Police, military take steps to protect Defence Minister – Threat against Sturge

Minister of Defence Wayne Sturge, speaks at a post-Cabinet press conference at Cabildo Chambers, Port of Spain on May 22. At right are Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander. - Faith Ayoung

POLICE and military intelligence agencies have unearthed a plot to kill Defence Minister Wayne Sturge, and several additional security measures have been put in place to protect the minister and those close to him.

Senior officers in three separate intelligence agencies linked to both the police and military confirmed "a real and present danger to the minister and his relatives."

A request seeking comment from the minister was not answered.

Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro did not respond to a WhatsApp query seeking comment on the matter on August 16.

The confidential report has reached the desks of military commanders of elite units in the Defence Force and Police Service and is being treated with urgency, according to one intelligence officer familiar with the case.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, on August 11, said two other government ministers’ – Barry Padarath (Public Utilities) and Khadijah Ameen (Rural and Local Government) – lives have been threatened over their reform of make-work programmes such as the Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (Cepep) and the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP).

The PM said there were also threats made to URP programme manager Feroze Khan.

The development comes in the wake of the government's decision to cancel the annual Independence Day parade at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain, scheduled for August 31, based on advice from national security agencies.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Homeland Security on August 15, the parade was halted following security concerns raised amid the state of emergency declared on July 18, to dismantle organised criminal gangs operating from behind prison walls, from executing a plan to assassinate key justice and law enforcement officials.

While the immediate threat has been disrupted, according to the police commissioner, several other co-conspirators are not yet in custody, police said.

According to intelligence reports, the threat is linked to the minister's refusal to comply with demands to install hand-picked people in both state and constituency-level jobs.

Among the identified conspirators are a lawyer with close ties to the ruling UNC administration, two illegal quarry operators, and a senior military officer.

According to police, one of the illegal quarry operators is from Toco/Sangre Grande constituency, while the other, based in Santa Cruz, has close ties with senior military officers.

The senior military officer has, in the past, been seen driving an SUV owned by one of the quarry operators.

Police said the lawyer wields considerable influence and has reportedly been lobbying and demanding to select staff in the Ministry of Defence, the military, the Toco/Sangre Grande constituency office, and the Unemployment Relief Programme.

Police said information corroborating the threat has been identified in a series of telephone calls and a frightening incident which took place in Matura on August 9.

According to a sensitive report submitted to the police, the security team of soldiers and other agencies guarding the minister had to take evasive measures to protect Sturge after a suspicious car with four men approached the minister as he was with two other lawyers during a visit to his constituency of Toco/Sangre Grande.

The car sped away after the security team drew their weapons, according to the report. Police said the security team was unable to identify any of the occupants as the car had its high-beam lights on. The incident took place shortly after 9 pm.

According to the report, the security team secured the minister in an armoured SUV and headed to the Sangre Grande Police Station while the supporting team scouted for the car, described as a white Mazda 3, darkly tinted, with its registration plates obscured by reflective tape.

The same car had been spotted on at least three occasions passing the minister's detail during his constituency visit, according to the report.

Police said the vehicle was not intercepted, but the incident left the minister and two other lawyers shaken.

On July 29, police confirmed another incident involving the convoy carrying the Defence Minister which occurred around 12.30 am as Sturge left a public consultation on stand your ground legislation in Sangre Grande.

According to a report, as the convoy of vehicles exited into Wallerfield, people hiding in the bush hurled stones which struck one of the SUVs front windscreen. Two other vehicles, not in the convoy, were also struck near an area referred to as Jacob's Hill.

Sturge, a seasoned criminal defence attorney, who previously served as a UNC senator, was elected MP of Toco/Sangre Grande and appointed as Minister of Defence on May 3. He shares the Temple Court, Abercromby Street, Port of Spain, office with Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander.

Sturge was subsequently appointed Minister in the Ministry of Homeland Security to assist Alexander with his portfolio.

The former national security ministry was split into three – the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Homeland Security and the Ministry of Justice – by the UNC administration.

The new Ministry of Defence focuses on the Defence Force comprising of thousands of officers in the Regiment, Coast Guard, Air Guard and Defence Force Reserves.

The protection of the country's borders falls under the military air and naval assets, and soldiers have been given powers of arrest during the state of emergency.