The Minister of National Security, Martin Joseph has repeatedly asserted that securing our borders is the prime focus of government’s crime fighting initiative. If you deal with the drugs and guns coming into the country, you deal with the runaway crime situation is his equation.  We’ve heard it all before.

In a 2004 report produced by the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security, Candyce Kelshall warned that there was an increase in the hijacking of oil and chemical tankers.  Kelshall was then Director of Bluewater Defence and Security Ltd, Director of Task International Ltd and sat on the UK SITO National Port Security Standards Committee.  

“Over the past several years, maritime attacks have become more violent, more frequent and clearly more organized. It is believed that militant groups, particularly in South East Asia, are practicing hijacking ships for their possible use as weapons”, the report advised.  It further established possible links between extremist Muslim groups within the region and Osama Bin Laden, al Qaeda and Jemmah Islamiyyah. 

According to the report, “Trinidad and Tobago alone account for 80% (1st quarter 2004) of all U.S. LNG imports, up from 68% in 2002. Therefore, any incident involving an LNG tanker along the Caribbean routes could harm not only U.S. energy security but also the economies of the Caribbean islands, affecting tourism and other industries… Without question there is concern that the significant presence of U.S. and British petroleum companies in the oil-rich nation provide easy pickings for terrorists. Local opinion is that this is the reason U.S. and British counterterrorism experts are on the island.”

While Kelshall’s comments could be easily dismissed as the common reaction of a US citizen to the words “Muslim” or “terrorist” further investigation revealed Kelshall has strong ties with the Caribbean and Trinidad and Tobago in particular.  Her father Richard Kelshall was the first admiral of the Trinidad & Tobago Defence Force and a special advisor to the Minister of National Security, according to the Navy News.

In recent times, the National Security Ministry has been heavily criticized for its vulgar mismanagement of state resources, which surfaced in parliament.  Reports such as these floating on the world wide web encourage speculation that government’s investment policy toward “futuristic electronic watchdogs” are there to safeguard the interest of foreign investors and maintain investor confidence as opposed to providing safety and security for the people of Trinidad & Tobago.   It is not enough for Minister Joseph to plead for patience and trust without providing adequate justification for so doing since alternative sources of information are readily available. 

According to Kelshall’s report, “The idea that terrorists could attack an LNG tanker en route to the U.S. or Japan or Spain, the three main destinations for LNG leaving the Caribbean, either via sea or with small aircraft on a suicide mission must be recognized as possible and acted upon. The island chain that LNG tankers sail through en route to their destinations provide any number of soft targets with limited response resources.”

She recommended, “Escort ships and a heightened alert state should be enforced with the law enforcement fraternity when LNG or crude oil tankers are transiting populated areas. Guard ship duties should be part of the regular operational procedures of the maritime authorities in the region and extra vigilance along coast lines coupled with moving security cordons around vessels must be enforced.”   Any number of possible  conclusions  could be derived from information of this nature.

Besides Kelshall’s pronouncements, the 2008 release by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs indicates “Trinidad and Tobago’s petrochemical industry imports and exports chemicals that can be used for drug production and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (GOTT) has instituted export controls to prevent diversion.” 

Our twin island republic has the security portfolio for CARICOM - and justifiably so.  Without a doubt, T&T’s law enforcement, defence and military forces are among the largest in the region, well poised to rise to the challenge.  In addition, our gas/oil industry driven economy demands stringent maritime security measures.  However, government must demonstrate greater balance in treating with our internal security needs. 

The onus is on Minister Joseph to reassure the population of government’s priorities and its commitment to securing its citizens.