Moonilal wants inventory of all Coast Guard vessels

Opposition MP Dr Roodal Moonilal has called for an inventory of all vessels operated by the T&T Coast Guard following the revelation last Friday that its two Austal Cape-class and six Damen Stan patrol vessels are not in operation.

The announcement of the non-functioning vessels was made by Chief of Defence Staff Air Marshal Darryl Daniel at a Ministry of National Security press conference.

Daniel said while the larger vessels were currently down, steps were being taken to have all vessels brought back to functionality shortly.

He said part of the reason for this situation was due to global logistics issues affecting the importation of necessary parts for repairs and refitting.

Speaking at a UNC press conference yesterday, at its headquarters in Chaguanas, Moonilal said the revelation was made when Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley was out of the country on a medical check-up.

“Sometimes there are people who ask if this is deliberate.”

In 2021, Moonilal said Rowley stated that he could sleep comfortably at night as his Government had acquired the two Austal vessels from Australia, warning anyone who had the intention of entering T&T’s shores illegally that they would do so at their own peril.

He said Rowley also boasted that the vessels would enhance border protection and assured there would be a maintenance capability for the patrol boats.

The boats cost the Government US$38.6 million each.

“For the first time in the history of T&T we have a Coast Guard without one seaworthy vessel. So they cannot guard the coast. All vessels are down … the six Daman vessels that we (People’s Partnership) purchased before we left office. The two larger vessels from Austal are down. They are all docked,” he said.

Moonilal said the PNM administration has allowed the vessels to go into a state of disrepair because “in the first instance they failed to renew what is called service level agreements.”

“The vessels are now parked up. It became harder to repair,” he alleged.

Moonilal said Daniel’s recent announcement sent a strong message to “all gun smugglers, drug traffickers and illegal migrants” that our borders are opened and they can enter at their leisure and without arrest.

“So no wonder gangs are operational and taking advantage of it. The Chief of Defence Staff told the international community of criminals that we have no seaworthy vessels now. That is the crisis we reach with the Coast Guard. We are in a state of crisis,” Moonilal charged.

He read a United Nations report on Caribbean Gangs, Drugs, Firearms and Gangs Networks in Jamaica, St Lucia, Guyana and T&T dated July 2024 which stated there was a significant decline in the seizure of cocaine. He said if there was a drop in cocaine, the possibility exists that the seizure of guns can also decrease.

Moonilal wondered what Coast Guard officers have been using in the interim to monitor the country’s borders which are now open.

“There is no border patrol.”

He said one of the vessels was sent to Suriname for repairs.

“We don’t know when they went … when they came back and what is the current problem. Nobody would tell you when those two large vessels became inoperational.”

He alleged it was a big secret.

Moonilal said the UNC had called on the Joint Select Committee on National Security in Parliament “to investigate and to bring the Coast Guard before us to get an inventory on every single asset.”

In light of the recent development that the vessels were out of service, Moonilal said “I am asking for an inventory … we are asking for an inventory of all Coast Guard assets. If they have a bicycle I want to know if the tyres good.”

Moonilal said there was a dry dock facility in Chaguaramas to repair boats which the Government also ran to the ground.

“They lick up that. So when you have a boat you cannot repair it in Trinidad,” he added.

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