Travel alert: POS

Old Aug 22, 2011, 1:02 pm
  #1  
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Travel alert: POS

Fellow Fters,

In the event that anyone is scheduled to fly into or out of POS (Piarco International Airport, Trinidad & Tobago), be aware that our Prime Minster has declared a limited state of emergency starting at 9pm on August 22.

Please see the excerpt below.

Please go to http://www.power102fm.com/press/ for details on the current limited state of emergency and be guided accordingly.

Limited State of Emergency At a Glance

Soldiers will exercise powers enjoyed by police during the period of the Limited State of Emergency:
- Search and seizure powers enhanced because you dont need a search warrant
- Powers of arrest and detention are included; they will be able to arrest but will hand over detainees to police.

Police can arrest and detain for up to 24 hours after which a magistrate, or assistant superintendent (or higher), will be able to add an extra 7 days
- No bail for those arrested during the State of Emergency; courts no longer will have the power to grant bail.

You must comply with all requests by police to stop for search and seizure protocols
- A special 3-person tribunal will be set up by Chief Justice to oversee and adjudicate all possible cases of abuse of power
- Religious services, educational services, entertainments, etc. are exempt from requesting advanced permission from the Police Commissioner

NB: The entire country Trinidad & Tobago is under a State of Emergency. The curfew of 9pm to 5am is subjected only to the Hot Spot areas.

Designated Hot Spots that will see curfew from 9pm

9pm to 5amThe City of Port of Spain -

St. James East
St. James West
Woodbrook
Northern Port of Spain
Belmont East
Belmont North & West
Southern Port of Spain
East Dry River
St. Anns River South
St. Anns River Central
St. Anns River North
Belmont South

The City of San Fernando

Cocoyea/Tarouba
Les Efforts East/Cipero
Les Efforts West/La Romain
Marabella East
Marabella South/Vistabella
Marabella West
Mon Repos/Navet
Pleasantville
Spring Vale/Paradise

The Borough of Arima

Calvary
Arima North East
Arima West
Arima Central
Malabar
Tumpuna
OMeara

The Borough of Chaguanas

Charlieville
Edinburgh/Longdonville
Enterprise North
Enterprise South
Cunupia
Montrose
Felicity/Endevour
Munroe Road/Caroni Savannah

The San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation

Maracus Bay/Santa Cruz/La Fillette
Febeau/Bourg Mulatresse
Morvant/Upper Malick
San Juan West/Caledonia
St. Anns/Cascade/Mon Repos West
St. Barbs Chinapoo
Beetham/Picton
Success/Trou Macaque
Aranguez/Warner Village
Barataria
Petit Bourg/Champ Fleurs/Mt. Lambert
San Juan East

The Diego Martin Regional Corporation -

Chaguaramas/Glencoe
Goodwood/La Puerta
Covinge/Richplain
Diamond Vale
Morne Coco/Alyce Glen
Petit Valley/Cocorite
St. Lucien/cameron Hill
Belle Vue/Bossiere #1
Moka/Bossiere #2
There are unconfirmed reports from the Ministry of National Security that persons arriving on flights at the airport during the curfew times can obtain a permit next to the Domestic terminal to enable their passage home or to their hotel. I will try to verify this as soon as I can.
Triniflyguy is offline  
Old Aug 22, 2011, 1:07 pm
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Excuse my ignorance, but may I ask why the state of emergency?
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Old Aug 22, 2011, 1:21 pm
  #3  
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Originally Posted by yyzzrh
Excuse my ignorance, but may I ask why the state of emergency?
It's part of the government's fight against crime. There's been an unacceptable upsurge in the past few days which is rumored to have triggered this response. It's indeed a sad state.

Here's a copy of the press release from the Prime Minister


Good evening members of the media.

The entire nation has been rocked with the recent tragic news of the spate of murders
over the past few days. The situation has reached proportions which the government
must respond to in the most definitive manner possible.

I am advised that one of the causations for the spike in murders is ironically linked
to the success by the police in the discovery of large drug hauls with values in excess of
twenty million dollars in just one raid. These large sums of money simply do not disappear from the drug trade without consequences and in some of the cases now occurring, this is the result .

The question though isn't just what is causing it but how do we deal with it?
As you know, we have deployed more financial and human resources than any government in recent time in dealing with the scourge of crime and until this recent upsurge the nation had been encouraged by the decline shown by year to years statistics. But a problem of this nature that has been the result of years of neglect will not disappear overnight and we reassess day by day each strategy deployed and how effective it is in achieving short term and long term objectives in reducing crime.
But the current crime spree dictates that more must be done and stronger action has to be employed now.

The situation cannot continue like this without a response commensurate with the wanton acts of violence and lawlessness; it must be a response as well that will halt the current spike in gang activity and crime in general in the shortest possible time.
After much deliberation with the National Security Council and members of the Cabinet
it has been agreed that the government consider the imposition of a limited state of emergency in hot spots across the country. Such a consideration must of course have the agreement of the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, His Excellency, George Maxwell Richards and I will be meeting with him to discuss this matter.
The limited state of emergency will allow us to achieve a number of things in relation to
crime reduction which would not be prudent for me to disclose in advance of the action
taken. We are aware that such a decision will have an impact on the daily lives of innocent, law abiding citizens in these areas but I feel confident that they will recognise and appreciate the need to protect them and bring the current crime surge affecting them under control.

We have the will to tackle the crime problem in Trinidad and Tobago and the commitment
to place every resource at our disposal towards waging and winning this war on crime.
We will succeed. The nation will not be held to ransom by marauding groups of thugs bent
on creating havoc on our society. The limited state of emergency in hot spots across Trinidad and Tobago is merely part of a larger aggressive reaction response by the government.

As these measures are being deployed using both out police and military we ask all citizens to bear with the inconveniences that may arise from time to time. This is in everyone's interest.

In fact, I intend to hold discussions with the Leader of the Opposition to seek his party's support with certain legislative matters in Parliament. Trinidad and Tobago comes first. Nothing is more important than the right of each citizen to be protected and to enjoy a life of peace and tranquility.
Triniflyguy is offline  
Old Sep 27, 2011, 11:52 am
  #4  
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Curfew still in progress

FYI,

This curfew is still in progress. The current curfew hours are 11pm to 4 am and is expected to last until the end of November.

A police post is at the airport, next to the Tobago (domestic) terminal entry, and they will grant all traveling passengers a one day curfew pass if you need to het to your destination within these hours.
Triniflyguy is offline  
Old Sep 28, 2011, 8:17 am
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How is the traffic situation from Piarco into Port of Spain? Worse than usual?
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Old Sep 28, 2011, 11:26 am
  #6  
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Originally Posted by Seat13F_AC_CRJ
How is the traffic situation from Piarco into Port of Spain? Worse than usual?
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At what time of day?
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Old Sep 28, 2011, 12:22 pm
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Originally Posted by Triniflyguy
At what time of day?
Between 7 and 8am. A business colleague is arriving tomorrow on a flight from Suriname and needs to head into the city.
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Old Sep 28, 2011, 5:21 pm
  #8  
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Originally Posted by Seat13F_AC_CRJ
Between 7 and 8am. A business colleague is arriving tomorrow on a flight from Suriname and needs to head into the city.
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If leaving Piarco at 7am to head into Port of Spain, it will take your colleague about one and a half to two hours. Too long IMO
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Old Sep 28, 2011, 5:41 pm
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I will advise him to use the head in the terminal building before getting in the taxi. Thanks.
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