Prime Minister Kamla meets with US Deputy Secretary of State

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar today, April 17 2013, met with US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns to discuss ongoing bilateral issues.

Prime Minister and Mr. Burns addressed several important matters affecting Trinidad and Tobago and the region among them the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) which was enacted by congress in 2010 and is part of the US effort to combat tax evasion by US citizens holding overseas investments. Prime Minister also referred to the need for the US Government to do more to assist Caribbean countries, including Trinidad and Tobago, in the fight against the illegal drug trade. Both agreed to the need to improve information sharing between government agencies and to do more to inform regional authorities of the criminal background of deportees from Caribbean countries.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar also discussed with the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State the feasibility of convening a CARICOM-US Summit. As incoming Chair of CARICOM Prime Minister discussed the progress towards determining the preference of member states in respect of an appropriate Inter-Governmental agreement with the US.

Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar expressed her vision to expand the regional architecture to the benefit of all CARICOM member countries.

Yesterday Prime Minister met with Trinidad and Tobago Ambassadors to the UN Rodney Charles and Eden Charles on issues regarding replacement candidates to the International Criminal Court.

Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar will address the OAS Africa meeting tomorrow.

– Communications Unit, Office of the Prime Minister