President Obama to visit T&T for Summit of the Americas

U.S. President Barack Obama has confirmed that he will lead a 1,000 member delegation to the Summit of the Americas, which is being held in Port of Spain, Trinidad from April 17 to the 19.

In a letter to Prime Minister Patrick Manning Obama said, "I am pleased to confirm that I will attend the summit. Given the challenges we face globally and regionally, I understand the importance of this event. I look forward to meeting with my 33 democratically elected counterparts and to working with you to achieve success for our region."

Obama had stated the importance of the summit during his visit to Canada on Feb. 19. The seven-hour trip to America's northern neighbour was Obama's first foreign visit since he took office in January.

Obama told reporters in Ottawa it is critical for governments from the Americas to meet and discuss strategies for dealing with the crisis facing the region and the world.

In making the announcement Manning said other countries are assisting with the cost of hosting the summit. Barbados would be sending two offshore patrol vessels and another will come from the Bahamas. Six hundred police officers and troops from the Caribbean will be in Trinidad and Tobago during the period, Manning said.

"There are many other areas in which the costs have been shared and where costs have been taken up by countries other than Trinidad and Tobago," he said, adding that financial assistance was also coming from the region's development bank- the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

The extra tight security for the event means that there would be restricted movement of traffic on Wrightson Road, one of the main access routes to the Hyatt Regency Hotel and two adjoining buildings where the summit is being held.

The Port of Port of Spain would also be closed for the days of the summit as an extra security precaution and the government is considering the declaration of a holiday on the first day of the summit, a move that's causing concerns among businesspeople who are already upset over the closure of the port.