Govt to pay 3 of 4 security firms hired for covid19 patrols

National Security Minister Stuart Young said Government will pay three of the four security companies hired by the state to assist police, for the two days of patrol work they completed.

The fourth security firm said they will take no payment because of how the situation unfolded and because they felt it was a public service, Young said.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of National Security announced that four firms had been contracted the day before (Monday) to be the “eyes and ears” for police and to patrol communities in Trinidad and Tobago. The firms contracted were Allied Security, Amalgamated Security Services, Innovative Security Technologies and Protective Agencies Ltd.

There was significant public scrutiny over the announcement online in the hours following the announcement and on Wednesday, Young announced that the measure had been cancelled as he had processed general feedback which he said, pointed to the public feeling safe. He said, on Friday, there would be no penalty for cancellation of the contracts.