$98M for private security service to TT Gov't

A document from the Ministry of National Security shows that the Trinidad and Tobago government paid a private security firm, Amalgamated Security Services Ltd, $98.3 million for security services provided to the State from 2002 to date.

The services include transportation of prisoners.

The costs increased from $6.38 million in 2002 to $23.38 million in 2009, according to then document.

The Ministry of National Security provided the figure in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOI) request made by Devant Maharaj, president of the Indo-Trinbago Equality Council (ITEC).

A statement from the ministry said the arrangements with the security company increased due to an expansion of the state's security needs.

"It represents the sum total of all the services provided by Amalgamated to various divisions within the Ministry of National Security," the statement noted adding that Amalgamated provided security for:

• The Office of Disaster Preparedness Management
• The Fire Services
• The Prisons Service
• Immigration
• General
  

The ministry provided the total and a breakdown of the payments provided to Amalgamated in a letter dated October 30, 2009, in response to Maharaj’s FOI request.

"Please note that according to the records of the Ministry of National Security, Amalgamated Security Ltd was paid a total of $98,353,083 for the period 2002-2009," the ministry stated. It also gave a breakdown of each year:

• 2002 - $6,380,223
• 2003 - $8,511,105
• 2004 - $8,511,610
• 2005 - $8,880,749
• 2006 - $10,350,418
• 2007 - $13,579,418
• 2008 - $18,755,036
• 2009 - $23,384,524