Police in Trinidad warn against “fake news” about flood victims

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Tuesday called for persons to stop disseminating “fake news” saying such actions put a heavy burden on law enforcement and rescue teams dealing with the aftermath of the floods that have caused severe havoc on the twin-island republic.

Police Commissioner Gary Griffith, speaking at a news conference, said that on one occasion people were circulating information that as many as 16 people had drowned in the floods, when they knew perfectly well that’s not the true situation.

He said while he was not in a position to pursue legal action against those persons “what I am doing is trying to change the mind set of individuals.

“What that (report) did, it caused massive panic…I do not know what was the reason for it. Having said that I know many people they get information and they try to pass it on to friends or loved ones because they feel they are trying to contribute.

“But what I am asking is that you saw how the communication system worked in this. The public were getting information in real time throughout all of the arms of law enforcement. The Ministry of National Security was in full control and it was being sent back through the relevant units.”

Griffith said while he understood the role social media would play “it can be a liability when false information is pumped …whether you had good intentions or whether it was deliberate, malicious and to cause confusion.”

Griffith said he was urging “those persons” who were bent on causing confusion “I am asking you refrain from doing this and stop trying to influence other persons into your own propaganda.

“My job is to reduce crime but also to take away the perception of fear that the public will have. In a situation where you pound messages to say 16 persons are missing…I am the police commissioner, it comes to me, how 16 persons could be missing and I have not come to the public with it.

“When you throw it on me now I now have a right to get involved and to tell the public, listen we have checked …and we go no information of anyone reporting drowning.”

National Security Minister Stuart Young said that the clean-up exercise was proceeding smoothly and welcomed the announcement by the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service upgrading an earlier weather forecast.

But Young, who is also the Communications Minister, said that there were still areas under flood waters and that any rains would worsen the situation.

“We had some buses etc trying to come through and they could not make it this morning and so there are still those areas under water and I emphasise again please do not take unnecessary risks,” he said, adding that resources have been deployed into areas still heavily affected by the floods.

In its statement, the Met office said that the “Adverse Weather Alert has been downgraded to Yellow Level and remains in effect up to 6:00 p.m local time on Tuesday.

It said that the “Riverine Flood Alert has been downgraded to Orange Level and remains in effect up to Friday.”

According to the Met Office, Trinidad and Tobago will experience showery spells, “at times heavy (and) would interrupt sunny conditions in varying localities this afternoon.

“Thunderstorm activity is expected in few areas. Patchy cloudiness is expected tonight with few showery spells. Street or flash flooding is likely in areas of heavy showers,” it said in the upgraded forecast.

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