While two Caricom�leaders yesterday pushed for T&T to fulfill promises made to the region by the last PNM administration, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has made it clear that T&T is "not an ATM card." St Kitts Prime Minister�Denzil Douglas and Grenada Prime Minister Tillman Thomas called for T&T's new People's Partnership administration to follow through on certain projects to which the previous PNM administration committed T&T. Yesterday, Persad-Bissessar's chairmanship of Caricom's National Security committee produced a proposal for a Passenger�Security fee throughout the region to fund its national security programme.
Persad-Bissessar said T&T could not fund the entire programme.
Talks on the idea were continuing at yesterday's final day summit session which also included discussions on Persad-Bissessar's suggestion to assist women, children and the environment. Persad-Bissessar said leaders' national security talks focused on the US$40 million funding�of the regional security agenda. "Of course, T&T will not be able to fund that agenda so a proposal was made for a Passenger Security fee to be paid by persons travelling in the region�which has the possibility of raising�the US$40 million which will be able to fund the entire national security agenda," she said. The fee amount that they were proposing was US$2 million, she added.
She said discussions became stuck Tuesday and had to continue yesterday, since some nations did not want to put the fee onto every ticket. If the funding was not forthcoming, the shortage could shut down several agencies and could compromise the region's national security agenda, she said. "It may enhance T&T's agenda, but T&T will not be prepared to fund that entire programme," Persad- Bissessar said. She added that it might well be that leaders�might have to�take the issue to their respective Cabinets and populations before a final decision was made on this. The revamped–hardline–T&T position Persad Bisssesar�brought to Caricom's 31st summit in terms of T&T funding yesterday came in for flak from a Jamaican�Gleaner editorial headlined "Trinidad's being unfair, Kamla."
It dealt with the PM's statements regarding the Petroleum Fund. The editorial called for her to examine T&T's energy policy and its impact on the Caribbean Single Market and to review T&T's adherence to Caricom rules ensuring�level playing-field behaviour. It also noted current Jamaican business sector problems with T&T. Speaking about her summit experience, however, Persad-Bissesar said�yesterday: "At the end of today,�I do believe we would have had some impact on making changes�for the benefit of us all. "Same old, same old calls for changes, so we have been very firm in our position with respect to the way T&T has operated in the past...Maybe that was fine for then, but we cannot continue the same way," she said.
"We just don't have the resources that would have existed in the past. A lot of money is being shelled out and no accountability or transparency. "Each time there's a shortfall we cannot continue like T&T is an ATM card as one of my officers has said to me. T&T is seen as an ATM card, you put in the card and it comes back out with cash. It just cannot happen anymore. "We're still committed to helping where we can. We won't turn a blind eye, but there's no godfather partner...we're all in this equally." Persad-Bissessar's position may be put to the test on at least two counts�after St Kitts Prime Minister�Douglas yesterday called for the new T&T Government to honour an agreement by the previous Manning administration regarding the siting of a regional laboratory facility in T&T. Douglas said it was agreed that T&T be the location of a combined facility involving five labs, including from Carec and Paho.
He said while the project cost almost US$50 million, T&T would only be required to pay infrastructural costs and possibly upgrade an existing structure for this. Member countries and other agencies would assist funding, he added. Douglas said the project was approved by the previous administrationand he was "very, very" hopeful the new T&T Government would continue with the project and the new PM would ensure that what was planned and pursued would receive the same kind of support. Douglas said he did not think it can be reversed since it was advanced in planning. "I'll�never agree to change it...If the T&T problem is financing of the lab–and yes, it will cost millions–�it's a facility T&T needs, so whether she allows herself to be deprived of a facility she needs because of a political problem, it makes no sense to me," he said.
He said the facility "has to be pursued," since it was critically important to advance health in the region and even if the T&T Government had financing issues, Douglas insisted, "It will be done." Yesterday, Grenada Prime Minister Thomas said T&T's�shift with the proposed radar/patrol boat system for the southern region was discussed at the National Security meeting. Thomas maintained T&T should try and get the system operational since it was for the entire region. Thomas also said T&T should try to assist the Caribbean Development Fund which T&T blanked on Tuesday, and expected that when there was a little more "fiscal space, things might change." Persad- Bissessar, however, subsequently said of the radar system yesterday: "We informed them at yesterday's meeting that it is not that we want to pull out�since our own border security will also be impaired.
"But it's because of the offshore patrol boats with which there have been serious delays," she said. "They cost upwards of $5 billion and there's no delivery date in sight...one vessel�you cannot even fire shots from it. I'm�also advised that without the boats, you cannot have the radar." Persad-Bissessar referred queries to National Security adviser Gary Griffith, at her side, who said: "Although the three boats have been bought, the first�expected by May 2009 hasn't been received and we have 80 people in the UK waiting to bring them home. "It's hard to proceed with purchase unless we feel comfortable they are seaworthy and we're getting value for money," Griffith said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Suruj Rambachan said yesterday that he felt regional leaders appreciated the candour of T&T's position and understood that everyone has to be a little "more tight and efficient." "They haven't complained...I think they appreciate what T&T has done in the past and realise we all face limitations in terms of our ability to fund as extensively as we did in the past," he said. On Grenada's concerns that�T&T should try and facilitate the proposed radar/patrol boat system for the southern region, Rambachan said regional security was indeed very important. "But there are other ways in which it may be possible to find resources to do that and that is what the community must do," he said. Rambachan, noting US funding for the Caribbean Basin, added: "At this stage, T&T really cannot bear the burden."