Former Police Commissioner Gary Griffith is warning against misinformation and public panic, saying the authorities must provide timely and accurate communication to the population.
00:00In a voice note sent to TV6 today, Griffith referenced past events and called on the National Operations Center to take the lead in giving the public real-time updates.
00:12Griffith said today, the country appears to be facing a similar situation to what happened after the 1990 attempted coup, when rumors of another attack caused widespread panic.
00:23For several months after the 1990 attempted coup, every other Friday, the country was in panic mode.
00:30Because of rumor mongering, where it was perceived that there was going to be another coup.
00:35And with it, it led to panic buying, people filling up the gas stations, traffic congestion, people taking their children out of schools, offices closing down.
00:44He reminded citizens that one of the main recommendations of the commission of inquiry into the coup was the establishment of the National Operations Center to centralize information shared among law enforcement agencies and to keep the public properly informed.
01:00It was to deal with the problem that took place then with the information not being passed in real-time between the different arms of the protective services.
01:07One hand didn't know what the other was doing.
01:09Another main recommendation was for the public to be given the information in real-time to avoid another similar trepidation among the masses and panic buying.
01:20Despite this, Griffith said today, decades later, a similar situation occurred where breakdown in communication appeared to be happening once again following reports and rumors of military activity linked to an alleged regional threat.
01:37Unfortunately, 35 years later, the same thing has taken place.
01:41He says the NOC should have been operationalized to this end as soon as there was news of growing tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela and the potential for that impact on Trinidad and Tobago due to its close proximity.
01:56He said the situation has worsened because of claims that all 5,000 members of the Defense Force have been ordered to report to their camps.
02:06To hear now of a situation where the media, based on media attention, it is being rumored of a possible invasion of one country over another close to Trinidad and Tobago.
02:17And then, added to which, it is being rumored all over the country of a situation where the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force, where military personnel are being asked to return to camp or to be on standby, added to a letter from the police service hierarchy stating that all police officers will come off leave.
02:35Something like that would obviously cause and trigger undue panic.
02:40And that is what has happened throughout the country today.
02:43He says today's public reaction, which led to gridlock traffic, panic buying in groceries and gas stations, should not have happened.
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