Your Excellency Carmen Menéndez González Ambassador of the Republic of Panama and Mr. Pérez
Cabinet colleagues;
Members of Parliament;
Your Excellencies, Heads of Missions, and other Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Staff Members of the Embassy of the Republic of Panama and members of the Panamanian community resident in Trinidad and Tobago;
Other Distinguished Guests;
Members of the Media;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Good evening everyone.
Today, I am honoured, Your Excellency, to join with you in commemorating the 112th anniversary of self-determination of the people of Panama. It gives me great pleasure to extend on behalf of the Prime Minister Dr the Honourable Keith Rowley and the Government and people of the Republic Trinidad and Tobago, congratulatory greetings to the Government and the people of the Republic of Panama. An occasion such as this provides an opportunity to engage in retrospection and to look forward with hope and expectation.
Your Excellency, this year, 2015, commemorates 21 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Republic of Panama. We recognize that after this formality in 1994, your country wasted no time in consolidating the relationship through the establishment of an Embassy in Port of Spain the following year, making Panama the first Central American country to maintain a physical presence in our twin-island Republic.
This year, Trinidad and Tobago followed suit in opening an Embassy in Panama City in keeping with our keen interest in enhancing diplomatic and economic relations with Panama and the wider Latin America. Your Excellency, Trinidad and Tobago-Panama relations over these two (2) decades have been characterized by mutual respect, deepening partnerships and increased co-operation.
Our countries have a history of engagement in sectors such as energy, economic cooperation and most recently, trade. Agreements such as the Partial Scope Trade Agreement, signed in 2013 will increase commercial opportunities for the people of Trinidad and Tobago as well as Panama and I am aware that our private sector is keenly interested in engaging with their counterparts. In March of this year, a 28-member delegation from the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association (TTMA) undertook a successful trade mission to Panama City and participated in EXPOCOMER, one of the most important trade fairs in the Latin American and Caribbean region. Last October, Sasha Cosmetics Limited launched their brand in your country and was also able to secure the coveted position of official cosmetic brand for the Ms Panama Pageant, 2014. Given the level of private sector interest in Panama, the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs is seeking the early entry into force of the PSTA. I cannot overemphasize the benefits to be accrued by the private sector of both nations.
One cannot speak about bilateral trade without acknowledging the significant role the Panama Canal has played in facilitating this global activity. Interestingly, our country’s bilateral relationship has its origins in the migration of Trinidad and Tobago nationals to Panama during the first half of the twentieth century, in search of employment in the construction of the Canal.
At a mere 48 miles long, what began as a geo-political decision to construct an artificial waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Panama Canal became a true engineering marvel utilizing innovative technology to reconcile the vastly differing sea levels on each side of Canal as well as the difficulty in breaching the dense rainforest, necessary to build a water route across the isthmus. The Canal remains as strategic today as it had been in the twentieth century with some 230 million tons of shipping passing through it annually. It has contributed to shaping your nation and therefore, it is very appropriate that we are gathered to view this screening entitled “Historias del Canal”. We also eagerly anticipate the formal opening of the expanded Panama Canal, which we understand is scheduled to take place in April 2016.
Excellency, as I conclude, I wish to assure you that Trinidad and Tobago remains committed to deepening and expanding our bilateral partnership.
It is therefore an honour and a pleasure on behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and on my own behalf, to extend best wishes once again to the Government and people of the Republic of Panama on your National Day.
Thank you very much.
