PM Kamla meets with US Deputy Secretary of State in Washington

PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Deputy Secretary of State William Burns

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar met on Wednesday with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns in Washington, DC, to discuss ongoing bilateral issues.

The Prime Minister and Burns discussed several important matters affecting Trinidad and Tobago and the region, among them the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) that was enacted by Congress in 2010 and is part of the US effort to combat tax evasion by US citizens holding overseas investments. 

Persad-Bissessar also referred to the need for the U.S. Government to do more to assist Caribbean countries, including Trinidad and Tobago, in the fight against the illegal drug trade. 

She and Burns agreed on 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.

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

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

On Tuesday the Prime Minister met with Trinidad and Tobago Ambassadors to the UN Rodney Charles and Eden Charles top discuss issues regarding replacement candidates to the International Criminal Court.

Persad-Bissessar will address the OAS Africa meeting Thursday.