DRAMA: T&T’s Security Minister fired after refusing breathalyser test!

In case you missed the political bacchanal that recently took place in Trinidad, the Minister of National Security has lost his job after refusing to take a breathalyser test…..the irony!

According to Trinidad Express, a short statement from the Prime Minister’s office was sent out shortly thereafter stating:

“I have decided to advise the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, His Excellency Prof George Maxwell Richards, to revoke the appointment of Minister Collin Partap with immediate effect.

“This decision was made subsequent to reports received from the Ministry of National Security and Mr Collin Partap.”

The Express’ story continued: Police attached to the Belmont Police Station earlier yesterday confirmed that just after 5 a.m., Partap was initially stopped by officers for activating a police-issued blue swivel light and for turning on an emergency siren in the vehicle.

Police sources say officers had noticed him with a bottle of alcohol in his hand before he got into the driver’s seat and subsequently stopped him at the corner of Keate and Frederick Streets, Port of Spain, where he was asked to take a breathalyser test.

Police say Partap refused and was detained and taken, just after 6 a.m., to the Belmont Police Station, where he made contact with his lawyer and made another call. At this point, they say, Partap was still adamant that the test not be administered.

Police officers say they were then surprised to see acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams arrive at the station within the hour, but it was only then that Partap submitted to the test. As a consequence, the test was taken more than an hour after he was detained. Partap was subsequently found to be within the legal limit.

According to the amendment of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, under Section 70 (B), it states inter alia that where a constable has reasonable cause to suspect that a person driving or attempting to drive or in charge of a motor vehicle on a road or other public place has alcohol in his breath or blood exceeding the prescribed limit, he may require him to provide a specimen of breath for a breath test at or near the place where the requirement is made. The law says where a person, without reasonable excuse, fails to provide a specimen of breath, he is guilty of an offense and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine of $8,000 or to imprisonment for three years.

The law states that any person who fails to undergo the test is liable to prosecution. It also states that two separate breath specimens be provided and “there must be an interval of not less than two minutes and not more than ten minutes between the provision of specimens.”

Source: Trinidad Express