Leader of the Opposition proposes comprehensive plan to address crime crisis
Leader of the Opposition Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP today presented the United National Congress’s plan to address the crime crisis, upon the party’s return to Government.
Speaking during a Private Motion to condemn the Government’s failure to deal with rampant crime, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar outlined several initiatives to tackle the problem.
The Opposition Leader said, “We all want a safe and secure nation, but what we’ve seen over the last four years is a Government that has no clue, no concept on what to do, but what is worse – a Government that lacks the political will to fix it.”
“Today, citizens no longer feel safe. Almost daily, we wake to news of some heinous crime being committed, another innocent life lost,” she noted. “The fear felt by citizens is real, it is palpable, and this Government has offered no hope to citizens for a reprieve.”
“The Government has failed its mandate to protect the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago,” she said. “All they can do is blame – they have no plan to fix the problems facing us.
The proposals include:
– Restructuring of the Ministry of National Security – splitting into a Ministry of Home Affairs and a Ministry of Defence
– An Increase in Retirement Age for the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force to bring it in line with other arms of the protective services
– Diploma, Undergraduate and Post Graduate Degrees in Policing for recruits combined with a Police Apprenticeship Program
– Pre-Trial Detention and Bail Reform
– A fund to provide support to children who have lost one or both parents to crime
Mrs. Persad-Bissessar gave her assurance that a new UNC Government will ensure a safe and secure nation.