Two new Coast Guard vessels arrive

“We have engaged our neighbours (Venezuela) to cooperate with us because we believe that the national security thrust in the maritime environment is fundamental to how we treat with crime and criminality in TT,” Dillon said.

“We recognise, to a large extent, that some of the issues we confront on a day-to-day basis have their genesis in the penetration of our very borders.” Dillon was speaking during the arrival ceremony for the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) vessels; TTS Moruga (CG 27) and TTS Carli Bay (CG 28), at Staubles Bay, Chaguaramas yesterday afternoon. The vessels arrival yesterday marked the end of a threeweek voyage across the Atlantic Ocean from the Port of Gorinchem, Gorinchem, Netherlands where they were built by Dutch shipbuilder, Damen Schelde (Damen).

These are the most recent delivery in a 12-vessel order made by the TT Government back in May 2015.

The first six vessels were delivered in July 2015. Turning his attention to the CG27 and CG28, Dillon said they, and all the other TTCG patrol vessels, should spend more time monitoring our maritime borders than at dock. Dillon also said while Government welcomes these “additional vessels, we also believe that in an international environment, we must be able to cooperate with our partners which, based on our proximity, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela presents that kind of nexus.” He noted that Government is “of the firm belief that strengthening our regional and international borders is critical to counteracting the threat of trans-national organised crime and so support joint initiatives aimed at intelligence and information- sharing as well as operational effectiveness.”