Caribbean Net News has learnt that this latest crime surveillance vessel is being supplied by US company Skyship Management and is the same company from which government had previously leased two other similar skyships, which have now been grounded in Port of Spain. 

The two previous skyships were the Aeros 40B and the Skyship 600. The latter had been in operation for less than six months and had cost government a rental of  US$100,000 per month. That lease expired at the end of May.

The Aeros 40B came with a price tag of US$27 million. There were reports before it was grounded that it had developed operational problems rendering it, like the Skyship 600, unfit for continued use. 

It was then decided that another, third ship be purchased at an initial US$15 million. The two other anti-crime airships have been manned by military personnel and so too will the third. 

This has been among some of the initiatives the Trinidad government has embarked on within the last year, as they came under increasing pressure to deal with rising crime in the country.