National Security Minister Stuart Young has rejected the suggestions by the Express newspaper and the opposition that he misled the Parliament on issues concerning Damen Shipyard.
In Parliament last Friday, Young said engineers from Damen were reluctant to come to TT owing to concern about covid19. He promised then to meet with the Netherlands ambassador this week to discuss the situation. His statement on Damen was in reference to Coast Guard Damen vessels that were in need of repair.
But on Thursday, it was reported that engineers from Damen Shipyward have been in Trinidad since October.
Young has now accused the opposition and the media house of trying to mislead the public by suggesting he was misinformed on the facts surrounding the arrival of engineers to begin repairs on Coast Guard vessels.
The presence of the engineers was confirmed by the Nerherlands Ambassador.
In a media release, Young dismissed the report and insisted the serviceability of the vessels was affected by the pandemic. .
He said “The arrival of one engineer in October who was replaced by another in November is not, and was not, sufficient to carry out the necessary maintenance and works to the Damen vessels.
“Damen has not shipped the parts for the Coast Guard vessels that are necessary for their repair and maintenance. This too has negatively affected the serviceability of the vessels; and there are engineers who are required to perform specific works on the vessels who have not come to TT because of covid19.
“These are the irrefutable facts.”
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