PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – There is no basis for the “blacklisting” of Trinidad and Tobago by France, Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Dookeran and Minister of Finance Larry Howai said yesterday. In a statement Howai said: “I question the legitimacy of this categorisation of Trinidad and Tobago and I consider that there are no grounds for including Trinidad and Tobago on such a list. Dookeran said the country was deeply concerned. He said the blacklist purports to deal with investigating foreign aid fraud and the banning the use of banks in countries in the list, from helping in the distribution of developmental funds. But he said Trinidad and Tobago does not have any foreign aid funds from France. “We don’t even get any aid funds so I don’t understand how the issue could have incorporated Trinidad and Tobago,” he said. Dookeran said the two countries had a technical assistance cooperation agreement but that the last time there was any activity on this was way back in 2001.
