Trinidad and Tobago ratifies OAS anti-terrorism convention

Mackisack Logie, the Alternate Representative of
Trinidad and Tobago to the OAS (L), delivers the
instruments of ratification to OAS Assistant Secretary
General Albert Ramdin. Photo: Juan Manuel Herrera OAS

Monday,  December 5, 2005

WASHINGTON, USA: Trinidad and Tobago, the 16th member of the Organization of American States to ratify the Inter-American Convention against Terrorism, on Friday deposited the instruments of ratification with the OAS.

The Caribbean republic had signed the treaty in June 2002 when it was open for signature at the 32nd regular session of the OAS General Assembly in Barbados.

Mackisack Logie, the Alternate Representative of Trinidad and Tobago to the OAS, told Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin that his country’s ratification demonstrates that “we take our responsibility as a global citizen very seriously” and affirms the high regard in which the Caribbean state holds the OAS and its role in hemispheric affairs.

Noting that all states have a duty to take steps to rid the world of the scourge of terrorism, Logie said that Trinidad and Tobago, as the current chair of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE), is “strongly of the view that terrorism in all forms does not belong in our global community."

He went on to detail measures by his government in that regard, including passing an anti-terrorism bill this past October; hosting a recent seminar for security practitioners in the region; and pursuing an initiative for an Inter-American Tourism and Recreational Facility Security Program throughout OAS members states.

For his part, Assistant Secretary General Ramdin underscored the importance of ratifying OAS instruments and hailed this latest move by Trinidad and Tobago as well as the specific initiatives cited by Logie.

Ramdin added that this anti-terrorism treaty deals with one of the key issues of concern to the hemisphere. “It is part of the new paradigm of the OAS, in the context of multidimensional security, to pay attention to the critical issues. Terrorism is one of them,” Ramdin stressed. 

He explained that terrorism is a key concern for the hemisphere because nobody is immune to its effects, and he also urged those member states that have not yet ratified the OAS treaty to do so as soon as possible. 

In addition to OAS Permanent Council Chairman Ambassador Izben Williams of St. Kitts and Nevis, those on hand for the brief ceremony included the Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister’s national security adviser, Overand Padmore, representing National Security Minister Martin Joseph, the CICTE chair; and Steven Monblatt, Executive Secretary of CICTE.

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