Flying Squad controversy
Minister of National Security Jack Warner says he will give a full statement on the new Flying Squad tomorrow.Speaking to reporters after visiting the relatives of slain police officer Sgt Hayden Manwarring yesterday, Warner said there had never been a new Flying Squad.He said: "I propose to make a full statement on that on Friday and I will talk to the nation for the last time. I want to say as far as I am concerned, there has never been a Flying Squad.
"I know of no Flying Squad. I have no contract with any Flying Squad. I have no letters between any Flying Squad and me. I have no e-mails between me and any Flying Squad. There is nothing between the permanent secretary and any Flying Squad."He added: "It continues to boggle my mind about the gullibility of a nation, with the help of the media, over something which to my knowledge does not exist."
Warner was also dismissive of Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley, who insisted on Tuesday the Flying Squad had been revived.He said: "Rowley has his work to do and let him do his work, with your help, of course. He continues to be an irritant to me. I don't have to answer to him. It is unfair for him to feed the media the kind of garbage. I will talk on Friday about this."
On allegations that two of his close relatives were under arrest in the United States for money-laundering, Warner said: "I heard that allegation and I challenge anybody to print it or publish it or put it in the news. I don't have to answer you."If they claim they are detained, then call them and find out. You have their phone numbers."Pressed further, Warner added: "I will not say anything unless someone is bold enough or brave enough to print something. I challenge anybody in the media to do that. I will like to be a rich man.
"I have said nothing and I say to you that [my two relatives] are not in any way incarcerated and I won't say much more than that. If anybody knows anything otherwise, then print it."Warner said he would not be deterred by detractors but vowed to bring crime under control and said he chose not to attend the Caricom meeting in Haiti with the Prime Minister because of the current crime wave.
He added: "I did not attend with the Haiti delegation. The Prime Minister did ask me and I told the PM that with the level of crime in the country and the fact that there is no [junior] minister in my ministry, I wanted to stay here to keep my finger and my pulse on the crime."He also denied he was going to resign."You ever know me to run from anything?" he asked.
Warner said additional security had been deployed in east Trinidad owing to an increase in crime. He also said he made an aerial tour of the coasts early yesterday to look at the coastal stations which would be erected to stop the influx of guns and ammunition.He said: "We are building a maritime wall around Trinidad with 12 coastal stations and two in Tobago. We identified the 12 stations and on Wednesday the committee meets to make an assessment and then these walls will be erected."
He added that Government would hold talks with the Colombian Government to help stamp out crime and a delegation from Colombia would visit T&T on February 27.