The Trinidad and Tobago government Monday said it had granted approval for United States military aircraft to transit the local airspace ‘in the coming weeks’.
‘The United States has advised that these movements are logistical in nature, facilitating supply replenishment and routine personnel relations,’ the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs said in a statement.
Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister Sean Sobers said the government is maintaining ‘close engagement’ with the US Embassy here, adding that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar ‘has affirmed the government’s commitment to cooperation and collaboration in the pursuit of safety and security for Trinidad and Tobago and the wider region.
‘We welcome the continued support for the United States,’ he added.
Prime Minister Persaud-Bissessar has over the past few months backed the United States military operation in the Caribbean as part of its drug-eradication programme, despite political observers and Venezuela itself saying that Washington’s aim is to effect regime change in Caracas and remove President Nicolas Maduro from power.
Persad-Bissessar’s position is at variance with the rest of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) that has insisted that the region be maintained as a zone of peace, even while supporting Washington’s efforts to deal with the illegal drugs trade.
In its statement, the Ministry of CARICOM and Foreign Affairs said that through its ongoing partnership with the United States, Trinidad and Tobago has benefitted from joint military training exercises, enhanced surveillance capabilities, ‘including the installation of an effective radar system and collaborative efforts that have contributed to the interdiction of millions of dollars worth of illegal narcotics’.
It said that the embassy here has also been engaged in supporting national development through educational initiatives.