There had been security present at the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC)’s Chaguanas depot when one of the Corporation’s buses was stolen by an individual in Monday’s pre-dawn hours, Works Minister Rohan Sinanan confirmed yesterday
Sinanan spoke about the matter in the Senate yesterday replying to queries from UNC Senator Wade Mark.
A man reportedly stole the PTSC Bus around 3 am on Monday from the Chaguanas depot—close to Chaguanas Police Station— and crashed into a store-front, garbage truck, van and house in making his escape. A woman was reportedly critically injured. The culprit was also hospitalised with injuries.
A police report said a man accosted a female security officer and stole the bus.
Sinanan said he’d written PTSC requesting a full investigation of the matter. He said couldn’t say exactly how many were injured— as well as exactly what happened and the way forward—until he gets the report. Sinanan confirmed PTSC is awaiting advice on the coverage from its insurance regarding damage caused
Sinanan, confirming security had been present on the compound when the bus was stolen, added that PTSC has and continues to protect all assets at its depots. He couldn’t say if the security firm at the Chaguanas depot was Allied Security, which UNC’s Mark said gets $1 million a month for security.
The minister said he didn’t know which security firm was contracted to serve at that particular depot since PTSC has several security contractors on many compounds.
He said PTSC’s current probe of the matter is geared to identify any gap in standard operating procedures and the corporation will take immediate appropriate action to “mitigate against any further breach.”
Sinanan, who said the situation was a police matter, said when the report is in hand, “We’ll look at the way forward.”
On another query, Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses said the draft report of the inter-ministerial team - mandated to get options on T&T’s response concerning Venezuelans arriving in T&T in regular and irregular ways— is being reviewed.
The team was established by the National Security Council to get options on the mass migration issue. Moses said the needs of migrants in such situations needed a collaborative approach due to social, psycho-social, economic and security aspects. He couldn’t say how many such people have come to T&T.
Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, also said there’s been a 4.7 per cent decrease in the number of patients at the San Fernando General Hospital’s Psychiatric Ward: from 902 in 2015 to 859 in 2018.
He said a site visit by a Psychiatric Hospital Tribunal in December 2017 concluded there was no need for relocation of the ward.
Also yesterday, the six new Independent senators—Anthony Viera, Hazel Thompson-Ahye, Dr Maria Dillon-Remy, Charrise Deepersad, Amrita Deonarine, Deoroop Teemal— took the oath of office. They joined three from the previous bench who were retained.