New Vehicles for Praedial Larceny Squad
Praedial Larceny Squad (PLS): Equipped for Action
20th December, 2013: The Ministry of Food Production hosted a Handover Ceremony on Friday 20th December, 2013, at the Praedial Larceny Headquarters located at Farm Road, Curepe. The newly revived Praedial Larceny Squad (PLS) has received twelve (12) new vehicles to add to its current fleet of four. This Squad has been established in collaboration with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service as part of the Government’s aim of creating a food secure nation since it was noted by Senator the Honourable Devant Maharaj that praedial larceny results in a tremendous losses to the farming community. The PLS therefore aims to reduce incidences of praedial larceny through the following strategies:
• Regular foot and mobile patrols
• Responding to service calls
• Conducting Special Operations such as road Checks
• Surveillance
• Investigations
• Arrests and Prosecutions
• Implementation of Praedial Larceny Prevention Campaigns
One week prior to the Handover Ceremony; on Wednesday 11th December, 2013, the Ministry of Food Production also hosted a meeting with the Praedial Lacency Squad and famers from the Southern District. In attendance at this meeting was the Honorable Stacy Roopnarine, MP for Oropouche West and Minister of State in the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, who expressed her appreciation for the initiative which would alleviate the plight of many farmers from her cconstituency who suffered losses as a result of praedial larceny. The purpose of this meeting was to inform the farming community of the purposes and operations of the PLS and how they could work together toward the prevention of theft, as prosecutions will result in loss of time and money. Similar meetings will continue to take place with farmers of other districts throughout the country.
The Squad is currently deployed in four Districts which are:
1. Eastern District Office, Farm Road, Curepe, 703-0888
2. Northern District Office, VMCOTT Compound, Beetham Highway, Laventille, 703-0881
3. Central District Office, Carlsen Field, Chaguanas, 671-7147
4. Southern District Office, Farm Road, Breeding Unit Trace, Craignish Village, Princes Town, 743-3454