Charles: Rowley’s shameless crime record, he must accept responsibility and resign immediately
Given record breaking murder rates for January – the latest in a string of depressing crime statistics, Naparima MP Rodney Charles is calling on this PNM administration to admit finally that they have no plans to curb our crime epidemic. Accordingly they should accept in Keith Rowley’s own words that, “they have outlived their usefulness” and step down forthwith.
January 2018’s homicide toll has surpassed the previous highest month, June 2008 when there were 57 killings recorded.
In 2017 there were 394 murders which roughly translates to 36 murders per 100,000 citizens.
Given current rates, 2018 is set to be the bloodiest year in Trinidad and Tobago’s history with projections of over 700 murders, or 52 murders per 100,000 citizens. Not far behind Jamaica’s 56. This makes us in line to become the murder capital of the region if not the world.
On a worldwide scale, Trinidad and Tobago is within the top 10 countries with the highest murder rates per 100,000. Keith Rowley should hold his head in shame.
Mexico, notorious for its enormous problems with drug trafficking and related criminality, ranks lower than us with a murder rate of 19 per 100,000.
These figures are extremely worrisome since expenditures on National Security have increased by over $1.5 billion in the past 2 years. What is this money being spent on? How is this increase justified if it does not translate to a declining murder rate?
We witness over $500 million being mis-spent on a useless spy agency – the SSA, an intelligence agency which could not anticipate recent riots in Beetham in the wake of an arrest of a community leader. They cannot tell us definitively how many of our terrorists have returned from ISIS, or how many are still incarcerated in Syria, or what they intend to do with returnees.
MP Charles is asking PM Rowley if murders must reach 550 once more in order for this Government to shred its ostrich like posture and take action. He has to lead from in front.
“This administration needs to realise that quoting the number of guns seized as a ‘triumph’ against crime makes no difference and does not help one iota in reducing our out of control murder rate”, say MP Charles. “Criminals are now fearless. They openly oppose law enforcement. They murder Prison Officers in broad daylight and threaten others. Criminals appear totally in control of this failed state under Rowley who has abdicated responsibility.”
President of the Police Social and Welfare Association Ag ASP Michael Searles has, according to newspaper reports, confessed that crime has reached a stage where even members of the protective services are fearful for their lives.
Given that Carnival season is fast approaching, the murder rate continues to climb. Are Carnival tourists safe in T&T? Already Japanese citizens are staying far from our shores given the unsolved murder of Asami Nagakiya.
Ace pan arranger Len Sharpe and Yoichi Watanabe, a Japanese teacher confirmed that fear has led the Japanese to blank our Carnival.
Foreign countries are taking note of the gravity of TT’s crime situation but this PNM Government seems content to blame everyone else for its sheer incompetence.
This PNM administration has become a case study for ineffective, hopeless, extempo, and clueless governance.
When a Prime Minister of a country laments that he is held responsible for increasing crime rates, for which he has “absolutely no involvement in or control over,” it is clear that he hasn’t the faintest idea of what his responsibilities are and must resign.
For our country’s sake, our international reputation, our fear to even walk our streets, our many fatherless children, our misguided youth in need of guidance and leadership, our business persons who must pay “coward tax”, our children who are bullied in schools and our many grieving mothers who have lost sons, and our country that has lost hope, MP Charles calls on PM Rowley to do the honourable thing and please resign immediately.