By NALINEE SEELAL Thursday, February 17 2011
Soldiers are to now guard Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her family at their private home in Phillipine, after two Guard and Emergency Branch (GEB) officers assigned to the private residence abandoned their posts early Monday morning.
The Prime Minister, her husband Gregory, son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren reside at the home and they were asleep when the two GEB officers left at about 4.30 am.
It is reported that the GEB officers slipped away because they “fell ill” and went to seek medical attention.
On Monday, hundreds of police officers came down with the mysterious “blue flu” and also did not report for work yesterday. Their sick-out is being linked to their demands for a 40-percent increase in salaries which the Prime Minister has said the Government cannot afford to pay.
Soldiers had to be assigned to assist Special Branch officers, also on security detail at the Prime Minister’s home, when the GEB officers left suddenly on Monday.
Government and Defence Force officials yesterday confirmed soldiers will remain on duty at the private residence to protect the Prime Minister and her family. Special Branch officers are to continue to provide security at the home as well.
However, GEB officers will no longer be assigned to any security detail at the home, Capt Gary Griffith, National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister told Newsday yesterday.
“My personal recommendation is that the Defence Force should remain there until further notice, because if the situation repeats itself, we will not be sure if the Prime Minister’s life will again be placed at risk, and as far as I am concerned, the security of the Prime Minister was breached because of the unacceptable behaviour of these law enforcement officers. I have given specific instructions that GEB officers not return to the Prime Minister’s house until this matter is resolved,” Griffith said.
When the two GEB officers left the Prime Minister’s private home, the two Special Branch officers who remained on duty contacted Griffith.
Griffith informed National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy of the actions of two GEB officers. Sandy, in turn, contacted Chief of Defence Staff Brigadier Roland Maunday, who immediately sent two soldiers from the Defence Force intelligence unit to the Prime Minister’s family home.
Newsday understands the Prime Minister has expressed confidence in the new security arrangements for her family home, which Griffith expects to remain in effect permanently.
Griffith criticised the two GEB officers for their actions.
“This is the first time in 20 years that a Prime Minister has been left defenceless. I consider this to be unacceptable, that any law enforcement officer would abandon their post, especially while securing a Prime Minister, because one of the fundamental rules of law enforcement officers is that they do not leave their posts unless properly relieved,” said Griffith.
In light of the “sick-out” by the GEB officers on Monday and Tuesday, soldiers have been assigned to the home of Attorney General Anand Ramlogan who also resides at SS Erin Road, Phillipine. They took up duties there on Tuesday.
Maunday yesterday confirmed soldiers have been assigned to the homes of the Prime Minister and Attorney General, and added, “Unless I am otherwise directed by the Minister of National Secuirty, my officers will remain at the two residences.”
The Defence Force currently provides security at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence and the Diplomatic Centre at La Fantasie, St Ann’s. The Defence Force also guards the residence of President George Maxwell Richards but his security detail was affected by the police sick-out as no police outriders reported for escort duty.
GEB officers are usually assigned to carry out guard duties at the homes of some of the country’s highest office holders. GEB head Snr Supt Brian Headley said he was unable to comment on the matter when contacted by Newsday. A senior GEB officer however claimed officers were sent to the Prime Minister’s home yesterday, but Griffith denied this late yesterday.
President of Police Social and Welfare Association Sgt Anand Ramesar yesterday defended the two GEB officers and said they left the Prime Minister’s home to seek medical attention.
“The information that I have does not accord with any reports that the officers who were attached to the Prime Minister’s residence had abandoned their posts. My understanding is that those officers fell ill and were removed by their superiors having regard to the lengthy hours they were on duty, it is not unreasonable to contemplate that they could have fallen ill,” said Ramesar.
He added the GEB officers had worked for more than six hours while on duty at the Prime Minister’s home.
“The issue is the inability of the managers who would have indicated to the public that they had contingencies to deal with the situation. If a police officer falls ill and is heavily armed, he is in a special position and requires immediate removal from duty and must be taken to seek medical attention,” said Ramesar.
It could not be confirmed if the two GEB officers sought medical attention at San Fernando General Hospital, or whether they have been granted sick leave.
Newsday understands while no action has been taken against the two GEB officers, Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs was expected to receive a preliminary report on the incident from the Special Branch before determining if to proceed with a full probe.
When Newsday visited the home of the Prime Minister yesterday, several workmen, some driving backhoes, were seen entering the compound. Late last year, the Prime Minister disclosed final works are taking place at her home which she and her husband have been building for several years.
There appeared to be security personnel dressed in plain clothes on the compound.
GEB officers usually wear a blue sweater with the markings “GEB” and a blue pants.
However, none of those officers were seen at the Prime Minister’s home yesterday.
In 2007, then prime minister Patrick Manning hired a private security firm which was set up under the Office of the Prime Minister to provide guard duties at the official residence at La Fantasie, St Ann’s.
Special Branch officers played a limited role in the security at the official residence and only provided escort duties for Manning on official engagements.
Sources revealed Manning was more comfortable with the private security officers, which consisted mainly of officers from Nigeria and Ghana.
His town house in Sumadh Gardens, San Fernando was protected by GEB officers, however Manning rarely spent time there while he was prime minister.