Click to view full size

Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) corporate secretary Gary Aboud, has had his United States visa revoked.

He says the revocation of his United States visa has raised serious concerns about whether foreign powers and even the Trinidad and Tobago Government are attempting to intimidate or punish civil society voices that speak out.

In a media release this afternoon, Aboud said for 28 years, FFOS has championed equity, justice, sustainable development, and the protection of vulnerable grassroots and coastal communities. "Today, however, we face an alarming reality: NGOs are being silenced. NGOs are not enemies of the State; we are a critical pillar of any functioning democracy. Without an independent civil society holding power to account, there can be no transparency, no oversight, and no protection against abuses of authority."