US, Britain rule out civil disorder in TT

PRIME MINISTER Patrick Manning’s decision not to attend a summit of regional leaders in Mexico was not based on concerns of a possible security breakdown in Trinidad and Tobago and at no time this week was TT remotely close to such a grim scenario. These were yesterday’s security intelligence findings from the United States and British governments. Manning was due to leave TT on Sunday to attend the two-day Summit for Heads of State and Government of the Americas in Monterey, Mexico but sent Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift in his place after concerns arose about a controversial structure erected in the Laventille area. The TT Defence Force was reportedly set to move in and demolish the structure but after the Prime Minister’s intervention, it was agreed that the structure be converted into a community centre.

Subsequent newspaper reports claimed national security concerns were the main motives for Manning not attending the Mexico summit and not the reasons advanced by the Prime Minister about “too many outstanding matters requiring my attention here in Trinidad.” Yesterday’s security analysis from the US Department of State maintained that “civil disorder is not a threat” in TT and only “nonviolent demonstrations occur on occasion. The State Department maintained that TT “is considered safe” and there is no evidence of security threats either to locals or foreign nationals at this time. However, the State Department advised: “As a common sense precaution, Americans travelling to or residing in TT should avoid large crowds and demonstrations.” Despite lowering its domestic alert level from Code Orange to Yellow recently, the US Government has a worldwide caution alert in effect until July 9 against possible Al-Qaeda attacks.

American government facilities worldwide remain on heightened alert and “US citizens are cautioned to maintain a high level of vigilance, to remain alert and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness.” The latest security analysis from the US Central Intelligence Agency concurs with the State Department that at no time within this week, did TT face a possible national security breakdown. Similarly, yesterday’s intelligence report from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) indicates there is no evidence of a potential breakdown in TT’s national security. The British FCO maintains that British and Commonwealth citizens resident in TT to “take sensible precautions.” “There is no recent history of terrorism but you should be aware of the risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks. The vast majority of visits to TT are trouble-free,” the FCO said.