NATIONAL Transformation Alliance (NTA) political leader Gary Griffith has promised to establish a new elite crime-fighting unit, ten times the size of the defunct Special Operations Response Team (SORT), if elected to office.
Griffith made the announcement as the NTA closed its campaign on April 26 with a motorcade from Bagatelle, Diego Martin, to the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima, two days ahead of the April 28 general election.
SORT was established during Griffith’s tenure as commissioner of police between 2018 and 2021, and was disbanded in 2022, after allegations of extra-judicial killings.
The former CoP and St Joseph candidate said the new unit – to be called the Weaponised Operational Land Forces (Wolf) – would be a significantly expanded and highly trained response team drawn from all arms of the protective services.
A video published by the NTA on April 26 described Wolf as “the most powerful, highly trained and sophisticated unit to be amassed in the country’s history to take TT back from the criminals.” The party promised the new unit would comprise 1,000 personnel — ten times the number SORT once had — each vetted and polygraphed.
“We will make TT safe again, so stand by. We are going to release the Wolf,” the video stated.
The announcement was made as the NTA’s 17 candidates took to the streets for their final public mobilisation.
Griffith led the motorcade atop a music truck, accompanied by supporters in branded vehicles, as they made their way east with stops at Mt Lambert, where the party headquaerters is located, and other areas before ending at the Larry Gomes Stadium.
While the PNM and UNC gathered for final rallies at the Eddie Hart Savannah, in Tacarigua and Aranguez Savannah, respectively, the NTA opted for a motorcade.
In Diego Martin, some residents said they appreciated the NTA’s effort to maintain a visible presence in what is traditionally a PNM stronghold.
Russell Chan, the NTA’s Diego Martin Central candidate, told Newsday the campaign period was too short for any party to make a full impact, but said he had prioritised face-to-face contact in key communities.
“The areas I’ve visited – Cocorite, Harding Place, Ross Lands, Morne Coco, Four Roads, Powder Magazine – these places have been neglected for years. Anyone could take a drive through and see it,” Chan said.
[caption id="attachment_1151659" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A rhythm section, with their instruments strapped to a flatbed truck, adds to the vibe of a National Transformation Alliance motorcade, along the Eastern Main Road, Mt Lambert on April 26.[/caption]
He said the most common complaint he heard was about the absence of elected representation.
“Many people said they don’t even know who the MP is. They haven’t seen him in years. And there are so many issues – poor drainage, bad roads, water problems – and these are worse in the more depressed areas.
Chan said the party’s message to residents was clear: safe seats had been taken for granted for too long.
“What I’ve seen is that these areas
