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Opposition MP and shadow minister for national security Rodney Charles is calling on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to "be on the right side of history" and recognise the State of Palestine.
In a statement the Member of Parliament for Naparima said government should note that Barbados and Jamaica have declared intentions to recognise the State of Palestine.
"Rowley’s PNM needs to walk the talk on Palestine UN membership as Williams did decisively in 1972 in standing for principle on the Cuban embargo.
"MP Charles is calling on Rowley, to take the moral high ground, be on the right side of history, support our Islamic citizens and follow the majority of CARICOM by recognising Palestine.
"This comes in the wake of Jamaica recognising Palestine yesterday as well as Barbados announcing plans to officially do so. Guyana was the sixth country in Latin America to recognise the state. When will Trinidad and Tobago join the 141 countries to recognise Palestine as an independent state?"
Charles said Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Dr Amery Browne, while reiterating support for a two-state solution, fell short of confirming whether Trinidad and Tobago would recognise the State of Palestine.
"Minister Browne met with Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the UN yesterday and reiterated TT's support for the ‘Two State Solution’ with Israel and Palestine co-existing as sovereign and neighboring countries. But made no promises that TT will be recognising Palestine as a state.
"Is it because we are concerned about angering the US which voted last Thursday in the Security Council against Palestine being a UN Member state? It is noted that the US blocked the UN Security Council from moving forward on a Palestinian bid to be recognized as a full member state at the United Nations.
"Are we concerned that this may jeopardize hopes for our almost comatosed Dragon Gas?
"This Government’s approach has always been ‘too little too late’ or total inaction hoping the problem will go away. Clearly Browne is unable to reconcile the many conflicts which arise in our global relations by opting instinctively for an ostrich-like posture.
"Trinidad and Tobago, despite holding the seat of President of the General Assembly as a gift from the last PP administration, is now seen as a virtual non player in the global arena.
"Whether it be rating agencies reports, human rights and human trafficking reviews by the US State Department, or numerous negative travel advisories, or being on an EU blacklist, or inaction on recognizing the state of Palestine, we are not seen as leaders - intellectual, moral or otherwise, but followers at best even in CARICOM.
"We need to give some serious thought on our foreign policy: where we are on important global issues, what should be our posture, what alliances are critical to our national interest, what tangible benefits do we wish to derive, and whether our foreign policy should be governed by principles and if so which, or pragmatic self interest, or mere survival or a desire to be irrelevant.
"Our Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Ministry should follow in the footsteps of our CARICOM neighbors and recognize Palestine as a state. It is the right thing to do."
Dr Browne met with a delegation from the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) and said the people of Trinidad and Tobago were "appalled" at the experiences of the Palestinian people since the war began on October 7, 2023.
Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the UN, said during a press briefing on Tuesday that the people of Palestine depend on the support of Trinidad and Tobago and CARICOM in order to bring about a cease-fire and prevent further catastrophe.
He said to date, around half a million Palestinian children have been out of school for more than six months as their schools have been destroyed, with a total of almost 80,000 Palestinians killed or injured.
February 26, 2024 02:06 PM
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