No quick fix for prisons

Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander acknowledged that improving conditions at police stations and detention facilities across Trinidad and Tobago will be a lengthy process requiring significant financial investment. He stressed that the current administration, led by the United National Congress, has only been in office for one year and inherited numerous long-standing problems.

“

I only have one year in office from the United National Congress. The previous administration had ten years.

Speaking to journalists, Alexander suggested that questions about the current state of police cells should also be directed at the previous administration, which he noted had governed for ten years. He explained that the deficiencies within the national security apparatus are not easily fixed, stating, "It doesn't take one month, two weeks, two days, two hours or two minutes to fix it. It takes finances and it takes time."

“

What we have met here, it doesn’t take one month, two weeks, two days, two hours or two minutes to fix it. It takes finances and it takes time.

Alexander admitted that the Ministry of Homeland Security currently lacks all the necessary financial resources to address every issue immediately. However, he assured that improvements would eventually be made. He used the example of the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service, which he said did not have trucks, to illustrate the scale of inherited challenges the government is working to resolve.

“

I do not have the finances yet. If you want me to offer time, I could. But rest assured, all of these situations would be fixed eventually.

The minister reiterated the government's commitment to enhancing infrastructure and operational capacity throughout the national security sector, despite existing financial constraints. He also mentioned that businessman Dominic Hadeed, his wife Genevieve, and their relative Star Sabga remain in custody under Preventive Detention Orders, as the state alleges intelligence links them to a conspiracy to assassinate government officials and destabilize the country. Their lawyer has filed an application for a writ of habeas corpus, citing unsanitary and distressing detention conditions.

“

Let me tell you, the Fire Service didn’t have trucks. What are we doing? We are trying to fix it.