Agriculture Minister Kazim Hosein sent a warning to crop and livestock thieves that law enforcement officers would be ramping up efforts to combat praedial larceny across the country.
Hosein spoke at a graduation ceremony for a new batch of 67 praedial larceny officers at Naparima Bowl, San Fernando, yesterday.
He said he was mindful of the challenges faced by farmers due to rampant thefts in recent years.
Deficiencies in manpower within the Praedial Larceny Squad had been an issue and Hosein said this was one of the first problems he tackled when he assumed office more than a year ago.
Emphasising the importance of bolstering the Praedial Larceny Squad’s resources, Hosein announced a substantial increase in the number of officers from 30-plus to 104, along with the acquisition of four additional vehicles for patrols.
“Today in my view is a historic day, especially for the Praedial Larceny Squad,” he said, as he outlined a collaborative approach to combating agricultural theft.
“We cannot afford to put a Praedial Larceny Squad by every farmer, every fisherman, and every livestock owner but we can take collective action to safeguard agricultural livelihoods,” the minister added.
He sounded a warning to the thieves: “Mind your own business and ensure that you plan your own produce. Mind your own animals, and leave the farmers and their livestock alone because they are making a living. They are feeding the nation.”
Hosein said he hoped to complete the Praedial Larceny administrative office at Carlsen Field within the first two weeks of April once funding is made available.
“We are also focusing on the rehabilitation and outfitting of our east office at El Reposo and our south office at Craignish. These projects will enhance the operational efficiency of our officers and provide the public access to facilities,” he said.
Permanent Secretary Farook Hosein said they sifted through thousands of applications and meticulously screened candidates before selecting the final group to safeguard agriculture.
“Following the recruitment exercise, this group embarked on a rigorous training regimen through collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, the T&T Municipal Police and the Ministry of National Security,” he said.
He explained that the candidates were able to master police procedures, understand traffic and criminal laws, delve into behavioural science, ethics and community policing as well as engage in specialised sessions on livestock identification and advanced firearm training.
The graduation ceremony was attended by Local Government Minister Faris Al-Rawi, San Fernando Mayor Robert Parris and president of the Agricultural Society Darryl Rampersad.