Post Cabinet Media Briefing - Thursday May 28th 2020

Key Points From The Post Cabinet Media Briefing – Thursday May 28th 2020 - Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley will give details on the next phase of reopening on Saturday May 30th 2020. He is expected to meet with the COVID-19 Response Team before outlining the next step for Trinidad and Tobago. Prime Minister Rowley said the withdrawal from normal behaviour has saved T&T from having an overwhelming number of COVID-19 cases. - Prime Minister Rowley visited some manufacturing companies yesterday and was very pleased by their response in protecting workers from COVID-19. He was also impressed by the world-class technology being used by these local companies. The companies were chosen at random and had less than 24 hours to prepare for the Prime Minister’s visit. - Prime Minister Rowley said whatever he says to the population has been truthful and cannot be rebutted. He then opened himself up to questions from journalists at today’s Media Briefing. - PM Rowley said the T&T Government has taken a position on Venezuela that is similar to the United Nations - that the Government that represented Venezuela at the last United Nations meeting (Maduro) is the recognised Government of that South American country. Prime Minister Rowley said Trinidad and Tobago demands the right to be neutral. He recalled that at the UN Meeting, Trinidad and Tobago offered itself as a neutral site for both parties in Venezuela to meet and have dialogue. Barbados also offered their country and it was there that the meeting with the Venezuelan parties took place. - Trinidad and Tobago has no intention of abandoning the Rio Treaty at this stage. This country continues to be a signatory to the Agreement. - Prime Minister Rowley emphatically stated that he only met on COVID-19 matters with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and one other person, Asdrubal Chavez, who was NOT introduced as the President of PDVSA at that meeting. The Prime Minister, the Minister of National Security and the Minister of Foreign Affairs were the only three TT representatives in attendance. At that meeting, Venezuela offered COVID-19 test kits which were declined. Discussions also centred on more security at the borders. - Contrary to what is being suggested, the Prime Minister said he has regular discussions with the US Ambassador. - Prime Minister Rowley said the UNC Opposition is hell-bent on getting the United States to impose sanctions on Trinidad and Tobago. - Prime Minister Rowley said Government "is making enemies" by standing in the way of two business conglomerates that own media houses. He explained that Government has taken decisions that are unfavourable to one business conglomerate's interests while in the second instance, the State is not facilitating business with the other conglomerate at this time. He noted that the two business conglomerates have financial interests to protect, but the Government also has to protect the interest of the wider population. He said: "We are for the people of Trinidad and Tobago." - Prime Minister Rowley gave the assurance that General Elections will be held when Constitutionally due, but there will be a different way of doing things, especially when it comes to campaigning and adhering to physical distancing guidelines.