The government of Trinidad and Tobago has responded to an article in the prestigious international publication Foreign Policy, 14 days after the magazine published an article describing the country as the world's newsest narco state.JYOTI reported on the article earlier this month in which the author, Dorn Towsend, said the Trinidad and Tobago government contributes to the problem of drugs and crime.
Townsend blamed the government for misdirecting its wealth, the bulk of which "is ultimately funneled to gang leaders, who administer "grants" and distribute "salaries." Indeed, corruption - always a problem in the country - is reaching new heights."
He also cited a study carried out by the government in 2009 that suggested that almost 90 per cent of police officers were "regularly involved in illegal activities...from running and selling drugs, to colluding with gangs by renting out weapons to criminals, to performing extralegal killings."
Read the article: Trouble in Paradise - what others are saying about TT
In responding to the article Thursday, The National Security Ministry called the work "unfortunate and flawed," describing the article as the most recent antagonistic publication written by Townsend about the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.
In a media release the ministry dismissed Townsend's description of the country as a narco state.
"In fact, this country enjoys a strong natural gas and oil based economy. Additionally, the sustained inflow of investment proves that the nation is still a vibrant regional economic and financial hub with strong international investment portfolios.
“There is a clear recognition that Trinidad and Tobago, like a number of countries in the region, is being used as a transhipment point for drugs on the way to Europe and North America.
"To address this matter the Government has invested heavily in the modernisation of the nation’s Coast Guard.
“To date TT$1.3 billion has been spent to upgrade and build new naval facilities and purchase a wide range of naval assets.
“While the country has had a small naval contingent, the Government’s new policy of securing the nation focuses on the expansion of the Coast Guard. This focus is being implemented through the acquisition of new assets ranging from near-shore patrol vessels to vessels capable of going as far north as St. Vincent and the Exclusive Economic Zone.
“Already the new naval assets, which comprise two 46m Coastal Patrol Craft, fourteen 32ft to 38ft Fast Inceptor Craft and six 30m Fast Patrol Craft have begun contributing to the seizure of large amounts of cannabis and to a lesser extent cocaine, which is not usually shipped via go-fast pirogues.”
The ministry said the defences would be increased by the end of the year with three additional off-shore Patrol Vessels and that “these assets are being deployed based on intelligence provided by the nation’s 360° radar system, and local and regional air surveillance.”
It added, "Contrary to Mr Townsend’s less-than-flattering evaluation of the security forces ability to detect illicit drug trafficking, the reality is that the security forces have been quite successful.
"In fact for 2010 already 3,645 pounds of cannabis and 76 pounds of cocaine have been recovered from vessels, and another 6,000 pounds of dumped marijuana were recovered.
"These numbers are up substantially from 2009 where 3,337 pounds of cannabis were seized."
According to the ministry, the Government’s effort in the fight against international drug trafficking was clearly acknowledged in the United States State Department’s International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) released on March 1, 2010.
"Additionally, Mr Townsend’s call for United States’ and Britain’s navies to patrol the Gulf of Paria is provocative and displays an inexcusable unawareness of regional geo-politics.
"It also suggests that Trinidad and Tobago should surrender certain aspects of its sovereignty,” the statement added.
It also took issue with the assertion that government "grants" to gangs is contributing to the problem.
"The Unemployment Relief Programme was meant to bring relief to economically disadvantaged unskilled and semi-skilled in the nation and said the Government “categorically denies” that it was funneling money from the URP to gang leaders.
It expressed disappointing that an esteemed organisation such as Foreign Policy did not conduct a proper "fact check" of the veracity of Mr Townsend’s claims.
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