TT Carnival security gets thumbs up

SECURITY MEASURES put in place by Government to ensure the safety of visitors to Trinidad and Tobago for Carnival 2004 celebrations have received two thumbs up from the United States and British governments.

On Carnival Monday, police announced the implementation of certain strategies at TT’s key urban areas to crack down on deviant behaviour during the annual celebrations, as well as seize illegal drugs, arms and ammunition. Last week, Police Commissioner Everald Snaggs recalled all vacationing police officers back to active duty for Carnival and it was previously announced that increased aerial and ground surveillance would form key elements in the security forces’ Carnival 2004 crime plan. The effectiveness of these measures were reinforced by yesterday’s security intelligence reports from the US Department of State and the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

The US State Department maintained that TT is “considered safe” and while there is a traditional increase in crime during Carnival, visitors need not be alarmed and simply need to exercise common sense precautions where crime is concerned. The British FCO concurred with the State Department that security measures implemented for TT Carnival were more than adequate and advised visitors to the twin island republic not to be complacent where crime is concerned. The US State Department and British FCO added that there is no evidence of any terrorist presence in TT at this time.