EMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN REVIEW OF CRICKET SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT OF SPAIN 000445 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR, INL/LP BRIDGETOWN FOR NAS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2016 TAGS: PREL SNAR KCRM TD SUBJECT: EMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN REVIEW OF CRICKET SECURITY ASSISTANCE REF: PORT OF SPAIN 00171 Classified By: DCM, Eugene P. Sweeney for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Trinidad and Tobago is starting to seriously prepare for the 2007 Cricket World Cup (CWC). Although we would like to assist, post operates in a complex assistance environment. The government is wealthy enough to purchase technology, but needs to invest further in its human resources by providing adequate training. Additionally, T&T agencies can be jealous of their equipment and capabilities and rarely share information or resources with each other. Post has compiled a list of training and equipment provided since 2005 that can help with CWC security preparations. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) The 2007 Cricket World Cup (CWC) is just under one year away and security preparations in the region, and especially in Trinidad and Tobago, are just now gaining momentum. Post has compiled a list of security assistance that we have given to T&T so that we, and Washington, can make better-informed decisions as we receive requests for training and equipment to augment local security capacity for CWC. -------------- ASSISTANCE ENVIRONMENT -------------- ¶3. (C) Post's agencies work in a complex assistance environment. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago (GOTT) has enough oil and gas wealth to invest in big-ticket crime fighting and deterrence technology, and they proactively seek out technological assistance to fight crime. However, the GOTT is less proactive about identifying training or instituting personnel policies that would ensure that officers remain in place long enough to make the best use of the equipment. Possibly, this is because the GOTT is unaware of areas that would benefit from additional training or is unsure of how to best develop a dedicated cadre of professional law enforcement officers. In light of this situation, we generally look at sustainable training programs or augmenting equipment purchases as the best use of our extremely limited funds. ¶4. (C) The Customs and Excise Division (within the Ministry of Finance) apparently poses a particular difficulty. The new Comptroller of Customs seems to be holding the GOTT-funded US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Advisory Team at arm's length as he develops his "Business Plan" for the division. The Customs and Excise Comptroller has not assigned officers to staff a Criminal Investigation Unit, proposed by CBP, which would serve to investigate the Customs and Excise division to root out corruption. Also, when the CBP team has proposed strategic plans or training initiatives to the Comptroller or the Minister of Finance, the GOTT reacts positively, but fails to assign sufficient resources to see the project through. Largely, Customs and Excise points to staffing problems, or to a lack of adequately trained personnel, but this seems a thin excuse when the proposed training plans and strategic planning initiatives would rectify this problem in the long run. ¶5. (C) As Customs and Excise has partial responsibility for patrolling T&T waters and for compiling information on travelers as they arrive at the airport or seaport, they are a key agency within the GOTT for security efforts. Further, the different divisions within the Ministry of National Security rarely speak to each other or share information. This unfortunate lack of cooperation means that agencies often make the same request to multiple agencies, meaning we must exercise care to avoid duplicating assistance given by others, or we might receive similar requests for equipment (for example, internet communications equipment) from different divisions within the same ministry. -------------- EXISTING CWC-RELATED ASSISTANCE -------------- ¶6. (C) Since 2005, the USG has provided the following CWC-relevant security assistance to the GOTT (See also Post's End Use Monitoring report (reftel) for a comprehensive listing of all INL-funded equipment provided to the GOTT.): - May 2005: Anti-Kidnapping Training - July 2005: Regional Contraband Training - September 2005: Crisis Negotiation Course, offered to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad - March 2006: VIP Major Event Security Management Training - March-April 2006: Annual Tradewinds joint military exercise - April 2006: Caribbean Regional Intelligence Conference for members of national defense forces - 2005-2006: Canine training academy, so far has trained 12 canines in bomb and narcotics detection and crowd management, one certified instructor and two assistant instructors - ORA-donated regional counterterrorism information sharing computer network and training - ORA counterterrorism training provided to many CWC participant countries in the region ¶7. (SBU) Important security assistance donated prior to 2005 that will have an impact on CWC includes the following: - Computers and "Train the trainer" training for officers from both Customs and Immigrations to establish a Passenger Analytic Unit (PAU) at Piarco Airport. The PAU allows GOTT officials to search information related to incoming passengers to identify targets of interest. - Two go-fast (1,000 horsepower) interceptor boats donated to the Coast Guard - Three shallow-draft boats donated to Customs and Excise -------------- CWC PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE -------------- ¶8. (C) We are in the planning stages, or close to implementing, the following trainings and projects. - Replacing or refurbishing shallow draft boats for the Maritime Interdiction Unit of the TT Customs and Excise Division - Refresher training for Passenger Analytic Unit (PAU) (Customs and Immigration officers) at Piarco Airport - Expanding the Passenger Analytic Unit at Piarco Airport to track passenger flight patterns, obtain advance electronic passenger manifests and possibly identify terrorist threats - Visa fraud detection training - Training for four more law enforcement dogs, specifically for Tobago ¶9. (SBU) Post is also aware of the WHA-funded IOM border security system project. However, IOM is in the initial phases of crafting the scope of the project. It might come online just prior to CWC, but we should not rely on it to solve all of T&T's border security issues. -------------- ASSISTANCE REQUESTS TO BOLSTER CWC SECURITY -------------- ¶10. (C) The GOTT has asked post for assistance in the following areas. Most of them are specifically related to CWC, and some look more broadly at raising the competency of GOTT law enforcement. - The Ministry of National Security pitched an Intelligence Conference to be held in London for all CWC stakeholders and interested parties. The goal is to establish intelligence sharing protocols (as opposed to "information sharing") among the participants in advance of CWC. They estimate the conference will cost $100,000. The GOTT offered to fund half the cost and asked the UK, Canadian, Australian and US Embassies to consider funding the remainder, possibly with one embassy as a co-sponsor. (NOTE: Post has identified $20,000 for this conference. END NOTE.) - Infrastructure protection/terrorist detection training, specifically for the liquefied natural gas transportation infrastructure - Event security training provided by the FBI or BATF, and possibly personnel to augment the police and other law enforcement agencies during the event. -------------- IDENTIFIED NEEDS -------------- ¶11. (SBU) One area that Post has already identified for additional assistance proposals is to automate data collection at ports of entry. Currently, immigration officers rely on handwritten declarations and a rudimentary computer system that is not linked to advance passenger manifests. They also lack passport readers for machine-readable passports, although the GOTT is soon to sign a contract to procure this system. We will notify the Department as further critical needs are identified. AUSTIN