Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.

• Author: Ochoa, Gina
• Position: OAS

In her protocol visit to the OAS Permanent Council, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, called on the countries of the region to work together to have an impact and a voice in global policy debates on matters that pertain to all countries.

Speaking to the representatives of the OAS member states, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar pointed out that each country has unique challenges and its own domestic issues, but she also noted that "we must recognize that there is strength in unity and in the multilateral process; indeed, that is what being members of the OAS means, being part of the multilateral process." She also encouraged member countries to cooperate more broadly and work together on common causes. "To achieve this unity, we must open the doors to dialogue. We might not always agree on all issues, but we must always agree to talk with a view to finding consensus," she said.

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Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, who took office last May, warned that given the realities and challenges of today's world, the inter-American system must give priority to regional cooperation in order to achieve economic, social, and cultural development for its people. She...