65-Inch TV Found in Trinidad Prison Cell Sparks National Security Concerns

Trinidad: A 65-inch big television screen was discovered inside a prisoner’s cell in Trinidad and Tobago. The discovery was made in Building 13, the section which is reserved for the country’s most dangerous criminals.  

Defence Minister Wayne Sturge highlighted that the discovery reflects a deeper and disturbing reality of the life inside the prisons. Speaking at a press briefing, Sturge described the incident shocking as he questioned that how such a large item has entered the facility, which is under tight security.  

 “I don’t know how they dropped in a 65-inch TV,” Sturge said, referring to the common excuse of contraband entering prisons via drones. “Usually, when you confront the prisons about how things go in, they say it's drones. But this isn’t a phone or a small parcel, we’re talking about a full-sized television.” 

The defence minister didn’t shed light on the identity of the prisoner and the exact cell, but confirmed that he was in Building 13, an area which is known for housing high profile offenders. Sturge highlighted that such activities are a result of corruption or more specifically fear. He emphasized that several officers feel intimidated by inmates who show their influence both inside and outside the prison.  

“They are human beings, and they are subject to the same fears that we have,” he said. “More so, where they work is where the prisoners live. It’s not hard to find out where [officers] live. So, they are obviously fearful.” 

According to Sturge, the fear has now reached a level where the staff feels powerless to stop them and disrupt inmate operations. He also warned that some of the country’s most dangerous prisoners are now able to communicate freely with the outside links and carry out criminal activities across the island.  

“It is now at the stage where it's easy for communications to get out into the public domain,” he said. “They can carry out all sorts of nefarious activities, without fear of prosecution, without fear of punishment.” 

Trinidad and Tobago recently also announced a state of emergency to tackle the rising crime across the nation. This SOE was implemented after a threat was discovered in relation to gang related activities.  

The prison authorities discovered that inmates are carrying out plans to accelerate crime and high-profile murders across the nation to which this decision was taken.