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00:03Welcome back. Prime Minister Kamala Fasad-Bissasa gave an account of a recent trip to the U.S. on Friday,
00:10saying TNT stands to benefit from a new hemispheric alliance targeting transnational crime.
00:16Prime Minister Kamala Fasad-Bissasa used the avenue of a parliamentary statement to apprise the nation of her recent trip
00:23to the U.S.
00:24primarily to attend the Shield of America Summit and the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump.
00:31Senator Vega stands very proud to be part of a new partnership, the America's Counter-Cartel Coalition,
00:39which is a very strategic alliance designed to confront cartel violence through coordinated security,
00:47through coordinated intelligence, sharing and joint operations across the Americas.
00:54The Prime Minister first sought to set the stage of the country's burgeoning crime situation,
01:00saying for one decade, while the PNM was in government, blood flowed through TNT's streets.
01:06That was driven by violent gangs fighting for turf to sell illegal arms and narcotics,
01:14trafficked into our country by the drug cartels.
01:21While that was happening, many in the PNM hierarchy fattened their pockets from the local drug mafia financers,
01:30while the people of this country, our country, suffered.
01:33She took aim at the people's national movement.
01:37The new Blood Red Balajay House stands as a gravestone to drug money, pedophilia and theft.
01:46And while Standing Order 48-4 was raised on two occasions,
01:51she was allowed to continue as she did not name any member but instead referred to the entity.
01:57The PM reminded members of the lower house of the over 124,000 crimes committed between 2015 to 2025,
02:06the over 5,000 murders and over 9,000 violent rapes and sexual assaults, saying the PNM did nothing.
02:14That they seem to take perverse pride in the fact that PNM's strongholds have amongst the highest crime rates,
02:22the highest unemployment, the lowest educational attainment, the lowest opportunities
02:29and the worst infrastructure in the country under their watch.
02:33Under their watch.
02:35And you know, Mr. Speaker, that is why you hear some of them on the other side,
02:41every day crying, like crybabies, crying, crying, crying, every day,
02:47about radars, about U.S. troops, about U.S. lists.
02:52I don't know if they're worried on RHA, if maybe some of their names are on that list.
02:56I don't know. I haven't seen the list.
02:58She said the coalition can only ogre well for the people of TNT
03:02as some crises cannot be solved in isolation.
03:06These networks, they move cocaine, they move heroin, they move synthetic drugs,
03:11what is called fentanyl, I think.
03:13They move them through all waters and ports.
03:16And what happens in return?
03:18In return, while these are moving, illegal firearms, arms trafficking,
03:24illicit money flow back into our communities.
03:28Understand this.
03:29This is a TNT alone.
03:31You want a crime plan? You want a crime plan?
03:33Here's part of the crime plan.
03:34The consequences of allowing such criminal networks to continue unabated
03:39is increasingly severe, she said.
03:41Our hemisphere is ready to deal and use hard power
03:46to defeat threats to our security and our civilization.
03:51These dangers will be addressed using every necessary resource
03:55and every legally available authority.
03:58Passat Bisasa called the benefits of the proclamation very substantial for TNT,
04:03saying this will happen through stronger intelligence sharing.
04:07Through this coalition that we have formed,
04:09law enforcement agencies will share real-time intelligence
04:13on trafficking, on trafficking routes,
04:18on gang leaders, on financial networks and weapons shipments.
04:23It will also include Passat Bisasa said training and technology sharing
04:28and capacity building, saying it is a new powerful instrument
04:32in TNT's national security arsenal.
04:35Our police and defense forces will benefit from joint training,
04:39advanced technology and international cooperation.
04:45This certainly will strengthen our ability to dismantle gangs,
04:49investigate financial crimes, and prosecute organized criminal networks.
04:55In closing, the PM said the trip wasn't a simple diplomatic visit.
05:00It was a strategic victory for Trinidad.
05:09It was a win for security and safety.
05:13It was a win for economy, all economy, yeah, because of the partnerships.
05:20It was a win for the future of our nation.
05:24A threat of a bomb on board a cargo plane leaving Trinidad and Tobago
05:28is among the bomb threats currently engaging officers of the TDPS.
05:33However, when questioned last week for further details,
05:37Homeland Security Minister Raj Alexander told TV6 News,
05:40bomb threats are a normal thing.
05:43And I had a question for you.
05:44Since it is a bomb threat, we're going to take him by Juliet Juliet in that spot, correct?
05:51So the aircraft is eight minutes out.
05:55Did you guys want to have an escort to take him over to the box there by Juliet Juliet,
06:00or do you want me to give him task instructions?
06:02What you just heard was an exit of communications between Miami International Airport-controlled
06:08tower and flight Caribbean 790, a cargo plane which was en route to Miami from Port of Spain
06:14when it reported a bomb threat.
06:51The incident occurred on March 6th, and the aviation communication log was uploaded to VAS Aviation's
06:58official YouTube channel.
07:00However, no report was uploaded as to the outcome.
07:03This incident is the latest in what appears to be a string of bomb threats reported over the last several
07:09days,
07:10with the TDPS being called to a report of a bomb threat last Friday on Park Street in Port of
07:17Spain.
07:17Mere days after a threat against the Sandy Grande police station prompted police to cordon off the area for several
07:25days.
07:26TV6 News pressed Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander for further details.
07:31Listen, the bomb threat is being investigated, right?
07:35All the bomb threats you see you're talking about, right?
07:38There's a level of intelligence involved, so we want to keep it that way.
07:41How many have been reported that far for the year?
07:44You know, it's a normal thing. Some people just get on their phone and make threats.
07:47There was one that was existing, you know that, at Rio Claro.
07:50You remember that? In the school.
07:52The Rio Claro school bomb threat first surfaced in November via social media,
07:57when someone accused teachers of being racist.
08:01In January, Alexander stated that an arrest would be imminent.
08:05However, to date, there has been no word of an arrest in relation to that incident or the subsequent threats.
08:12We realize what is rolling out here, you know, and intelligence is helping us tremendously,
08:17both local, regional and international.
08:21Under the Anti-Terrorism Act, a person commits an offense if he communicates any information which he knows to be
08:28false
08:29with the intention of inducing in a person anywhere in the world a belief that a noxious thing
08:35or a lethal device or weapon of mass destruction is likely to be present.
08:40A person convicted of an offense under this section is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for life.
08:48This is the past seven days on six.
08:58Good news for travelers.
09:00Arrival and departure forms will soon be available online.
09:04The Ministry of Homeland Security is advising members of the public to visit www.travel.gov.tt
09:11and get familiar with the electronic version of the forms, which go live on March 17th.
09:18Arrival and departure cards can soon be filled online for both air and sea travel
09:24as the government accelerates efforts to modernize this country's border management system.
09:30The system will be fully implemented on the 17th of March.
09:37Again, on the 17th of March, at which point the traditional paper-based arrival and departure cards will be discontinued.
09:50The move is expected to allow for greater security oversight, ease of access and convenience,
09:56and an overall improved travel experience.
10:00Passengers will simply complete the online forms, upload to the bio-data page of their passport
10:10and receive a digital receipt with a QR code which can be presented to the immigration and custom officers upon
10:22arrival or departure.
10:24The Ministry is hoping for a seamless transition.
10:27It's advising members of the public to visit www.travel.gov.tt as early as March 14th to get familiar
10:37with the process.
10:39Just like in any other system, just in case that we have any issues,
10:43we'll keep some forms available in case we have to return to those forms for a short time
10:49to fix any glitch that it may have, because everything new sometimes starts off, sometimes very rocky.
10:54The forms will be available in seven languages initially.
10:58The Ministry is giving the assurance that the various ports will have personnel on hand
11:03to assist persons who may encounter challenges with the electronic process.
11:08And the Minister is entreating his fellow MPs to assist the cause.
11:13I want to extend that opportunity to my colleagues who have members of Parliament,
11:20who have constituency offices, to have persons come to those offices and obtain that information,
11:26to get that information so they can know exactly how to operate.
11:29The Ministry says CARICOM Impacts, which are described as a trusted vendor, provided the platform.
11:36However, the Minister was unwilling to state at what cost.
11:40The Ministry of Homeland Security, and because of the security involved,
11:44we don't want to discuss the cost at this time.
11:46And switching gears, outgoing political leader of the PNM Tobago Council, Ansel Dennis,
11:52said both former Minority Leader Calvon Morris and former Tobago West MP Chamfer Kujol Lewis
11:58are suitable candidates to lead the party in Tobago,
12:02following the announcement of their intention to take the helm.
12:06Both of them are suitable candidates, and at the end of the day,
12:11it will be up to the membership of the party to decide.
12:19Mr. Dennis said he wishes Mr. Morris, Mrs. Kujol Lewis,
12:28and all candidates offering themselves for service under the PNM Tobago Council banner
12:33the very best, and remains willing to work with whoever is elected.
13:00Mr. Dennis confirmed that he will be casting his vote in the party's internal election,
13:06scheduled for April 19th.
13:08However, he declined to state which of the two candidates he would be supporting.
13:13Despite the party's recent challenges in Tobago, losing 15-0 in the last THA election,
13:19Dennis expressed confidence that the People's National Movement can stage a political comeback on the island.
13:26He also maintained that he has no regrets about his tenure in leadership,
13:31noting that he served the party and the people of Tobago to the best of his ability.
13:38Of course, democracy is about cycles.
13:43At the end of the day, it's up to the people.
13:46But one thing the PNM will always ensure is that whenever we are called upon again,
13:52we will be ready to bring good governance to the island of Tobago and the country by extension.
14:01Okay. And in terms of the leadership, any regrets in terms of your leadership at all?
14:09None at all. More regrets.
14:12I did it to the best of my ability.
14:14I did it my way.
14:16Elizabeth Williams, TV6 News.
14:19And it's heading into week three of frustration for PTSC passengers.
14:24Amid what the cooperation described as delays due to industrial activity,
14:28a claim the Transport and Industrial Workers Union strongly rejected last week.
14:34It's the second week of heightened frustration for PTSC passengers.
14:39Amid ongoing cancellations and delays.
14:42As at 3 p.m. today, TV6 counted over 75 cancellations across various routes in Trinidad and Tobago.
14:51As per updates provided on PTSC's WhatsApp channel,
14:56a quick visit to the transport hub confirmed the state of affairs.
15:00Passengers awaiting the 1 o'clock Arima bus were particularly disgruntled
15:05after being informed that the bus would be arriving at 2 p.m.
15:11Every day.
15:13On a line to 10, you know, every day the same thing.
15:15You're waiting a long, long period of time.
15:18And when you're done, they come and tell you,
15:202 o'clock, bus come here.
15:22Sometimes the 9 o'clock will come, the 10 o'clock will come.
15:25So you say, okay, wait for the 12 o'clock.
15:28No bus.
15:30Every day, I have to pick up my grandchild every day for a certain time.
15:33So I just come, 2 o'clock, I have to pick him up and I just come here all after
15:3712.
15:39No bus.
15:40The elderly lady says this has been the state of affairs for quite some time.
15:44And at this point, she believes it may be a manufactured situation.
16:10Interestingly enough, she was not the only one who shared that view.
16:14I always say, this is my mantra, maxi drivers are bus drivers and bus drivers are maxi drivers.
16:20Because on the chat, I think it's Monday gone, yes.
16:24They had no 12, no 1, no 2, no 3, quarter to 5.
16:31They're calling maxis to take passengers by subsidizing with a ticket.
16:36High class nonsense.
16:38Look right at this present and no 1 o'clock bus.
16:40And this has been going on for months now, the 1 o'clock.
16:44They used to have a half pass, so that's done with.
16:47And I'm telling you nothing.
16:49PTSD need a transformation.
16:51In fact, one man tells TV6 News, he has information that some PTSD execs also own maxi taxis.
17:00And he's of the opinion that this is the reason why the east-west bus route is always unreliable.
17:08They have four and five maxis working on the bus route.
17:11So on a daily basis, every day, the pressure is that meant Arima hub.
17:19The Public Transport Service Corporation has indicated that the delays at the Port of Spain harbor
17:25due to industrial action, which include employees refusing to operate assigned services,
17:31the shutting down of certain areas, and the go-slow actions on the part of workers.
17:37Sport is up next. Keep it here.
17:46In sport, sprinter Jareem Richards will be aiming to recapture his title in the 400 meters
17:51when he competes in the World Indoor Championships on Friday in Poland.
17:56Richards is part of a four-member team, which also features Tyra Gittins,
18:01Leo Bertrand, and Nathan Kamerbach.
18:03They're all scheduled to depart for Poland on Monday.
18:07Sprinter Jareem Richards is on the indoor track again.
18:11This time around, he would be going into the meet with an added sense of confidence
18:14after taking down the Olympic champion, Noah Lyles, over the 300-meter distance.
18:19He's also been the 2022 World Indoor Champion in 45 seconds flat.
18:24Heat 1 of the event takes place on Friday, March 20th.
18:28It's going to be a new stage for Leah Bertrand.
18:30She's building her speed over the 60-meter distance.
18:33In January, she clocked a time of 7.32 seconds to finish third
18:37at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold event.
18:41Julianne Alfred has the world-leading time of 6.99 seconds.
18:45Bertrand will be opening her account on Saturday, March 21st.
18:49Then there's the ever-fateful long jumper Tyra Gittins.
18:52She qualified for the World Indoor Competition with a jump of 6.83 meters.
18:57It's the sixth furthest distance for the year.
19:00The furthest is a leap of 6.97 meters by Agathe D'Souza.
19:04Gittins enters the pit on Sunday, March 22nd.
19:08And for the first time, Nathan Kamerbach will compete in the 800 meters
19:12after breaking through the senior ranks.
19:14He attained the standard at the Perth Track Classic, where he came fifth
19:18in a personal best time of 1 minute 45.64 seconds.
19:23He will enter the heats on Friday, March 20th.
19:26J.U. Gordon is the team's manager.
19:29Sergio Dufour, TV6 Sport.
19:31And that's a wrap on the past seven days on 6.
19:34I am Renessa Cutting.
19:36If you didn't catch this segment in its entirety,
19:39you can find it on our website, www.tv6tnt.com.
19:44And you can find all these stories and more on the TV6 mobile app.
19:49Thanks for choosing TV6, and do have a great evening.
20:21We'll see you next time.
20:24Good evening and welcome to the past seven days on 6.
20:28I am Renessa Cutting.
20:30Here's what made the news this past week.
20:33Prime Minister Kamala Pesad-Besasa returned from the United States
20:37and gave an update to the national community on her trip.
20:40The Homeland Security Minister confirmed a bomb threat on a cargo plane
20:44en route from Trinidad to Miami.
20:47And the Minister of Defense made a startling revelation.
20:51As per usual, if it was happening, it was on 6.
20:55Let's get right into it.
20:56New information emerged surrounding the 2014 murder of senior state prosecutor
21:03Dina Sital last week, when Minister of Defense Wayne Sturge said,
21:07Sital was aware that there was a plan by criminal elements against her life.
21:12And so too were the authorities.
21:14There's more.
21:16On a motion brought to the lower house on Friday for the government to justify the latest state of emergency
21:21and its proposed three-month extension,
21:24Defence Minister Wayne Sturge argued that the measure is critical to preventing violent crime.
21:29Minister Sturge said the preventative detention orders did just that,
21:33by ensuring that those detained at Tetran Barracks and Stobles Bay
21:37were unable to communicate with criminal counterparts to plan murders and other illegal activities.
22:08But on the flip side, he stated that the interception of phone calls would not have been possible,
22:13during that period, as phone calls of that nature would not have been made by or to the detainees.
22:19However, the debate took another turn when Sturge revealed new information
22:23in the murder of state prosecutor Dina Sital.
22:25What do you prefer?
22:27You prefer leave them so you can listen to them, let them kill who they are to kill,
22:33just like they killed Mr. Hector, the prosecutor.
22:37And you know, the thing is, Dina Sital also knew she was going to get killed.
22:43She knew.
22:44Yes, she did.
22:46She chose not to have security around her, and she went on.
22:53And there was, well, if you are in the case, you would hear about the intercepts.
22:57There are intercepts.
22:58Sturge continued his contribution as he attempted to lay the blame on the opposition People's National Movement.
23:04So, the police is there, listening, knowing that a high-profile prosecutor is going to be killed,
23:14and instead of doing what we did, you know what they did?
23:19They listened, and they listened, and they listened, and now she is not here.
23:35However, MP for Port of Spain, North St. Anne's West, George Young, said
23:40if ministers had access to intercepted calls, then an illegal and criminal act occurred.
23:46As only the director of the Strategic Services Agency,
23:50the Commissioner of Police and the Chief of Defense Staff can order such,
23:54and would have detailed information in that regard.
23:57He further stated that ministers would receive the reports from those intercepts in codes.
24:02But Young also reminded Sturge of an apparently forgotten fact concerning Sita Howell's killing.
24:08And the member for Toko, Sandy Grandi, said that it was picked up on intercept,
24:15the fate that would befall her.
24:18And he said it with much confidence.
24:22I want to remind the public, that happened under a UNC government.
24:33That happened in 2014.
24:38Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
24:40But then-Police Commissioner Gary Griffith denied knowledge of any plan to assassinate the senior state prosecutor.
24:49Former National Security Minister Gary Griffith has taken note of the statements made by Defense Minister Wayne Sturge.
24:56On Friday, Sturge placed on the handsad that Dana Sita Howell knew that she would be killed
25:02and that there was the interception of coals related to the hit on her life.
25:06But Griffith urges caution.
25:08We have to be very careful as to what we say because these matters are still under investigation.
25:13Persons have been charged for this offense.
25:15So we have to be very careful what is being said.
25:17Given that Sturge aimed his comment at the People's National Movement in Error,
25:22accusing them of not doing anything about it,
25:24TV6 News posed the question to Griffith as to whether he had that information
25:29as he was in government at the time.
25:31At no time during the period under the People's Partnership Administration
25:35when Dana Sita Howell was killed,
25:38that no such information came to the National Security Council
25:42that was brought to the attention of the Prime Minister,
25:45the Chair of the National Security Council,
25:47myself as the Minister of National Security or the National Security Council.
25:50And he is seeking to add further clarity pertaining to the alleged interception
25:55on Sita Howell's assassination.
25:57That at no time we received any information from law enforcement agencies
26:02that an intercept had taken place on criminal elements
26:05who had planned to assassinate Dana Sita Howell.
26:07And definitely at no time did we reject providing security for Dana Sita Howell at that time.
26:14He believes that a properly bargaining system could be used for breakthroughs
26:18in cases such as that of Sita Howell.
26:20You would have known that a number of persons were charged,
26:23but charging the small fish who would have been individuals
26:26who would have operated the trigger and committed the act,
26:29that is not good enough.
26:30What I wanted as the Minister of National Security
26:33was to go after the person who called the hit,
26:35and that is where plea bargaining would come in.
26:38That again is a decision that has to be made by the DPP
26:41and the police service, not the Minister of National Security.
26:44Griffiths says without a fully functional plea bargaining system,
26:47those heading these crimes will continue to walk free.
26:51Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
26:54We'll have more news when we return.
26:56Keep it here.
26:57Bye.
26:59Boucher, TV6 News.
26:59.
26:59Go, go, go.
27:00peace.
27:00Go, go.
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