KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Keith Rowley, has assured that all Caribbean nationals who visit his country will be treated with respect.

Dr Rowley said that despite the negative perception, 97 per cent of people that visit Trinidad and Tobago “come with no problem”.

“If there is three per cent that have some issues, those issues must and will be dealt with in a dignified manner… the  Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has required us to take steps to ensure that all our people crossing all our borders are treated with dignity,” he said.

Dr Rowley was speaking at the start of a bilateral meeting at the Office of the Prime Minister on July 18.

He said that the country is taking steps “to ensure that there is no situation where we can be justifiably accused of not being able to respond appropriately (to issues persons may have at the borders)”.

He argued that if there are arrivals which, for one reason or another, do not qualify for entry, “this is part of the process, and what we politicians need to do, is to ensure that our people understand the basis on which we can visit each other”.

“We are sovereign States (that have) agreed to work within a grouping called CARICOM. We do have some significant element of freedom of movement, but there are restrictions in there and that qualification takes place at the border. So, it is likely from time to time that at our borders, some of our citizens may not meet the requirements for entry and those requirements are very clear and it is for us to let our population know that,” he explained.