The Estate Police Association (EPA) of Trinidad and Tobago has issued a stark warning regarding the nation’s preparedness for potential spillover effects from escalating US-Venezuela tensions. EPA President Deryck Richardson emphasized that the country’s geographical proximity to Venezuela makes these geopolitical developments an immediate national security concern rather than a distant conflict.
In an official press release dated December 18, Richardson highlighted the vulnerability of Trinidad’s critical infrastructure, including airports, seaports, energy facilities, and electrical installations. These essential assets, described as the nation’s lifeblood, could become prime targets during periods of regional instability through direct attacks, indirect disruption, or criminal exploitation.
The association revealed that estate police officers, who serve as the first line of defense for these national assets, remain critically under-equipped despite their vital security role. Current operational constraints include outdated legislation, restrictive policies from the Commissioner of Police’s office, and inadequate weaponry provisions.
Richardson specifically cited the Firearms Act limitations that restrict officers to small-caliber semi-automatic weapons with approximately 25 rounds of ammunition—a provision that contrasts sharply with private citizens’ allowances of up to 50 rounds for similar firearms. This disparity becomes particularly concerning when considering that potential aggressors or invading forces would likely possess high-powered rifles and substantial ammunition.
The EPA is advocating for legislative amendments to permit security personnel guarding critical state infrastructure access to automatic weapons, currently classified as prohibited items. Richardson stressed that this access should be carefully regulated through assessments by the Commissioner of Police rather than granted universally.
The association has urgently called upon the government to address these security shortcomings as a matter of national priority, warning that the current mismatch between operational responsibilities and capabilities presents unacceptable risks to national security.