Barbados has taken T&T before the United Nations, as negotiations between the states over fishing rights have completely broken down...
News Source: Trinidad Guardian
This move comes after Barbados? government denied a statement by Prime Minister Patrick Manning that he and Arthur agreed to seek the intervention of Caricom during a meeting in Nigeria.
In addition, the Barbados Advocate will today report Barbados is also challenging the legitimacy of a delimitation agreement between T&T and Venezuela that governs maritime relations with respect to fishing as well as oil and natural gas.
Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur made the announcement during a news conference at Government House, Bridgetown, hours after he met with a delegation led by Prime Minister Patrick Manning.
Manning?s delegation, which included Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift and Trade and Industry Minister Kenneth Valley, flew to Barbados in an attempt to resolve the long-standing and heated fishing dispute.
On Saturday, Barbados expanded the number of goods from T&T that will be subject to monitoring licences after Arthur issued a trade threat against this country on February 9.
Before the news conference, Arthur held a special meeting with his Cabinet after he met with the Manning delegation.
A source said Manning first met with Arthur at his official residence in Lara Court before they had lunch at Villa Nova, an exclusive restaurant in St John?s.
On its newscast last night, Barbados? Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation reported Arthur said that country?s Attorney General, and Deputy Prime Minister Mia Mottley with lead the government?s delegation to the UN.
?Barbados has informed the Secretary General of the United Nations that the Government of Barbados under the International Tribunal of the Laws of the Sea of the actions Barbados has taken on its behalf,? Arthur said.
He also said the Barbados Ministry of Foreign Affairs will officially notify T&T Foreign Affairs Ministry of its decision to take the matter for arbitration before the UN.
Arthur said arbiters are still to be appointed by the T&T Government.
Interviewed on the TV6 News last night, entrepreneur Arthur Lok Jack said the T&T Government should not be held to ransom by any country with regards to any negotiations over natural resources.
?Certainly, definitely, as far as I am concerned, the Trinidad and Tobago Government should go and negotiate and continue the negotiations without the threat of trade war over their heads at all,? Lok Jack said.
He also said the T&T manufacturers, many of whom earn significant revenues from its exports to Barbados, should assist the Government in any way they can.
Neither Manning nor any member of his delegation issued a statement in response to Barbados? latest action against T&T.
