The Leader of the Opposition and Political Leader of the United National Congress (UNC), the Honourable Mrs. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, is calling on Prime Minister Patrick Manning, TO CEASE AND DESIST from signing the Maritime Boundary Delimitation Treaty between Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada.

Mr. Manning and the Prime Minister of Grenada, Mr. Tillman Thomas, are expected to sign the Treaty at 11:00am at the Diplomatic Centre in Port-of-Spain tomorrow (Wednesday, April 21, 2010), following negotiations which ended in March.

Mrs. Persad-Bissessar states, “This country is preparing for a General Election on May 24th and Mr. Manning is continuing as if it is business as usual, although there is srong opposition and concerns over the Treaty that is to be signed between both countries.”

“The Prime Minister,” she says, “should not be committing the people of Trinidad and Tobago to any regional or international treaties at this time as Parliament has been dissolved. It should have been delayed until the new Government is able to review this Treaty in consultation of the people.”

She adds, “The people have a right to decide how the wealth of this country is to be utilised foremost of which is the basic services which have been denied by this Government.”

Mrs. Persad-Bissessar also alludes to the main Opposition Party in Grenada, the New National Party (NNP), led by Dr. Keith Mitchell, which has also voiced its concerns and has called on all Grenadians to wear black to demonstrate their objection to the signing of the Treaty.

“The NNP,” she states, “has raised strong objections to the planned signing and has accused the 21 month-old National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration of entering into the maritime talks with this country without complete knowledge of the area’s oil and gas potential.”

Further she adds, “The NNP said it would only support the treaty if the government postpones Wednesday’s signing to give sufficient time for consultation.”