Govt scraps $billion Coast Guard vessel (OPV) deal

[SiR8081]

so wham, allyuh run outta flame orr?

you ent hear orrrrr? i eh ha no morney.

[5onDfloor]

so wham, allyuh run outta flame orr?

you ent hear orrrrr? i eh ha no morney.

who say so http://www.trinituner.com/v3/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=335689

we likeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it so

[SiR8081]

wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine wine

we like eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet !!!1!

OPVs - TT$3B
LAPTOPS - TT$84M every year plus inflation of ~10%

defending life limb and liberty - too expensive
keeping waste of time promises - priceless

and this is how liberty dies, under thunderous applause. Natalie Portman as Padme SW#3

[SR]

you people ever pass by coast guard (both Anchorage and Stauble's Bay) and see how many of the boats are parked up doing nothing 80% of the time?

those cutters are ancient and OPVs would have made them irrelevant and we could have retired or possibly drydock them and upgrade them. steel doesnt last too long in salt water.

So what about the 5 brand new jet propelled vessel from Austal that don't move?

thank you

and the brand new radar system that never on

anyway..

lol
most of the posters probably dont venture down the islands or dive so they wont have a clue as to what is actually parked up there



or maybe its just the small boats that some coastguard members joy ride with to lime down the islands on weekends

besides when yuh living in another country how can you know whats located there if you havent seen it yourself

[SiR8081]

If there is one stupid, thoughtless and outrageous decision made by this Government, it is the cancellation of the offshore patrol vessels (OPV) vessels, specifically ordered by the previous government to patrol and secure our coastline from drugs and arms smuggling.
This country is known to be a major transshipment location for illegal guns and drugs, entering into the hands and in the possession of the most unscrupulous and murderous individuals in this country, responsible for our spiralling crime rate, more so, murders. The previous government had spent billions of dollars (even after the outcries that enough was not spent on crime and national security in earlier budgets) in its effort to curb the scourge. Therefore, Mastrofski was introduced, the Special Anti-Crime Unit (SAUTT) was created, the "blimp" was bought, the OPVs were ordered at a cost of $1.5 billion, but, still, there were cries from the then opposition and all those opposed to the People's National Movement (PNM) that too much was being wasted. A clear case of damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Today, we have a Government who spent years in opposition, seeking political mileage (and probably gained also) out of the crime situation but seemed clueless as to how to seriously deal with the reality. They had absolutely no plan while campaigning and are still bankrupt of ideas or plans.
During one her contributions at the UN, the Prime Minister pretended, it seemed, to be talking tough on crime and drug trafficking, but before she left the country, on her way to boarding an aircraft, she publicly fired Brigadier Peter Joseph as head of SAUTT after claims of phone tapping, claiming "downsizing" and "restructuring" as the reason.
Then reports came out that the blimp was next to go, and while the PM was still in New York, in the US, it was announced (not through the Government, but through the builders of the OPVs, BAE Systems) the OPV orders were cancelled.
In the Government's attempts to justify its actions, the Prime Minister gave a number of reasons that were insulting to the intelligence of smart people. We are now told "these huge ships are too slow and are visible from far off", the money can be better spent on the ground to fight crime and to pay more money to police, fire, prisons officers and the Defence Force, even to buy hospital beds, more equipment and food.
In questioning the need for the ships, the Prime Minister commented "the country is not at war out in the seas; the war is on the ground and streets", etc. So what is the Prime Minister suggesting? Our borders must be manipulated by drug traffickers with impunity, then come ashore for the war to start? How thoughtless and senseless, Madam Prime Minister.
All three ships were near completion (according to reports, by year's end), ready to be delivered, to set sail to T&T, with 65 well-trained sailors; an initiative welcomed and supported by Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy and also by Defence Force Chief of Staff Brigadier Edmund Dillon.
But strangely enough, the adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security, Gary Griffith, had always been opposed to the OPVs. If the adviser is God's gift to National Security, then there is no need for Brigadier John Sandy since the rapid-speaking and talkative Griffith seems to know more than everyone else, including those who were senior to him in the Defence Force.
Certainly, this project cost the country a lot, but it can never be used as any form of justification for this foolish decision, especially when they were so close to delivery. This government has plans to spend over US$5 billion ($30 billion estimated) on two new industries. Jack Warner disclosed the underground tunnel will start next year although they cannot yet give an estimate, and this is expected to cost hundreds of millions, so the question of cost doesn't arise whatsoever.
This Government promised to be a "government of change" where there will be consultations and referendums, The issue of the vessels would have been an ideal prospect to take to the people.
The other issues leading up to this present one, the firing of Brigadier Joseph, the so-called illegality of SAUTT and the intention to sell the blimp, leave me to wonder whether this Government is genuinely concerned about illegal guns and drug trafficking.
What does the Minister of National Security think about this decision if he had nothing to do with it? What about the other leaders of the Partnership, including Ashworth Jack, minority leader in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), and the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP). After all, Tobago's coastlines need protection also. This ordeal is a good one to test their mettle, that is if they have the gumption to speak their minds honestly, without fear of rocking their own vessel.
G Walters
Tobago

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/letters/ ... 25313.html

[Bezman]

wend down the islands again this weekend and guess what?? all the new boats just park up normel normel.. counted atleast 6 of them between anchorage and cost guard..

and went surfing on the norhtcoast this weekend and guess what, the radars were turned OFF (we know cause when they are on the buzz, spin etc)

when they actually start using these boats and they are at lea long enough to warrant needing a mother ship then maybe, but when all of them park up doing nothing.. NAH!!

[SiR8081]

Barbados Needs A New Offshore Patrol Vessel
Jump to Comments
Time To Start The Discussion – HMBS Trident Reaching The End

Her Majesty’s Barbadian Ship Trident – the primary offshore patrol vessel of the Barbados Coast Guard – is coming to the end of her useful life. At 27 years old, she is already well past her designed 15 year service life for patrol vessels. According to a BFP source, the engines, auxiliary equipment and most of the electronics are worn and unreliable – and more than a few times in the past year, the Trident has been unable to fulfill a tasking because of equipment deficiencies or outright failures.

The same source informed BFP that the Government of Barbados is negotiating with Communist China for a Trident replacement. (See previous BFP article Barbados Negotiating With Communist China For New Patrol Vessel.)

While have made our views known many times about dealing with China’s brutal communist dictatorship, this article is not about where or how Barbados should obtain a new offshore patrol vessel – it is about the necessity of such action.

So let’s take a look at why Barbados needs a serious offshore patrol vessel, and why a smaller vessel just won’t do the job…

Why Barbados Needs A Serious Offshore Patrol Vessel

Even a small coastal nation – and especially an island nation like Barbados – needs to venture upon it’s waters for a variety of reasons, including…

1/ Maintaining and protecting territorial sovereignty.
2/ Enforcement of laws.
3/ Safety, Rescue or Recovery Operations.
4/ Surveillance & Inspection Patrols.

Very near shore and in shallow coastal waters, all these tasks can be better performed by smaller craft. For near shore, Barbados has one 40-footer. In harbour, surf and beach areas, Barbados even uses hard-bottomed inflatables. They are safe, fast and cost-effective, but are not suitable for offshore work except as an auxiliary to a much larger vessel – and what we are talking about here is offshore work in dangerous conditions.

What are “Dangerous Conditions” & How Far Is “Offshore” ?

In a calm sea with little wind, even the smallest of our old wooden fishing boats venture far offshore, and most people would be very surprised at just how far below the horizon our fisherfolk will travel to put a long line over the stern. It is not uncommon to see small Bajan fishing vessels even seventy-five or a hundred nautical miles from home. (Doan worry old man – we won’t be ‘tell nobody exactly where your sweet spots are!)

On a calm night even a small open boat – sound, well-equipped and well-crewed – is safe enough miles offshore. But weather forecasts (and seafolk) are often a little too optimistic. Sometimes you get a fright and laugh later, but other times there is hell to pay.

The waters around Barbados are as dangerous and unforgiving as anywhere in the world. Whether along the shallow west coast, or a hundred miles into the Atlantic, the sea is totally intolerant of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect.* There is not a man or woman who works the sea from this island who has not at one time or another felt their respect for the waters instantly turn to fear.

So many ways to be injured or worse at sea: A rogue wave coming just so. An unknown coral head. Misjudging the weather. A cracked engine bearing or fouled injector on a moonless night with an offshore current. And no fire is “small” on the water.

The Coast Guard Must Go Out – No Matter What The Weather

When trouble happens and the sea is doing it’s worst, the Barbados Coast Guard must go. No choice. Duty compels our friends so out they go – no matter what. You think they are not frightened to death sometimes like the rest of us? But they must respond and they do. No matter what.

To send the men and women of the Barbados Coast Guard to sea in anything but a reliable, properly equipped vessel that is large enough and strong enough for the worst sea states – is criminal.

In The Worst Sea, Size Matters

At 123 feet, Trident is three times longer than the Coast Guard’s second largest vessel, Endeavour. And while Trident might look massive while tied up alongside and a bit of overkill for Barbados, the truth is that in the middle of an Atlantic storm, she is probably just barely large enough to be effective as an offshore rescue and patrol vessel.

Trident also lacks the abilities of newer designs that have active stabilization systems and purpose-built launching sterns for rough water rescues. Have a look at what the world’s coastal forces are using these days, and you will find that Trident’s length and displacement is by no means an “overkill” for her duties. Check out World Navies Today and you’ll see what I mean. She’s a toy compared with many – and there is often no backup capable of coming to her rescue.

Trust me on this folks – there are no aetheists on board Trident in a Force 10 or better blow!

Barbados Must Buy A New Offshore Patrol Vessel – Or Scrap Any Pretense Of Having Sovereignty Over It’s Own Waters

Any nation that cannot, or will not, mount an effective patrol of it’s own waters and coast will soon find that smugglers, thieves and plunderers of fisheries will be happy to take advantage of the situation. There are also enough failed small states to provide example of what happens when nations rely exclusively upon the good graces of their neighbours to respect their sovereignty over offshore resources.

It is all about priorities, and unfortunately, this government has shown that it prefers to spend money on short-term high-profile “show off” projects rather than the longterm maintaining of the infrastructures that are foundational to our society. Whether we are talking water, sewers, environment, health care or safety and security resources like policing or the Coast Guard – these issues are just not sexy enough to take priority over, say, cricket or a nationalized hotel scheme.**

Of course, instead of buying a new offshore vessel, there is one other option available to the Barbados Government: invite the British, Americans or our new friends, Red China, to station their vessels and aircraft on our soil to perform our patrols and rescues. In the end, there’s little real difference between that and the current practice of selling off our sovereignty and our island one piece at a time.

Cliverton & Marcus

* I stole that phrase from somewhere – an aviation poster at the old West London Aero Club, I think. (Back when they still had two Super Cubs)

** Don’t kid yourself about the new Coast Guard base. The land of the old base was worth too much for “other purposes”. Can’t wait to see which politician’s friends will end up with it.

http://barbadosfreepress.wordpress.com/ ... ol-vessel/

[Strauss]

The boats would have been good.

But if the company was in breech of the contract, then yes, cancel it and move on to another company at a later date. Only stupid people is be ok with late deliveries, cost overruns, breeches etc.

I want the boats, but I want it time according to the agreement and above board.

[SiR8081]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/caribbean/news/sto ... bean.shtml" target="_blank" target="_blank

A raft of spending cuts announced by the British government could have knock-on effects for the Caribbean.
The cuts are said to be the most extensive since the Second World War as the country grapples with a massive budget deficit.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer - the British Finance Minister George Osborne - detailed the extent of the Spending Review designed to cut around $US130 billion (£83 billion) from public spending over four years.

Many government departments will lose a quarter of their budgets while the government estimates that nearly half-a-million public sector workers will lose their jobs.

There are several areas which hold direct or possible implications for the Caribbean.

Weighing anchor?

Among the areas of concern is the British navy where cuts will amount to 8% over four years.

It's to have fewer ships and 5,000 jobs are to go.

There are concerns that this could lead to a reduction in the UK's naval presence in the region where its warships are involved in drug interdiction and disaster response.

The details of how the cuts will be applied have not yet been announced.



Fears of a reduction in the British naval presence in the region
But, contacted by BBC Caribbean, the Trinidad and Tobago Foreign Minister, Surujrattan Rambachan, had some worries.

"It could become a matter of great concern”, he said, noting the importance of having the maritime capabilities to combat drug-trafficking via the Caribbean from South America.

Already, David Jessop, a noted UK-based commentator on Caribbean affairs, had voiced concern that this could possibly mean a withdrawal of the UK’s naval presence from the region.

He said "this questions Britain's ability to maintain a credible role in the defence and security of its Caribbean dependencies."

But The Chief Minister of Anguilla, Hubert Hughes, isn't losing any sleep over the possible end of regular British navy patrols in the region.

One of the roles of the ships is to provide assistance to British Caribbean territories in case of hurricane damage.

But Mr Hughes, who is often at odds with London, believes help from Anguilla's neighbours in such circumstances is more positive.

Overseeing the OTs

There could also be direct consequences for Britain's territories in the Caribbean from the cuts to the budget of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The FCO oversees the UK’s overseas territories including those in the Caribbean.

A 24% cut in the FCO's budget is expected to be achieved mainly through the reduction in the number of diplomats based at the department's London headquarters and closure of some back-office operations.

Good news ... somewhat

However, the news is better for another British government department which works closely with the Overseas Territories (OT's) and other Caribbean states.

The funding for the Department for International Development (DFID) will actually increase.



UK Finance Minister Osborne: Britain keeping its promise to world's poor
The British government had previously said that it would ringfence this department’s budget, citing a commitment to meeting United Nations aid targets.

Developed countries are required to set aside 0.7% of national income for overseas aid.

DFID’s annual budget of $US 12 billion (£7.7 billion) will rise to $US 18 billion (£11.5 billion) over the next four years.

British Finance Minister George Osborne said: “This coalition government will be the first British government in history and the first major country in the world to honour the United Nations commitment on international aid.”

Mr Osborne said the British people could be proud, that in these difficult times the country was honouring its promise to some of the poorest people in the world.

But there are already some grumblings of discontent in Britain, with some people and organisations questioning why the aid budget was increased at the time when many national services were being cut or cut back.

Aid commitment questioned

In the Caribbean however, the news has been guardedly welcomed.

Foreign Minister Rambachan of Trinidad and Tobago noting that several Caribbean countries have been placed in the ‘middle-income country bracket’ and might not qualify for further aid funding, questioned that criteria and sounded a note of caution.

“If the developed world wants stability, (it) has a responsibility to continue to support the developing world,” he said.



Aid agencies have broadly welcomed the ring-fencing of the aid budget although some have expressed misgivings about Mr Osborne's remarks.

Some have noted that smaller European countries, including Norway and the Netherlands, have in fact already passed the UN target.

They also questioned the British government's new emphasis on sending aid to fragile states with conflicts, like Afghanistan and Iraq.

The aid lobby group the World Development Movement said "aid is supposed to provide health care and education to the poorest countries not bolster the UK's military operations".

DFID in the Caribbean

DFID’s Caribbean headquarters is in Barbados but it also has offices in Jamaica, Guyana and Montserrat.



Montserrat, the small volcano-ravaged British territory, was the largest recipient of DFID funding for the 2008/2009 fiscal year at $US25 million (£16.3 million).

Projects in Jamaica, where DFID says 14.3% of the population live below the poverty line, amounted to $US5.5 million (£3.6 million).

For Guyana, total DFID spend for the same period was just under $US 4 million (£2.5 million).

Although its regional headquarters is in Barbados Dfid says it has taken a regional approach to reducing poverty in the Caribbean and doesn't have a bilateral development programme in Barbados

On its website, DFID says “the information … reflects current activity and is not an indication of the direction or possible outcome of the (spending) review."

with the brits pulling out more or less who going to help us??? barbados has 1 OPV, Jamaica 3 and the others plus us 0

The last Government accepted an "enhanced" settlement package of $101 million in goods and services, offered by British Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) shipbuilder, BAE Systems Ltd, for the late delivery of the vessels.
Former works and transport minister Colm Imbert, who was a member of the interministerial committee which managed the process, said yesterday that the contract had a "cap of $63 million", for delay or default.
But, citing an April 2010 document (titled 'Note to the Ministerial Committee for the purchase of Military Assets',) he said BAE agreed to provide goods and services over and above this amount and the Government accepted this and extended the deadline for acceptance of the vessels.
"They (BAE) uplifted the contract amount (of $63 million in liquidated damages) by a (further) $38 million," Imbert stated, adding that there was "no dispute".
"The shipbuilder said 'I am responsible for the delay and I am liable to pay $63 million in damages'. The other party, the Government said 'Let's talk' and entered into a discussion with a view to modifying the contract. At the end of the day, the agreement to take $101 million (in goods and services) was a variation of the contract," he said.
Saying that this issue, "was a paradise for lawyers", Imbert said: "The (last) Government did not exercise its right to cancel the contract. Instead it entered into discussions with the shipbuilder and agreed on this uplift of $101 million".
The Government had one of two choices—accept liquidated damages or cancel the contract. But the Government opted to accept the enhanced package of $101 million, Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley added.
Speaking at a news conference at the Opposition Leader's office, in Port of Spain, Imbert said according to the contract the liquidated damages were fixed at five per cent of the vessel price which worked out to $63 million.
Imbert said after a series of negotiations (between December 2009 and April 2010), it was agreed that the shipbuilder would supply six fast interceptor craft valued at $89 million; the shipbuilder would also deliver support to the interim vessels that had been acquired and maintenance services for these vessels at a cost of $1.1 million, three pacific rigid inflatable boats valued at $6 million and maintenance support for these vessels valued at $4 million.
They also agreed to reduce the range deficiency of the OPVs, he said. It was also agreed that the first OPV would arrive around the end of September 2010, the second in November and the third shortly after that.
Rowley said it was against this background that one had to consider Government's position that the OPV contract was being scrapped because the vessels were late in coming.
"This issue of delay, liabilities and response to liabilities is a moot point," he said. He added that it was one thing for the Prime Minister (Kamla Persad-Bissessar) to talk glibly about Trinidad and Tobago being a stable democracy, but that "the main part of a stable democracy is an expectation that with a change of government, there is continuance in the governance behaviour. ... The personalities and policies (of the government) can change, but ... if the State is contracted, you cannot just behave as though the State didn't exist before you came into office. And that is what you are getting here," Rowley said. —Ria Taitt

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Imb ... 43038.html

[rxforever]

i say scrap the People's Partnership....they makin no sense...the economy slow down as soon as they in power..takin time to put boards in place ,so decisions can be made.....an look like they doh have a clue wat to do.....SOS.....

[SiR8081]

Govt goes after OPV $$
By NALINEE SEELAL Wednesday, October 27 2010

GOVERNMENT is moving full speed ahead to recover all monies paid to British firm BAE Systems following the cancellation of the then PNM administration’s $1 billion deal for the purchase of the three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs).

Government sources revealed yesterday that the Office of the Attorney General has already started the process to recover all costs associated with the OPVs and other related costs.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar maintained her position that Government was no longer interested in purchasing the OPVs. “BAE did not deliver on time and to specification,” was all the Prime Minister was willing to say.

Persad-Bissessar was responding to a landmark decision on Monday by a United States court in which BAE pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to defraud the US government and consequently was fined a mammoth US$400 million for the offence.

The fine is one of the largest criminal fines ever levied in the United States against a company for business-related violations. BAE Systems admitted on Monday to making false statements to US investigators to hide its failure to ensure compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Over the weekend and on Monday night, some of the 66 TT Coast Guard officials who were sent to Portsmouth, England to train to operate the OPVs began returning home and the last batches are expected home this weekend.

Others are to remain at the shipbuilding yard to pack up arms, ammunition and other sensitive equipment to be returned to the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard. Yesterday, several Government sources told Newsday the money recovered from BAE Systems will be used to purchase other pieces of equipment for the Coast Guard.

Last week in the Senate, Minister of National Security Brigadier John Sandy defended Government’s decision not to purchase the three OPVs.

Yesterday, some of the Coast Guardsmen who returned to the country from England on Monday night said that they are happy to be back home, because the level of training they received to mann the OPVs was not sufficient.

“We were given crash courses and received certificates on how to work aboard the OPVs, but at the end of the day, we were not confident that the training was enough and apart from that, we detected hundreds of faults aboard the vessels which BAE Systems seemed not concerned to deal with,” said a Coast Guard official who spoke on condition of strict anonymity.

“We were very concerned that the country would have invested in three vessels which would have amounted to worthless pieces of equipment because of the numerous faults,” he added. Coast Guard sources yesterday commended the People’s Partnership Government for scrapping the deal and saving the country a substantial amount of money and embarrassment.

http://newsday.co.tt/crime_and_court/0,129816.html

see kamla lie. they did not breach contract as when they were aware they could not meet the deadline, in the contract stated for every day overdue the gov't would get 20,000 pounds which totalled to TT$61M and BAE gave them TT$101M which the gov't accepted in return as compensation and a new delivery date. contract changed which was accepted by both parties. oh and the govt at the time changed some of the specs which the biggest one was to increase the range of the OPVs which lead to "cost over runs." Apparently when you modify a contract for better specs you say there are cost over runs and defects. oh well go figure. and i guess a capt (griffith) knows more than a brigadier (sandy)

[rxforever]

captain the ship is sinkin........

[PariaMan]

I remember Gary Aboud saying that the PNM giving us Jacket and Tie when what we need is shoes and socks. We may need the OPV's but before we get them there are a lot of thing in terms of National Security that we have to put in place

Therefore the problem is not so much that the OPV was cancelled but what is the National Security Plan that the PP plans to implement to make us as citizens be more secure.

A simple first step is a rapid response unit such as that implemented under the UNC which was quite successfull

[rxforever]

agreed.....that was real sucessful.....what u think of the cameras on poles for survellance and provision of vital info.....

[PariaMan]

See it is not just about putting up cameras on poles. That is just part of the job. A system must be put in place to

a. Monitor these cameras 24/7
b. Have Police Officers on standby to rapidly respond to information obtained.
c. Maintain the cameras so that they are always working with spares to quickly replace defective ones.

In England where they are used extensively I remember hearing about an incident where two young kids were playing with toy swords when within minutes a van load of policemen descended on them!

[NorStar2K]

[pugboy]

too many people not paying attention to the real issues

- will OPVs be a magic bullet to stop drugs etc ?
or will they require a certain effort by the authorities to utilize them and get results ?

- If so the question is if that extra effort was put in place without OPVs,
would there also be drug crimes caught ?

at the end of the day we need to know if OPVs are just a water version of the blimp
we have enough examples of polticians buying bells and whistles only to be parked up with no results

[SiR8081]

THE Government denied any link between its scotching of a deal to buy three British-built Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) and the UK government’s withdrawal of its warship from the Caribbean, and urged that Diego Martin North East MP Colm Imbert be sent to the Privileges Committee for making this claim.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday in the Lower House rejected Imbert’s claims made on Wednesday in the Lower House, while Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh later moved that Imbert be sent to the Privileges Committee, to which Speaker Wade Mark promised to respond at a later stage.

Persad-Bissessar, dismissing Imbert’s claims, said any link between the warship withdrawal and the OPV cancellation had been flatly denied by the local British High Commission. She also called on Imbert to explain why the OPV deal done by the former regime had been $700 million more costly than rival bidders.

Accusing Imbert of an act of mischief to try to mislead the nation and score cheap political points, she said his irresponsible statement could severely harm bilateral relations between Trinidad and Tobago and the UK.

She noted he had given no evidence to prove his claims.

“His allegations are totally unfounded based on the fact, and I sought my advice from the UK High Commission, that the UK’s primary interest, with respect to the security of the Royal Navy in the Caribbean is the security of UK overseas territories,” she said, “And so therefore the question arises why would they be so petty and affect the security of their own territories, based on a contract between Trinidad and Tobago and a company that was selling vessels that had defects?”

She stated the reason for the withdrawal of the warship. “I am further advised that the decision to withdraw the frigate came as a result of the Strategic Defence and Security Review by the British Ministry of Defence which reduced the number of frigates from 23 to 19, so that not only the Caribbean has been so affected.”

Persad-Bissessar said the Royal Navy, through its Royal Fleet Auxiliary, would keep a permanent presence in the Caribbean to address the main threats of natural disasters, regional corruption and the effects of drugs and drug-related crime.

“I am further advised that the Atlantic Patrol for 2011 will not include a Royal Navy destroyer for the hurricane season as before, but instead there will in fact be a Royal Navy Team embarked on the remaining Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship,” she said.

“This means that the Royal Fleet Auxiliary will provide broadly comparable disaster relief capability to what it provided before, as the capability will now come as a self contained package of manpower, relief supplies, helicopter and other support on one ship, hence cutting cost but keeping its operational effectiveness in the Caribbean.”

She said despite the withdrawal, based on the challenging defence and financial background, the positioning of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in the Caribbean, showed the UK government’s commitment to the defence and security of its Caribbean allies.

She said that unlike past years when the Royal Navy supplied a frigate or destroyer plus a Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel during the core hurricane season, now there would be one ship instead of two in the region.

“It is to be noted that this British vessel that would be patrolling the Caribbean would not be defective or faulty, and would be fully equipped with an effective combat system capability, unlike the ineffective OPVs that the Opposition wanted which had such an ineffective system for combat.”

She said it is amazing for Imbert to be crying over the loss of the OPVs when the very TT sailors trained on them were glad the project was scrapped.

Persad-Bissessar said it is interesting to see certain Opposition MPs try to resurrect the OPV deal despite the firm BAE having recently incurred large fines for criminal acts “including allegations of bribery, funnelled payments to acquire contracts and allegations of bribes, kickbacks and overpayments, with reports coming from the United States, United Kingdom, Tanzania and Saudi Arabia to name a few”.

BAE had paid a US$400 million fine, she said, and had admitted to US investigators to having violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

“The scheme involved knowingly failing to identify commissions paid to third parties for help in soliciting and promoting sales of defence items. In other words, in Trini parlance, bribery!” said Persad-Bissessar.

“It is also interesting that BAE’s tendering bid to Trinidad and Tobago was nearly $700 million more than the other two bidders, so that the Honourable Member for Diego Martin North East should explain how that happened, why that happened; instead of crying about cancellation.”

Gopeesingh rose to ask that Imbert be sent to the Privileges Committee for information conveyed to the House by innuendo and allegation that he knew or ought to have known was inaccurate, and had misled the House. He hit Imbert for alleging the warship withdrawal was “payback” over the OPVs, when it was instead due to the Royal Navy’s funding crisis.

Gopeesingh accused Imbert of wilfully and deliberately making false, irresponsible and mischievous statements and innuendos.

http://newsday.co.tt/news/0,135639.html


is the pot calling the kettle black? b/c i thought VT Shipbuilding won the contract, not BAE and then VT was acquired by BAE

[~Vēġó~]

she is more than gollum in my opinion.....lol

[De Dragon]

Blimp-Fail
Coastal radar- Fail
SAUTT - Illegal, and Fail.
Foreign CoP - Fail
OPV's would quite likely have failed as people here think that you launch a couple boats in the water and traffickers magically disappear Also when you purchase these vessels, what we fail to realize is the cost of maintaining them is very high. All those parts from the UK will have us "benning" for years after.

[Skanky]

The British government real sad boi.
Jack Warner fail to vote for them so they cross,the OPV deal gone sour so they cross so they react and try to turn the rest of the Caribbean against us by withdrawing their patrols.

The British government don't have bigger fish to fry than trying to take on the mighty world superpower Trinidad and Tobago?

This is probably just as sad as the local distributor for Johnny Walker bringing the Angostura advertising campaign to light in the Scottish media.

[bluespeed]

Is better to have 100 interceptors, fast patrol vessels & air support with 9 new sub-bases around the country to tighten security along the maritime boarder.

Why buy OPV's and give the uneducated and untrained personnel to use?.......

revamp the D.F. and let it have a fair and balanced recruiting process.... no more father brining in his son and all that shitt that has all the services in a facking mess...

if the intake requires 100 recruits...it should resemble something like this.... 40% Negros , 40% Indians and 20% other races with a Minimum requirement of 3 passes or a NEC trade or if no subjects...should be enrolled into the MILAT 3year program and begin his service there while learning a trade or skill set...... after completion of the program transfered to the S.S.B to continue trade development while undergoing B.R.T.

This will weed out all those dumb kants in the service and the DF will have some sort of standard.

To have a functioning system you need to have born leaders and unorthodox thinkers!.....

Not someone molded into what a "service leader" suppose to look & act like!....

all the Commissioned officers in the DF presently are a bunch of puppets none thinkers.....So we will end up with a set of (Sandy, Joseph, Dillon, Mundy,Alfonso, Browne, Ramotar's etc.) in the future....

Great thinkers who served in the Df were Lt. Shah , Lt. Rex, and 2nd Lt. Celestine (deceased)

[brams112]

how many times did the coast guard ever hold any drug smugglers,anyways the opv would have been a good escort for the drug runners,plus no radar ,priceless,,as for educated df personell ha ha it would look uneven with only a certain race being the educated ones,,,

[Shango_13]

how many times did the coast guard ever hold any drug smugglers,anyways the opv would have been a good escort for the drug runners,plus no radar ,priceless,,as for educated df personell ha ha it would look uneven with only a certain race being the educated ones,,,

so you saying you have the official coast guards reports in your hand or you is one of the trinis who depend on the newspapers to believe everything?

[De Dragon]

Power Politics...we are merely small fish who must tow the line...trinidad eh no super power and we heavily depend on these large states for revenue...this gonna have some serious negative impact on our relations with them

Don't be suprised they bring back the visa restriction...then allyuh go still blame manning ent?

kamaliar needs to know when to tow the line...clearly sasha swellbelly mohammed not advising her properly...

Then again we strikin deals with the Russians...would love to hear/see what the US response to that will be...

The cold War is over. The US won.........

[De Dragon]

ummm so when chavez bought attack planes from russia, de US say we win de war so no care?

get serious, man

The US couldn't care less what we but from whom. Chavez always lining up heself wit' Iran, Syria etc (all anti-US elements), so the US hadda be concerned wit' he

[r3iXmann]

Power Politics...we are merely small fish who must tow the line...trinidad eh no super power and we heavily depend on these large states for revenue...this gonna have some serious negative impact on our relations with them

Don't be suprised they bring back the visa restriction...then allyuh go still blame manning ent?

kamaliar needs to know when to tow the line...clearly sasha swellbelly mohammed not advising her properly...

Then again we strikin deals with the Russians...would love to hear/see what the US response to that will be...

The cold War is over. The US won.........

nobody won the cold war..

[De Dragon]

^^^ Explain............

[r3iXmann]

^^^ Explain............

if Brezhnev didn't fux up the soviet economy, the soviet union wouldn't have collapsed in on itself and thus the conflict would've continued until there was a clear 'winner' (in the Soviets favour)

not that there could've been any winner in the first place, since the two opposing factions never directly attacked each other (strong use of proxy war and political showdown)

and if you wanna use the 'well dey could have..' line, the Soviets could've easily started thermonuclear war and America/the world just wasn't ready for that

[nareshseep]

I wonder which one more important to an island... a navy or an army..hmmm