‘Spy’ plane likely for Carnival says Sandy

It is likely the Police Service’s controversial light airplane may be used to provide aerial surveillance for Carnival, National Security Minister John Sandy said yesterday. Sandy, however, also said there was still an issue of sole selective tender with the airplane recruitment, as well as a sanction from a National Security committee which was not sought for the airplane. Sandy admitted that the Government’s thrust with the recent state of emergency did not yield the envisaged results and there had been “slippage.” He gave these and other positions when he spoke with reporters at National Academy for the Performing Arts, Port-of-Spain, after yesterday’s launch of the 2012 UNDP report on crime and citizen security.

Sandy said he had asked for—and expected to have by yesterday—a report on last Sunday’s fracas involving police officers and spectators during the Panorama semifinals at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain. Asked if the incident gave him cause for concern about Carnival security, Sandy said: “I’m more concerned about the relationship between the police and the citizens as we’re trying to blend  that partnership, and incidents like this would tend to cause that to separate somewhat.” Asked if the  light airplane pilot project by the Police Service would be used among aerial surveillance for Carnival security, Sandy said: “The police would be best poised to say. They’re involved in operations and I’m not an operations person. But based on what I’ve heard so far and interaction we’ve had, it’s likely it could be used.”

Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs and Deputy Commissioner Jack Ewatski have come under under Opposition fire for their recruitment of the light airplane from T&T Air Support Co to do a 12-week pilot project for $902,000. The project’s effectiveness as a policing tool will be evaluated. Sandy said Gibbs did not inform him or the National Security Council about the project. He requested a report from Gibbs on the issue which he sent to Attorney General Anand Ramlogan to examine. The Police Service Commission and the Police Complaints Authority are also examining the issue after Opposition complaint. Gibbs told the T&T Guardian last Saturday the Police Service was proceeding with the pilot project.

Yesterday, Sandy said while Gibbs had the authority to handle contractual or purchase arrangements under $1 million, there was also the situation regarding sole selective tender. “And for any asset concerning national security or crime-fighting equipment over $100,000, there is a committee headed by the permanent secretary of the National Security Ministry that ought to sanction that, and that was not done,” he said. Asked if this was a fault in the process, Sandy said this was why the issue was sent to the Attorney General to examine the legal aspect of it. “It depends on the outcome from the AG...The report he has will advise on what to do,” he said. Sandy could not say “yea” or “nay” on possible sanctions in the issue.

But he said: “There are a range of issues that could be addressed with respect to that.” He again declined comment on Gibbs’ performance. He also did not comment on yesterday’s report that a witness was killed since, he said, he didn’t know the case. Asked, however, if there was some slippage in the Government’s anti-crime plan arising from the state of emergency, Sandy said he would be the first to agree that the thrust the Government had did not yield the envisaged results. He said the number of murders spread over T&T had to be taken into consideration and he could not think of many that could be said to be gang-related. He said his main thrust is crime prevention to halt the conduit that snares youngsters into crime. Sandy said a request for proposals for new vessels was being issued and two more long-range helicopters should be in T&T by April.