PM: Diplomatic security will not be breached

PRIME MINISTER Patrick Manning vowed that Government will “leave no stone unturned” to prevent diplomatic bags leaving Trinidad and Tobago or its overseas missions from being compromised, but revealed that diplomatic bags leaving TT had been breached before.  Last week, police intercepted two diplomatic bags containing a quantity of cocaine which were destined for Toronto and London at Piarco International Airport, while a third bag containing cocaine was intercepted at TT’s New York Consulate.

Addressing yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall, Manning declared: “Immediately upon the matter coming to our attention, we vigorously began to pursue it. We called in the police authorities and recalled those who could assist in the investigations that obviously followed. As you can see, people have already been arrested. They have been taken to the courts and those matters are before the courts. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is putting new arrangements in place but those arrangements have not yet been reported to the Prime Minister.  I can tell you that the Minister is leaving no stone unturned to try to ensure as far as possible there is no recurrence of such a development.”

Manning said law enforcement agencies moved swiftly in uncovering the alleged drug ring, investigations were underway and he was “in no position to say how long that might have been going on.” He said the incident has not damaged TT’s international reputation, vowed that the perpetrators would be brought to justice and dismissed calls for Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift’s resignation. Manning said there was no shortage of Coast Guard vessels to patrol TT’s coastal waters and the CG Six (out of commission), will be back in service within four to five months time.

The Prime Minister also said one option available to Government was leasing vessels which were similar to the Offshore Patrol Vessels which it intended to buy. The Prime Minister also said Government was working to bring the TTS Nelson back into service and it would be valuable as a support vessel. Manning dismissed a letter written by Oropouche MP, Dr Roodal Moonilal, to Scotland Yard for an investigation into his trips to Madrid and London last December.