Caribbean Report 01-08-1990

Abstract

The Muslim gunmen holding forty hostages at Parliament building and the television station in Port of Spain have surrendered and the hostages are being release. Ira Mathur (correspondent) spoke on the release of the women parliamentarians, Gloria Henry and Jennifer Johnson at Parliament building, the mood of the population in Port of Spain and reported casualties at the city's hospital. Kate Adie (correspondent) described in detail the surrender of the fifty insurgents who were later driven away in army vehicles. Laura Lee Madeira, daughter of Jones P. Madeira, hostage and journalist was thankful for the released of her father and Trinidadians voiced strong disapproval of the coup. Much thought provoking issues came up with the coup d'etat including the fragility of Caribbean democracies and the impact of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank on small economies. Sahadeo Basdeo,Trinidad and Tobago Foreign Affairs Minister and Dennis Pantin, vice-president of the Association of Caribbean Economist spoke on the issues.