THE Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CCIC) is calling on National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds to provide answers concerning the discovery and handling of the 14 bodies at Belle Garden, Tobago.
The CCIC in a press release on Tuesday stated that CCIC was further alarmed that the Coast Guard indicated that there was no vessel to lend immediate assistance.
The CCIC stated, “According to reports, the boat was discovered and reported by fishermen, who alerted the coast guard and were informed at the time that no vessel was available. It is incredible that the Coast Guard requested that the fishermen retrieve the vessel filled with corpses and tow it ashore. CCIC is disappointed and shocked by how this situation was handled by the relevant authorities.”
The Chamber continued, “Having been alerted by fishermen that a foul stench was emitting from the boat, greater security together with health and safety protocols should have been immediately implemented. It was irresponsible to allow civilians to board the vessel and bring it to shore amidst this deadly pandemic, without proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).”
The CCIC questioned why was the Coast Guard not properly equipped to deal with the situation and in the middle of a pandemic there was also the question of whether there was the possibility of other variants and bacteria on board the vessel.
The CCIC is further pressing Hinds to inform the country of exactly how many vessels are currently functioning and being used by the Coast Guard to protect borders.
The CCIC stated, “The CCIC encourages Government to implement more stringent measures to protect our porous borders and also ensure that the relevant authorities, are properly outfitted with the necessary PPE and vessels to facilitate their duties efficiently for the safety of our citizens.”
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