Trinidad shows another side during Summit
We reported earlier in the newscast on the Summit declaration. And while it was a serious and enlightening experience for all who attended, it was not all business and some of the events that made it into the spotlight were not intended. Jose Sanchez Reports.
Jose Sanchez Reporting
Present at the summit were all the presidents and prime ministers that any journalist would want to interview. Though reporters went there with the impression they would come back with amazing pictures and stories, things did not always go according to plan for many. There was chaos as the media was not granted access to some events.
Ruben Wilkenson, Associated Press
“I’m not surprised that it’s this chaotic and maybe even strict because of the mere presence of the Americans in town, Obama. The U.S. government doesn’t want—being over cautious, doesn’t want anything to happen. Still, in terms of being specific, Caribbean leaders are missing a trick; we’ve been trying for years maybe decades to get them to have a system like the U.S., like the developed world. At the middle of the day or at the end of the day just appoint somebody who can speak to the press as a designated person so you can get your message out, the world presence here and the Caribbean message is not getting out because of the stupid old Colonial attitude that we’re growing really tire of. So in the midst of all this chaos, the Caribbean could shine if they were smart enough to just designate a person man at middle of the day or at end of the day to get the message out. They don’t do it, they’re not learning and I’m sick of them.”
Felipe Noguera, Communications Cord., fifth Summit of Americas
“Lack of discipline, consequently, the media pools for today have been suspended. The opening, when you sit down and the leader sits down, it will be transmitted live but the proceedings of the pools will be cut as a policy decision of the governments that are participating in the Fifth Summit of the Americas. My duty therefore, will be to provide you with a summary of the presentations made by the heads during the pelmet and that’s what I propose to do.”
The Belize Police Department helped to provide security at the summit.
Riot police were called out at the Cipriani Statue in downtown Port of Spain and the “Drum It Summit” at the amphitheatre in Saint James.
Protester 1
“the owner of the committee of the venue, we just wanted to withdraw our application for the rest of the event but we were advised by our lawyer to continue as planned.”
Protestor 2
“That power of the drum that has made hundreds of people gather here this evening to express the views and to say to the country that this government is hypocritical because all the issues, the energy issues, the environmental issues that are being purported to be discussed at the summit, this government has violated every single progressive thought on these issues.”
Hugo Chavez’s gift to Obama became a best seller overnight. The book, Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent, was ranked fifty-four thousand, two hundred and ninety-five on Amazon.com. It now ranks two.
Barack Obama, President of the United States
“I think it was a nice gesture to give me a book, I’m a reader.”
Mrs. Kim Barrow got a hug and a kiss from the U.S. president. And there were plenty of cultural presentations such as the steel pan and ethnic dances that gave the dignitaries a peek of the Caribbean culture. Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.
