Tuesday February 9th, 2010
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Summit ‘fallout’
Canadian media blast ‘overzealous’ security
Published: 20 Apr 2009
As Jamaica recovers from reports in the Canadian media about the vulnerability of one of its airports to breaches in security, following the recent hijacking of a Canadian airplane, Canadian reports have emerged about clashes between officials from Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s entourage and local security officers during the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port-of- Spain.
An article appearing in Canada’s Calgary Sun headlined—Poor planning blamed for security woes—reported that “fights between frustrated cameramen, delegates and local security broke out at the Summit of the Americas, at times in full view of the 34 leaders gathered for discussions.”
The article said: “In another area, delegates trying to enter an area where the leaders were sitting down to lunch got into a tense shouting match with the local security, who have set up a confusing system of access points to the summit. “Harper's personal staff have had to argue with security from Trinidad and Tobago in order to reach locations where Harper is meeting.” In the article, also published in Nova Scotia-based The Chronicle Herald, quoted an unidentified female member of Harper’s staff telling a T&T police officer: “Don't touch me!” after the officer reportedly attempted to “to push her on a stairway.”
According to the article, one Canadian, who helped organise the three-day event in Port-of-Spain, said “the planning had been abysmal, with some decisions only taken a few days before leaders began arriving.” Another Calgary-based media house, 66O News, an all-news radio station, described local security officials as “overzealous.” It said: “A fight broke out between photographers and the security guards, who were blocking the entrance to the opening session on Saturday. “Tensions also boiled over when delegates trying to reach their leaders came up against overzealous security. “Even some of Harper's staff got into arguments with local security who restricted their movements.”
BRIEFING
During a news briefing held in Port-of-Spain on Sunday, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said despite differences in size, all countries were able to work together during the summit. “I think President Obama said there is no big country or small countries, but we are all equal here. We all sat around the table and we all talk openly about what we think.
“If we could do that as leaders around the hemisphere, surely our people in our individual countries, whether they are big or small...think and express themselves freely in a political sense.” Harper said there was a general consensus from most countries in the hemisphere that they were on the way forward.
“As I told you, the vast majority of countries share these broad economic values by which we have good bilateral relations.” Harper said most countries were already in line with the G-20 consensus.
I so happen to spend a few
I so happen to spend a few years within the security arena and it never ceases to amaze me the manner in which people tend to operate , based on where they emanate. The reactions by the Canadian officials are noting new, and is of no surprise to many that pay attention to such affairs. Care to figure out why you won't hear much of a problem from the entourage when a member from the Global South visits a more advance Northern Industrialized State ? You guess it , it boils down to professional respect. I know my place when in your country and expects the same reciprocal courtesy. Who can forget former Secretary of State Condi Rice run ins with the security department in Senegal during her first and perhaps only African state visit.
The irony is that the despicable behavior would not only remain there . Need I say 800,000 Rwandans Africans lost their lives during a well known genocide massacre , while the Canadian Force Commander Romeo Dallaire twiddled his thumbs and ensured that Europeans were safely evacuated , then wrote a best selling book years later condemning the Security Council from ensuring that he do his job to save and protect everyone under his care.
I am not surprised by this,
I am not surprised by this, after trying to arrange for passes for several foreign photographers then having to wait 4 hrs to get the passes, when we had sending the emails and calling months in advance. Then getting stopped at check points constantly but seeing local NON ACCREDITED persons just allowed to go through. Respect goes both ways, foreigners will show respect if shown to them, you mentioned knowing ones place, well sometimes people given some level of power and responsibility try to over step it and in the case of a few, they go to far. The irony is it wasn't the lower ranking security personnel, who all I encountered acted very professionally. It was many senior ranking officers who did not. It felt as they just wanted to give us a hard time, not because we were trying to sneak in, or go into areas where we know we could not but just to get to the media pits where we were supposed to go and had the passes for. Now obviously when not being allowed in we pulled some strings and called on some members of certain diplomats entourage and possibly over stepped our boundaries but it's our job, those officers were not doing theirs as many non accredited persons were getting through.
On the subject of Gen. Romeo Dallaire. Knowing probably a bit more than you do about what happened there you would understand that his requests for more troops and for the Belgian's not to leave went unanswered. How can he protect 800,000 with less than a company of men. He did what he could and saved thousands of Rwandans. If anyone is to blame for that it is the UN security council and the Belgian army.
Your point is valid Canuck ,
Your point is valid Canuck , at times often the folks from the emerging developing states sometimes act as if a large chip is fixated on their collective shoulders. I make no excuses for local discourteous unprofessional behaviors where so ever it exist. Let’s hope that lessons can be learnt , and Trinidad can get it correct for the future. As you would agree events tourism can be can a wonderful venture for a country like mine, overly dependent on oil and gas, if only they can get it correct.
Like close neighbor Venezuela , our citizens are sometimes confused by virtue of being the beneficiary of an exorbitant amount of natural and -yes - depleting vital resources , hence the arrogance at times. They have never treated tourism with the seriousness it deserves like say Barbados , Jamaica or other less fortunate. I hope you got a chance to visit Tobago - unspoiled pearl of the Caribbean , but you won’t know had it not been for the thousand of grateful Europeans from abroad. Barbados is 50 kilometers bigger than Tobago , and totally dependent on tourism , yet its economy can parallel ours. That’s another story for another day.
So you believe that you have a better grip on the Rwanda debacle , and feels justified in defending the honor of the Canadian General that behaved like Pontius Pilot correct? Some day we'll exchange notes , as changes can be done more effectively by the conscious few that fully comprehend the value of networking- especially on the information highway.
Let’s see if President Clinton's former African Secretary , and now UN head huncho Dr. Rice can get it correct this time around with respect to Sudan and Congo as those crazy Somalians are acting up once more.
Who said Brinkmanship can only be done by folks from large industrial nations with heads of states and advisors that horned their skills with education derived via elite institutions?
I will defend the General
I will defend the General knowing all too well the issues a peacekeeper faces and I hope your remark about Pontius Pilot was meant with some appreciation of what the Israelite's demanded but point taken. We can only hope that the UN will be stronger in the future and not let that happen again, if not Dr. Rice and Obama as the situation there can quickly turn into another holocaust.
I do get a strong impression in Trinidad that service industries are beneath the people working in them. This is strange as in Canada, as industrialized as it is service industries like Tourism generate a significant percentage of the countries income. Yes it can be demeaning catering to the Yanks and Brits but the bottom line is that it does make good money. I also will take note of the agricultural industry in Trinidad, or lack there of. Being able to feed your own population internally especially with economic woes world wide should be a priority. Oh and do think on this, Canadians are alot less arrogant than Americans or Brits, in general more understanding and kindhearted. Probably better educated as well (we at least generally know where Trinidad is and that it is more developed than the other Caribbean islands, guess our expectations where higher than they should have been). They are much less likely to get into a confrontation but are also much more whinny and take to the pen quicker when confrontations occur.
We'll just have to see how the Commonwealth summit turns out later this year.
Since 1989 and “the end of
Since 1989 and “the end of history,” Genocide and Terrorism have taken a greater toll across the globe for a host of reasons that can require an entire (semester )Political Science Graduate seminar at your Toronto University to decipher. The first step that’s required for eradication and or halting is the formulation of globally acceptable, and binding definitions. The second is strengthening of regional bodies ,and commitment of respective leaders to show intolerance to reprehensible behaviors and actions of political cancers .
Finally , democratization of the UN which translates to the Security Council that won’t continue to allow five states to run roughshod over the will of 190 members, while playing a quid pro quo political dances with each other as you guys in the corporate 4th estate remains asleep .
Since both of us can speak with authority about the issues that peacekeepers faces on a daily basis , and we cannot force these five States to shed power , then let’s continue to shine the light in the dark corners in an effort to ensure elements of bureaucracy are curbed and the INGO’s ideals are adhered to.
I am fully aware of the characteristics of my fellow citizens , and can find you a horde of reasons for it as well as explanations for our flagging agriculture but “ you cannot bear them now.” I lived in the USA for the past 19 years , and intermingle every day with every conceivable race , ethnicity, and culture you can imagine due also to my work.
I therefore would not go into a sparing match with you as to who holds the crown for arrogance between Americans, Canadians , or Brits at this juncture . As for education, that too I’ll leave alone, as along with IQ’s , I often find it to be an overrated commodity.
We’ll see where matters can leads, as these are tumultuous times , that require astute new age thinking and focus by not only progressive leaders , but socially conscious business entities ,and conscious citizens filled with empathy for the less fortunate . The global village is too fragile for insularity , and condescension I believe . Let’s stay engaged.
Regards.
Such great efforts went into
Such great efforts went into beautifying some of our physical surroundings, while ignoring the fundamental basics of our people and their misery here in Trinidad. Well, the true colours of our government and security elements will tell the real story of Trinidad and Tobago, and our Prime Minister's vein efforts.