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PNM Tobago leader Ancil Dennis has called on the Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley to speak with her TT counterpart, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, to appeal for "cool heads" to prevail, amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the region. Comparing the conflict between US and Venezuela, which TT has become embroiled in, to a game of all-fours, Dennis said Persad-Bissessar may feel empowered holding a piece of trump, but he warned that she is holding a jack and anything can happen. Dennis' appeal came 24 hours after Venezuela accused TT of provocation in collaboration with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). On October 26, the USS Gravely, a US warship, arrived in TT for a five-day visit in which military exercises will be conducted with the TT Defence Force. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said the visit is to help bolster the fight against transnational crime and build resilience through training, humanitarian activities, and security co-operation. In a Facebook post on October 27, Dennis, a former THA chief secretary, said the region is unaccustomed to these kinds of tensions. "The Caribbean didn’t become a Zone of Peace by chance, we chose it," he said. "Out of a history of struggle and colonisation, our nations decided that true independence must come with peace, co-operation, and respect for sovereignty." He said the majority of bickering in the region is usually over cricket or other sports. "The only 'wars' we fight around here are over whether it’s chicken curry or curry chicken; whether soca better than reggae and dancehall; and who is better at track and field, football, or cricket. We seldom fill the streets to protest; but we fill the streets for our carnivals and we ram out stadiums to support our sportsmen and women." He warned that regional governments do not have military capabilities beyond border protection, responding to natural disasters, or helping law enforcement when things get a little out of hand. "We’re simply not built for war – and we like it that way. "Our lands of sun and sea must never be turned into militarised oceans. We’re not accustomed to that kind of stress; the only storms we’re built to face are the ones that come with names like Beryl or Ivan, not missiles and bombs." He said Caricom was built on the principles of non-interference, peaceful coexistence, and regional solidarity. "From the Treaty of Chaguaramas to the 2014 CELAC Proclamation in Havana declaring Latin America and the Caribbean a Zone of Peace, we’ve stood firm on the side of diplomacy over destruction." He added, "And maybe – just maybe – it’s time for Mama Mia (Mia Mottley) to have a little talk with Aunty Kamla (Persad-Bissessar). Perhaps not at a summit, but over a good game of dominoes or all fours with a bottle of homemade wine from Tobago. "Convince her that what we need now are cool heads and Caribbean creativity. Persuade her that there are far more effective and less damaging ways to deal with the crime problem than dragging our peaceful region into somebody else’s war. "Ultimately, remind her that we in the Caribbean understand something the world often forgets; it’s better to wine than to war. Tell her to come down from up there because in all fours, it’s not smart to play fast and loose when you’re holding just one piece of trump, especially when it’s a jack!!!" Mottley was in Trinidad five months ago as a guest of TT at the ceremonial opening of the first session of the 13th Republican Parliament at the Red House, Port of Spain.
