Gary Griffith says the traffic congestion that plagued the “Stink n Dutty” fete was due to poor leadership, planning, and operational management on the part of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS).
After the fete ended, thousands of people were snarled in gridlock, with some patrons using boats to get home.
The former Police Commissioner did not blame event organizers or police officers but took aim at TTPS executive management.
“The people of Trinidad and Tobago deserve competent leadership from the TTPS. Leadership that plans ahead, leads from the front, and takes responsibility when systems fail,” Griffith wrote in a Facebook post.
Analyzing the incident, Griffith said many police officers were not positioned in key bottlenecks and the senior supervisory ranks were absent during the critical hours.
“Even more concerning was the apparent absence of senior supervisory ranks directing traffic during critical hours. Once the event ended, enforcement appeared to dissipate, despite hundreds of motorists still attempting to exit the area well into the following afternoon,” he said.
Griffith said that well-managed events in Chaguaramas are possible and drew examples from the past.
“The difference was not luck, road layout, or manpower; it was planning informed by analysis and leadership on the ground,” he stated.
