MANNING: LIFTING IMET RESTRICTIONS VINDICATES T&T

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT OF SPAIN 001161

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/06/2016
TAGS: EAID KCRM MARR PGOV PREL TD
SUBJECT: MANNING: LIFTING IMET RESTRICTIONS VINDICATES T&T
STAND ON ARTICLE 98

REF: POS 01040

Classified By: ADCM, John Ries for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (U) As reported septel, Prime Minister Patrick
Manning,s October 4 budget speech, was, for the most part,
devoted to a discussion of T&T,s largely energy-driven
revenues and of proposed expenditures on infrastructure
development, manufacturing diversification and agriculture
promotion, as well as spending on improvements in national
security, education, health care, housing and social
services. However, Manning began his speech with a foreign
policy item, giving parliament and his national television
audience the previous day,s news about the lifting by the
United States of Article 98-related sanctions on T&T and
thereby allowing T&T to benefit from International Military
Education and Training (IMET) funding.


2. (C) Manning boasted that, with the lifting of
restrictions on IMET funding for T&T, his government,s long
standing refusal to sign an Article 98 agreement with the US
was thereby &vindicated8. He also seemed to take personal
credit for this change in US policy, noting that the
announcement of the policy change came close on the heels of
his raising the issue with Members of Congress during his
recent visit to Washington.


3. (U) Manning reviewed at some length the GOTT,s efforts
to professionalize T&T,s law enforcement agencies and reduce
the country,s high crime rate, particularly gang-related and
other murders. As he did most recently during his September
5 address before energy industry executives and members of
the diplomatic core (Ref POS 01040),he attributed the
violence to the relentless trafficking in drugs and firearms
originating in South America and transiting T&T en route to
Europe and the United States. Manning listed numerous
technologies (including, among others, radar, boats and
helicopters) and foreign consultants which have bolstered his
government,s efforts, giving special recognition to the
hands-on investigative assistance provided to the police
service by retired officers from the United Kingdom. On the
other hand, although Manning referred specifically to the
recent drastic decrease in kidnappings for ransom, he made no
mention of the critical role played by the FBI which led to
the arrest and prosecution of 3 T&T Defense Force members
responsible for a wave of kidnappings for ransom.


4. (C) COMMENT: Prime Minister Manning,s omission of any
reference to assistance provided by the US to T&T,s law
enforcement authorities is not new. The FBI,s record of
expertise and accomplishment, as well as other US-provided
assistance, speak for themselves. Nevertheless, we may be
thankful that this time, Manning refrained from publicly
criticizing the US, as he did on September 5, for allegedly
ignoring the Caribbean and focusing on the global war against
terror at the expense of the fight against drug and firearms
trafficking. END COMMENT.
AUSTIN