Leader of the Opposition Dr Keith Rowley is demanding answers from both Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and President Anthony Carmona about why the Volunteer Defence Force was called out to provide security assistance from August 29 to January 7, 2015.
In a release issued yesterday, Rowley said he was informed “late” on Saturday evening that on August 29, President Carmona had issued a proclamation calling out to duty members of the Volunteer Defence Force for parades during the months of August and September. He added that the call out was also “to assist the civil authority (Police) in providing security support for law enforcement activities throughout T&T leading into and including the Christmas period, the period August 29 to January 7, 2015.”
Rowley said Section 238(1) of the Defence Act, was clear “that it should only be invoked in the specific situations where there is a riot, disturbance of the peace or other emergency situation taking place which the Police Service are unable to suppress, or prevent, or deal with.” He said he was “extremely concerned that this should have been invoked in the first place, and then more surprisingly, for such a long period from the August 29 to the January 7, 2015, over four months.
He said the Prime Minister did not inform the nation that there was any risk or danger to justify the use of this “drastic” power. He called on Carmona and Persad-Bissessar to “immediately provide explanations to the nation as to why this specific power designed only for emergency situations” has been invoked.
Section 238(1) of the Defence Act, Chap. 14:01 states:
“The President may call out the Volunteer Defence Force or any portion of it for actual military service with their arms and ammunition, in aid of the civil power in any case in which a riot, disturbance of the peace, or other emergency requiring such service occurs, or is, in the opinion of the President, anticipated as likely to occur, and in either case to be beyond the powers of the civil authorities to suppress, or to prevent, or deal with.”
Capt Alexander: Nothing unusual
The Defence Force confirmed it had requested activation of Volunteer Defence troops over August 29 to January 2015 but said this has been done annually since the time of the former People’s National Movement (PNM) administration. Defence Force spokesman Captain Al Alexander said the volunteer defence troops usually provide additional resources for that busy period.
Alexander spoke to the Guardian yesterday afternoon after PNM leader Keith Rowley demanded that President Anthony Carmona and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar explain why the President had sanctioned the call-out of officers over August 29 to January 7, 2015. Though Rowley noted the call-out was to assist police in providing security into and including Christmas, he still questioned the situation.
Captain Alexander said there was nothing unusal about the Defence Force’s request since it has been done every year since 2009 and the requests have always been approved.
He said the situation occurred as a result of the number of parades and ceremonial events involving officers over August 29 to January. Apart from patrols, he said reserves substituted for barrack guards and other officers while other Defence Force officers handled other national security duties in the lead-up to Christmas and Carnival.
Griffith: Govt only asked for 50 troops
National Security Minister Gary Griffith said Government hadn’t requested the call out. He said the request was made for 50 reserves only. Griffith said he believed that the PNM’s questions were an attempt to try and cause fear, unease and panic towards destabilsing T&T.
Griffith added: “The troops were called out for 136 days from the 29 August to January 2015, as a result of which the public can expect greater visibility of joint patrols and can feel a sense of safety and security while conducting daily affairs.” Griffith slammed PNM MP Colm Imbert’s criticism of the six armoured personnel carriers which government is acquiring at a cost of $1.2m each.
” Much sophisticated weaponry entering T&T over the years, including hand grenades, has changed the way security forces must operate. Up to recently, police were shot at and grenades were found. “Is Imbert saying security forces should try to protect the public without proper protection for themselves? What right-thinking politcian would object to ensuring that the people we ask to go out there to defend us, are properly protected?”