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ACTING CoP Junior Benjamin says he has not received any information about any complaint raised about a visit by former national security minister Fitzgerald Hinds to the ministry's Temple Court office on Abercromby Street, Port of Spain on May 29.
He made this comment after Hinds rejected claims that he went to the office to meet with officials there about sensitive files.
In a brief WhatsApp response on May 31, Benjamin said. "So far I have no report of such report to the police."
He made no further comments on this matter.
Newsday understands that three top public servants at the ministry have since been reassigned to the Office of the Prime Minister as an interim measure pending the outcome of an investigation.
In a Facebook post on May 31, Hinds said he visited the ministry's Temple Court office in Port of Spain on May 29 to collect a cheque
'The simple and only facts are that on Thursday 29th May, 2025, I communicated via telephone, with the Permanent Secretary (PS), of what used to be the Ministry of National Security (now renamed Homeland Security)."
After the April 28 general election, the ministry was split into the Defence Ministry and the Homeland Security Ministry and both offices are housed at Temple Court.
Hinds said, "That conversation revealed that there was a cheque due and ready for me at the office."
He added, "With the PS's agreement, I proceeded to the office to collect same. I drove into the Ministry’s car park and waited for a few seconds."
The car park is located in the basement of the building and manned by MTS security personnel. There are also security cameras in the basement and other areas of the ministry.
The PS, Hinds claimed, emerged from the elevator "in the car park and handed me the cheque. I thanked her and I immediately left."
Hinds said he made no request of the PS or anyone else at the ministry for anything else during his time there.
He claimed a Newsday article about his visit to the ministry was false. Hinds was removed as minister of national security on March 17 and assigned the portfolio of minister in the office of the prime minister after Stuart Young was appointed as prime minister.
In the May 31 article, Defence Minister Wayne Sturge confirmed Hinds's visit to the ministry which led to the revocation of access passes for three senior officials.
Sturge also said an investigation was underway to determine if any files had been removed.
"There was a strong reluctance to provide a particular file, which was requested and eventually received after repeated requests and a strong demand," Sturge said in a WhatsApp response to queries from Newsday on May 30.
The article also stated that Sturge had to be interrupted during a cabinet meeting on May 29, and briefed by security personnel about Hinds' visit which took place shortly after 3 pm.
Hinds was also contacted for comment on May 30.
"I am a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago and as such, I am entitled to go to any public office, particularly when it has to with legitimate and personal business," the former minister said in a WhatsApp response.
He did not reply to a follow-up question on whether he had requested any files, or left with any.
In his Facebook post on May 31, Hinds said: "These falsehoods have already begun to gain many adverse comments about me on social media."
Hinds said he intends to pursue all legal remedies available to him.
 
This story was originally published with the title "Hinds claims he went to Homeland Security Ministry to collect cheque" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.
FORMER national security minister Fitzgerald Hinds has rejected claims that he visited the ministry's Temple Court office in Port of Spain on May 29 to meet with officials there about sensitive files.
In a post on Facebook on May 31, Hinds said claims being made in the public domain about the visit at the ministry's head office are false.
'"The simple and only facts are that on Thursday 29th May, 2025, I communicated via telephone, with the Permanent Secretary (PS), of what used to be the Ministry of National Security (now renamed Homeland Security)."
After the April 28 general election, the ministry was split into the Defence Ministry and the Homeland Security Ministry and both offices are housed at Temple Court.
Hinds said, "That conversation revealed that there was a cheque due and ready for me at the office."
He added, "With the PS's agreement, I proceeded to the office to collect same. I drove into the Ministry’s car park and waited for a few seconds."
The car park is located in the basement of the building and manned by MTS security personnel. There are also security cameras in the basement and other areas of the ministry.
The PS, Hinds claimed, emerged from the elevator "in the car park and handed me the cheque. I thanked her and I immediately left."
Hinds said he made no request of the PS or anyone else at the ministry for anything else during his time there.
He claimed a Newsday article about his visit to the ministry was false. Hinds was removed as minister of national security on March 17 and assigned the portfolio of minister in the office of the prime minister after Stuart Young was appointed as prime minister.
In the May 31 article, Defence Minister Wayne Sturge confirmed Hinds's visit to the ministry which led to the revocation of access passes for three senior officials.
Sturge also said an investigation was underway to determine if any files had been removed.
"There was a strong reluctance to provide a particular file, which was requested and eventually received after repeated requests and a strong demand," Sturge said in a WhatsApp response to queries from Newsday on May 30.
The article also stated that Sturge had to be interrupted during a cabinet meeting on May 29, and briefed by security personnel about Hinds' visit which took place shortly after 3 pm.
Hinds was also contacted for comment on May 30.
"I am a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago and as such, I am entitled to go to any public office, particularly when it has to with legitimate and personal business," the former minister said in a WhatsApp response.
He did not reply to a follow-up question on whether he had requested any files, or left with any.
In his Facebook post on May 31, Hinds said: "These falsehoods have already begun to gain many adverse comments about me on social media."
Hinds said he intends to pursue all legal remedies available to him.
The post [UPDATED] Ag CoP: No report made about Hinds’ visit to Defence Ministry appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.