A diplomatic clarification has emerged regarding the installation of a temporary US military radar system in Tobago, revealing tensions between national security protocols and regional governance transparency. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar confirmed that Tobago’s Chief Secretary Farley Augustine was deliberately excluded from prior notifications regarding the defense installation, citing his non-membership in the National Security Council.
The radar system, currently being established with approximately 100 fluctuating US personnel, represents a temporary solution to address critical gaps in Trinidad and Tobago’s surveillance capabilities. According to the Prime Minister’s statements to Newsday via WhatsApp on November 28, the existing radar infrastructure inherited by the current government operated sporadically and failed to provide comprehensive coverage of the nation’s territory. The Coast Guard reportedly lacked real-time data access, with the system additionally compromised by unspecified vulnerabilities.
This development follows Chief Secretary Augustine’s November 28 declaration of Tobago’s neutrality in ongoing US-Venezuela geopolitical tensions. The Office of the Chief Secretary disclosed that Augustine had demanded comprehensive details about the installation during a Wednesday night telephone conversation with the Prime Minister and intends to convene formal meetings with involved Cabinet ministers regarding the radar’s purpose and operational scope.
Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar defended the secrecy surrounding the deployment, explaining that public disclosure would have alertedly notified narcotraffickers and human smugglers about enhanced surveillance capabilities. The premature exposure by Guardian Media, she contended, eliminated the strategic advantage of covert implementation. The temporary system will remain operational until Trinidad and Tobago can procure and install a permanent, upgraded radar system independently. US personnel currently in Tobago include members of the Marine Expedition Unit conducting joint training exercises with the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force alongside technical specialists establishing access roads and installation infrastructure.