National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds believes the Police Service has struck a “well-oiled formula” to bring crime and criminality under control, which has led to a safe and successful Carnival 2025.
Speaking to reporters during a walkabout in downtown Port of Spain to witness Carnival Tuesday activities, he said the recent action by the Government to implement a State of Emergency has assisted the TTPS greatly in bringing about increased safety for the Carnival period in particular.
He also said the SOE has been quite effective in putting fear into the criminals.
“Many of them have fled Trinidad and Tobago to get out of the view of Mr. Benjamin and his teams. And many have been dealt with in accordance with the law and in accordance with the powers of the State of Emergency. All of these things coming together to make Trinidad and Tobago the way we are today, to be able to celebrate Carnival in an atmosphere of peace across the country.”
Acting Police Commissioner Junior Benjamin said things have gone mostly “according to plan” despite one incident in San Fernando where a man was crushed by a music truck.
“We are grateful there is no untoward incidents except for that situation that we are investigating. Again, we will not make a call until the vehicle has been checked by the necessary authorities. Other than that, we had some minor things, but it certainly had nothing to do with the crime situation in terms of the Carnival.”
He noted that there has also been greater visibility of police officers for Carnival 2025.
“I can tell you that probably we have at least about 70 to 80 percent of our officers that have turned up and we will continue to at least, you know, seek to increase those numbers, even as we go, because we have a shift system.”
And Gold Commander, ACP Richard Smith, confirmed that at least two music trucks were taken off the road for breaching certain requirements.
“We had one person taken off the route on Sunday, as well as yesterday. We had one person taken off the route for infringement of the specifications of these permits. As we speak, we have persons, trucks being inspected by Inspector Guyapersad and a team of persons from the Licensing Office. We have an enforcement team. So they have some trucks that they are checking now.”
He added that the trucks were taken off due to height stipulations on Ariapita Avenue and South Quay, where they pulled on some overhead lines.