PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) –  The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) Wednesday confirmed that there had been at least seven reports of bomb threats across the country, as it urges the population to remain calm.

In a statement, the TTPS said that the threats were “received through different mediums” and the locations were the Arima Magistrates’ Court, the Princes Town Magistrates’ Court, the  Chaguanas Magistrates’ Court, the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, the  Siparia Magistrates’ Court, the Sangre Grande Magistrates’ Court and the  Valpark Shopping Plaza.

“The TTPS immediately activated the relevant security protocols, heightened its security posture and deployed officers to conduct the necessary checks. Investigations into the reports are ongoing.

“Members of the public are advised to remain calm, avoid any affected areas where police operations are taking place and comply with the directions of law-enforcement personnel.

Further information will be provided when appropriate,”  the TTPS said.

Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro said he followed established procedures when he took five days of emergency leave earlier this month to travel out of the country, even as he did not disclose the nature of the overseas trip.

In a statement, Guevarro said he had applied to the Homeland Security Minister, Roger Alexander, on August 10 for emergency leave after receiving information from the director of the Strategic Services Agency and the head of Special Branch.

Guevarro said that Alexander approved the request, and that he was subsequently informed that the relevant correspondence had been forwarded to the Police Service Commission (PSC).

“I wish to reassure you that I followed the requirements of the established process, and I breached no protocols or policies,” Guevarro said, dismissing what he described as rumours about the purpose of his travel.

“They say I fall sick. They say I went to investigate the people who were hiding money outside of the country. I even hear that I went with Alice to get people visas revoked,” he said, adding that he was “not at liberty to discuss” the reason for the emergency travel.

Chairman of  the main opposition People’s National Movement (PNM), Marvin Gonzales, has been  calling on the government of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to state whether permission had been granted to the top cop to leave the country and whether the proper procedures had been followed in naming the person acting in his post.

“I want to ask the minister of Homeland Security, where is the commissioner of police? Is the commissioner of police in the jurisdiction? When did the commissioner of police leave the jurisdiction? And who was appointed as acting commissioner of police if the commissioner of police left this jurisdiction?”

Former police commissioner Gary Griffith said the current situation calls for a change in the legislation governing the operations of the police, adding that it is ridiculous to appoint an acting police commissioner, the matter must be debated in Parliament.

“If you do not have a commissioner of police for a day, for weeks or whatever, it means that there’s going to be a void in leadership. You’re talking about a lot of different things as it pertains to directions and operation and so forth. So any time that this commissioner of police, if he’s not in the country, it has not gone to Parliament? The law must be changed. It is as simple as transferring the authority to the Police Service Commission”.

Guevarro in his statement said the appointment process does not fall within the remit of the TTPS or the commissioner of police but was governed by law and the relevant authorities.