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FOREIGN and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers said the previous administration had the opportunity to ensure UK visa fees were not increased but neglected to do so. He said he would be meeting virtually with the UK Home Office on July 18 to discuss the issue.

Speaking at the post-cabinet media briefing at the Red House, Port of Spain, on July 10, Sobers said the government had it on good authority that discussions took place with the High Commission and a particular security agency in Trinidad and Tobago.

“What was revealed based on that discussion was an inordinately high number of people were leaving TT to go to the UK to claim asylum and from what we have gleaned, none of the ministries of the previous administration did anything about it prior to us coming into office. They were told, well in advance of the March deadline that eventually came upon them, that they needed to do certain things about that issue.