'THIS IS NO DRILL.' -STATE ONE ALERT LEVEL

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00:00This is TV6 News on the spot.

00:30That included nine staff sergeants and four battalion commanding officers.

00:35In light of that meeting, which we understand only recently concluded,

00:39all Army personnel were sent the following by Chief Petty Officer Horstyn.

00:43It said,

00:44General Allute, with immediate effect, the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force has been placed on State 1 Allute level.

00:51All members are required at their respective bases by 1800 hours, that's 6 p.m. today.

00:56A general muster will be held at 18.30 hours at 6.30 p.m.

01:01Persons on resettlement, pre-retirement leave, and sick leave should remain at their official residence on standby.

01:08Persons on regular annual leave are to remain on standby for further instructions.

01:13All are strongly advised to make all necessary arrangements with families,

01:17make all personal arrangements in preparation for confinement.

01:21Status reports are required from all heads of sections by 18.30 hours.

01:27This is not a drill all members are to acknowledge be guided accordingly.

01:33Now, with today's sitting of the Parliament during the urgent questions segment,

01:36Opposition MP Marvin Gonzalez asked whether Defence Force soldiers had been instructed to return to work with immediate effect.

01:44Minister of Defence Wainstage invoked the Parliament's standing orders to decline answering the question.

01:49Standing Order 27-1G of the Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives

01:54is a procedural rule that permits the Minister to refuse the answer if, in their opinion,

02:00providing the information would be contrary to the public's interests.

02:03Gonzalez raised objection to the Minister's response.

02:07However, House Speaker Jack Dohsing emphasised the rules of the standing order and asked that they move on.

02:13Prime Minister Kamala Prasad-Bissessa told the media outside Parliament earlier

02:17that she had no information about the matter and she would have to find out.

02:21She said if a situation arises, they will deal with it and urge the population to be calm.

02:27We'll keep you updated in a subsequent newscast.

02:30This is TV6 News on the spot.