PORT OF SPAIN – National Security Minister Carl Alfonso this morning called on Acting Commissioner of Police Ann Marie Alleyne-Daly to call off the nationwide police road block exercises.
Alfonso said he had not known of the plan by police to embark on this “crime fighting” measure, and wanted to know who authorised it, the Trinidad Express is reporting.
The Police began inspecting the documents of drivers, leading to a national gridlock.
Alfonso said that by 11 a.m., the road blocks had been called off and that a meeting has been scheduled with Alleyne-Daly for 1:30 p.m. There is concern that the police officers will return to the streets this afternoon to resume the roadblock searches.
However, the impact was already being felt. Caribbean Airlines was forced to delays several domestic and international flights and waived date change penalties for affected passengers who were unable to make today’s departures.
Principals at several schools were also forced to reschedule end of term examinations as a result.
Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh told the Express: “The exams that are going on in schools right now are end of term exams and the principals are making rearrangements, the principals have been directed by the Chief Education Officer to make rearrangements for the continuation of the students’ exams.”
A ministry official said school supervisors were being asked to provide the relevant information with regards to pupil attendance today.
Many school children would have been caught in the traffic in Trinidad and Tobago. The official said the buses that transport school children were contracted Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) buses and should have been on time.
However, Transport Minister Stephen Cadiz told the Express, that those buses were also caught in the traffic. (SAT)
