Moonilal hits Government over 8 large vessels down for repairs – No guards for Trinidad and Tobago’s coasts
Opposition shadow minister of national security and Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal. FILE PHOTO/JEFF MAYERS –
BY CHIEF of Defence Staff (CDS) Air Vice Marshall Darryl Daniel publicly acknowledging that the eight larger vessels of the Coast Guard being currently non-functional, Opposition MP and UNC shadow security minister Dr Roodal Moonilal accused Daniel of sending a direct message to criminals: “we have nothing in the sea right now.”
Speaking at the UNC’s weekly Sunday press briefing, the Oropouche East MP said, “The chief of defence staff told the international community of criminals that we have no seaworthy vessel now.”
Speaking at the UNC’s headquarters in Chaguanas, Moonilal added, “This is the first time the head of our defence establishment has indicated to all smugglers, all traffickers, all illegal movers of immigrants, ‘I want to give allyuh the news. We have nothing in the sea right now to look at you. So if you are coming, let us know.’ This is where we reach.”
During a press conference by leaders of the various arms of national security, on September 6 at the Ministry of National Security in Port of Spain, Daniel admitted that the Coast Guard was having its own challenges including that its fleet of eight large patrol vessels – six built by the Damen Shipyards Group from the Netherlands and two by Australian ship-building company Austal – are currently non-functional.
The plan, he added, is to have the eight reintegrated into full active use on a phased basis over the next 18 months. One of the vessels recently returned from dry-dock at a facility in Suriname but is still undergoing additional work at Staubles Bay in Chaguaramas.
That press conference, chaired by National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds, was called in the wake of a series of murders committed last week.
In 2021, the prime minister commissioned two Cape-class vessels to be built by Austal and back then, Dr Rowley urged the Coast Guard to make full use of them as they have the capacity to enhance border protection.
Speaking on Sunday, Moonilal said, “This is the first time in the history of TT that we have a Coast Guard without one seaworthy vessel. They cannot guard the coast. They are just guards on land. I do not know if they have a raft operating that they can go out with at night or whatever.”
He accused Government of allowing the vessels to fall into a state of disrepair to the level where none of the eight vessels – acquired at a cost of billions of dollars – are functional. He also claimed Government failed to renew the Service Level Agreement.
“When you buy assets like that, what is important is to have agreements for continued servicing maintenance.
“Nobody can tell us when those vessels became non-functional or the date they could not go to sea.”
Moonilal, a former housing minister during the Peoples Partnership administration, continued: “We are asking for an inventory of all Coast Guard assets. If they have a bicycle, I want to know if the tyres are good!
“If they have a motorbike, we want to know what they are doing with that. If they have anything, we want to know the state of those vessels. Can they use it? Is it fit for purpose?”
Efforts to reach Daniel for a comment on Sunday proved futile.
At the national security press conference on September 6, the CDS also revealed that while the eight large vessels are out of commission at the moment, the Coast Guard intends to expand and upgrade its fleet of vessels.
“Approval has been received and is being actioned for the immediate repair of some smaller vessels and the acquisition of immediately available vessels of appropriate size and functionality for use by the Coast Guard.
“Additionally, a process has commenced for the acquisition of additional new naval assets to address identified gaps in our maritime domain…” Daniel said.