National Security Minister Gary Griffith says everything is in place for Carnival 2015. His announcement follows a detailed threat assessment by the National Ebola Prevention, Information and Response Team (NEPIRT), which is headed by Vice Chief of Defence Staff Brigadier Anthony Phillips-Spencer.
During a media briefing at the National Operations Centre, Port-of-Spain, yesterday, Griffith said, “I wish to inform the public that there is a full green light for Carnival 2015 as at this time, and based on the very good work we have seen by this committee.” He assured citizens that the Ebola situation had been “properly locked down at this time.” Griffith added: “All concerns have been dealt with and during the course from now until Carnival, all matters to ensure that T&T will be Ebola free will continue.”
Following Griffith’s statement, Phillips-Spencer confirmed that the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) risk for T&T continued to be low. He said the land-based early warning surveillance programme’s design was now complete, enabling its use at all major carnival events.
Phillips-Spencer said in addition to improving screening at all legal ports of entry, site readiness surveys had been done at both the airports and seaports. He added that officials were prepared to efficiently respond to any probable or confirmed case of EVD and effectively contain its spread. Referring to the public campaign blitz which was done between December 15 and 19, 2014, to educate citizens about the virus, Phillips-Spencer said NEPIRT was moving ahead with its preparedness measures.
He revealed that the Ministry of Health had recently acquired 20 hand-held thermal scanners and all port health workers were currently being trained, so that by January 12, “All persons entering T&T may, based on intelligence and information, be required to submit themselves to thermal scanning.”
Promising an increase in the public awareness campaigns over the coming weeks, Phillips-Spencer urged the public to utilise the hotline numbers of 511 in Trinidad, and 211 in Tobago, to report any information. Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Clive Tilluckdharry said the isolation ward at the Caura Hospital was prepared and work was being done daily to ensure that both the staff and physical facilities were ready.
NCC: Carnival route to be announced soon
Happy with Griffith’s announcement, chairman of the National Carnival Commission, Lorraine Pouchet, said the Queen’s Park Savannah was the hub of all carnival activities in Port-of-Spain, and as such, additional cameras had been installed to provide adequate security surveillance since it was a Venue Operating Centre (VOC).
Pouchet said although the official Carnival route had not yet been determined after meetings with bandleaders, constituents and burgesses it should be announced within one week.
Security checks
As Griffith sought to assure the public that all systems were in place for Carnival 2015, he spoke of the successful security measures during last year’s celebrations. “In 2014, most persons, if not all, had admitted that because of the good work, dedication and operational success that we have seen, that T&T’s Carnival was recognised as the safest Carnival in history,” Griffith said.
“We intend to emulate that feat in 2015 and even go beyond that,” Griffith said. He said the National Operations Centre (NOC) would co-ordinate a plan which would focus on all-inclusive fetes, band-launchings, private events and even block-o-ramas.
He urged fete promoters, band-leaders and coordinators to contact the NOC to discuss the event they wish to hosted, so security arrangements could be determined. Griffith said a threat assessment would then be made and a decision taken about the measures required to ensure the well-being of citizens attending an event.
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Persons can contact the NOC at 623-5202 or 624-5316. Dubbed “Operation ALERT—All Levels Extremely Responsible and Together,”—this year’s security arrangements will be handled by Deputy Police Commissioner Harold Phillip who has been assigned as the Gold Commander, with ACP Stephen Ramsubhag being assigned as the alternate.
Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams said the men had been selected on the basis of their involvement in last year’s security plan, and he was confident that they would raise this year’s arrangements to new heights. Williams said all police officers had been placed on the alert and that leave had been restricted, as had been done in previous years. “We expect to have adequate manpower available to effectively police Carnival 2015,” Williams said.
Following recent incidents involving officers which might have undermined public confidence, Williams reminded officers to act in a professional manner always when dealing with members of the public. Griffith echoed Williams’ confidence in the officers, as he boasted that 2014 had proven to be the year with the lowest number of serious crimes recorded in 31 years.
Declaring this a “fantastic achievement,” Griffith said the facts showed that there had been a 25 to 80 per cent decline in serious crimes in the last five years.