NATIONAL Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds signed off on five agreements with the US on December 10, two of which can allow the US Department of Defense (DoD) to deploy forces to TT in the event of a "conflict" in Venezuela.
In a statement on Tuesday, the US Embassy said the Prime Minister, Hinds, Energy Minister Stuart Young, Finance Minister Colm Imbert and Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne met and held talks with US diplomatic and navy officials on security, energy, cybersecurity and human rights issues.
Dr Rowley met with US ambassador Candace Bond and Commander of the US Southern Command (Southcom) Adm Alvin Holsey on December 10 at the Diplomatic Centre, Port of Spain.
The embassy said the group celebrated the successful conclusion of negotiations on five agreements including a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA); the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Technical Assistance Field Team (CBSI-TAFT) and the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA).
Bond and Adm Holsey also congratulated Rowley for TT's accession to the Treaty of San José and the Southcom Human Rights Initiative.
Bond said, 'TT's leadership in implementing this framework for security co-operation demonstrates its potential as the cornerstone of peace and security in the Caribbean, and has opened the door to unprecedented and unequalled opportunities for defence co-operation between TT and the US.'
Holsey added, 'The US is committed to providing expertise and resources to enhance TT's security capabilities, and these agreements deepen strategic collaboration on a host of issues.'
The embassy said the SOFA 'will facilitate interoperability between the two countries' armed forces.'
Newsday asked Rowley how important those agreements were to TT via WhatsApp.
He replied, "Please speak to the minister who signed the agreements for the Government and the people of TT."
Calls and messages to Hinds and Browne went unanswered.
A December 2022 diplomatic note on the US Embassy's website details TT's agreement to SOFA, starting in 2013.
The note said the 2013 SOFA was due to expire on January 1, 2023.
"The Embassy has the further honour to propose to the Government of the Republic of TT that the Government of the US and the Government of the Republic of TT agree to further extend the 2013 SOFA, without any other changes, for an additional two years from its expiration date of January 1, 2023, to January 1, 2025."
The Foreign Affairs Ministry's response also formed part of the diplomatic note.
"The Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs of the Republic of TT is pleased to confirm that the proposal set forth in the Embassy's note is acceptable to the Government of the Republic of TT and that the Embassy's note together with this note in reply shall constitute an agreement between the two Governments which shall enter into force on the date of this note."
In its December 10 release, the US Embassy said, "The SOFA is an agreement which allows for military-to-military engagement. The US and TT have had a SO
