Ah cyar find the original OPV's thread, and ah not sure if this is posted some where else. With all the talk about the SOE ah didn't want this to pass by un noticed......
Search on for patrol vessels
Ministry of National Security places ad...
By Joel Julien
ALMOST one year after the People's Partnership Government cancelled a contract to purchase three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) from a British ship-building firm, the search is now on for "patrol vessels of proven design for the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (Coast Guard)".
The Committee for the Acquisition of Naval Vessels, chaired by retired commodore Anthony Franklin, has been established to secure the purchase of the patrol vessels sought by the Government.
"The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is interested in acquiring patrol vessels of proven design for the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (Coast Guard)," an advertisement placed in the Sunday Express stated yesterday.
"The patrol vessels are intended for operations in the territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone around Trinidad and Tobago and for the regional operations in the Southern Caribbean," the advertisement stated.
"These operations would include search and rescue, law enforcement and humanitarian operations based on Government's directives, agreements and treaties with neighbouring islands."
In April 2007, as part of a government-to-government arrangement, the then People's National Movement (PNM) administration signed a £150 million contract with VT Shipbuilding to build and commission three OPVs.
In October 2009, BAE Systems acquired full control of VT.
The vessels were part of a $5.1 billion expenditure approved by the former PNM government to acquire naval assets which would provide surveillance, protection capabilities, including drug interdiction, anti-smuggling operations and disaster relief functions within the region.
On September 17 last year, Minister of National Security John Sandy said Government served BAE Systems notice that the contract was being cancelled.
Government scrapped the contract for the three OPVs from BAE Systems because of a breach of contract, which included delays and defects in the construction of the vessels, Sandy told the House of Representatives last year.
"The desired vessels should be cost-effective, multi-mission platforms for use in the tropics, with long-range command and control capability and built to a recognised Classification Society standard," the National Security Ministry advertisement stated.
The "Request for Information" is also placed on the National Security Ministry's website.
Those interested are asked to submit their information no later than 4 p.m. on September 16.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Search_on_for_patrol_vessels-128570163.html