“Issues of national security should never be so ad hoc that you could rescind a decision overnight.” This is the view of Leader of the Opposition, Kamla Persad Bissessar, in response to government scrapping its planned collaboration with private security firms.

At a virtual media conference on Wednesday morning, less than 24 hours after the initial notice was given, National Security Minister Stuart Young announced that government  had rescinded on its plan to have private security officers do community patrols to complement the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service. He said the decision was made after consultation with the Prime Minister on Tuesday night, coupled with the feedback from the public.

In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, Mrs. Persad Bissessar said “the explanation given by Minister Young that citizens feel safe and there is no need for additional security does not hold any weight and it is clear that no one believes that this is the reason for the about-turn.”

 She called on government to practice greater transparency moving forward, by clearly itemizing how it intends to spend the funds accessed from the Heritage and Stabilization Fund, for COVID-19 relief.