T&T was right and within its place to call for the general secretary of the Organisation of American States (OAS) Luis Almagro to be changed.
This was the view of Stuart Young, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, as he responded to calls by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley for the removal of Almagro.
Rowley on Wednesday called for Almagro to be changed because of the “very derogatory manner” in which he engaged Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro.
Rowley said T&T had registered “strong objections” to the behaviour of Almagro who had accused Maduro of carrying out a coup after the country’s Supreme Court took over the functions of the opposition led congress.
Questioned at yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference if T&T may be picking a fight with OAS, which may lead to some negative implications for our country Young said “absolutely not.”
He said T&T has been “very cautious and very calculated and very definitive in its position at the OAS with respect to Venezuela.”
Young said what the PM had indicated “the opportunity for the AOS to have intervened and mediated in a situation was lost by a very unnecessary and aggressive start taken by a public servant who became the secretary general of the OAS. T&T is obviously within its right and within its place to put that position forward.”
He said T&T’s participation at the OAS on this matter will continue.
“We will continue to maintain our standard which, is that, we will not allow them to be railroading of any democratically elected government and particular our closest neighbour.”
Young said T&T will continue to have sideline discussions and to let good sense prevail in what was obviously a difficult situation taking place in Venezuela.
“We don’t feel that we have in any way jeopardize or upset our relationship at the OAS level.”
Asked if T&T’s recent signing of a new gas export agreement with Venezuela could have triggered us to react this way to OAS, Young said he did not think so.
“No. We have always taken a position with Venezuela that we are neighbours and we are here to support Venezuela.
Also replying to queries from Opposition Senator Wade Mark in the Senate yesterday, Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses attempted to “duck” specific details when asked what action Government is taking to remove Almagro from office.
Moses said he was “wary to give Mark guarantees, but added the Secretary General had made “what could be considered disparaging comments” about Maduro,
“And T&T’s of the view that due respect courtesy is due to heads of state. Accordingly we’d have made comments in different forums about this situation,” Moses added.
