Latin paper says claims of TT terrorist activity false

CLAIMS that the Trinidad and Tobago Government has been negligent in investigating reports of alleged terrorist activity in this country are unfounded, but Government must be wary of adopting an “ostrich” approach to the issue of global terrorism. This was one of the findings contained in an article in this month’s edition of the Latin American Monitor (LAM). The LAM report said: “The Government has been criticised in some parts for ‘a head in the sand’ response to the reports of terrorist groups operating in Trinidad and Tobago.

All such claims should be investigated and this is indeed happening drawing on whatever help may be provided by United States and United Kingdom intelligence.” The report said allegations of terrorist activity advanced by the Opposition United National Congress (UNC), certain foreign and local journalists have been proven to be false. The LAM report further noted that “following a police search in possible locations in South Trinidad, the ‘laboratory’(where terrorists were allegedly manufacturing biological and chemical weapons) was found, although the evidence uncovered suggested that the whole episode might have been a hoax”. Regarding a recent United Kingdom travel advisory issued against this country, the report said: “ The view of economists in Trinidad is that the UK travel advisory will not deter the big foreign investors in the energy sector, but there might be some cancellations of smaller projects in other industries.” 

The report added that the tourism sector may be the worst affected “not so much for its contribution to GDP but because it is a developing sector which provides an important route for diversification of the economy”.