Sturge wants report on children handling high-powered guns

In the letter dated March 27, Sturge said he was exercising his right, conferred by Section 11 of the Freedom of Information Act Chapter 22:02, to make the request for the report. He said the matter was of “grave and serious concern” and a matter of public interest.

“It raises serious concerns about whether persons belonging to the Defence Force were complicit in the execution of their duties. Whether persons in the Defence Force were coerced into breaching settled practice and procedures because of the individuals involved.” Sturge said there have been conflicting reports in the media of the findings of the board of inquiry in this matter.

“This has led to speculation and conjecture by members of the public and already public sentiments have been expressed that there is an attempt at a cover-up by the TT Defence Force. The Defence Force is too important an institution to our democracy to be allowed to be subjected to this type of public criticism. It is an institution in which the public must have confidence and all must be done to instil and restore that confidence. Disclosure of the report of the inquiry will surely achieve this,” he said.

He added that there can be no justifiable and sufficiently essential public interest considerations of type or degree to support non-disclosure of the report in this matter.