OROPOUCHE East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal, on Sunday, said the Barbados government had questions to answer about findings made by a High Court judge about a TT citizen being “abducted” from Barbados by police to face criminal charges.

Moonilal made the statement at an inter-faith service to mark the opening of the UNC’s new party headquarters at Mulchan Sieuchan Road, Chaguanas. The event also celebrated the 34th anniversary of the founding of the party.

In a statement on Saturday, Police Complaints Authority (PCA) Director David West said the PCA had launched an investigation into comments made by Justice Devindra Rampersad in his judgment last Tuesday, when he stayed criminal charges against firearms dealer Brent Thomas after making scathing findings against police officers about the way Thomas was brought back to TT from Barbados.

Thomas was first arrested on September 29, 2022, and later released. He was re-arrested in Barbados, from where he said he intended to travel to Miami to meet his cardiologist, and said he was forcibly returned to Trinidad on a TT Defence Force (TTDF) plane.

He was later charged with possession of a series of weapons, including grenades and rifles.

The matter was raised on Friday by Moonilal during the debate on an opposition motion of no confidence against National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds.

He said, “From the judgment, it is said that the Defence Force assisted the TT Police Service to fly to Barbados and to illegally abduct a citizen of TT and bring him back to TT, to face charges and so forth.”

Moonilal called on Hinds to indicate whether he approved the TTDF’s participation in the matter

In response to Moonilal during the debate, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young said the TTDF was not involved in that matter.

Young disclosed for the first time that the plane which brought Thomas back to Piarco was assigned to the Regional Security Services, based in Barbados.

“The fact is that did not happen and it was an RSS plane – the Regional Security Services (RSS) out of Barbados.”

Young did not comment further on the matter, indicating that the court would deal with it at an appropriate level.

The RSS was established in 1982 for Caricom to have a collective response to security threats facing the region.

The Caricom member states forming the RSS are Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent & the Grenadines.

The RSS has an air wing with two C26A aircraft which are used primarily for counter-drug operations.

On Sunday, Moonilal noted Young’s response to his statements in the House on Friday.

“TT is not even a member of RSS. It raises more important questions as to how did they commandeer an RSS plane?”

Moonilal asked, “Who gave the authority? Which department in TT? Which police officer, defence officer? Which minister in the Cabinet, authorised and participated in the international, illegal abduction of a citizen of TT?”

After saying the matter was bad if the TTDF is involved