NEWSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2 K 14 $63M FOR BATTLE VEHICLES By Nalinee Seelal Wednesday, September 10 2014 Armoured vehicles similar to the ones seen in clashes between law enforcement and hostile crowds in some of the world’s trouble spots will soon be a feature of the assets of the police and army in Trinidad and Tobago. Following the publication of newspaper advertisements yesterday in which the Ministry of National Security signalled its intention to acquire the vehicles, Newsday has learnt Government will buy a mix of armoured personnel carriers and other armoured vehicles: 32 for the Defence Force and 20 for the Police Service. They are expected to cost approximately $63 million. The Ministry states that the armoured personnel carriers “will protect the troops from today’s high-powered rifles, grenades and explosives in hostile and potentially hazardous conditions, and allow them to reach their objectives on time and ready to perform their operation.” Indicating that “we are taking our fight to the next level,” the Ministry’s advertisement said, “Our defences are only as good as our personnel defending you,” adding that it will supplement “our Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force fleet with these types of vehicles for use by our Protective Services.” It also states it is “protecting you (citizens) in times of unrest” and is “taking our fight to the next level”. Newsday has identified the vehicle pictured in the advertisement as a Spartan Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) designed by the Streit Group of Canada which has plants in the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Jordan, Turkey, Pakistan, India and the United Arab Emirates. According to the wikipedia website, the Spartan can be used “in a wide variety of applications which include military, police, and tactical missions across the globe. The Streit Spartan-APC has been designed and built not only to withstand ballistic assaults but to protect the occupants against mine and grenade blast scenarios.” Confirming the planned purchase, Minister of National Security Gary Griffith told Newsday the armoured vehicles which are different from the armoured personnel carriers, are bullet-proof vehicles which will look like normal SUVs, and they will be used for specific elements of law enforcement agencies. Newsday has been informed that the armoured personnel carriers number 32 and will be for the specific use of officers of the Defence Force, while the 20 relatively lighter vehicles are for the Special Operations Group attached to the National Operations Centre (NOC). Newsday understands that one of the vehicles is estimated to cost at least $1.2 million, and four companies from the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK), which manufacture these special armoured personnel carriers, have been invited to send a proposal to the Ministries of National Security and of Transport to tender for their purchase. Newsday also understands a team has already visited the companies in the US and the UK to get a personal view of the capabilities of the vehicles, but the purchases will only be made if the vehicles are found to be conducive to the roads in this country, especially the roads in high-risk crime hot spots, such as Laventille and Belmont, and other areas where roads are narrow, and in some instances, where the roads are simply tracks. Griffith told Newsday yesterday, “In changing times it is important that the law enforcement officials have the necessary tools. It shows that they are properly protected when they go out there to protect the citizens of our country.” Griffith said further, “Based on what we have seen now with the enemy, that there are individuals who may try to affect the stability of the country, or that they may be involved in specific criminal activity, this is the gang warfare and so forth. It is important that we have the proper tools for law enforcement officers when they go out there in that battle.” Griffith added: “What we are seeing with the armoured personnel carriers, it is nothing out of the norm. It should not be seen as being an aggressive complement, but something that is critical for our law enforcement officers to have the proper protection when they go out there, to protect and serve with pride, to ensure that they are protected when they go out on basic patrols, or when they go into a volatile area, that may require this type of equipment.” According to Griffith, armoured personnel carriers are used worldwide, and the Ministry of National Security will supplement the Defence Force with these types of vehicles. Griffith revealed the vehicles will arrive in Trinidad and Tobago as soon as the acquisition is finalised and officers of the Special Operations Group and Defence Force personnel will be trained in their use and maintenance. The Minister noted the SOG was formed recently to deal specifically with certain situations like hostage negotiations, terrorist activities and any threats by an explosive device or in situations where any group will try to destabilise any part of the country with heavy gunfire. “So it is basically a preemptive strike and making sure that we have the proper tools and not wait until something happens to make us understand the importance of these tools,” the Minister said. He said the purchase of these national security assets is being done following consultation and recommendations by the stakeholders who have to use them. “We must not be imposing national security assets on our agencies without them having a major say in the type of equipment, the model, the make, the design because they are the ones who have to use it and go out there and do the work,” Griffith said. Newsday understands funding for the purchase of these 52 vehicles will come from the almost $7 billion allocated to the Ministry of National Security in the 2015 national budget delivered in the Parliament on Monday by Finance Minister Larry Howai. Yesterday, Public Affairs Officer of the TT Regiment Capt Stefan Affonso welcomed the initiative by the Ministry of National Security saying, “The need for this type of equipment is necessary for the conduct of operations in a constantly changing environment. It provides security safety for those on the operations, and it is a timely acquisition as it will serve to continue to enable members of the Defence Force in providing safe and secure Trinidad and Tobago.” Newsday understands Government is also in the process of purchasing drones for use by the NOC.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 10:49:26 +0000
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