1 week ago
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Senior Reporter
Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles is questioning why, despite the wealth of intelligence on the threat to kill Defence Minister Wayne Sturge, no arrests have been made.
Beckles yesterday said the People’s National Movement (PNM) is now left to wonder if the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) is unable to act on the information before it.
According to media reports, intelligence suggests the threat stems from the minister’s refusal to appoint hand-picked individuals to State and constituency posts.
The alleged conspirators include a lawyer with close ties to the ruling United National Congress, two illegal quarry operators, and a senior military officer.
At an Opposition Leader media briefing in Port-of-Spain, yesterday, Beckles said, “They are providing us here with all the information. I mean that is amazing. So is it that they are telling the public that you have all of this information? You know the quarry operators, you know the person from the military, you know the car he’s driving, and these are the circumstances that is related to the whole issue of the parade and the cancellation of the parade. And they are not able to arrest these persons who they clearly are identifying that they know?”
She said the question of whether the authorities are unable to proceed based on the information at hand was a matter of grave concern to her party.
“Now the question arises. They are giving us all of this evidence and what is the population to believe? Is it a question where they are not able to deal with these people? They are not able to address these issues? They are not able to deal with these people who are allegedly involved in criminal activity?” Beckles asked.
She said the current scenario directly contradicts Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s boast following her Government’s first 100 days in office that Trinidad and Tobago is safer than it was under the PNM.
“Okay, you want to cancel the parade, and you have concerns, we must remember that it is the said Government who told us and if you recall, the Prime Minister saying crime is down, you should feel safer.
“And having said that recently, at the same time, they are now saying that there are all of these threats,” Beckles said.
Beckles sought to remind the population that Sturge, who is the Member of Parliament for Toco/ Sangre Grande, went on record saying he did not want to be a Cabinet member.
Responding to information that several enhanced security measures have been implemented to protect the minister and those close to him, Colm Imbert said it is standard practice for the relatives of ministers of National Security to have special protection, including children at school.
“That’s a fact. I can state that without contradiction. That’s the standard practice that the children of ministers of National Security would get special protection from Special Branch and so on when they attend school.”
Asked whether former Toco/Sangre Grande MP Roger Munroe had faced similar threats amid reports of illegal quarrying in his constituency, Beckles said she was not aware of any.
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