Inter-Island Transport CEO: No evidence of guns on ferry

IN response to claims that guns and ammunition are being smuggled into Tobago through legal points of entry, acting CEO of the Inter-Island Transportation Co Ltd Vilma Lewis-Cockburn expressed concern, but said there has been no evidence of guns slipping through its checks and balances at the ports.

“We have pedestrian scanners, where we check people who go onto the vessels. We also do checks where we check bags and luggage,” she said.

She said while the company does not have a scanner for vehicles, they have police officers and officers of the immigration division. She added that police officers also forward information to them on persons of interest that can be identified when going through security checks.

She still raised concern with the level of crime and the proliferation of guns in Tobago, but, she said the inflow of weapons may not necessarily be coming into the country through the ports but through other means.

On September 22, chairman of the Tobago Business Chamber Martin George expressed concern over the security measures at the ports and points of entry to Tobago.

“We are scanning walk-on passengers and doing nothing in relation to someone who can drive on with a van-load of illegal guns,” he said.

Economist Winston Dookeran said the inflow of illicit weapons through points of entry has been an issue for some time, noting that scanning at the ports is necessary to ensure that weapons do not come into the island under the guise of normal goods.

He said Tobago’s rising murder rate – 24 at press time on September 23 – will have a negative effect on tourism.

“It is a risk that we ought to take steps to prevent,” he said. “Crime is out of control and it is occurring at random.”

He added that travel advisories also has a negative effect on tourism on both islands, but the increasing levels of crime would only serve to add greater credibility to the warnings issued in the advisory.

“Whether the warnings apply to Trinidad or Tobago is really a moot point because it applies to both. The travel advisories are put out to protect citizens of those countries. These warn them about crimes and not to open themselves to crime incidents.”

The murder toll reached 24 on September 22 after two murders occurred on the sister isle between September 20 and September 22.

On September 20 27-year-old Brandon Edwards was killed outside his house in Argyle, Tobago. Reports said at about 10.03 pm Argyle residents heard gunshots and when they checked the found him lying face down in pool of blood.

Nicholas Mitchell was killed early on the morning of September 22.

Police said his mother was at their home on Windward Road, Argyle, Tobago, when at about 2 am she heard gunshots. She checked and found Mitchell dead on the floor in one of the rooms.