UN General Assembly
2019

The consolidation of our economic stability and capacity to remain effectively integrated into the global financial and trade architecture remains a priority for my Government as we continue the quest for measures to strengthen our fiscal resilience through diversification. Our national development ambitions should be buttressed by an enabling international economic environment through international trade, development cooperation, business activity and finance. We are well aware that financial services play an important role as contributors to economic growth and international trade and investment. It is in that context that we express grave concern regarding the unilateral insertion of some CARICOM member States, including Trinidad and Tobago, on the list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions by a number of our international partners. The label of non-cooperative tax jurisdiction has the potential to inflict irreparable damage to the reputations and economies of small island developing States such as ours. Trinidad and Tobago therefore calls upon its international partners to adopt a more collaborative, just and fair approach in addressing that issue.