[UPDATED] Hinds: Guns, ammunition galore under Griffith

NATIONAL Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds has claimed large amounts of firearms and ammunition entered Trinidad and Tobago during Gary Griffith's tenure as commissioner of police (CoP) from August 18, 2018-August 17, 2021.

Hinds made these claims at a PNM public meeting in San Juan on the night of January 18.

"While he (Griffith) was CoP, for three short dirty years, he granted close to 8,000 firearm licences," Hinds said. "That meant plenty, plenty guns of all descriptions. That meant more guns and more licences than all the other police commissioners add up together since independence."

He then referred to an affidavit filed by CoP Erla Harewood-Christopher in a matter against a firearms dealer Towfeek Ali.

Hinds said the case involved Ali challenging Harewood-Christopher's decision not to approve the importation of a certain amount of ammunition.

He told PNM supporters there are strict policies on granting firearms user's licences (FUL) and importing ammunition.

In the case of FULs, Hinds said, these are granted once the applicant can legitimately prove there is a genuine risk and need for a legally issued firearm for protection.

He added that FULs are not given out "like hot bread."

Hinds told his audience that when Government seeks to ensure that FULs are being legally approved, it is accused of attacking legal firearm owners and dealers.

In Harewood-Christopher's affidavit, he continued, she expressed concern about allegations over the award of FULs before she became CoP.

Hinds said there was a concern that people with criminal convictions and deportees had received FULs.

He identified another concern of Harewood-Christopher and the police over "civilians being licensed to have several high-powered rifles in their possession."

A third concern of the CoP, Hinds continued, was the large amount of ammunition in Trindad and Tobago and its potential to fuel gun violence with legal and illegal firearms.

He then quoted statistics from the affidavit about guns and ammunition imported from 2016-2020.

Hinds said the ammunition imported during Griffith's tenure was 5.56 mm military-grade ammunition and 7.62 mm ammunition, "which the UN banned from use in civilian communities."

Hinds said the police and the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force no longer use this kind of ammunition, but those bullets are a regular feature at crime scenes now and have deadly capabilities.

"That busting through ten people and killing the 11th."

He added that from 2018-2020, the number of local firearms dealers rose from nine to 34.

Hinds said the Government had implemented a state of emergency (SoE) as a strategy to reduce the spread of covid19 by restricting the movement of people.

As a government minister, Hinds said he got a pass to allow him to move around in public while covid19 regulations and the SoE were in effect.

He claimed that during the pandemic some 22,000 covid19 vehicle passes were issued while Griffith was CoP and alleged, "These passes were being sold in south (Trinidad) for $5,000 each."

He said when he investigated he discovered some passes had been given to people who were not authorised to have them. Hinds claimed a person who received one of those passes is now involved in an ongoing legal matter with an opposition MP.

On border security, Hinds said the UNC-led People's Partnership coalition government had left 12 Coast Guard vessels in disrepair.

He added that an agreement was reached recently with the vessels' manufacturer, Dutch shipbuilder Damen, and they will soon be back in service.

Guns imported

2016 1,620

2017 1,666

2018 5,422

2019 2,720

2020 64,553

Ammunition imported

2016 6.1 million

2017 4.7 million

2018 2.6 million

2019 8.3 million

2020 57.2 million

2021 18.8 million

This story was originally published with the title Hinds: Covid passes sold for $5,000 during pandemic and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

NATIONAL Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds has claimed questionable practices took place during the covid19 pandemic while Gary Griffith was police commissioner.

He made the claim at a PNM public meeting in San Juan on January 18.

Hinds said the Government had implemented a state of emergency (SoE)  as a strategy to reduce the spread of covid19 by restricting the movement of people.

As a government minister, Hinds said he got a pass to allow him to move around in public while covid19 regulations and the SoE were in effect.

He claimed that during the pandemic some 22,000 covid19 vehicle passes were issued while Griffith was CoP.

Hinds said, "These passes were being sold in south (Trinidad) for $5,000 each."

He said when he investigated he discovered that some passes had been given to people who were not authorised to receive them. Hinds claimed a person who received one of those passes is now involved in an ongoing legal matter with an opposition parliamentarian.

He reiterated concerns about close to 8,000 firearm user's licences (FULs) being approved during Griffith's tenure as commissioner.

"That means more guns and licences (approved by Griffith) than (by) all the other CoPs."

Hinds also said during Griffith's tenure, there were cases of civilians being licensed to have high-powered firearms.

"It included people with convictions and deportees."

On border security, Hinds said 12 Coast Guard vessels were left in disrepair by the UNC-led People's Partnership coalition government.

He added that an agreement was reached recently with the vessels' manufacturer, Dutch shipbuilder Damen, and they will soon be back in service.