Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander of Operations D Polo says the incident in which three fishermen died in the Gulf of Paria–on August 13–was "larceny and not piracy." They were Motilal Ramkalawan, Krishna Apoo and Kendell Maharaj. Polo also said the Coast Guard's primary functions involved "search and rescue," and "protecting the maritime sovereignty of T&T." Polo made these comments before an offshore patrol conducted for media personnel at Staubles Bay, Chaguaramas, on August 29. He was joined by Lieutenant Kirk-Jean Baptiste and the Coast Guard's Public Relations Officer during the briefing. After the briefing, they had boarded a fully operational military vessel and headed in search of a pirogue.
"Piracy happens only in international waters. Out of T&T territorial waters, it is not piracy. Once it is within our territorial waters, it is larceny or robbery at sea," said Polo. Polo further explained the T&T Coast Guard was the search and rescue co ordinating centre for the Southern Caribbean. It included neighbouring Caribbean countries St Vincent and the Grenadines (Dr Ralph Gonsalves) and Barbados (David Thompson). Commenting on the recent attacks on fishermen, Polo said: "I did not feel good. We did not feel good when we heard that." Polo also maintained the Coast Guard had deployed vessels when the tragedy at sea occurred. "We were not informed of it (the moment) when it happened. We responded when we got the call. The fisherman who lived swum ashore and alerted us."
"Our primary role is search and rescue. That did not prevent us from responding. We did try to help. We responded when we got the call," said Polo. Both Polo and Baptiste were also keenly aware the Coast Guard had come in for blows after the incident from angry fishermen.
"If the fishermen at Claxton Bay are saying they didn't see us, that is because we don't want them to see us. Patrols are done mainly at night and the ship is darkened. It does it not mean we are not there. We are not advertising our presence. Our role is to secure and to look for drug smuggling," said Polo. Polo said they don't patrol inside fishing areas. "We patrol around. Just outside...so as not to get inside the fishermen's nets," he added.
Polo also said if civilians accused them of "roughing them up" during the "search and rescue effort, "that would be contrary to the Coast Guard's practice of enlisting the assistance of civilians."
Polo also admitted they were aware of the issues affecting T&T including "contraband, some human trafficking and drugs." "We see the effects of what is happening out there in the murder rate. We are seeing it in the East West Corridor. We are seeing it in Chaguanas," said Polo. Quizzed on whether there were Coast Guardsmen who tip off drug lords, Polo said: "The Coast Guard will not tolerate any of its men breaking the laws of T&t. If any of them hide behind the shelter of the blue uniform, they are in for a big surprise.
Some Coast Guardsmen have ended up in jail. We are not making any excuses for any of our men." Quizzed on the need for marine police, Polo said: "That is a matter for the minister (John Sandy) to decide." Lieutenant Baptiste says maritime law is working on making it compulsory to wear life jackets. Baptiste said: "We cannot begin to reiterate the use of life jackets. Vessels are overflowing with people wearing no life jackets. If I were to bring you hear on a Saturday, you would see the number of people without life jackets. Maritime legislation is working on making it compulsory for people to wear life jackets." Zeroing on fishermen's safety, he said: "Many of them cannot swim. They do not wear life jackets. They can't swim and they come under attack."
Baptiste reminded the media that between 2004 to 2007, they had gone into the fishing villages throughout T&T and conducted safety exercises–including the need to wear jackets and carry radios. "Many of the fishermen cannot swim. It is only a matter of time before they lose consciousness. Because of the temperature of the water. Still, many see it not appropriate to wear a life jacket," he said.
Baptiste also said there were no cell towers at sea, so it was even more difficult to make contact on land from sea. He also said maritime legislators were working on making craft operators liscenced to operate vessels.
About the tour
For four hours, the media joined a Coast Guard team to patrol the bays and cays along the North west peninsula. First, they sailed to Chaguanas, turned around and came back through the Third Boca (between Huevos and Monos Islands) Then, they headed for the North Coast (Sant D'eau). Then, two Coast Guard interceptors joined them for a search of suspected drug runners. The fast patrol craft acted as a "mother ship' for the two interceptors that came.
The "mother ship" provided communication and radio signals for the interceptors should anyone decide to flee into the wider ocean. The Coast Guard were in search of a pirogue which they did not see that night. The Air Guard had worked in conjunction with the Coast Guard.
They failed to see the questionable pirogue. "Negative sightings," said Baptiste.
