Hinds: We know who was paid to protest on Monday

National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds says information was coming to him on what led to a series of fiery protests in and around Port of Spain earlier this week.

On Monday, residents in east Port of Spain, Beetham, and Sea Lots blocked streets with debris and set fire to blockades in protest of the police-involved killing of 21-year-old Fabien Richards, and 17-year-olds Isaiah Roberts and Leonardo Williams.

The protests led to traffic at different parts of the Priority Bus Route, the Eastern Main Road and the Beetham Highway.

Police arrested eight men after the incidents.

At the opening ceremony of the St Clair police station, Serpentine Road, on Friday, Hinds said the authorities were in receipt of what prompted to the unrest.

"I say publicly, fortuitously we now have a very, very clear picture of what happened in those events, who was paid which money and by whom and how much.

"We have a good picture of the who, the whys and the wheres, and the police service, as so advised, will continue to keep a good look on this and other such developments all in the interest of the safety and protection of the people of Trinidad and Tobago."

When asked by reporters, after the ceremony, for further details on what the information was, Hinds, who is the MP for Laventille West, said the information was brought to him by his constituents.

"I am very much on the ground, and there are people on the ground who would have shared with me some of their thoughts. And it is those considerations which caused me to get a better picture of what happened but, again, the police has that under investigation."

Hinds also said he saw some of the residents involved in the protest wearing tee-shirts of a political party.

"I did indicate, in a previous interview, that we observed that too and, therefore, we have no doubt that there might been – there would have been some political dimension to it. But as the Prime Minister said, the problems are so intricate and complex in that kind of uprising.