00:00In the absence of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, who is attending a CARICOM summit
00:05in Barbados, the Cabinet met on Thursday with Energy Minister Stuart Young, serving as the
00:10acting Prime Minister.
00:12Later, the Office of the Prime Minister announced that at the Cabinet meeting, National Security
00:18Minister Fitzgerald Hines raised the matter of the allegation that 25,573 rounds of 5.56
00:27ammunition had, quote, disappeared, end quote, from the Komuto barracks of the Trinidad and
00:33Tobago Regiment.
00:34Concerns had also been raised by the leaders of the UNC and the NTA following the recent
00:39exclusive report in the Express newspaper on the matter.
00:42While making no mention of those politically opposed to the government or the Express reports,
00:47the OPM said it is a serious allegation which was the topic of concern for the government
00:51and, in particular, the members of Cabinet who share the concerns of the population.
00:56The OPM said that following Thursday's discussions, Cabinet decided to establish a team to conduct
01:01a thorough audit of the records, armoury and storage facilities at the Trinidad and Tobago
01:06Regiment's Komuto barracks and any related matter.
01:10The OPM said the five-member team is as follows, Retired Colonel Lyle Alexander, co-chairman,
01:16Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Wellington Virgil, Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police
01:20Martin Moraine, Retired Colonel Michael Clarke and Retired Warrant Officer Wayne Nugui.
01:26The OPM added that, as a direct result of the interventions of Prime Minister Rowley,
01:30the team will also include two military officers from CARICOM countries, one of whom will be
01:35the team's co-chair.
01:36According to the OPM's statement, one shall be from the Guyana Defence Force, as agreed
01:41by Guyana's President Dr Mohamed Irfan Ali, and the other shall be from the Jamaica Defence
01:46Force, as agreed by Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Olness.
01:50The OPM said the National Security Ministry is mandated to provide the team with an appropriate
01:55secretariat which will also include one senior counsel and one junior counsel who are yet
02:01to be named.
02:02Jule Brown, TV6 News.
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