and human rights. These
ties are reinforced by the contributions of some 100,000 Canadian citizens
and permanent residents of Trinidadian origin, and by 6,000 Canadians
living in Trinidad and Tobago.
In
2014, Trinidad and Tobago was Canada’s largest partner for trade in goods
within CARICOM, and ranked third in the Caribbean after the Dominican Republic
and Cuba.
Objectives
The
objectives of the visit were to:
·promote Canada’s
interests and democratic values;
·encourage ongoing
parliamentary dialogue by further promoting parliamentary exchanges;
·highlight the
importance of human ties between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago;
·discuss foreign
policies with respect to issues of international and mutual interest;
·encourage economic ties
with Trinidad and Tobago, especially negotiations for a free trade agreement
between Canada and CARICOM; and
·pursue good relations
in all fields of contact.
Meetings –
Port of Spain
In
Port of Spain, the delegation met with:
His
Excellency Anthony Carmona, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago;
the Honourable Ivor Archie, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Trinidad and
Tobago; Her Excellency Raziah Ahmed, Senator, President of the Senate; His
Excellency Wade Mark, M.P., Speaker of the House of Representatives; the
Honourable Winston Dookeran, M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs; the
Honourable Vasant Bharath, Senator, Minister of Trade; the
Honourable Kelvin Ramnarine, Senator, Minister of Energy and Energy
Industries; the Honourable Keith Rowley, M.P., Leader of the Opposition;
Brigadier General Anthony Phillips-Spencer, Vice Chief of Defence Staff,
Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force; and Garvin Heerah, Commander, National
Operations Centre.
Meeting with His Excellency Anthony Carmona, President of the
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
The
purpose of the meeting with H.E. Anthony Carmona, President of the
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, was to thank the people of Trinidad for their
hospitality, to reiterate the importance of bilateral relations between Canada
and Trinidad and Tobago and to discuss issues of international and mutual
interest. The two countries celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations in
2012, which coincided with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Trinidad
and Tobago’s independence. Today, these bilateral relations encompass a
spectrum of sectors, including trade, education, security and governance.
H.E. Anthony Carmona mentioned that longstanding interpersonal and
parliamentary ties have resulted in strong business relationships and solutions
to emerging global issues.
The President of the
Republic initially wished to discuss the use of parliamentary privilege in
Canada and the code of conduct that governs parliamentarians within the
parliamentary precinct. The rules of order and decorum enforced in the chamber
by the Speaker were also briefly discussed, as was the handling of public
complaints involving parliamentarians.
The President then moved
on to the issue of terrorism. He referred to the events that had occurred in
Ottawa of October 22, 2014, and the parallels with the 1990 coup in
the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. In the current context, countries must
adopt a unified approach to combating terrorism. Trinidad and Tobago is no
exception; the country is dealing with escalating radicalization among youth.
The President believes it is necessary to engage young people and involve them
in democratic and parliamentary life. The dilemma of social media contributes
to the problems encountered by police. The recruitment of young people is now
borderless, yet the resources available to analyze the computer data collected
are limited. The President mentioned that Trinidad and Tobago is interested in
working with Canada on this issue and developing a training program on how to combat
terrorism. Senator Mitchell spoke about the Standing Senate Committee on
National Security and Defence’s study on the phenomenon of radicalization of
youth.
The issue of development
assistance was also discussed. The Caribbean is one of 20 countries/regions
targeted by Canada for international development assistance. The President
suggested that assistance should not be determined solely on the basis of gross
domestic product. Other factors, such as porous coastlines and borders, should
also be taken into consideration. Trinidad and Tobago is too often isolated in
light of its economic and geopolitical status in a regional community that is
vulnerable and precarious.
The Speaker pro tempore
raised the issue of the Arms Trade Treaty. He told the President that Canada
understood the importance of signing the Treaty and the related issues for
Trinidad and Tobago. He said that Canada would make a decision in due course.
Academic exchanges were
discussed. Canadian universities have signed a cooperation agreement with
universities in Trinidad and Tobago to facilitate staff and student exchanges.
The High Commission in Port of Spain issues about 300 study permits a year
to citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. The President said that he would like to
increase exchanges with francophone universities in Canada. More often than
not, Trinidadians who want to pursue their studies in French opt for Europe,
yet good universities in Quebec could be an excellent alternative. The
President also mentioned that he is the Chancellor of the University of
Trinidad and Tobago and that, given his vast experience in the field of
education, inter-university cooperation is very important to him. In
particular, he would like to see more medical research on tropical diseases.
Also related to the medical field, he mentioned the difficulties Trinidad and
Tobago is facing with regard to the skilled labour shortage in technical areas.
He added that the country must also address the health problems that pose a
significant financial burden for the state, namely, diabetes, obesity and HIV.
In this regard, Senator Merchant explained that Canada was facing a similar
situation and that the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and
Technology was conducting a study on the incidence of obesity among young
people.
Meeting
with the Honourable Ivor Archie, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Trinidad
and Tobago
Canada expressed its
support for Trinidad and Tobago’s efforts to reform its justice system and make
crime fighting a priority. Canada’s Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program is
helping Trinidad and Tobago modernize criminal investigations. The Government
of Canada, in a collaborative project with the United Kingdom, is making an
important contribution to criminal justice reform in Trinidad and Tobago by
funding the placement of a prosecutor from the UK within the office of the
Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago to guide reforms in several areas,
including police investigations, effective use of witnesses and
state-of-the-art technologies. The purpose of this meeting was to take note of
the progress made in the area of judicial reform and to promote Canada’s
interests and democratic values.
The Speaker pro tempore
thanked Chief Justice Archie for taking the time to meet with the Canadian
delegation and introduced its members. Given Canada’s commitment to the rule of
law, the Speaker pro tempore asked the Chief Justice to qualify the
effectiveness of the criminal justice reform project so far. Chief Justice
Archie said that, generally speaking, many of the objectives had been met. He
mentioned that talks regarding structural reforms were currently under way.
The Speaker pro tempore
made reference to comments made by the Hon. Keith Rowley, Leader of
the Opposition, at a previous meeting, that the criminal justice system still has
shortcomings that undermine public confidence. The Chief Justice addressed
these concerns, adding that police training needed to be improved. He explained
that there is a distinct shortage of lawyers to defend the accused, which
significantly hampers the administration of justice because the courts cannot
hear more than one serious criminal case at a time. He also deplored the fact
that there is no legal aid department to assist low‑income individuals.
Senator Mitchell described
the memorandum of understanding between the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force
and Canada with respect to the Military Training and Cooperation Program. He
asked whether such an agreement could benefit the police.
The Correctional Service
of Canada and the Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service also have a memorandum of
understanding on cooperation in correctional services to facilitate exchanges
and training. Both sides discussed remaining problems to be addressed. The shortage
of staff in the parole department, delays with regards to remand and lack of
legislative framework with respect to trading in a guilty plea were mentioned.
The Chief Justice also developed on the latest talks aimed to provide
alternatives to detention and incarceration to allow minor crime offenders to
reintegrate society under supervision more easily. Each initiative promoting
social reintegration benefits both government and citizens. The Chief Justice hoped
that these measures would contribute to improving the justice system.
Meeting
with Her Excellency Raziah Ahmed, Senator, President of the Senate; and His
Excellency Wade Mark, M.P., Speaker of the House of Representatives of the
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
The
meeting was an opportunity for the President of the Senate and the Speaker of
the House of Representatives of Trinidad and Tobago to describe the ties
between our two countries and to present their Parliament and recent
accomplishments in terms of transparency and accessibility.
Speaker
Mark elaborated on the fact that the historic relationship between Canada and
Trinidad and Tobago dates back to the first trade arrangements in 1938, and
Canada’s official recognition of Trinidad and Tobago as a rule of law state in
1962. In fact, the two countries celebrated 50 years of
diplomatic relations in 2012, which coincided with the celebration of the 50th
anniversary of Trinidad and Tobago’s independence.
Academic ties between
Trinidad and Tobago and Canada are far-reaching and long-standing. Canadian
Presbyterian missionaries were responsible for establishing educational
institutions in the country some 100 years ago, institutions which still exist
today. The Speaker pointed out that there are also a significant number of
Canadian investors in the country and that the value of direct investments
amounted to nearly $1.3 billion, concentrated primarily in the areas of
finance and energy. Canadian banks, including Scotiabank and CIBC, are well
established in the country. The Speaker mentioned the stability of Canada’s
financial system.
Speaker Mark then conveyed
the solidarity of the members of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago with
Canadians following the events that had taken place in Ottawa on Parliament
Hill on October 22, 2014.
Lastly, President Ahmed
and Speaker Mark explained the various reforms recently implemented to
make the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago more accountable, transparent and
accessible to the public. Among other things, it was mentioned that the House of
Representatives has conducted a review of its rules to further align them with
the practices of other Westminster‑style parliaments. Standing committees
have been formed, before whom ministers are called to testify. All proceedings
are accessible on the Parliament's web interface. A question period has been
added, during which the Prime Minister is invited to address policies before
Parliament. Parliament has also developed a comprehensive strategic plan and
platform for information and communication technologies that significantly
modernizes working methods. It expects to become approximately 90% paper‑free
by 2017. The Tuesday sittings of the Senate and Friday sittings of the House of
Representatives are now broadcast live. Parliament also has a presence on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Speaker Mark proudly announced that campaigns
to raise awareness of political life and the work of parliamentarians have been
launched and adapted for Trinidadian youth. All these measures help to raise
awareness of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago, to enhance public
confidence in their institutions and their members of Parliament and to stress
the importance of democracy.
Speaker pro tempore
Housakos thanked his hosts and concurred with Speaker Mark’s comments
regarding the good relations between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago. He pointed
out that, in 2012, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor
General of Canada, had visited Port of Spain to celebrate 50 years of
bilateral relations and to strengthen the strong ties that the two countries
share in the areas of security, trade and education. Prime Minister Harper
traveled to Trinidad and Tobago twice in 2009 to attend the Fifth Summit of the
Americas and the Meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of State, thus confirming
Canada’s interest in the country. He further added that the two countries share
very important, mutual economic, cultural and social ties. Every year, several
hundred Trinidadian students attend Canadian universities through exchange
programs. Canada sees great potential in the future of Trinidad and Tobago.
Trade is important and the many Canadian investments in the financial sector
demonstrate the stability of relations.
Both sides then raised the
issue of negotiations for a free trade agreement between Canada and CARICOM.
They agreed that the visit from Canadian parliamentarians would help move
things forward.
Speaker pro tempore
Housakos introduced the members of the Canadian delegation. The two countries
will be holding general elections in 2015. A discussion ensued on citizen
participation and youth engagement in the democratic process. They also
discussed Trinidad and Tobago’s proposed reform to impose a two-term limit for
the Prime Minister, and the impact that televised debates have had on chamber
proceeding and the work of parliamentarians.
Meeting
with the Honourable Winston Dookeran, M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs
The purpose of the meeting
was to promote Canada’s interests, encourage parliamentary dialogue, highlight
the importance of the human ties between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago and
discuss foreign policies.
The Speaker pro tempore
began by thanking the Minister of Foreign Affairs for receiving the Canadian
delegation, and he introduced the senators accompanying him.
The Minister pointed out
that Canada and Trinidad and Tobago cooperate on several issues, including
diplomacy, human rights and the fight against terrorism. Academic ties dating
back to the early 20th century were started by Canadian
missionaries. Several Trinidadian institutions of higher learning have signed
cooperation agreements with Canadian institutions.
The Speaker pro tempore
added that Trinidad and Tobago is also involved in the Canadian Seasonal
Agricultural Worker Program, a labour mobility program. Canada has solid direct
investment in Trinidad and Tobago: $1.2 billion in 2013. Regarding the
Arms Trade Treaty, the Speaker pro tempore informed the Minister that
Canada understood the importance of the issues for Trinidad and Tobago and that
a decision would be made in due course. He then said that he hoped to promote
social ties between both countries since Canada is home to over 100,000
Trinidadian Canadians. These personal ties contribute to the economies of both
countries. He asked the Minister about what actions should be taken to further
strengthen these unique ties.
The Minister spoke about the
movement of individuals in a global environment as the current practice of
diplomacy. There needs to be consideration given to this development and the
ability to strike a balance between the movement of individuals and the risk of
a terrorist threat. He believes that visa requirements should be eased to allow
greater travel flexibility, increase investment and facilitate economic ties.
The discussion then turned
to negotiations on a free trade agreement between Canada and CARICOM. Both
sides discussed the difficulties encountered during the negotiations, and
potential solutions and alternatives.
The Minister informed the
delegation that the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago had
opened The Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean, a first in the region. The
Academy provides training on negotiation and international cooperation within
CARICOM and beyond. Their hope is to improve the understanding and practice of
contemporary diplomacy. The Minister added that several of the lecturers were
Canadian. He mentioned that Canada, being a middle power, is actively involved
within the international community, although its bargaining power has been
weakened in recent years. He said that an invitation had been sent to Canada’s former
Foreign Affairs Minister, the Honourable John Baird, to attend a conference in
May on promoting middle power states.
Lastly, the Minister
suggested that the discussion continue in the near future to address
parliamentary and electoral reforms.
Meeting
with the Honourable Vasant Bharath, Senator, Minister of Trade and Investment
The purpose of the meeting
was to promote economic ties between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago, encourage
progress on negotiations toward a free trade agreement with CARICOM and follow
up on a proposed sale of Canadian aircrafts.
The Speaker pro tempore
began by introducing the members of the Canadian delegation. He then gave an
overview of the trade and economic ties between both countries. Similarly, he
mentioned that Canada and CARICOM, of which Trinidad and Tobago is a member,
have been in free trade talks since 2007. Canada and CARICOM were unable to
reach an agreement before the agreed deadline of June 30, 2014. Consequently,
negotiations have been stalled ever since. The Speaker pro tempore
encouraged the Minister of Trade and Investment to promote the importance of
such an agreement for all CARICOM member countries and to continue
negotiations.Both sides
briefly discussed the issues and options available to each country.
The Minister then
discussed the industrial developments over the past four years, such as urban
development and athletic and public infrastructure. He agreed with the Speaker pro
tempore about the significant Trinidadian diaspora in Canada, adding that
he had had the opportunity to meet Trinidadian Canadians during his last visit
to Canada in 2013, when he accompanied the Honourable Kamla Persad Bissessar,
Prime Minister.
Discussion then turned to
the legislative measures recently adopted by the Parliament of Trinidad and
Tobago on procurement. This long-overdue legislation significantly reduces
Trinidadian red tape as a way to facilitate foreign investment. It used to take
an average of 43 days to establish a company, but the government reduced this
processing period to an average 3 days. These reforms placed Trinidad and
Tobago among the 10 most improved countries in the World Bank’s 2015 Ease of
Doing Business Index. However, the general elections to take place by September
2015 are likely to slow down the process.
The Minister briefly spoke
about the purchase in March of five helicopters from Canadian manufacturer Bell
Helicopter Textron by the National Operations Centre, Air Division. Then
Senator Wells discussed the negotiations between the Trinidad and Tobago Air
Guard and Canada’s Provincial Aerospace Limited on the purchase of long-range,
multimission aircrafts. Lastly, Senator Merchant and Senator Unger asked for
clarification about trade between Trinidad and Tobago and the provinces of
Saskatchewan and Alberta respectively.
Meeting
with the Honourable Kelvin Ramnarine, Senator, Minister of Energy and Energy
Industries
This
meeting gave the Canadian delegation the opportunity to learn more about the
Trinidad and Tobago’s economic situation and to promote Canadian interests.
The
Speaker pro tempore thanked the Minister for taking the time to receive
the delegation. He provided an overview of the human, economic, diplomatic and
cultural ties between both countries.
The
Minister agreed with the Speaker pro tempore. He added that Canada also
had a strong presence on financial markets. The parties began a discussion on
each country’s various energy market opportunities.
The status of negotiations on a Canada-CARICOM free trade agreement
was raised, and the Speaker pro tempore asked whether Canada should take
other initiatives to strengthen Trinidad and Tobago’s economic growth. Academic
exchanges contribute to strengthening social and economic ties. The Minister
believed that more needed to be done to promote inter-university partnerships.
Some senators discussed possible university partnerships involving the oil
industry.
Meeting
with the Honourable Dr. Keith Rowley, M.P., Leader of the Opposition
Speaker pro tempore
Housakos thanked the Leader of the Opposition for taking the time to receive
the Canadian delegation. Meeting with the Official Opposition provides a
global, overall picture of the parliamentary situation and an opportunity to
better understand the successes and issues in the country visited.
The Speaker pro tempore
Housakos briefly outlined the ties between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago. He
said that Canada has long had close ties with Trinidad and Tobago, having
established diplomatic relations with the country when it achieved independence
in August 1962. Bilateral relations cover a whole range of issues, including
trade, education, security and governance. Trinidad and Tobago is also an
important partner for Canada within CARICOM, the Commonwealth, the United
Nations and the Organization of American States. Cooperation between police
forces is also significant. Canada has an RCMP liaison officer based in Port of
Spain, who is involved in the region in the area of capacity building and
cooperation. The Correctional Service of Canada and the Trinidad and Tobago Prison
Service signed a memorandum of understanding on correctional services
cooperation in order to facilitate professional exchanges and training. As
well, Canadian universities have signed cooperation agreements with
universities in Trinidad and Tobago to facilitate research projects and
exchanges between students and teachers. The Speaker pro tempore concluded
by mentioning that Canada is home to a significant Trinidadian community of
about 100,000, living mainly in the Greater Toronto Area, including artists,
politicians and journalists.
Mr. Rowley explained the
current shortcomings of the Trinidadian government system and the areas he
thought needed additional assistance. He first pointed out that public
governance needed improvement. There is still corruption in public and private
spheres. This has affected government transparency and accountability for the
sound stewardship of public assets. This is undermining public confidence in
its government, politicians and public systems. He went on to say that the work
of police, including investigation units, needs immediate additional
assistance. One of the key responsibilities of police is to investigate and
solve crime. According to recent reports, less than 10% of murders committed in
Trinidad are solved and brought to justice. Mr. Rowley said that Canadian
expertise and capacity in this area could help significantly improve the system
regionally and nationally. In response to a question by Senator Cools,
Mr. Rowley said that the national police forces specifically needed
training and equipment to deliver better and more consistent service to the
public at all levels. This led to a discussion about the possibility of
importing the structure of the Military Training and Cooperation Program
between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago to police forces. The Program has had a
proven track record in Trinidad and Tobago since the 1970s.
With respect to improving
the public system, Mr. Rowley said he believes there needs to be a review of
the administration of public policy and the social safety net, and that certain
organizations should be decentralized. He did welcome the government’s
initiative of establishing standing parliamentary committees to hold the
government to account for its actions, but he denounced them as ineffective.
There was a brief discussion about tourism programs that could be more
competitive, air transport agreements, justice reform proposals included in an
omnibus bill that resulted in a national scandal, and the healthcare system. On
that topic, Mr. Rowley said that there had been abuse within the system and
that the country was facing a shortage of doctors, nurses and skilled
technicians trained to repair various medical devices. Mr. Rowley briefly
explained the value-added tax system and the issues surrounding property tax
levies.
Meeting
with Brigadier General Anthony Phillips-Spencer, Vice Chief of Defence Staff,
Trinidad and Tobago Defence Forces
Canada
has maintained 53 years of close relations with Trinidad and Tobago, which has
one of the largest defence forces in the Carribbean. Trinidad and Tobago’s Defence
Forces have a long history of training with the Canadian Armed Forces, and they
are members of Canada’s Military Training Assistance Program. Because of its
relatively large size and the strength of its economy, Trinidad and Tobago is
an influential player within CARICOM. It also plays a leading role on energy
and security issues. Speaker pro tempore Housakos asked what else could
be done to further develop security cooperation.
The
Brigadier General said that Trinidad and Tobago was proud of its cooperation
with Canada and its professional training programs. He explained that he
himself had completed his training in Canada a few years earlier. He added that
Trinidad and Tobago’s geographic location made it particularly vulnerable. The
terrorist threat and the rise in radicalization were of concern. The Brigadier
General briefly went over the events of the 1990 coup attempt in Port of Spain.
The constantly changing environment is putting a strain on the country’s
abilities and resources. There are noticeable weaknesses with respect to
capacity building.
The
Caribbean is an international development priority for Canada. It developed a
Caribbean Regional Program, which covers Trinidad and Tobago. Through the
Program, Canada stimulates sustainable economic growth to address regional
economic challenges, and it promotes security by strengthening the rule of law
and improving measures to mitigate and respond to natural disasters.
The
Brigadier General expanded on the issues, telling the delegation that Trinidad
and Tobago’s greatest security challenge was drug trafficking, given its
proximity to Venezuela. Like many regions in the Caribbean, insecurity negatively impacts on the quality of life and poses a
barrier to economic growth. Drug trafficking is directly responsible for most
of the murders in the country. Illegal immigration is on the rise and is also a
sizeable challenge. Several Caribbean countries rely on Trinidad and Tobago for assistance to improve regional security and to provide the human and financial
resources needed to do so.
According
to the Brigadier General, there is no clear legislation covering national
security. Certain policies are currently being considered. The National
Operations Centre assists with tactical coordination but it remains to be seen
whether the systems are effective. The Speaker pro tempore Housakos
asked the Brigadier General if he believed there is sufficient legislation in
place to govern police forces, criminal justice and corrections. He replied
that several laws addressed various issues. They are sometimes out of date and
difficult to amend, and there is no single overarching legislation covering the
whole system. As well, there is still no outcomes management or reporting
review system.
The
meeting ended with a discussion on the progress of negotiations for the
purchase of long-range, multimission aircrafts.
Meeting
with Garvin Heerah, Director, National Operations Centre
The
purpose of the meeting was to give the members of the delegation a better
understanding of the security systems in place in Trinidad and Tobago.
A video
was shown to outline the mandate of the National Operations Centre (NOC) and
present the various stakeholders involved. These include the coast guard,
customs, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management, the police
department, immigration and intelligence agency, with the NOC managing and
coordinating response to incidents. The police remain the public’s primary
point of contact.
Their main
focus is on fighting crime and sharing intelligence on drug trafficking, human
trafficking, terrorism, street gangs and money laundering.
Most
employees are former military members who maintain close ties with the Defence
Forces. The proposal raised by Canada’s senators to import the structure of the
Military Training and Cooperation Program between
Canada and Trinidad and Tobago to police forces was welcomed. The Program has
had a proven track record in Trinidad and Tobago since the 1970s.
Following
the meeting, the Canadian delegation had the opportunity to observe the control
room and take a brief guided tour of the facilities.
Activities
During
their visit to Port of Spain, the members of the delegation held a working dinner
with representatives of Canadian and Trinidadian businesses with Canadian
interests to discuss the country’s economy and business climate. They visited
the room temporarily being used for sittings of the Senate and the House of
Representatives. They also attended the Senate question period.
Acknowledgements
The members of the Canadian delegation wish
to thank Her Excellency Raziah Ahmed, Senator, President of the Senate; and His
Excellency Wade Mark, M.P., Speaker of the House of Representatives, for hosting the official visit and
providing such a warm welcome and generous hospitality. The delegation would also like to thank the protocol
staff of the Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, who ensured
that the visit went smoothly.
Staff
at the Canadian High Commission in Port of Spain provided invaluable
assistance. Special thanks to Mr. Gérard Latulippe, High Commissioner for
Canada to Trinidad and Tobago, who helped prepare the agenda and accompanied
the delegation throughout the visit. Thanks are due as well to Mr. Barry
Bristman, Ms. Debra Boyce and Ms. Katya Zeydan, who were all instrumental in
organizing the visit and its implementation.
Lastly,
the delegates wish to thank Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada, and
the Library of Parliament for all the documentation provided in preparation for
the visit.
