TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, December 28 - Port of Spain: Today, December 25, 2021 Minister of National Security, the Honourable Fitzgerald Hinds M.P. met with officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, who are attached to the Inter-Agency Task Force and the Guard and Emergency Branch to relay his best wishes for the Christmas season and for the upcoming new year.

The visit took place at the Headquarters of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF)/Guard and Emergency Branch (GEB), located at #17 Garden Road, Aranguez South, San Juan.

During his official address, Minister Hinds took the opportunity to thank the Officers on behalf of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley and the Ministry of National Security for their selfless dedication to duty, for their decorum and for their professionalism over the last year, as this country continues to contend with and manage the Covid pandemic.

Minister Hinds stated, “I was the Minister in the Ministry of National Security when the institution we call the IATF was born and you have come a long way over these years. I know what you do goes well beyond what you earn, whatever your rank and there is no way that this society can pay you for what you do, for yours is a calling that goes well beyond money, but it is a sacred duty that you have sworn to uphold. We the Government of Trinidad and Tobago continue to value the indispensable contribution made by the members of the Defence Force and the Police Service, to ensuring the security and safety of our country and of our citizens.”

Minister Hinds continued by saying, “I know how hard, especially the officers of the IATF go after the criminals. When many of us are asleep in our homes at night it is you the officers of law enforcement that are out there keeping us safe. No one can measure the preventative aspects of what you do and when I heard about your record today, as laid out by DCP Erla Christopher, your record on arrests, foot patrols, mobile patrols, seizures, searches and gun retrievals, I knew that your work was truly imperative and indispensable to this country.”

Minister Hinds went on to say “every time you put on that kit and you get into your vehicles and you go out on patrol, anything is possible. Your job requires a certain amount of courage, strength, commitment and fearlessness. But you cannot be afraid to do what is right, the job of the Police Service and the Defence Force is to protect us the people and to protect this country from those who intend and would want to harm us. It takes real courage to do what you do and I applaud each and every one of you.”

The Minister ended by urging those officers who have not taken the Covid vaccine to do so and he raised a toast to the men and women of the IATF and the GEB, wishing them a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Prosperous and Safe 2022.

During the ceremony, Minister Hinds also presented awards to members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for their outstanding achievements and dedication to the Task Force for the period January to December 2021 and he expressed his appreciation to all the members of the Defence and Protective Services for the work done in 2021.