Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has reiterated her controversial stance that drug traffickers “should all be killed violently,” saying nothing that has happened since she made the comment has changed her view. Speaking to the Express about a recent U.S. military airstrike on a pirogue off the coast of Venezuela that reportedly killed six people — including two nationals — the Prime Minister said, “I stand by my previous comments. Nothing has occurred to cause any change in my opinion.” She offered no further elaboration.
Persad-Bissessar declined to comment directly on reports that two Trinidadians were among those killed. She left the Diplomatic Centre, St. Ann’s, without speaking to reporters after attending a lease distribution ceremony for former Caroni (1975) Ltd. workers. Defence Minister Wayne Sturge also refused interview requests, and Legal Affairs Minister Saddam Hosein declined to comment, saying he preferred to “stay in my lane” and had been at the event to distribute leases. Hosein suggested queries might be better directed to Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister Sean Sobers.
- Advertisement -
Minister Sobers told the Express on Wednesday evening that there was no evidence to indicate the two men were aboard the struck vessel. He urged relatives who believe loved ones are missing to file reports with the police so an investigation can be launched. “At this juncture we have no evidence as to anybody who was on that boat. There has been no reported surfacing of bodies,” Sobers said, noting that family claims the men were aboard are not, as yet, substantiated by facts.
Sobers acknowledged media accounts that family members had reported the men travelled to South American countries for extended periods. “My heart goes out to these relatives; if these persons are in fact missing then what they should do is go to the police and make a report, let the police conduct an investigation,” he said.
The Express also asked Sobers about remarks posted on Telegram by Venezuelan Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez — who said, “The US Army should kill them all” — and whether those comments echoed the Prime Minister’s earlier support for aggressive action against traffickers. Sobers did not provide further comment on that point.
