Trinidad raises alarm over drone activity near US radar sites and major airports

The Trinidad and Tobago government on Wednesday criticised the use of drones to acquire photos of United States “military installations and equipment,” noting “with great concern” recent drone activity in close proximity to both Piarco International Airport in Trinidad and the ANR Robinson Airport in Tobago.

In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said it is responsible “for securing our borders, including the airspace and territorial waters,” and confirmed it had taken note of “recent drone activity” near the two airports.

The issue gained public attention earlier this week after the Trinidad Guardian published a photograph showing images of “several trucks and utility vehicles positioned within the restricted area, along with a small tent and another temporary structure located close to the equipment, suggesting use for operational or shelter purposes. A number of portable toilets were also observed at the site.”

However, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar dismissed suggestions that the image depicted a military base, saying the photo showed “support offices” for a United States military radar system on the island. While she did not explicitly describe the compound as a military base, Persad-Bissessar told the newspaper, “the picture is self-explanatory. There is a radar with the support offices to operate it.”

She later criticised both the newspaper and the main opposition People’s National Movement, accusing them of “appearing obsessed” with getting the “radar and the Americans out of the country,” and argued that the only people who would benefit from such an outcome would be drug traffickers.

In its statement, the Ministry of Defence said that “objective verification shows drones were flown within the five-kilometer no fly zone of our airports, contrary to claims made that the drones operated outside five kilometers from our airports.” The ministry warned of “reckless endangerment” by drone operators, citing “the obvious and inherent danger posed to both incoming and outgoing commercial aircraft,” with the real possibility of collisions that could “lead to loss of life on a massive scale.”

Beyond aviation safety, the ministry said the effort to obtain and disseminate footage of military installations and equipment was “inimical to national security interests and exposes the citizenry to those who would benefit from the use of such information to our detriment.”

Last month, Persad-Bissessar defended her decision to withhold details about the installation of United States radar systems in Tobago, even as she criticised the previous administration for leaving Trinidad and Tobago’s borders “exposed.” She also dismissed claims that the US presence in Tobago was military in nature.

“They are helping us with something to do at the (Arthur NR Robinson International) airport,” she said, pointing to work connected to a roadway near the airport. “It is not a military force as such. We are not about to launch any campaign against Venezuela.”

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Persad-Bissessar has also denied being part of United States efforts to effect regime change in Venezuela, where Washington has accused President Nicolás Maduro of being a narco trafficker — a term the prime minister is now using to refer to the administration in Caracas.