00:00Former National Security Minister Gary Griffith believes there isn't a need to worry pertaining to the security aspect of utilizing the Chagramas heliport for the hosting of Stink and Dutty 2026.
00:11So there would obviously be initial concerns by some, by many, as it pertains to a massive carnival event that is expected to take place at the heliport, which is an establishment that is controlled and secured by the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force as part of one of the military installations.
00:29But my personal view is that there's no need for concern.
00:33And many persons may not be aware that the biggest carnival fed for the year in the late 80s, early 90s was held at Tetron Barracks.
00:42Griffith is referring to Army Fed, which he says at that time facilitated around 10,000 patrons.
00:48So Tetron Barracks, which was an area that was the headquarters, the virtual headquarters of the army, where all you have all the ammunition, all the weapons, the recruits, the documents.
00:59Tentation, everything. Tetron Barracks was the area where over 10,000 persons will enter and attend the Army Fed on the parade square.
01:07And what was done simply is that there was a proper cordon in the off of the area to ensure that those patrons who attended the Army Fed in Tetron Barracks,
01:16they do not have access to any of the facilities that would that need to be secure.
01:21The Army Fed, obviously, because of security concerns, it was then moved to Lyon Civic Center.
01:28And under Griffith, it was moved to the Queen's Park Savannah.
01:32The former national security minister says there is only a small arm of the Defence Force at the heliport at present.
01:38And he doesn't see a problem with easily securing the area.
01:41So I don't think there's going to be any reason for concern that it being a military establishment having a Fed there is going to compromise the Trinidad Tobago Defence Force.
01:50They are fully aware of how to secure certain parts of the establishment.
01:55And by doing that, it is not going to be a threat.
01:58Obviously, in this era now, whereas before, in the 80s and 90s, we didn't have that because of improvised devices and so forth,
02:06I would expect that the military would have a stringent entrance point to ensure that all persons entering that event would not work with anything that can affect the military.
02:17On the issue of traffic congestion, Griffith says success depends entirely on planning and management.
02:22He says when he was police commissioner, Shagramas hosted around 17,000 people, which were part of three separate events at Otu Park, Yupik and Peartu.
02:32That night with 18,000 persons, nobody spent more than 15 minutes to get in or get out.
02:37You put a comprehensive traffic plan monitoring the areas in Karanash by the bars where many cars will stop to have a drink and that will cause traffic.
02:45Then the other areas just after your club with cars going up into certain streets, you have to make sure the traffic flows.
02:51If you do that, 18,000 persons coming in and coming out will not be a problem, but it all has to do with management.
02:57And if management does not take place, all hell could break loose and people could spend hours getting in and getting out.
03:02As for residents in the surrounding areas, such as Karanash, who may worry about significant delays in response by emergency services,
03:11inclusive of police and fire, Griffith says it is a valid concern.
03:15Yes, that can very well happen if there's poor management and poor planning.
03:18We have seen that before on many occasions in the Western Peninsula because of poor traffic management, poor planning, it can cause that to happen.
03:26But, as I said, in 2020, 2021, there were three major threats and there was an actual situation where there was a request for an ambulance to arrive.
03:34And because of the traffic management, the ambulance was able to get inside to that area in Karanash within minutes and get out within minutes.
03:40Thank you very much.
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