Minister of National Security Confirms Taiwan Vehicle Request but Withholds Details 

By Val Matthias. Updated 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 25, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security St. Clair Leacock has confirmed that one of the main reasons for his recent trip to Taiwan was to secure vehicles for St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ security forces. However, he declined to reveal the specific number of vehicles or the financial scale of Taiwan’s contribution, stressing that it would be inappropriate to do so at this stage. 

At a press conference following his return, a journalist reminded Leacock that he had previously said vehicles were a central purpose of the visit. Major Leacock responded that the matter had been raised formally before his departure and reiterated during meetings in Taipei. 

“Before I left, I made that representation to the resident ambassador in terms of quantities, so that she would be able to give Taiwan a heads-up on the matter. When I arrived in Taiwan, that was reiterated,” he explained. 

He added that his request covered vehicles for the police force, the cadet force, and the National Commission on Crime Prevention, along with hardware support. “I expressly asked for assistance with vehicles to assist the police force, the cadet force, and the National Commission of Crime Prevention in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and I asked also for the hardware,” he said. 

Major Leacock emphasized that while he has “every reason to believe that those will be forthcoming,” it would not be politically or diplomatically appropriate to disclose the extent of Taiwan’s contribution. 

The Minister had previously announced, during a national consultation on school violence earlier this month, that he would request a fleet of vehicles from Taiwan to strengthen law enforcement and crime prevention. He linked the initiative to the revival of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) programme in schools, stressing that once the constabulary is properly equipped, “no excuses for poor performance” would be accepted. 

Taiwan has a history of supporting St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ public safety efforts, including past donations of police vehicles and CCTV systems. Major Leacock’s latest request builds on this ongoing partnership, aiming to enhance mobility, rapid response, and preventative policing across the country. 

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