The United Kingdom has sought to clear the air on its updated travel advisory to this country, saying this did not mean that the UK’s assessment of the threat of British nationals in T&T had changed.
Lord Tariq Ahmad, Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict and Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the UN at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office made the comment while speaking at a press conference held with this country’s Ministry of National Security following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the Waterfront Complex, Port-of-Spain yesterday.
In May this year, the UK updated its advisory to T&T, warning its citizens of possible acts of terrorism occurring in this country.
It had said, “Although there have been no recent attacks in Trinidad and Tobago, more than 100 Trinidad and Tobago nationals have travelled to Syria and Iraq to fight along with Daesh (formerly referred to as ISIL) and are likely to pose a security threat on return. There’s also a threat from individuals who may have been inspired by terrorist groups, including Daesh and al Qaeda, to carry out so-called ‘lone actor’ attacks targeting public events or places.”
But Ahmad said T&T was part of 225 countries in which the UK had updated travel advisories, adding,”When the UK looks at its travel advisory its primary concerns as any government would be is the safety of its nationals.
“There is currently, as we all recognise, a heightened threat to common interests but there is also a heightened threat to British interests around the world from people as we have seen by the conflict that is raging in Syria and Iraq and that is why we carried out the review of all our travel advisories.”
He said the review recommended using “more specific and clearer language” to describe the threat and to ensure that British travellers were properly informed.
“This new language has been introduced in our travel advice worldwide and that includes T&T. But let me be clear this new language does not mean that our assessment of the threat of British nationals here in T&T has changed.