LNG, oil plants under guard

Sandy yesterday said he held talks with Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs and Acting Chief of Defence Staff Brigadier General Kenrick Maharaj on border security and the monitoring of the LPG plant in Point Lisas and oil operations in Point Galeota.

Sandy said he saw it fit to take no chances with security measures, and since Trinidad is one of the largest exporters of LPG to the United States, this plant in Point Fortin could be seen as a target for terrorists and appropriate systems were put in place to secure the facility.

He added that Coast Guard officers have been instructed to monitor operations at Point Galeota on a round-the-clock basis.

The Minister said, “I also instructed that security be beefed up in certain specific areas, because it is perceived that terrorist activities could be extended to places such as Trinidad and Tobago and therefore I am taking no chances and will not be caught off guard.”

He added that bin Laden had once instructed al Qaeda operatives to target friends of America, and Trinidad and Tobago could be one of those soft targets.

He added that the American Embassy at Marli Street in Port-of-Spain is also working closely with the security intelligence agencies on new security arrangements for the embassy and its personnel.

He made it clear that the Air Guard was also on alert at Piarco International Airport, and will be assisted by officers of the Special Anti Crime Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (SAUTT).

Newsday understands that incoming passengers to Trinidad and Tobago are being scanned and their baggage will be checked for weapons.

Maharaj told Newsday immigration officers as well as persons from the Joint Regional Communications Centre in Barbados are working together to conduct background checks on persons entering Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and other Caricom countries.

He said these checks will ensure that persons with questionable backgrounds are prevented from entering this country.

Maharaj said soldiers and police officers from the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) have been instructed to carry out patrols around the American Embassy and they are also involved in patrols at Atlantic LNG, the south western sector, and Point Galeota. He said Coast Guard officers are conducting most of the border security.

He noted that there are parking restrictions in the vicinity of the American Embassy at Marli Street, but no further controls have been put in place there.

Maharaj said, “We are definitely on high security alert, and this will continue indefinitely where a lot of our soldiers are engaged in the enhancement of the operational temple from what currently obtains.” He said the same arrangements also apply to Tobago.

Also yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Suruj Rambachan said although the intelligence agencies have not reported any suspicious terrorist presence in Trinidad and Tobago, the necessary precautions have been put in place.

“Whenever world events like the death of bin Laden takes place security is heightened, but I do not see any threat to our embassies, but nevertheless, I think that there will be heightened security awareness.”

Fourteen Trinidadians were among those killed in the terrorist attacks organised by bin Laden on the US on September 11, 2001. Ivory Morales, whose daughter Paula, 42, an insurance agent, was among the Trinidadians killed said she still mourns the loss of her daughter.

The other Trindadians were Conrad Cottoy, 50, Rena Sam-Dinnoo, 38, Joan Francis, Winston Grant, 59, Clara Hinds, 52, Stephen Joseph, 39, Glenroy Neblett, 42, Jerome Nedd, 39, Oscar Nesbitt, 58, Anthony Portillo, 48, Vishnoo Ramsaroop, 45, Goumatie Thackurdeen, 35, and Boyie Mohammed 50.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday said families whose loved ones were killed in the 2001 attacks may finally get closure following bin Laden’s killing by US forces.

“I think people would feel gratified, those who were affected would feel some sort of closure that the perpetrator of that heinous act has now gone,” she added. “He is now departed. I think they would take some comfort in that.”