Jamaica Manufacturers Association urges Simpson-Miller administration to hold Trinidad & Tobago accountable to regional commitments

The Jamaica Manufacturers Association has urged the Portia Simpson-Miller administration to hold Trinidad & Tobago to commitments made to the region as outlined in the Treaty of Chaguaramas.

According to the president, Omar Azan, Trinidad’s National Security Minister Gary Griffith has sent a disjointed message about the stance being taken by the twin island nation as it relates to immigration procedures.

Griffith’s declaration came despite a promise by his Cabinet colleague, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran, of free travel between Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago when he met with his Jamaican counterpart for bilateral talks on immigration issues.

Azan said he found the statement from Griffith to be strange since a team was dispatched from Trinidad & Tobago’s Ministry of National Security for the bi-lateral talks. He said the utterances from the National Security Minister introduces confusion, and he should be reined in by Trinidad & Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissesar.

Last week, Dookeran embarked on a diplomatic mission to Jamaica at the request of Persad-Bissessar, after sentiments ran high and Jamaicans threatened to boycott products from Trinidad & Tobago after 13 Jamaicans were denied entry into the twin island nation last month. -(CMC)