00:00The opposition leader says she does not have any advice for the prime minister who she says has
00:05been following Donald Trump's policies. Some of these policies are to be investigated by the
00:10Democrats who have taken control of the U.S. Congress. Jill Brown reports. I have no advice
00:18to give the prime minister, absolutely none. I mean, is the prime minister's responsibility to
00:23develop her own policy? Opposition leader Polanyi Beckles has she fielded a question during a media
00:28conference the day after the results of the U.S. midterm elections. The Republican Party lost
00:33control of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate to the Democratic Party. U.S. President
00:38Donald Trump has indicated his willingness to use the presidential veto power to block bills from
00:44Congress under the Democrats. Prime Minister Kamala Passat-Bossessa told the media on Wednesday that
00:49the result of the U.S. midterms has no effect on Trinidad and Tobago's relationship with the U.S.,
00:55one she described as a great relationship. And I think Trinidad and Tobago is very clear.
01:00Since the prime minister has assumed office since April of 2025, I think the public is very clear
01:08what is her position. So I have no intention of giving her advice. What I'm clear about is that
01:14the people's national movement, and I'm going way back to Eric Williams. I mean, we have always been
01:20very clear about bipartisan. The opposition has raised its concerns about the strong support of
01:25the government for some of the more recent policies of the U.S. government in the region.
01:30And you understand the importance whether or not someone is in government or whether they're in
01:37opposition. I mean, you don't have to take a position where you blatantly give the impression
01:44that you ignore one side over the other. Opposition Senator Dr. Amy Brown referred
01:49to the Make America Great Again or MAGA movement in the U.S. Republican Party.
01:54This edition of the UNC, I want to make it clear, have imported a very radical
02:02MAGA-type approach which has done damage to Trinidad and Tobago.
02:09We saw evidence of this since before the last general election.
02:15Prime Minister Pasal Bissetta said, quote, it doesn't matter who's in government in Port
02:19of Spain and Washington. The governance structure remains and cooperation will always continue,
02:25end quote.
02:26The message to the Prime Minister is this. No one is asking you about what or who will hurt
02:34the UNC. The concern at this time is about Trinidad and Tobago, the people of Trinidad
02:42and Tobago, the future of Trinidad and Tobago. We in the PNM have always maintained that we
02:49are able to maintain good relations with all of our partners, a diverse array of partners
02:57in the regional and international space without pitting one against the other and without adopting
03:05wholesale any foreign ideology or extremist narrative. An apparent reference to the Prime
03:13Minister having told the media that the U.S. midterm election results will have no effect
03:18whatsoever on Trinidad and Tobago's voting patterns. Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:24The Demo.
