Imbert: Tighter security for Tobago seabridge

Addressing yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall, Imbert said Monday’s incident where a man allegedly fell off the MV Sonia while it was en route to Tobago had raised the wider question of security on the domestic seabridge. He added that a police investigation is currently underway into that incident, and he would not comment until that investigation is complete.

Observing that the authorities encountered problems in properly identifying passengers who travelled on the Sonia on Monday, Imbert explained that it was not normal to impose strict immigration controls for domestic sea transport, and drew reference to several countries where this is the norm.

However, the minister admitted that Monday’s incident "may be a completely different situation" and he would be seeking advice on the type of identification procedures that "should be put in place for the route."

Noting that the introduction of fast ferries on the seabridge has "created the conditions where people may wish to use the vessel to transport things that are not entirely legal," Imbert said Government is closely examining ways to strengthen security procedures of the flow of passengers and cargo between Trinidad and Tobago. "That is something we are also looking at because we have to be very vigilant, very careful that persons may not now begin to use the fast ferry for purposes for which they were not intended. You may begin to see some very tight security procedures in the near future on the fast ferries," Imbert disclosed.

He said the Air Transport Licensing Authority will receive a report on a proposed domestic airfare increase within the next ten days, and Cabinet will deliberate on the matter shortly thereafter. Imbert said Government would then decide if the airfare should be increased and to what extent Government should subsidise the airfare. He added that consideration would be given to the application of the subsidy to all passengers on the airbridge or to TT nationals only. The current domestic airfare is $300, of which $100 is subsidised by Government. Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Orville London said an increased airfare must be matched by improved levels of service on the airbridge.

In light of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation in the US, Imbert and Housing Minister Dr Keith Rowley said "work is proceeding apace" with Government’s efforts to fine tune TT’s ability to deal with both natural and man-made disasters. Rowley said a special Cabinet committee chaired by Prime Minister Patrick Manning received an update on this matter two weeks ago and further recommendations were made to the committee’s technical support body. Imbert said plans were "well on track" to begin the construction of phase one of the Uriah Butler-Churchill/Roosevelt Highway Interchange in December. Imbert said he was updated on the status of the project on Wednesday and the plans have been fine-tuned to ensure that it will be "a working intersection" with minimal traffic disruptions to the public during construction. The interchange is expected to be completed in 2007.