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Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar says there is no need for Government to procure another naval vessel for the T&T Coast Guard as 12 were purchased under the People’s Partnership’s (PP) tenure.
Responding to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s claim that there was a conspiracy by Government employees to block Australian shipbuilders, International Catamarans (INCAT), from doing business with T&T, Persad-Bissessar yesterday said he needed to ask questions in order to understand what was taking place.
Addressing the audience at the Cedros Indian Cultural Committee’s Indian Arrival Day celebration in Bonasse Village, she did not speak of Government’s plans to purchase two new vessels to service the Tobago seabridge but focused on the proposed purchase of a naval vessel. At Tuesday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, Rowley said officials from Australian naval vessel builders Austal are expected in T&T next week to evaluate six Coast Guard vessels that are “gathering moss.” He said efforts will be made to return these vessels to patrolling T&T’s porous borders.
However, Persad-Bissessar said yesterday that the vessels were out-of-commission because they were not being maintained by the Ministry of National Security and that the Coast Guard is not receiving enough fuel.
“I am being told that not only maintenance, they are not even providing enough fuel, so it is not the fault of the Coast Guard, it is the fault of yourself and your Government for not replenishing the supplies that are needed,” Persad-Bissessar said to in an obvious response to Rowley. You have 12 boats, why you want to buy another one? Could you tell the country, why, when you have 12?”
She said while Rowley speaks about the Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), which were being procured by a previous PNM administration, those vessels were not suitable for patrolling the coast. Under the PP’s administration, the procurement of the OPVs were cancelled and in its place, four Damen Stan Patrol 5009 Coastal Patrol Vessels, two Damen Fast Crew Supply 5009 Utility Vessels and six Damen Interceptor DI 1102 interceptors were purchased. She said these vessels had different ranges and speeds and were capable of locking down T&T’s border,
“Please ask your national security advisers and your three ministers of National Security and do not go and spend more money on vessels for the Coast Guard. Use the ones that we already have, that taxpayers are already paying for and get it up and running and lock down our borders and let us try to put an end to this crime situation in our country.”
She also wished Rowley a happy Indian Arrival Day.