Opposition leaders are demanding greater transparency from the government regarding the continued presence of United States troops in Tobago, four months after their arrival to install a military-grade radar system at A.N.R. Robinson International Airport.
The radar system was installed at the Crown Point facility as part of a regional effort aimed at combating narcotics trafficking and illegal arms smuggling, particularly from neighboring Venezuela.
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However, opposition figures argue that the original justification for the deployment may no longer apply.
Questions Over Continued Military Presence
Reports indicate that United States military personnel remain stationed in Tobago, with several soldiers reportedly staying at Grafton Beach Resort in the community of Black Rock.
Access to the property has reportedly been restricted to registered guests, while there have been multiple sightings of troops using the resort’s gym facilities and jogging along nearby Courland Bay.
The presence of U.S. troops has prompted opposition leaders to question the duration and purpose of the deployment.
Calls for Government Clarification
Leader of the Innovative Democratic Alliance, Denise Tsoiafatt Angus, has called on the government to provide clear information about how long U.S. forces will remain in the country.
She said Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar had previously assured the public that the arrangement was temporary and linked specifically to anti-narcotics operations.
“Instead of a clear withdrawal, the public is hearing of signatures to additional agreements and expanded operational activities,” Tsoiafatt Angus said.
“So, the real question for the Government to answer is, are they leaving or are they staying?”
She further added that if the arrangement with the United States continues, the government must clarify its scope and duration.
“If this arrangement is continuing with the USA and the assets on the ground, the Government must tell the nation how long it will last, what the operational scope now is, and whether this has evolved into a more permanent strategic deployment into our region.”
Radar System and Regional Security
Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar previously stated that the radar system, reportedly costing US$3 million per day, was deployed to assist in monitoring narcotics trafficking and illegal firearms entering the region.
U.S. authorities have accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of involvement in international drug trafficking networks and have linked regional narcotics flows to criminal operations originating in Venezuela.
Opposition leaders argue that the geopolitical landscape changed following a U.S. military operation on January 3, which reportedly resulted in Maduro’s removal from power and improved diplomatic engagement between Washington and Caracas.
Tsoiafatt Angus said that development should have prompted the withdrawal of U.S. forces.
“If the chief cook and bottle washer in that operation has already been captured and removed, then the obvious question is, what exactly is the continuing mission here?”
She called for parliamentary scrutiny and a broader public discussion regarding Trinidad and Tobago’s role in hosting foreign military assets.
“In this increasingly tense global environment, small states must be especially careful,” she said. “Cooperation with international partners is necessary in the fight against crime, but that cooperation must never come at the expense of transparency, sovereignty, or long-term interests of our nation.”
Concerns Over Regional Security Risks
Leader of the People’s National Movement Tobago Council, Ancil Dennis, has also criticized the presence of U.S. military assets on the island.
Dennis argued that hosting foreign military infrastructure could potentially expose Trinidad and Tobago to geopolitical risks.
“We living in a world, everybody see what is happening,” Dennis said, referencing escalating tensions in the Middle East following military strikes between the United States, Israel and Iran.
“We have seen several examples in recent times where military assets are becoming targets for what we might consider enemies of the people we are hosting at this time. It is not anything to take lightly.”
He also questioned the broader implications of recent agreements signed between Trinidad and Tobago and the United States, including the country’s participation in the Shield of the Americas Summit in Florida.
During that summit, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar signed Trinidad and Tobago onto the Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition, a partnership involving the United States and several nations across Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
Dennis called for greater transparency regarding the details of the agreements.
“It’s a lot of conflicting info, but the people of Tobago and T&T should demand transparency where this issue is concerned,” he said.
“What is in it for T&T? What are we giving up? What deals are on the table? What are the benefits for us?”
Troops Expected to Depart Soon
Meanwhile, Farley Augustine stated that the U.S. troops are expected to leave Tobago within a matter of days.
Speaking on i95.5FM, Augustine confirmed reports that U.S. personnel were staying at the Grafton Beach Resort but noted that any restrictions placed on public access to the hotel were not ordered by the government or the Tobago House of Assembly.
“There has been no national security directive or directive from the THA for there to be restriction on public use at the hotel,” Augustine said.
“Certainly, I don’t see the need for any restriction when their expected departure is in a couple days from now.”
