Tancoo – Imbert’s Scanner Mamaguay

A media release dated November 5, 2024 from the Ministry of Finance with caption, “Modern mobile scanners arrive in Trinidad to be deployed in border security efforts of the Customs & Excise Division” is nothing but “pure mamaguay” according to Opposition Finance spokesman Dave Tancoo.

MP Tancoo responded to the claim by the Government that the four X-Ray scanners purchased from Canadian-based company Sectus Technologies at a cost of over TT$80 million (US$12 million), stating that while perhaps the scanners were required to replace obsolete units, this measure will have little impact against the illicit trade in weapons and human trafficking that is taking place in T&T.

Tancoo says “This is just pure mamaguay. Dr Rowley told the Parliament in December 2022 that “Procurement of new scanners was initiated recently and tenders for new, mobile scanners are expected to be received by February 13th 2023″. That obviously never happened. In the interim, the country’s borders were abandoned by the Government, left open to facilitate the free conduct of criminal activity. This clearly shows the Government’s lack of commitment to protect our precincts and our citizens. Imagine the Coast Guard is not in a position to guard our coast because they don’t have working vessels to patrol our waters.”

The Opposition MP rubbished the Government’s claim that these scanners will have an impact on crime, stating that, “Illegal drugs, guns, human trafficking are all being facilitated by the policy of this Government. Nobody believes that a drug dealer, gun runner or human trafficker will choose to come through the airport or the docks with their illegal cargo and face scanners as well as Customs officials when they know this clueless Government has left the coastal perimeter wide open and unmonitored.”

The comprehensive failure of this PNM administration over the last decade to implement and equip border protection has obviously led to a massive influx of illegal guns and drugs, fuelling the war against citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.

Tancoo said “What is required is a comprehensive plan to protect this country’s borders including fully functional scanners at the nation’s ports, fully equipped, working patrol vessels, adequate and resourced manpower and operational radar systems. After almost a decade of broken promises, and a laissez-faire approach to protecting our citizens, this PNM government’s last-minute pronouncements on the eve of a general election will be seen by citizens for what it is – pure political mamaguy. And our citizens are much too smart to fall for such cheap politricks.