Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 10/Sep 04:27

Foreign policy not a popularity contest

THE EDITOR: The recent call by Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) for a referendum to decide TT’s alignment with the US is misguided and, quite frankly, dangerous. While citizen input is essential in a democracy, foreign policy is not a matter to be put to the ballot box. No such referendum has ever been constitutionally mandated or held in our country, and for good reason – these are decisions with consequences far beyond popular sentiment. Let's be clear, TT does not exist in isolation. We are situated at a geopolitical crossroads, just seven miles off Venezuela’s coast, a nation entangled in drug trafficking, human smuggling, and organised crime networks such as the Tren de Aragua. The Caribbean is one of the most heavily trafficked drug corridors in the world. To pretend that our foreign policy can be determined by referendum, while ignoring the scale of these transnational threats, is to gamble recklessly with our security. Those calling for a referendum forget history. When a former prime minister chose to embrace Nicolás Maduro – a leader sanctioned by the US, Canada and the European Union – there was no demand for a referendum then. Where were these voices when our fishermen were kidnapped, ransomed or disappeared in Venezuelan waters? Where were the calls for “the people’s voice” when TT was at its most vulnerable, aligned with a regime that brought us neither protection nor stability? The hypocrisy is glaring. Today, because of strategic engagement with the US, we have access to advanced intelligence-sharing, maritime security support, and renewed agreements under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. These partnerships are not about “choosing sides” they are about safeguarding our borders, curbing narcotics trafficking, and protecting our fishermen, law-abiding citizens and coastal communities from violence. Imagine, for a moment, if Government had taken the opposite approach and rejected collaboration with Washington. What then? Would we risk sanctions, trade restrictions or visa barriers, cutting off one of our largest trading partners and a country where thousands of Trinis live, work, and study? The fallout would be devastating: weakened currency reserves, declining foreign investment, and the erosion of opportunities for our young people. Foreign policy is not about vanity or populist applause. It is about foresight, pragmatism, and survival. The US remains our second largest export destination and our largest source of imports, according to the Central Bank. To fracture this relationship in the name of political posturing is not only irresponsible but also reckless. At stake is not just geopolitics, but the safety of our people and the stability of our economy. Our nation cannot afford to let fearmongering or hypocrisy dictate foreign policy. What we need is sober leadership, not populist experiments with referendums on matters of life, trade, and sovereignty. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar must also be commended for making a difficult but necessary decision, one that safeguarded our nation’s socio-economic interests while sending a clear signal to our neighbors that TT will no longer be exploited as a major transnational drug-trafficking hub. DEOCHAND RAMJIT SINGH Via e-mail The post Foreign policy not a popularity contest appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.