1,000 soldiers to defend oil in South

The Trinidad and Tobago Regiment will establish a Second Infantry Battalion in South Trinidad to defend the area’s oil and petrochemical industries. So said Minister of National Security, Howard Chin Lee, addressing a Recruit Passing-out Parade Thursday at Teteron Barracks. He said: “The process for recruiting and training of officers and other ranks has already begun. It is expected that by 2006, this Battalion should be up to its full strength of 41 officers and close to 1,000 soldiers. The battalion will be located in south Trinidad and will form the nucleus of first defence for the oil and petrochemical industries located in that part of Trinidad.”

Chin Lee also announced changes to the Regiment’s Special Forces Detachment to improve its role in maintaining peace and order. He said: “This specialised unit is capable of precluding, preempting, disrupting and responding to any insurgent, narcotic-driven or terrorist threat within the sovereign territory of TT. “The Special Forces Detachment will be reviewed and reorganised into a Special Services Unit that is more efficient and capable of taking its place in various anti-crime fighting initiatives.” Assuring that the country was in safe hands, he pledged to give this unit inceased personnel, training, equipment and infrastructure.

Chin Lee saluted the four-month-old Inter-Agency Task Force (ITF) comprised of Police and Army personnel, saying it had made a significant impact in reducing crime in Morvant/Laventille. He explained: “Over 1,500 mobile and foot patrols were conducted, 14 stolen weapons and 100 rounds of ammunition were seized, 14 murders were solved, and over 222 persons were detained.” He told the 186 recruits that they would benefit from the Regiment’s emphasis on modernisation training, disclosing that last year, some 48 officers and 150 persons of other ranks had received training locally and abroad. Chin Lee hailed the Regiment’s role in youth programmes like the Civilian Conservation Corps, Artisan Youth Programme and National Youth Service Training Programme.