The reporting of the Guardian's enterprise desk on the upsurge in the presence of Chinese nationals on Sunday and again yesterday would have thrown some new light on an area of darkness in T&T.On Sunday, a Guardian journalist reported that she was able to find and speak with several Chinese immigrants, some of whom had arrived quite recently in the country, who did not appear to possess the work permits necessary for any non-national who stays in T&T beyond the period of time allowed to a vacationer.And as disturbing was yesterday's report indicating that, despite the expenditure of millions of dollars on a radar system and on coast guard assets, the Trinidad coastline remains remarkably porous.As recently as last month, National Security Minister John Sandy, in the debate on the bill to amend the Financial Intelligence Unit Act, said that T&T remains a soft target for terrorists.
That debate came three weeks before the increased concern about global terrorism as a result of last week's killing by US special forces of Osama bin Ladin.The issue, therefore, goes beyond the recent influx into T&T of Chinese nationals, who have made and continue to make outstanding contributions in almost every sphere of national life in this country.The issue is that the intelligence and security authorities must be able to account for all non-nationals entering this country at the official ports of entry.The scandal of allowing any non-nationals entry into the country for whatever purpose must stop.
While we are confident that the vast majority of public servants in the Immigration Department are honest and law-abiding citizens, if there are areas of "leakage" there, these must be dealt with by the authorities using all of the techniques available to foreign law-enforcement agencies. These would include electronic surveillance and the monitoring of bank accounts.While the paperless entry of foreign nationals at the official ports of entry is bad enough, it is even more frightening that people are entering this country from unguarded, informal ports of entry.One police officer told our reporters: "If Trinidad really wants to deal with the human trafficking, gun trade and drug problems, then all that needs to be done is to monitor every boat that leaves Trinidad and goes to South America," he said.
"The radar at San Fernando Hill is supposed to pick up the boats...Our Coast Guard needs to intercept them on the sea, check their cargo, but for some strange reason that is not being done," he said.There is no doubt that stronger action and firmer resolve must be taken on the supply side of the problem in terms of making it more difficult for unwanted visitors to gain entry to this country.But there is also need for the country to address the demand side of the equation. The fact that there are security companies that are ready and willing to employ "guards" from all over the world, who are paid way below the minimum wage, is an indication that there are too many people with uninformed views about illegal immigration.
This laissez-faire attitude to the nation's security leaves T&T open for human trafficking and smuggling of illegal cargo including drugs, guns and ammunition, according to the reporting in yesterday's newspaper.Therefore, it cannot be business as usual for the Immigration Department or the coast guard-or for the businessmen who exploit cheap foreign labour or the many others who, by their silence or blindness, facilitate the problem.One of the first and main responsibilities that a government has is the security of its people and it cannot be said that T&T's people are secure if there are so many weak points for foreigners who wish to enter and stay in the country.