PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Jul 16, CMC – Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley has expressed “serious concerns with the incidents of violent crime and the continued use of illegal high powered assault weapons,” in Trinidad and Tobago as the National Security Council (NSC) met following the bloody weekend that left at least 18 people dead.
According to a statement issued Tuesday, the NSC met on Monday under Rowley’s chairmanship and that there was “agreement amongst the services present that coming out of the meeting there would be the deployment in a coordinated and collaborative manner of sustained joint operations, particularly in areas where there is a known concentration of criminal activity”.
The statement said that the meeting was attended by the heads of the State’s security apparatus including the Commissioner of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), Erla Harewood-Christopher, Deputy Commissioners of Police, Junior Benjamin, Natasha George and Suzette Martin, along with the heads of the ten divisions of the TTPS.
Also present was the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Vice Marshall Darryl Daniel, Acting Commissioner of Prisons, Carlos Corraspe and Director of the Strategic Services Agency, Brigadier General (Ret’d) Anthony Phillips-Spencer.
The National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds and the Minister in the Ministry of the Prime Minister, Stuart Young, were also present.
The statement said that Prime Minister Rowley “articulated the serious concerns with the incidents of violent crime and the continued use of illegal high powered assault weapons and discussed with the leadership assembled the need for a more proactive, intelligence driven, targeted and robust approach which is focused on those who are known and suspected to be involved in serious criminality.”
The statement also quoted Rowley as making “it clear that the government supported the services and in particular the TTPS in its carrying out of its duties and responsibilities, provided that they are always done within the legal parameters”.
The main opposition United National Congress (UNC) has been calling for the resignation of Hinds with Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar saying “to our citizens, I urge you all to hold strong, and keep the faith: soon a new UNC government will give you the legal firearms and legislation to level the field and fight back against vicious crimina”.
On Monday, private sector groups said they had lost confidence in the measures adopted by the Ministry of National Security (MNS) and the Police Commissioner to curb crime across the country.
President of the Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CCIC), Baldath Maharaj, said businesses had “lost faith” in the measures adopted by the Ministry and felt the assurances from the top cop as “public relations manoeuvres rather than actionable solutions to our situation.
“The fact that the Commission has announced a high alert for police is welcomed news but is that enough? Shouldn’t there have been an alert before? We continue to plead with the police to increase their detection rate. Their detection rate is extremely low when it comes to solving crimes, especially murders. And bring them before the justice system. Let them feel the full brunt of the law,” he said.
So far this year, more than 320 people have been murdered in Trinidad and Tobago.
CMC/af/ir/2024