Ministry's electronic monitoring unit gets more equipment

DEPUTY manager of the National Security Ministry's electronic unit, Lawrence Hinds, said additional equipment for the unit arrived in TT on Wednesday.

Hinds was contributing to a joint select committee meeting on national security on Wednesday.

Committee member Jayanti Lutchmedial asked for an update on how much equipment the unit has since it is now law that people can get bail for any offence.

Hinds said the department has been "forward thinking" to get more equipment to augment its existing pool.

"That equipment was cleared by customs earlier this morning and is in country, and was delivered to the office this afternoon, and we will be doing our audit in relation to putting it into the inventory, and that equipment will be put into service."

Lutchmedial then asked for the number of devices available, adding that in September 2022, a judge indicated that the electronic monitoring unit had limited capacity.

"The judiciary, I think, is also operating in terms of when they are looking at these considerations, what is the capacity of your unit. What is the capacity?"

Hinds said while a number can be given, "we have to deal with how it comes through the court."

While he did not say how many devices arrived on Wednesday, Hinds said between 2021 and 2023, the unit acquired 300.

But he said these come in the form of one-piece, two-piece and three-piece units.

He added, "We have augmented that 300 stock by an additional 50, so we now have 350 devices where we have now incorporated 50 additional home curfew units...

"We have now the capacity and the equipment to treat with that development moving forward."