PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The Trinidad and Tobago authorities Monday defended the choice to cancel the Independence Day army parade later this month, saying “this choice was not made in a vacuum”.
August 31 marks the anniversary of the nation’s independence from Britain, which was achieved on August 31, 1962.
The Ministry of Homeland Safety stated that as an alternative, there might be a Nationwide Day of Prayer and that the choice was taken “after cautious deliberation on intelligence” arising out of the present state of emergency (SoE).
Talking on a tv programme on Monday, Homeland Safety Minister, Roger Alexander, advised viewers that the choice was not taken frivolously and “it didn’t take 4 or 5 seconds”.
He stated Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar had, after steady deliberations, introduced the choice, making an allowance for additionally the protection of the residents.
“We, as a authorities, had a choice to make. If individuals behave like this once more, there received’t be one other Independence Day parade. This isn’t the case. We got here into authorities and on our arrival we noticed a number of issues I want I may take you thru, however I can’t due to nationwide safety causes,” the previous senior police officer advised viewers.
Alexander stated, given the data coming to the authorities, “Now we have no selection however to guard our individuals, dismantle the risk, after which we go ahead.”
Trinidad and Tobago declared a state of emergency on July 18, almost three months after it had ended a 105-day state of emergency to cope with prison actions.
Police Commissioner, Allister Guevarro, described the occasions main as much as the declaration of the SoE as considered one of “grave concern” telling a information convention that the police had acquired intelligence studies “whereby organized prison gangs with individuals inside the prisons and individuals working on the skin of the prisons have shaped themselves into what I’d wish to time period an organized crime syndicate”.
The authorities moved high-risk prisoners to army bases as a part of the crackdown on jailed gang leaders accused of utilizing smuggled cellphones to plot a collection of assassinations, robberies, and kidnappings with assist from prison associates on the skin.
On July 29, Parliament prolonged the SoE for an extra three months.
Over the past weekend, the NEWSDAY newspaper reported that police and army intelligence companies had unearthed a plot to kill Defence Minister Wayne Sturge and that a number of extra safety measures have been put in place to guard the minister and people near him.
The newspaper quoted unidentified “senior officers in three separate intelligence companies” as confirming “an actual and current hazard to the minister and his family members.”
The newspaper stated {that a} confidential report has reached the desks of army commanders of elite items within the Defence Pressure and Police Service, and it’s being handled with urgency, quoting one intelligence officer acquainted with the case.
The paper recalled that on August 11, Prime Minister Persad Bissessar stated the lives of two of her senior cupboard ministers have been threatened over their reform of make-work programmes such because the Group-Based mostly Environmental Safety and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) and the Unemployment Aid Programme (URP).
Alexander stated {that a} “risk to a specific particular person might need been dismantled right now,” insisting that the authorities are being very thorough of their investigations primarily based on intelligence acquired.
I ought to deal with with this example on this manner than to reply a query later down the highway,” he stated, including that Trinidad and Tobago should study from the coup of 1990, when members of the unconventional Jamaat l Muslimeen group staged an unsuccessful coup try towards the ANR Robinson authorities, ensuing within the deaths of a number of individuals, together with a legislator.
“Individuals had been operating round with info and no person did something….I need members of the general public to grasp now we have to make selections primarily based in your safety and security, “ Alexander stated, including “whereas I want to reply you…there are some issues we have to hold near our chests to get that aspect of shock we’re on the lookout for to achieve success”.
In the meantime, the Police Commissioner stated the choice surrounding the Independence Day parade “is knowledgeable by nationwide safety assessments and inter-agency consultations”.
He stated the police stand able to assist “any measure deemed essential to safeguard public security and nationwide pursuits”.
He stated it will not be prudent to “get into specifics and in such cases, discretion is paramount, and if, primarily based on the evaluation, the federal government acquired a choice was taken within the curiosity of public security.
“I’ll urge the general public to lend its full assist,” he added.
In the meantime, Opposition Chief Penelope Beckles has demanded transparency from the federal government following the announcement that this 12 months’s Parade and related State occasions, together with the nationwide fireworks show, have been cancelled.
In a strongly worded assertion, Beckles stated the announcement had left the nation “bewildered,” noting that Independence Parades had been held even during times of nationwide disaster, such because the 2011 State of Emergency, and solely the COVID-19 pandemic had beforehand halted the annual ceremony.
“The nation deserves solutions: Who made the decision to silence our Parade? Will the Prime Minister deal with the nation on this matter? What’s the true purpose for the cancellation? What’s being hidden from the residents? Will the Prime Minister do the honourable factor and face the general public on this challenge?” she requested.
Former police commissioner, Gary Griffith, stated whereas intelligence could have led to the federal government’s choice, “it’s hoped that no matter this risk is may be neutralized as rapidly as potential.
“This doesn’t simply have an effect on our Independence Day parade. It might probably additionally have an effect on the picture of Trinidad and Tobago, each regionally and internationally, by way of commerce and funding. Individuals imagine that if now we have to cancel an Independence Day parade, it means one thing critical is going on in our nation.
“ I’ll ask all law-abiding residents to assist the regulation enforcement companies….”
