(Trinidad Express) Minister of the People Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh explained yesterday that Trinidad and Tobago has been receiving deportees from the United States who had military training and the capacity to build bombs, posing a serious threat to national security if they team up with the local underworld.
Ramadharsingh addressed the media yesterday morning at his Independence Square, Port of Spain office, responding to San Juan/Laventille regional corporation chairman Nafeesa Mohammed, who earlier this week claimed the Minister did not know the difference between refugees and deportees.
In his contribution to the 2012-2013 budget debate this week, Ramadharsingh said there was an influx of persons coming into this country from other parts of the world where there is civil unrest.
“Do we know that we have deportees coming in here at four o’ clock in the morning…on cargo planes sometimes. Do you know that these people are coming back from Baghdad (in Iraq) and parts of the world where there are wars raging and have the capacity to build bombs and destroy life and limb?” he said.
Yesterday Ramadharsingh presented two deportees, Len Melville and Clyde Williams, both of whom served in the United States Army.
According to Melville: “I served in the Vietnam War for two years and I could build bombs and take them apart and what happened was that I did a crime in 1979 and through a little domestic violence issue they deport me.”
Williams said his training was in the use of the M-16 (assault rifle) and all sorts of military activity, adding: “…when they deport you, you are basically left to survive any which way you can with no direction.”
Ramadharsingh also mentioned that his Ministry is teaming up with Vision on Mission, headed by Wayne Chance, who was also present at the press conference.
The Minister said a new facility needed to be built for deportees and Cabinet had already approved $18 million to construct it.
