Faced with an increase in human trafficking in the wake of Venezuela’s social unrest, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon wants co-ordinated patrols between Venezuela’s Guardia Nacional and the T&T Coast Guard.
Speaking to reporters after touring the Cedros port in the southwestern peninsula yesterday, Dillon said Venezuela’s crisis had triggered an upsurge in foreign nationals entering Trinidad through the ports of Chaguaramas, Cedros and King’s Wharf, San Fernando.
He revealed that a commanding officer of the Venezuelan Guardia de Nacional had arrived in Trinidad on Monday to engage in high level security talks with the commanders of the T&T Coast Guard.
“He will be here until Friday and part of the discussion is how do we co-operate with one another in patrolling the Gulf of Paria,” Dillon said.
Saying it was important to have co-ordinated patrols to stamp out illegal drug trafficking, gun running, contraband smuggling and human trafficking, Dillon said he was hoping that T&T Coast Guard officers could be sent to patrol on the Guardia de Nacional ships, while Venezuelan officers can board T&T Coast Guard ships.
Once joint patrols with the Guardia Nacional begin, Dillon said “T&T Coast Guard will patrol from north to south and they will patrol south to north.” He also said part of the discussion involved the launch of a programme, called VenTri–Venezuela and Trinidad co-operation, which is planned for August this year.
Asked whether he believed the law enforcement bodies had enough resources to tackle illegal entry through T&T’s porous coastal borders, Dillon admitted that more was needed.
“I am not satisfied that the Coast Guard has enough assets to deal with the influx of Venezuelan nationals. I think the Coast Guard needs additional resources,” Dillon said. He added that a major challenge at the Cedros port was the shallow harbour situated around the jetty, which does not facilitate the docking of large vessels.
Dillon also said a Damen “mother ship” is stationed off the Cedros port and has the capability of deploying a fast speed interceptor or a speed launch vessel. Joint land patrols among Immigration, police, Customs and Coast Guard crews were also increased, Dillon said.
“In terms of the illegal movement of people, guns, ammunition, this is where the maritime security environment comes in. It is extremely important and the Coast Guard has been increasing our land based patrols, so there is a co-ordinated joint patrol on the land and to some extent at sea,” Dillon said.
Such patrols have been ongoing at Cedros, Quinam, Blanchisseuse, Moruga, Erin and Toco, he added. Saying Trinidad is just seven miles away from Venezuela, Dillon noted that there had always been movement of people and commodities between Venezuela and Cedros.
“That has always been our history but we have intensified our patrols both in the sea and on the land to prevent as much as possible illegal entry in the country,” he contended.
During the tour Dillon chatted with several Venezuelans who were seen leaving Trinidad with boxes of toilet paper, baby milk, diapers, sugar, tomato ketchup and oil. Raphael Marcano, of Tucupita, said it cost 80,500 Bolivares to get to Trinidad. He said basic food items were in short supply and many people were suffering.