Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 17/Feb 04:30

Moonilal demands answers over missing regiment ammo

Oropouche East MP and shadow minister of National Security Dr. Roodal Moonilal wants answers on the disappearance of 25,000 rounds of ammunition from the Regiment (TTR), calling the situation a glaring example of national security mismanagement under Minister Fitzgerald Hinds. In a strongly-worded statement, Moonilal said he initially dismissed the story as fake until he read an official "special orders" memorandum from the commanding officer of the Regiment. He said this exposed the minister’s incompetence but also reflected poorly on the Prime Minister, who chairs the National Security Council. He said the “scandalous loss” of the ammunition was another example of the collapse of national security. He also said it was “outrageous” a trusted law enforcement agency could lose track of such a large quantity of ammunition, especially during a state of emergency. “This outrageous development adds to the illicit arms and ammunition that are trafficked into the country through unmanned ports of entry.” Moonilal expressed concern that criminals seem to have no trouble accessing ammunition, fueling the ongoing wave of violent crime. He is now calling for an emergency meeting of the joint select committee (JSC) on National Security to investigate the unaccounted-for ammunition. He insists the committee must act swiftly to ensure accountability and transparency, summon key witnesses and review CCTV footage and digital intelligence sources to uncover when the ammunition went missing and who had access to the storage facility. He also said the committee “must report to Parliament at the earliest possible time with specific recommendations.” “Failure to convene an emergency JSC on this matter means the government has given up on its duty to defend our republic. “There is no alternative but to then dissolve the parliament and call the general elections,“ Moonilal said. The post Moonilal demands answers over missing regiment ammo appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.