While it says it recognizes and respects the sovereignty of the United States to issue travel advisories to their citizens- especially during a pandemic- the Office of the Prime Minister has taken particular issue to the US Embassy’s inclusion of a “terrorism” warning in its Level 4 Travel Advisory for Trinidad and Tobago.

“Terrorism is not a specific feature of any current threat within our shores. We would expect that the United States, which is not unfamiliar with the face of homegrown terrorism, would reconsider the association of such a term with Trinidad and Tobago as it certainly does not accurately reflect the local realities,” a statement from OPM said. 

Meanwhile, OPM also took note of the exchange between the Embassy and the United National Congress, after the Opposition sought to allude that the Advisory exposed government’s failure in handling crime. 

“One would have expected that, if only out of a sense of duty and knowing the facts as they relate to Trinidad and Tobago’s situation, any responsible Opposition, regardless of how they feel about the Government, would have seen it fit to come to the defence of the country, but they prefer instead to gleefully attempt to confirm any misconception or misinformation about Trinidad and Tobago,” OPM stated. 

The US Embassy on Friday rejected what it said was an attempt by the UNC to politicise its advisory, saying:  “The Department’s Travel Advisories are apolitical in nature, and in no way reflect our relationship with any country or with any specific political party within a country.”

OPM said the Opposition has now deservedly found themselves in the unfortunate position of scrambling to save face, after attempting to confirm anything negative being said or portrayed about our nation, with no regard whatsoever for accuracy or context.