Charles to Faris: Why your Anti-Gang Act is failing to stem gang related murders?
MP Charles questioned the AG in the wake of yesterday’s assassination of 34 year old, taxi driver Brendon Brown of Dundonald, Long Circular who was shot in Laventille while reportedly “transporting two (2) men known to police as gang members”.
If the police know who the gang members are, and have at its disposal a $600 million intelligence service – the SSA, and if Gang Units exist in most police divisions, then why are they not effectively monitoring gang members, anticipating their actions and stemming their murderous activities?
Just last week three persons, Jamilla Chase, Khareem “Critters” Mc Eachine and Michael “Grimey” Walker were shot and killed in Maloney. Newsday described the killings as being “gang related”.
Faris Al Rawi told parliament this year that the Anti-Gang Act would give cops a fighting chance in the war on crime. He said that he knew the names of gang members, their addresses and the number of gangs. All that was needed was the Anti Gang Legislation. We gave it to him.
Today gang warfare continues unabated. Our murder rate is currently at 480 – 3 more than for the same period last year. Citizens live in fear, some are migrating and many have given up hope.
Clearly our AGs unbounded faith in a suite of draconian legislation, characterized by more and more punitive laws and harsher penalties, is not working.
The UNC led by Kamla Persad Bissessar has always said that TT needs an all of government approach to solving crime — not just more and more laws.
You cannot reduce murders if you leave our borders unprotected, or fire over 50,000 workers thereby reducing the middle class, increasing poverty and inequality, thus providing no hope what so ever for young people, especially at risk inner city youth.
You cannot solve crime with an under resourced Forensics Science Centre and an understaffed DPP’s office.
Rodney Charles
MP for Naparima