$201M a year for overseas missions: Suruj

$201 a year for overseas missions

Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Surujrattan Rambachan revealed on Wednesday that the government of Trinidad and Tobago spends $201 million a yer to fund overseas missions.

He was speaking at an interactive session between his ministry and the media at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain.

He gave a breakdown of the figure: 

• $118 million - Goods and services
• $42 million - Salaries
• $35 million - Allowances
• $6 million - Minor equipment

The minister said it is important that the government gets value for its investment. “The diplomats now...represent the best mix of career diplomats and state appointees,” he said, adding that there is a need to get returns through what he called trade diplomacy.

Rambachan also invited the media to participate in a six-month course in international relations at his ministry. Sixteen officials from the ministry are participating in the course, which he said would assist journalists to better report on foreign affairs matters.

The minister also spoke about Trinidad and Tobago's contribution to international agencies annually:

• $33 million to Caricom
• $2.7 million to the Association of Caribbean States
• $537,000 to the Grenada Consular and Trade Office in Port-of-Spain
• More than $9 million to 14 UN organisations

He said the payment to the Grenada government is "to help them to deal with their consular matters and so on.”