By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE coast of Mayaro has not traditionally been an entry point for illegal immigrants into Trinidad and Tobago but is more known to be an entry point for illegal guns, ammunition and narcotics.
This according to Member of Parliament for Mayaro Rushton Paray who is suggesting that a permanent National Security patrol vessel be based at Pt Galeota to assist in border protection.
On Thursday, Paray told AZPNews.com, “Mayaro has not been a traditional point of entry for Venezuelan immigrants. The confirmed entries have been few and far. The Moruga end is where they come in – so Mayaro gets the tag…The Coast Guard has a base with manpower – but no boat to patrol using Galeota Point as a home base.”
His comments come following the fatal shooting of a Venezuelan baby boy by the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) on Saturday night. The boy was on a migrant boat that was intercepted just off Mayaro.
Paray said, “I think getting a permanent vessel attached to Galeota Point can make a difference to patrol our coastline on this side of the island. The East Coast is well known for the entry of drugs, arms and ammunition. Not migrants.”
The shooting incident of the child and his mother while attempting to cross borders has caught the attention of international news agencies and a call by the Venezuelan authorities including President Nicolas Maduro for a full investigation into the matter.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar have also been at loggerheads with Dr Rowley calling the incident an “accident” and Persad-Bissessar stating that he was not compassionate enough regarding the death of a young child and because of his failure to properly secure borders.
