YouSaid · the spoken record

Amery Browne

lines on the record: 37
first: 2021-09-24
most recent: 2022-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“In conclusion, I offer the General Assembly the inspiration found in the words of the national motto of Trinidad and Tobago, which declares: “Together we aspire; together we achieve”.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We continue to deepen engagement and partnership with our neighbours in the Caribbean and with all members of the international community in order to achieve our common objectives and thereby strengthen international peace and security. As we write the next chapter in our nation’s history, I can share with the Assembly that Trinidad and Tobago offers itself to serve as President of the General Assembly during its seventy-eighth session. Being tasked with such a defining role by the Assembly would truly be an honour and responsibility that the Government and the people of Trinidad and Tobago shall embrace with commitment and impartiality. In the best traditions of multilateralism, let us therefore join our strengths for the benefit and upliftment of all humankind. Let us build a truly global community where no one is left behind.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“As a relatively young nation, Trinidad and Tobago’s people are our greatest source of power and energy. It can be felt in the rhythm of our beautiful Tassa drums and in the melodies of our national instrument, the steelpan. Our achievements stand as testimony of what can be achieved when a small nation punches above its weight. Our citizens have served as judges at the ICC and at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, and we have given the world experts of the calibre of Lennox Fitzroy Ballah and Anthony Amos Lucky. We have contributed extensively to the work of the United Nations, serving on the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and a range of subsidiary bodies and organs. Trinidad and Tobago looks forward with enthusiasm and optimism to our next 60 years of membership of the United Nations.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“In this regard, I echo the words of one of Trinidad and Tobago’s greatest calypsonians, David Rudder, who in his iconic song “Rally ‘round the West Indies”, wrote “Soon we must take a side or be lost in the rubble In a divided world that don’t need islands no more Are doomed forever to be at somebody’s mercy? Little keys can open up mighty doors”. This world needs little islands. We bring a perspective that is valuable and beneficial and necessary. Trinidad and Tobago continues to offer the point of view of a small, sovereign democratic nation harbouring a big ambition, namely, to unleash the creativity and resourcefulness of our diverse people, especially our youth, to make the most positive contribution to society, community and the world.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We continue to call for the unconditional lifting of the unjust economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed on the people of Cuba, and for the full integration of Cuba into the international economic and political system. We also continue to call for a long-lasting and mutually agreed two-State solution to the Israel- Palestine conflict, which will guarantee Palestinians a permanent homeland and recognize Israel’s right to exist in peace and security. To get the 2030 Agenda back on track, all stakeholders — whether large or small, powerful or otherwise — must embrace the value of multilateralism. Clearly, we are not quite there yet.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“One such measure is the adoption of a multidimensional vulnerability index, which we consider to be an utmost priority. Our history cannot be rewritten or erased. We therefore continue to call for reparatory justice for the unpaid debt resulting from centuries of enslavement of African people, for the historical crimes of native genocide visited upon the indigenous peoples of this world and for the exploitative legacy of colonialism that has directly resulted in the persistent underdevelopment of Caribbean nations and so many others. We continue to call for abandoning and destroying all nuclear weapons as the only means of guaranteeing the avoidance of total annihilation of humankind.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The system as designed actually undermines developing countries in their pursuit of sustainable development. It cannot be business as usual. A transformative global agenda, such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, necessitates a transformative economic and financial framework that is compatible with the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Without such a shift in the global architecture, even the best efforts at the national level will not produce the results that we need in the global South. Trinidad and Tobago calls on the international community to adopt tailored measures and solutions to address the fundamental financing challenges that developing countries face, with particular attention to the least developed countries and small island developing States.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“But while we assiduously work to encourage and ensure the inclusion of women in places and spaces of decision-making, we must continue to insist that the rights of women and girls are fully respected at all levels of society. Violence against women and girls continues to be a menace, destroying lives and impeding overall progress towards balanced and inclusive sustainable development. Addressing this must be a priority, and, in Trinidad and Tobago, a growing number of stakeholders, including the private sector, have now joined the national effort to make our society safe for women and girls. The last two years in particular have demonstrated that the structure of the international economic and financial system is not fit for purpose.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“In combating these phenomena, Trinidad and Tobago attaches the highest value to collaborating with the United Nations and other international partners. We must bear in mind that in addressing extremism there must be no compromise to the constitutionally protected rights and freedoms of our citizens. In all of these complexities, we must recognize the critically important role of women as agents of positive change. To that end, Trinidad and Tobago will once again submit the biennial resolution on women, disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control. We encourage all Member States to co-sponsor and support this forward-looking resolution.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We encourage them to provide the necessary assistance to quell the ongoing and devastating gang violence and to urgently improve the humanitarian situation in that beautiful country. In the Caribbean, our efforts to build safe and peaceful societies are being completely undermined by transnational organized crime, human trafficking, the illicit trade of drugs and a steady flow of illegal firearms from source countries far beyond our region — all of which contributes to unacceptably high levels of gang violence within our communities. We are further committed to strengthening our cooperation with regional and international partners to address these challenges, which threaten the very stability of our societies. Violent extremism, international terrorism and the use of technology for criminal purposes remain clear and present dangers.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“In this regard, leaders of the country members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have not just been calling for action, but they have been acting in solidarity and with decisiveness. In August, Trinidad and Tobago was pleased to host the second CARICOM Agri Investment Forum and Expo as part of our region’s commitment to reducing its food-import bill by 25 per cent by the year 2025. Trinidad and Tobago is firmly committed to working with CARICOM and other partners towards restoring peace and stable democratic governance in Haiti. Our objective must be to work with the Haitians to secure their long-term progress and future. We therefore call upon the United Nations system and the international donor community to urgently strengthen their rule and engagement with Haiti.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“A dedicated facility to address loss and damage under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change financial mechanism is an absolute necessity. These actions must be prioritized because what is at stake is the very existence and viability of small island States. The added burden of rampant global inflation and the crises of food, fuel, feed and fertilizers have placed an extraordinary strain on our economies and our people, further imperilling our ability to attain sustainable development across the globe. On the critical issue of achieving food security for all people, the international community must work together to accelerate global food production.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“As the war in Ukraine rages, fuels such as coal are making quite a resurgence, and the commitments made in Glasgow are at risk of being severely derailed. At the same time, climate commitments made by developed countries are definitely not on track. Droughts, wildfires, floods and cataclysmic hurricanes and typhoons are realities that small island States know all too well. Meanwhile, slow-onset events such as the deterioration of coral reefs and the influx of sargassum seaweed threaten our fragile ecosystems and the livelihoods of all people, especially of fisherfolk and those dependent on tourism. Accordingly, Trinidad and Tobago calls for the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“And as the international community celebrates the twentieth anniversary of the entry into force of the Rome Statute, which established the International Criminal Court (ICC), evidence and events around the world confirm that, if in fact the court did not exist, it would have to be created in order to ensure accountability for increasing acts of impunity. Trinidad and Tobago is proud of our long-standing involvement with the ICC through the pioneering work of our distinguished former Prime Minister and President — from the little island of Tobago — the late Arthur N. R. Robinson. The mission of the International Criminal Court and its record as an independent tribunal engenders the fullest support of Trinidad and Tobago.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“That is why Trinidad and Tobago cannot accept or ignore any unilateral attempt to violate the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of any State. The violation of Ukraine’s internationally agreed borders constitutes a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter and of international law. It is a clear threat to international peace and security, and the only credible solution is to end this aggression immediately. We therefore call on the Russian Federation to immediately abandon its action and resume negotiations with the Ukrainians in good faith in order to find a peaceful and durable resolution. Our collective experience over the last seven months has laid bare the urgent necessity for the Security Council to be reformed to reflect current geopolitical realities.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“I stand before the General Assembly today, in our sixtieth year of independence, on the anniversary of the day on which we became a Republic, to reaffirm Trinidad and Tobago’s unequivocal acceptance of our obligation to honour the responsibility of membership in the United Nations. Over the decades, Trinidad and Tobago has anchored its multilateral engagement on the founding purposes and principles of the United Nations. We have nurtured these principles by maintaining a strong tradition of democratic governance that respects constitutionally enshrined fundamental human rights and freedoms and promotes strict adherence to the rule of law. Accordingly, Trinidad and Tobago is bound by duty to uphold these principles unconditionally and to defend them whenever there is evidence of breach.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Trinidad and Tobago congratulates you, Mr. President, on your election to preside over the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session, and we commit ourselves to fully supporting you. I also wish to express gratitude to your predecessor, whose leadership and dedication demonstrated that to be a great leader, one does not have to come from a large country. In our maiden statement to the General Assembly as a newly independent nation in 1962, our first Permanent Representative, the late Sir Ellis Clarke, declared that Trinidad and Tobago embraces the solemn responsibility that comes with membership in this Organization (see A/PV.1122).”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Let me reassure you of Trinidad and Tobago’s unshakeable resolve to support this effort as well as the work of the United Nations. Mr President, I THANK YOU.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Trinidad and Tobago remains deeply concerned that so little progress has been made in the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has led to extreme suffering on both sides. We urge both parties to respect and adhere to the temporary ceasefire, and to do nothing that would inflame the already tenuous situation. It is our hope that the parties will shortly resume the process of engagement to find a way forward that would guarantee the Palestinians a permanent homeland and recognize Israel’s right to exist in peace and security. Mr. President, The United Nations provides us all with the opportunity to discuss our differences, to build understanding and to make common cause in protecting our planet and our civilization.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“A representative Council will add substantially to improving the effectiveness and credibility of our organization, as the leading international pillar for peace and security. Mr. President, As we have entered the Decade of Action and Delivery to implement the 2030 Agenda, it is important to ensure that no country is left behind. The unjust designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism along with the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed against that country, undermine its ability to cope with the pervasive impacts of the pandemic and its potential to achieve sustainable development. Accordingly, Trinidad and Tobago reiterates its call for the unconditional lifting of the embargo against Cuba, in line with the fundamental principles of the UN Charter.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“In historical terms, these ties have been umbilical, but with the joint decision for regular dialogue, cooperation and coordination, they will now be forward-looking as we seek to secure our broader interests in the international system. The lack of meaningful progress on Security Council reform remains a matter of deep concern. Our commitment to instil new life into the intergovernmental negotiations should amount to more than mere rhetoric. It should serve as a clarion call to Member States to work collaboratively, in good faith, toward early reform of the Security Council to effectively respond to the urgent needs and challenges facing the diverse membership of the United Nations.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“The promotion of gender equality is a priority for Trinidad and Tobago and so we have taken specific measures in certain key areas including access to health care, education and training, employment as well as in the provision of social protection. The important role of the family in the empowerment of women and girls has also been fully acknowledged. Mr. President, This year’s High-Level Meeting on the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action takes on even greater significance with the recent establishment of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent and the convening of the first Africa-CARICOM Summit a few weeks ago. Africa has been a vibrant partner of CARICOM both bilaterally and in several multilateral arenas, including here at the United Nations.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Trinidad and Tobago remains dedicated to ensuring our children and youth, including those in vulnerable situations, have the necessary opportunities, tools and a safe environment in order to reach their highest potential. Mr. President, Evidence from the pandemic has shown that severe inequities continue to exist in our societies and that crises do not impact men and women in the same way. Therefore, in building back better, women’s participation in all sectors of society must be at the heart of creating more inclusive, resilient and sustainable communities and societies; with enhanced preparedness to respond to future emergencies.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Our newly established Ministry of Digital Transformation is leading these efforts to create a competitive digitally-driven economy that will stimulate greater opportunities for all of our people. However, the misuse of digital technology can pose serious threats to the economy, national security, governance, and social stability. Therefore, we must develop appropriate mechanisms to protect and secure the integrity of our economies and societies and to minimize its use as a disruptive tool. Mr. President, The thrust in all our efforts in pursuing sustainable development is to shape a better collective future on this planet, not only for ourselves, but for generations to come.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Accordingly, Trinidad and Tobago remains unwavering in its commitment to the mandate and mission of the International Criminal Court, in the interest of banishing the worst forms of human rights abuses and violations from our civilization. We urge those States which are not yet members of the Court to subscribe to it in order to achieve universality. Mr. President, Despite recent contusions, Trinidad and Tobago is seizing the opportunity to emerge stronger and better. As an economy predominantly dependent on the hydrocarbon and petrochemical industries, we are sparing no effort to provide the necessary support and the enabling environment to foster diversification, through substantial transformation in the creative sector as well as in manufacturing, finance, medicine, security, commerce, agriculture and renewable energy.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Consequently, amendments to existing legislation on Domestic Violence, Sexual Offences, Child Protection as well as to allow for electronic monitoring of sex offenders were enacted recently, to provide further protection for women and girls. Mr. President, We are cognizant that in several parts of the world people continue to be systematically denied their fundamental human rights and human dignity. Such violations ought to offend us as a community of nations working to improve the standards of living and welfare of all our peoples. It is therefore necessary that we reject and punish impunity wherever it rears its ugly head.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“In this regard, the anti-terrorism act of Trinidad and Tobago establishes a robust legal architecture, including measures for criminal prosecution, to detect and interrupt the financing of terrorism, the collection and sharing of information, intelligence and evidence, and the enforcement of targeted financial sanctions in accordance with international law. Mr. President, What most preoccupies us, is an evident tendency for the entrenchment of a culture of violence in our society; most disturbingly, the prevalence of domestic violence and violence against women and girls. Trinidad and Tobago has therefore begun to create safe spaces for all women and girls and is now accelerating its efforts to change the negative behaviours and gender stereotypes, at all levels.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Much of this criminal activity derives from the operations of international criminal networks engaged in the illicit trafficking of small arms and increasingly sophisticated weaponry, illegal drugs, money laundering, human trafficking and piracy across our society. Recognizing its value to us and to the members of CARICOM as a whole, Trinidad and Tobago played a highly constructive role in the process culminating in the adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty. We remain keenly engaged to ensure that the Treaty fully achieves its objectives. Mr. President, As we reflect on the twentieth anniversary of the tragic events of September 11th in New York, we are reminded of our commitments to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“The need to reassess the eligibility of SIDS for concessional finance, beyond income measures, has been widely acknowledged by the international community for almost three decades. In this regard, Trinidad and Tobago applauds the Secretary- General’s efforts in advancing the development of a multidimensional vulnerability index that will more accurately reflect our composite challenges and open the door to SIDS-sensitive financing. The international economic and financial system must be transformed to better support the most vulnerable countries. Mr. President, We also recognize that the increasing incidence of violent crime domestically, bedevils our efforts towards achieving sustainable development and the maintenance of the rule of law.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“That approach would be in keeping with the calls for more ambitious commitments to ensure that the 1.5°C target remains within our reach. Mr. President, Our acute susceptibility to climate change stems from our inherently complex structural vulnerabilities as Small Island Developing States that trap us in a mire of compounding risks; sentencing us to a cyclical struggle of recovery, rebuilding and redevelopment. Yet we are told time and time again, that our categorisation as middle and high-income countries render us ineligible to access concessionary finance and development support. It is as if the international system, almost by design, perpetuates the conditions that stifle our hard-earned albeit fragile progress.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Notwithstanding Trinidad and Tobago’s miniscule contribution to global emissions, we have committed in our Nationally Determined Contribution to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 30 per cent in the public transportation sector, and to a cumulative decrease of 15 per cent in the other main carbon emitting sectors by 2030. Consequently, these commitments would remove over 100 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere; placing us among the most ambitious in our region. Even so, we are currently updating our NDC with a view to further increasing our mitigation ambition. We hope that COP 26 will agree to complete the outstanding issues and to fully operationalise the Paris Agreement on a scale that will support cooperation on mitigation, adaptation and compliance.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“The evidence is irrefutable that human induced climate change, threatens the very survival of humankind. Yet greenhouse gas emissions are at record levels, and the devastating impacts of climate change continue to worsen, landing on the doorsteps of Small Island Developing States, sitting as they are, on the frontline of this crisis. It is therefore Mr. President, our moral responsibility to ensure the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement through credible, concrete, enhanced commitments. The commitment made by developed countries to mobilize $100 billion annually to support mitigation and adaptation in developing countries must be met.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“In the meantime, as a result of diplomatic initiatives taken at the bilateral level, Trinidad and Tobago and other members of the Caribbean Community received donations of WHO-approved vaccines from several Governments. We also received supplies via the COVAX facility and from the African Medical Supplies Platform. The People of Trinidad and Tobago and their Government express once more, their grateful thanks to all those countries and mechanisms whose generous assistance permitted us to scale up an aggressive vaccination campaign. It would be remiss of me not to express Trinidad and Tobago’s deep appreciation for the critical leadership role continuously demonstrated by the United Nations and more specifically, by the WHO in spearheading the global efforts to combat the COVID-19 virus.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Such dismissive and unfair responses really deny the universally accepted principle that every human being, whether they live in the Developed North or the Developing South, is entitled to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health. Recognizing the dire consequences that countries of the Caribbean Community would have to confront, Trinidad and Tobago used its chairmanship of CARICOM to convene a Heads of State and Government Meeting to address the pressing question of vaccine availability. Such is our conviction of the relevance and power of multilateralism, that the Trinidad and Tobago Chairmanship took it one step further and raised with the Director General of the World Health Organisation, the convening of a global summit on vaccine availability.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“It is happening right before our very eyes, COVID-19 has now become a pandemic of the unvaccinated, the majority of whom live in the Global South. As a responsible community of nations, we ought to take immediate measures to ensure equitable access to and distribution of vaccines across this globe. This would be the only secure way to protect our populations from further demise and our economies from further convulsions, as the current situation of vaccine inequity benefits only the virus. In Trinidad and Tobago’s experience, it has proven an uphill battle to source vaccines on the open market due, we were told, to our relatively small size and issues of low demand.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“President, I also take the opportunity to congratulate His Excellency Antonio Guterres on his reappointment as Secretary-General. The continuity of his astute leadership serves to ensure that the United Nations remains a critical partner in our aspirations to build back better. Mr. President, The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the profound fragilities of our interconnected societies and economies. None among us have escaped severe economic contraction and consequential loss of livelihoods. Most of all, the heavy death toll has created new and complex social issues in our societies that require intervention by governments. We are of the firm belief that multilateralism is the only vehicle by which we can jointly save humanity, safeguard livelihoods, and reenergize our economies.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Mr. President, It is an honour to address this august Assembly of States on this the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. On behalf of the Government and People of Trinidad and Tobago, I extend congratulations to you on your election to the Presidency. My delegation is confident that with your experience and able leadership, this crucial session will be highly successful in advancing our work for peace, progress and sustainability for humankind. Permit me, to also express our gratitude to His Excellency Volkan Bozkir for steering our work during the 75th session. Notwithstanding the innumerable challenges encountered during his presidency, he has effectively advanced a comprehensive framework to ensure the continuity of the work of the United Nations. Mr.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)