00:00Former Minister of National Security Marvin Gonzalez is questioning why heads of national security are being sent on leave,
00:08in some cases in the absence of proper protocol.
00:11News came to hand that the chief of defense staff was sent on leave immediately.
00:19When you have the changing of leadership at the level of the chief of defense staff within your military,
00:25there are certain military protocols that normally accompanies that,
00:31where there is a proper handing over, a handing over parade is conducted,
00:37and then you have a smooth transition from one leadership to the other in true military style and military tradition.
00:47But today, under Calamity Jane and UNC Tornado,
00:52all of these things are now thrown out of the window,
00:56and it's instability left, right, and center in Trinidad and Tobago.
01:00The action against the former chief of defense staff follows similar action at the prison service
01:06and the Trinidad and Tobago regiment,
01:08as former prisons commissioner Carlos Corraspe was sent on leave in August,
01:13as too was Army Chief Colonel Keston Charles,
01:16although that decision was quickly rescinded.
01:19We must ask ourselves,
01:22what was the role of the prime minister as chair of the National Security Council on these matters?
01:30These serious and urgent matters of national security,
01:34where the head of your regiment in a state of emergency
01:38was immediately sent on leave,
01:41and two or three days after,
01:44that decision was cancelled,
01:46and he was asked to take back up responsibility and leadership of the Trinidad and Tobago regiment.
01:51All of these matters, ladies and gentlemen,
01:54are taking place
01:55during a state of emergency.
02:01Gonzalez also noted the recent shake-up
02:03at the executive level of the TTPS
02:05and other state enterprises.
02:08So you have attacks taking place
02:10at the professional class.
02:15You now have a level of instability taking place
02:18in the national security services of Trinidad and Tobago
02:21within a state of emergency.
02:24And the PNM opposition today
02:28is calling upon the prime minister
02:30as chair of the National Security Council
02:33to explain to the population
02:36what is taking place
02:39in national security
02:41in this country.
02:43He's calling on the government
02:44to present a holistic national security strategy.
02:48And while all of that is happening,
02:49members of the media,
02:51citizens of Trinidad and Tobago,
02:52nine murders over the last 24 hours.
02:57Nine murders over the last 24 hours.
03:02Renasa Cutting, TV6 News.
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