Govt scraps $billion Coast Guard vessel (OPV) deal

[NorStar2K]

Govt scraps $billion Coast Guard vessel deal
- By Keino Swamber, South Bureau - Trinidad Express.

GOVERNMENT has taken a decision to formally terminate the £150 million contract with BAE Systems to build and commission three offshore patrol vessels (OPV) for use by the Coast Guard.

The deal entered into with VT Shipbuilding was signed by the previous People's National Movement (PNM) administration in April 2007, and was considered critical to the State's war on guns and drug running in our waters.

News that the State had pulled the plug on the purchases, however, came not from an official Government release, but through a statement BAE Systems issued to the United Kingdom stock exchange on Tuesday.

Reached in New York yesterday, special adviser to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Gary Griffith, referred queries to Attorney General Anand Ramlogan.

VT Shipbuilding was acquired by BAE Systems in October 2009. Under the agreement, BAE Systems agreed to training and five years in-service support to the Coast Guard when the vessels were completed.

Training of some 65 Coast Guard officers on the (OPV) Port of Spain was stopped in mid-July, and sea trials on a second (OPV), the Scarborough, were also halted pending Government's decision. Training was subsequently resumed.

The Portsmouth, England-based company will now have to find buyers on the world market for the nearly completed custom built vessels.

Contacted yesterday, Captain Kirton Huggins, the director of the Coast Guard's Strategic Project Management Office at Stauble's Bay, Chaguaramas, told the Express he had "heard about it" (the decision to terminate the contract) but had not yet received any formal instructions on the matter.

Since coming into office on May 24, the People's Partnership Government signalled that it was considering cancelling the purchase, saying the country was not in a position to finance the acquisition.

The patrol vessels were a major part of former prime minister Patrick Manning's crime fighting plan to secure this country's borders and put a squeeze on the illegal drug trade.

Two months ago, Attorney General Ramlogan said the Government was in the process of reviewing the transaction. He said he was informed that the vessels were not delivered on time in breach of the contractual delivery date. Ramlogan said there were also technical problems which needed to be resolved to ensure the vessels were in accordance with the specifications and designs in the contract.

He said then: "There are legal, financial and security implications to this transaction that require critical and objective review by the Government, bearing in mind our competing expenditure priorities and the alternative use to which this money can be put in the fight against crime."

National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy, however, had indicated that he had hoped to convince a steering committee set up to review the deal to purchase the vessels, since he believed they would be needed in the current fight against crime.

[UML]

For ah man who eh wuking i find he always opposing the govt....think we have to get rid of Sandy!!

he oppose the foreign CoP, Sautt and now the ships?!!


hmmmmm

[SiR8081]

we heading in the right direction to fight crime, the drug trade, human smuggling, protecting our borders, gun smuggling, protecting our fishermen, replacing our obsolete fleet etc etc etc.

good job kamla!!!

[foss]

we heading in the right direction to fight crime, the drug trade, human smuggling, protecting our borders, gun smuggling, protecting our fishermen, replacing our obsolete fleet etc etc etc.

good job kamla!!!

ummm, not sure if you read the same thing I did

Govt scraps $billion Coast Guard vessel deal
GOVERNMENT has taken a decision to formally terminate the £150 million contract with BAE Systems to build and commission three offshore patrol vessels (OPV) for use by the Coast Guard.

[Bezman]

those boats were a waste of money.. our fight against crime has to start with the police force and judicial system at almost at a grass roots level, not $1,500,0000,000.00 for some boats that will not help keep violent repeat offenders in jail and actually be convicted of crimes that they are incinerated for.

[NorStar2K]

The boats were not a waste of time. Just like regular land and air patrols, sea patrols are intended to act as a deterrent/interception force.

Example: If you see the Police on the highway don't you obey the highway code to some extent?

The OPV was intended to act a 'mother-ship' to the other CG support/interceptor vessels. The three OPVs would have created a surveillance/response net. They are capable of remaining on patrol at sea, for weeks at a time.

The the situation with everything we do in TT should always based on:

- Proper Research
- Fit-to-task
- Efficient Procurement
- Transparency.

But in many cases it isn't. Too much damn commess and confusion.

Our procurement methods leave a lot to be desired.

[SiR8081]

ok they were a waste.

i wonder where the guns and drugs are coming from? i guess they are manufactured in trinidad.

i guess the OPVs in conjunction with our state of the art radar system are a waste. Oh and grenada and barbados were supposed to benefit from these OPVs as well.

i guess it easier to deal with the guns and drugs in trinidad rather than intercepting them on the sea or deterring people from bringing them to trinidad and sadly is not foreigners bringing them in, it is the local fishermen in their little pirogues.

i guess by your logic it is easier to cure than prevent.

a wholistic attack on crime is not the way to go. if you relying on the PS then goodluck with that but i dont trust anyone in the police service. clearly you all did not read the express with the wanton corruption in the PS coming to light and those in authority doing nothing with the reports.

you all better pray the intelligence gathered by SAUTT does not fall into the hands of the PS

and you putting faith in the prisons service? good luck with that too. all yuh forget is them self was giving prisoners cellular phones, and those same phones were quite possibly used to order hits on said prisons officers, i guess it was one of those unforeseen circumstances of them not doing their jobs.

and the judiciary, 10yr backlog of cases. all the volney concerned with is attacking the former AG and current CJ. spending his time wisely rather than doing his job. good luck with that too.

and our PM going to the UN conference and talking about giving money to our children's life fund and talking about the people's partnership. she went there to campaign or what? she forget is the T&T people and gov't she represents. most retarded speech they probably ever heard. UN General Secretary Ban Ki Moon probably regret asking her to come there.

i agree with norstar2k our procurement process leaves a lot to be desired

[Bezman]

you arguing for arguing sake, we have enough boats etc.. the police/govt/customs just need to use them properly along with the radar system, helicopters and blimps etc..

most of the guns coming into trinidad do so right on the port under the nose of the "authorities"

the money will be better spent..

[wagonrunner]

you arguing for arguing sake, we have enough boats etc.. the police/govt/customs just need to use them properly along with the radar system, helicopters and blimps etc..

most of the guns coming into trinidad do so right on the port under the nose of the "authorities"

the money will be better spent..

seems a case of run yuh mouth for no reason sake.
what's the area that T&T CG covers? let's start with that.
what's the field of view from a CG vessel. (circumference of view, possible from someone on one of the waste of time boats).
factor in rough seas, and night time, and that FoV diminishes to almost 20% of what you previously had.

so unless the # of boats now are ideal in ideal situations, and the have not multiplied by 5, you should look into any Garmin product that can differentiate your body's basic hinge, from the joint in your arm.

[Bezman]

you arguing for arguing sake, we have enough boats etc.. the police/govt/customs just need to use them properly along with the radar system, helicopters and blimps etc..

most of the guns coming into trinidad do so right on the port under the nose of the "authorities"

the money will be better spent..

seems a case of run yuh mouth for no reason sake.
what's the area that T&T CG covers? let's start with that.
what's the field of view from a CG vessel. (circumference of view, possible from someone on one of the waste of time boats).
factor in rough seas, and night time, and that FoV diminishes to almost 20% of what you previously had.

so unless the # of boats now are ideal in ideal situations, and the have not multiplied by 5, you should look into any Garmin product that can differentiate your body's basic hinge, from the joint in your arm.

hmmm radar maybe. radar on the boats offers hundreds of miles of range and the radar system on land supposed to be able to see even more in a 360* radius around trinidad.. that along with arial surveillance (blimps, cg planes and helicopters) once managed efficiently can easily manage our borders.. even if we need a couple more mother ships, i am sure they can be found/sourced/rented for 1/4 the cost the corrupt previous administration got the deal at..

your last paragraph about the garmin and hinge, I have NO idea what you talking about like ya smokin that joint in ya arm

[wagonrunner]

bez,
ever heard the term "fly below radar"? what level yuh think that is?

as for the biology lesson. garmin = location finder., joint in arm = elbow, basic hinge = arse (well waist actually, but too big a fan of BBC coupling for meh own damn good)

[xtech]

Chaguaramas named in $830m drug bust off Spain
...Three men quizzed on Trinidad contacts
sampson nanton
Published: 24 Sep 2010
sampson nanton

British and Spanish police are investigating why 1.5 tonnes of cocaine, worth close to $1 billion, left Chaguaramas earlier this month aboard a yacht headed for Spain. The yacht was traced across the Atlantic Ocean by satellite after it left Trinidad until Spanish Police intercepted it on Monday. The drug haul showed similar signs to one of the biggest drug cases in Ireland two years ago, which also had strong links to T&T. The La Flibuste yacht, a UK-flagged vessel, was moored at Chaguaramas earlier this month before leaving with the cargo of 1.5 tonnes of cocaine hidden in a false roof of two of the cabins.

The cocaine is worth a staggering 83 million pounds sterling, which at today’s exchange rate amounts to TT$830 million. As it left Chaguaramas it was traced by satellite and tailed by British intelligence Officers. On Monday, officers of the Special Operations Unit, of the Spanish National Police, raided the vessel some 120 miles of Cadiz, Portugal, and transported it to Spain. Three men, a Spaniard and two Frenchmen, are being questioned about from whom in T&T they collected the drugs and how they managed to make it out of the country undetected. Spanish police are saying further arrests may follow soon.

The operation, which was carried out with the co-operation of British police, began early this month when police became aware of the yacht moored in Port-of-Spain, according to a statement issued by the Spanish police. Spanish police say they were informed the yacht had cruised off Trinidad just under a month ago and was heading for a Spanish marina. It is not clear whether local law enforcement officers played any part in the tip-off. Intelligence agencies in Spain and England are probing deeper because of the similarity between this bust and one in 2008, in which the exact amount of cocaine was also found on a yacht that originated from Trinidad. That yacht, Dances with Waves, also was tracked from Trinidad across the Atlantic by a US spy satellite.

It developed engine trouble off the coast of Ireland before being intercepted. Three men who were arrested and tried in that matter were said to have travelled to T&T, via Spain and Venezuela, and bought the vessel In T&T. In 2002 a British court was told several politicians from Trinidad were said to have had a close alliance with a British millionaire-drug-pusher, who was at the time in hiding from British authorities. Those reports were carried in the local media, identifying a number of places in Chaguaramas, said to be responsible for the outfitting and loading of cocaine on vessels for overseas delivery. The court had heard cocaine was moving from Latin America, through Trinidad, to small seaports in southern England. A yacht, known as the Sea Mist, was interdicted in Ireland and 599 kilos of cocaine were discovered by Irish customs.

The captain of that vessel, John Ewart, who was subsequently sentenced to 17 years imprisonment for illicit drug-trafficking, reportedly told the international press the Sea Mist was outfitted and loaded in Chaguaramas. The court also heard that in conjunction with the Sea Mist a series of yachts left their Chaguaramas anchorages laden with cocaine and even heroin for England and ports in Europe. Two other vessels also were given similar treatment at Chaguaramas. They are the yacht The Aquarius, with 226.6 kilos of cocaine for delivery to Antigua in 1994, and The Obsession, with over 200 kilos of cocaine destined for Britain in 1996. Local intelligence authorities are said to be closely working with their international counterparts on Monday’s bust.

[bluesteel29]

[SiR8081]

why they bringing in guns on the port for???? all it takes is a 25ft pirogue with a single 75hp outboard to go venezuela and bring back a boatload of guns or drugs. is up to them what they bring back. on a side note the pirates in trinidad are you guessed it TRINIS.

when was the last time the CG acquired a vessel? what abt the money spent on the radar system? the radar system was implemented to work hand in hand with the OPVs. each OPV has a helipad and they purchased a helicopter to go with one of the boats. i cannot comment on if they bought another 2 helicopters for the other 2 OPVs. in case you didnt notice the old CG cutters are obsolete and costs us more and more to keep in service, soon they will have to be retired. then what? we sign contracts and wait 3 - 4 yrs while the drug runners make profits like they have never seen before? or do we fall back on our short range fast interceptors??? hmmmmmmm i dont think they have the long range, technological and logistical capabilities of the state of the art OPVs.

you dont understand that the boats were not for T&T alone but CARICOM. not to go from T&T to Jamaica but the islands near to us.

what you do not understand is that the islands are experiencing an increase in crime like us due to the drug trade. instability in our neighbours creates instability in us as we benefit the most from CARICOM. if you go up and down the islands most of their products are made in T&T.
http://www.upperclydeshipping.com/2009/ ... h-day.html

Training the Trinidad & Tobago Coast Guard

Flagship has secured a multi-million pound contract as part of a wider £150m VT Group contract with the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, on behalf of the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG).

We will project manage the overall training programme, combining Royal Navy, Flagship and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) training for the 225 crew required to man the three new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) being built by VT.

During the first phase of the UK based training programme, the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard will spend some time with the Royal Navy Fishery Protection Squadron. Following this they will receive OEM training in the factories where the equipment for their new ships will be made. Additionally, crews will also undertake a programme of Pre-Joining Training and International Defence Training courses within Royal Navy establishments.

Spanning over two years, the Flagship training element will begin mid 2008 with completion set for December 2010. Our nine member on-board training team will instruct the crew in basic sea safety, ship familiarisation, onboard training at sea and weapons training.

During the final element of the programme, the crew will undertake a challenging seven week course with the Royal Navy’s Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) organisation.

We are also preparing a training programme for the crews of two coastal patrol vessels recently delivered to the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard. These ex-oil rig support vessels will join the Trinidad Coast Guard as Coastal Patrol Vessels to enhance their capability in advance of the three new OPVs.

Already in Trinidad, these ships are currently being refitted. A team of six Flagship instructors will travel to Trinidad to deliver ship familiarisation and training at sea.

Comments Dave Mitchard, Managing Director; ’This is excellent news for Flagship and the Training Projects team. The new OPVs, and accompanying training programme, will provide our customer with a fully rounded capability, to world class standards.

‘This new contract represents another export success for Flagship and builds on the highly successful collective training model that we developed with our Chilean and Estonian customers and adds to our unique Royal Navy partnering arrangement.
http://www.flagshiptraining.co.uk/conte ... PageId=726

[Terran]

All these vessels being loaded at Chaguaramas and leaving right before the Coast Guard's eyes. The same way they are able to leave, I imagine the same way that the drugs and guns are brought in. Trinidad acts as a trans-shipment point, and there are a few agents collecting "commissions" when they pass through.

[noobie]

Umm...we couldn't afford to pay for the boats, period.

So there was no choice BUT to scrap them.

Countries patrol borders ten times our own with more success than we do. We are on a TINY island. There is enough technology available and certainly manpower to lock down our borders successfully.

You can decide why that has not yet been done. Bet your ass that if we were a Dutch/French island our borders would be a lot more secured.

[nismoid]

Chaguaramas named in $830m drug bust off Spain
...Three men quizzed on Trinidad contacts
sampson nanton
Published: 24 Sep 2010
sampson nanton

British and Spanish police are investigating why 1.5 tonnes of cocaine, worth close to $1 billion, left Chaguaramas earlier this month aboard a yacht headed for Spain. The yacht was traced across the Atlantic Ocean by satellite after it left Trinidad until Spanish Police intercepted it on Monday. The drug haul showed similar signs to one of the biggest drug cases in Ireland two years ago, which also had strong links to T&T. The La Flibuste yacht, a UK-flagged vessel, was moored at Chaguaramas earlier this month before leaving with the cargo of 1.5 tonnes of cocaine hidden in a false roof of two of the cabins.

The cocaine is worth a staggering 83 million pounds sterling, which at today’s exchange rate amounts to TT$830 million. As it left Chaguaramas it was traced by satellite and tailed by British intelligence Officers. On Monday, officers of the Special Operations Unit, of the Spanish National Police, raided the vessel some 120 miles of Cadiz, Portugal, and transported it to Spain. Three men, a Spaniard and two Frenchmen, are being questioned about from whom in T&T they collected the drugs and how they managed to make it out of the country undetected. Spanish police are saying further arrests may follow soon.

The operation, which was carried out with the co-operation of British police, began early this month when police became aware of the yacht moored in Port-of-Spain, according to a statement issued by the Spanish police. Spanish police say they were informed the yacht had cruised off Trinidad just under a month ago and was heading for a Spanish marina. It is not clear whether local law enforcement officers played any part in the tip-off. Intelligence agencies in Spain and England are probing deeper because of the similarity between this bust and one in 2008, in which the exact amount of cocaine was also found on a yacht that originated from Trinidad. That yacht, Dances with Waves, also was tracked from Trinidad across the Atlantic by a US spy satellite.

It developed engine trouble off the coast of Ireland before being intercepted. Three men who were arrested and tried in that matter were said to have travelled to T&T, via Spain and Venezuela, and bought the vessel In T&T. In 2002 a British court was told several politicians from Trinidad were said to have had a close alliance with a British millionaire-drug-pusher, who was at the time in hiding from British authorities. Those reports were carried in the local media, identifying a number of places in Chaguaramas, said to be responsible for the outfitting and loading of cocaine on vessels for overseas delivery. The court had heard cocaine was moving from Latin America, through Trinidad, to small seaports in southern England. A yacht, known as the Sea Mist, was interdicted in Ireland and 599 kilos of cocaine were discovered by Irish customs.

The captain of that vessel, John Ewart, who was subsequently sentenced to 17 years imprisonment for illicit drug-trafficking, reportedly told the international press the Sea Mist was outfitted and loaded in Chaguaramas. The court also heard that in conjunction with the Sea Mist a series of yachts left their Chaguaramas anchorages laden with cocaine and even heroin for England and ports in Europe. Two other vessels also were given similar treatment at Chaguaramas. They are the yacht The Aquarius, with 226.6 kilos of cocaine for delivery to Antigua in 1994, and The Obsession, with over 200 kilos of cocaine destined for Britain in 1996. Local intelligence authorities are said to be closely working with their international counterparts on Monday’s bust.

ah sure RASC and he crew gonna say thais not proven.
as usual

[Chimera]

sigh...what has the world come to when a man cant take a couple hundred million in cocaine out for a cruise and his intentions not be questioned

[NorStar2K]

No such thing as too many boats - Each type/class has a specific/different function.

Also, what's the point in having 360 degree coastal radar without the capability of intercept?
There should be no question about the necessity for such resources as the OPVs.

As for "flying below radar", the system scans from sea-level, so so much for that. But again, no one system is perfect.

Too often we've had air and surface targets within our sovereign air/sea space with limited means of identification and certainly no means of intercept and detention.

We keep buying equipment that clearly doesn't fit the environment required for use, from suppliers without a proven track record. The US military has some of the best surveillance/reconnaissance/interceptor assets available. Yet we keep buying from other markets and ending up worse off than we started.

As I said before, strategically placing these 'surveillance/response' platforms, would allow smaller surface/air assets to be launched much closer to the target's position allowing for quicker intercept.

The OPVs are intended for stationing in 'open water', some distance from land. Unlike the Austal 30m Coastguard Fast Patrol Craft, which are deployed in internal waters, the archipelagic territorial sea and the exclusive economic zone of Trinidad and Tobago.

Want proof of an OPV's effectiveness? Just drift into Venezuelan waters and see how fast the 'Guardia Nacional' will be on your ass. Surveillance >> Intercept >> Detention. DONE!

or

Just attempt to slip cross from Haitian or Cuban waters into US sovereign waters and see.

Neither country's systems are perfect, but it's been proven to work. Look at the way we behave when we approach a Police post at an inspection? If we made it a (semi-)permanent fixture? Imagine the benefits - fewer accidents, loss of life, adherence to the law.

Maritime security is no different.

And, OPVs aren't just for catching drug-runners, they would/can also serve as platforms for:
* Coastal surveillance and protection
* Protection of maritime traffic
* Health assistance to other ships
* External fire fighting
* Control and reduction of marine pollution / oil-spill clean-up
* Transport of personnel and provisions
* Search and rescue operations (MSAR)
* Rapid intervention
* Surface defence
* Passive electronic warfare

[zoom rader]

Under the PNM they allowed certain drug dealers to have free passage at will. The 360 radar and vessels where there to protect the PNM drugs dealers and stop those that did not pay their dues to the PNM and cartels.Ever wonder why the radars always have problems when the larger drugs pass in our waters?

[playerskrew]

PNM again......

[SiR8081]

hahaha i know that one was coming where someone was going to call me a PNM just b/c i do not accept the word of the PP as the holy scripture.

zoom rader seeing as we talking conspiracies here you ever thought that those drug cartels sponsor the PP this rounds rather than the PNM which lead to the scrapping of the OPVs and i await the "restructuring" of SAUTT.

what you on trinituner fail to realise like the rest of the population is that we do not have to settle for mediocrity and that we have a voice. we do not have to take decisions we do not like. most of you find however that everything your party does is god's will. and they do as they please and the ignorant masses cheer on.

And UML i wasnt criticising the Life Fund i was merely criticising Kamla going to the UN and asking them to contribute money to it. When she does that, she makes us look like a bunch of paupers and in the same breath you then say we are open for business. A nation clearly open for business does not come the the UN begging for help. but all yuh kamla fan know better. i just here trying to show you all we dont have to accept mediocre performance from politicians and all yuh trinis love it. if the local politicians dont use all yuh and then doh care, all yuh doh be happy b/c then we will not be able to partake in the national passtime of complaining.

George Bernard Shaw, "Democracy ensures that we are governed no better than we ourselves deserve."

i am sure UML and Zoom Rader not going to understand what that quote means but UML going to try and prove to himself and everyone that he does and Zoom Rader going to ask me something stupid.

IT TOO EXPENSIVE??? i hope you all know that military equipment is not cheap and anyways forget it all yuh too small minded

[zoom rader]

Mr SiR8081, I hope u are attending PNM clown school. Anyway every contract PNM gives out is full of corruption and are always overpriced.The tax payers need value for money. u can buy the most expensive military/police equipment but u are going to end up with donkeys operating these equipment that will suit no purpose to us.

[5onDfloor]

UML,Zoom radar while dont u guys shove it!........the canceling of these boats has nothing to do cost.......Dont be fooled by politics, the fact is that from May 24th a decision was already made to scrap this venture. Ask Uncle Jack.

how else u think Manning in mid term call a snap election?

Which leader in their right mind calls a General Election in mid term and at a time when is popularity was at a all time low.

Ask yuhself who were the Government MP's that were goin to vote with the UNC in the no-confidence against the PM.

ask yuh self who broker the deal wid the MP's

ask yuhself who paid the money and thru whom.

so while allyuh blabbering and finding all kinda excuses because yuh party in power about the boats were to costly and that they weren't delivered on time study the fact more drugs will continue to come here with guns etc etc.

more killings will take place all for what..... power? politics?

in the meantime inflation is over 16% an alltime high in 27yrs and no one aint batting an eye lid.

but what i do know is nothing that is dirty in the eyes of the creator last forever!!!!!!!!!!!!

so enjoy allyuh "WTN" period.........

The Syrians have Spoken..........................

[UML]

Chaguaramas named in $830m drug bust off Spain
...Three men quizzed on Trinidad contacts
sampson nanton
Published: 24 Sep 2010
sampson nanton

British and Spanish police are investigating why 1.5 tonnes of cocaine, worth close to $1 billion, left Chaguaramas earlier this month aboard a yacht headed for Spain. The yacht was traced across the Atlantic Ocean by satellite after it left Trinidad until Spanish Police intercepted it on Monday. The drug haul showed similar signs to one of the biggest drug cases in Ireland two years ago, which also had strong links to T&T. The La Flibuste yacht, a UK-flagged vessel, was moored at Chaguaramas earlier this month before leaving with the cargo of 1.5 tonnes of cocaine hidden in a false roof of two of the cabins.

The cocaine is worth a staggering 83 million pounds sterling, which at today’s exchange rate amounts to TT$830 million. As it left Chaguaramas it was traced by satellite and tailed by British intelligence Officers. On Monday, officers of the Special Operations Unit, of the Spanish National Police, raided the vessel some 120 miles of Cadiz, Portugal, and transported it to Spain. Three men, a Spaniard and two Frenchmen, are being questioned about from whom in T&T they collected the drugs and how they managed to make it out of the country undetected. Spanish police are saying further arrests may follow soon.

The operation, which was carried out with the co-operation of British police, began early this month when police became aware of the yacht moored in Port-of-Spain, according to a statement issued by the Spanish police. Spanish police say they were informed the yacht had cruised off Trinidad just under a month ago and was heading for a Spanish marina. It is not clear whether local law enforcement officers played any part in the tip-off. Intelligence agencies in Spain and England are probing deeper because of the similarity between this bust and one in 2008, in which the exact amount of cocaine was also found on a yacht that originated from Trinidad. That yacht, Dances with Waves, also was tracked from Trinidad across the Atlantic by a US spy satellite.

It developed engine trouble off the coast of Ireland before being intercepted. Three men who were arrested and tried in that matter were said to have travelled to T&T, via Spain and Venezuela, and bought the vessel In T&T. In 2002 a British court was told several politicians from Trinidad were said to have had a close alliance with a British millionaire-drug-pusher, who was at the time in hiding from British authorities. Those reports were carried in the local media, identifying a number of places in Chaguaramas, said to be responsible for the outfitting and loading of cocaine on vessels for overseas delivery. The court had heard cocaine was moving from Latin America, through Trinidad, to small seaports in southern England. A yacht, known as the Sea Mist, was interdicted in Ireland and 599 kilos of cocaine were discovered by Irish customs.

The captain of that vessel, John Ewart, who was subsequently sentenced to 17 years imprisonment for illicit drug-trafficking, reportedly told the international press the Sea Mist was outfitted and loaded in Chaguaramas. The court also heard that in conjunction with the Sea Mist a series of yachts left their Chaguaramas anchorages laden with cocaine and even heroin for England and ports in Europe. Two other vessels also were given similar treatment at Chaguaramas. They are the yacht The Aquarius, with 226.6 kilos of cocaine for delivery to Antigua in 1994, and The Obsession, with over 200 kilos of cocaine destined for Britain in 1996. Local intelligence authorities are said to be closely working with their international counterparts on Monday’s bust.

ah sure RASC and he crew gonna say thais not proven.
as usual

5onthefloor.......apparently ur party loyalty has you blinded to the reality of the situation.... read the highlighted text above

[UML]

these 2 billion dollar bust were done under the PNM eyes....with radar system....with sautt....with blimp...........both originating from chaguaramas

[5onDfloor]

so the word Politicians reserved for the PNM????? wat an idot!

[shaneelal]

Saw the cost for the vessels has increased from $1.5b to $3b, that doesn't seem right.

Double $b Debt
Cost overruns on scrapped OPV deal send bill higher

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Double__b_Debt-103767619.html

Excerpt:

GOVERNMENT has now been saddled with a $3 billion debt to the British shipbuilding firm which was contracted to build three Offshore Patrol Vessels at an original price of $1.5 billion.

New information yesterday from BAE Systems stated that cost overruns had doubled the original figure.

[UML]

so the word Politicians reserved for the PNM????? wat an idot!

no comment