Government continues to fail in its role to protect our citizens

While the PNM government tries to fool the population into believing that criminal activity is on the decline, active duty police officers are themselves becoming victims of crime. The theft of a marked Police vehicle on Wednesday, from officers on duty in Claxton Bay highlights the disastrous and chaotic reality of unabated lawlessness plaguing our nation.

This disturbing scenario is compounded by the PNM government’s refusal to adequately address allegations of malfeasance and unethical conduct on the part of senior public officials which sends a troubling signal to the population that the current administration is not serious about cracking down on all forms of criminality and corruption.

Our nation has reached an all-time low as it pertains to the safety of law-abiding citizens and respect for members of the Protective Services. This crisis must not be blamed on the Police Service but laid squarely at the feet of the Government, who has failed to produce successful strategies to support our Protective Services thereby enabling them to do their jobs effectively.

This government routinely boasts that they appointed a Police Commissioner, but otherwise cannot name one effective policy, plan or action they have undertaken to support our security services. This lack of support is clearly underscored by the Commissioner’s public requests for funding last week.

Before the 2015 election, the Rowley-led PNM bragged that they had the solutions to crime and boasted that their members were sent on visits abroad to learn special techniques. Today, forty-two (42) months later, our citizens are yet to see the application of said techniques and solutions.

This PNM government has abdicated its role in ensuring that the Constitutional rights of our citizens to safety and security is upheld and has abandoned its mandate to protect our citizens and support law enforcement.