Left:There goes Air Force One, carrying US President Barack Obama, on his way to Washington, DC, yesterday. Right: The two Beasts, the official vehicles of US President, Barack Obama, on their way to Piarco International Airport, yesterday. PHOTOS: KEITH MATTHEWS

The security forces were stretched to the limit yesterday, as the heads of states, including US President Barack Obama, left Trinidad in quick succession after attending the Fifth Summit of the Americas. Unlike Thursday and Friday, when the leaders and their delegations arrived at various times for the summit, yesterday was totally different.

Police outriders, drivers and escorts hustled back and forth from the Hyatt Regency, the Diplomatic Centre, Kapok and Hilton hotels, to get the leaders and their delegations to Piarco International Airport, some to meet their private jets, and others leaving on commercial airlines. It was smooth sailing for Obama, who hustled away from a news conference at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre to make his way to Air Force One, which was parked just north of the south terminal, and which brought out curious onlookers, all trying to see the aircraft and take photographs. Obama’s entourage travelled uninterrupted along the westbound carriageway of the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway.

Police blocked all traffic from filtering onto the highway, long before the passage of the US President and his entourage. One woman who was stuck in traffic, was annoyed that she was late for a wedding in Arima. “They didn’t have to block all the roads for one man to pass,” she said. A very understanding policeman replied: “Ma’am, if you go to the United States, wherever the President goes, those roads are blocked off hours before. We were somewhat different; we didn’t close the road for hours, just minutes.” About five minutes before Obama arrived at Piarco, a Secret Service agent, with a dog, jumped out of a police vehicle and checked dustbins along BWIA Boulevard.

The agent gave instructions to the local police officers wherever he stopped, making sure that the way was clear for Obama. Helicopters and the Blimp hovered above throughout the journey of the US President. A number of residents of Oropune Village, Piarco, ventured out of their homes to see the two Beasts, the official vehicles of the US President. An over-exuberant female police officer seemed so over-anxious about the approaching president, that she forgot how to speak to members of the media and citizens. With the police outriders leading the charge, Obama’s entourage arrived at Piarco Airport at 1.25 pm.

The Beasts stopped in front of Air Force One, and after the goodbyes, the aircraft was airborne and departing Trinidad at 1.40 pm. Five minutes later, the decoy aircraft, with a number of US journalists, flew out in the same direction as Air Force One. Before the arrival of the US President at Piarco, eyebrows were raised when a US fighter jet landed at Piarco and stopped near to Air Force One. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez arrived at Piarco at 12.20 pm with his officials and security officers. But it was not until 30 minutes later that his aircraft left the country.

Argentine President Cristina de Kirchner was one of the early arrivals. As soon as she arrived at Piarco at 12.02 pm in her flaming red dress, she boarded her aircraft and left. There was a constant flow of leaders to the airport, including the presidents of Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Guyana, as well as the prime ministers of Canada and Dominica. Inside the north terminal buildings, other delegates were trying to connect with commercial flights.