Hinds probes reports of ‘faulty’ bulletproof vests

JUNIOR NATIONAL Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds yesterday said he would investigate reports alleging that 1,500 defective bulletproof vests were purchased by Government for police officers. Speaking with Newsday after an International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code achievement ceremony at the Cascadia Hotel in St Ann’s, Hinds said, “I have heard the talk bandied around in the national community and particulary through the media, but I have had no official communication on that.

“Every week, we meet with the heads of the various divisions of the Ministry of National Security, including the police. I have had no formal notice of that difficulty, but it is something that I must now investigate to find out whether it is true. I raised it very briefly with an outstanding representative of the Second Division, who assured me that was not the case. That was two weeks ago.” The Minister questioned whether it was appropriate for police officers to voice such concerns (real or imagined) in the media, saying the Police Reform Bills would have made it an offence for police officers to publicly make such comments.

Asked for details about Govern-ment’s “Plan B” following last week’s defeat of the Bills in Parliament, Hinds said, “All I can assure you is that the Prime Minister has given the Minister of National Security instructions and the Mini-ster of National Security has passed on to me the Prime Minister’s deep concern and keenness to see us exert best efforts and use whatever resources we have to ensure that this problem that afflicts Trinidad and Tobago is held in check.” Hinds said Government would continue to provide material re-sources and operational assistance to the police and disclosed that officers are currently being exposed to a series of techniques to improve their management methods.

The Minister also noted that TT’s achievement of ISPS compliance and last week’s launch of the Multi-Sector Skills Training Programme were all part of Government’s “Plan B” to deal with crime. He said Government did all it could do to convince the Opposition to support the legislation during the debate and never gave the population the belief that it was impotent to deal with crime. The Minister lamented that passage of the Bills would have created a more efficient Police Service and this would have allowed the police to launch a more concerted attack against the criminal elements, but said Government would not allow this setback to hinder its anti-crime strategies.