Kamla to PM, MNS on Spike in Crime: Step up or step out
The Leader of the Opposition today indicated that she is deeply troubled by the unabated slaughter of citizens as the murder rate has now reached 33 persons killed in 22 days, the latest being the tragic murder of two teenage students who were on their way home from school.
In a release to the media today she stated
“What is of even greater concern to us is that this Government, specifically the Minister of National Security refuses to acknowledge that there is a spike in the level of murders in the past few months. “
She pointed out that with newspaper headlines such as “Bloody September”, “4 more murders”, Sleeping child shot dead”, “Cop, Student gunned down”, and “Bodies in the road: 5 murders in 24 hours” to name a few – it is inconceivable that this Government is unaware of the critical nature of the threat to peace and security in Trinidad and Tobago.
“If the person charged with the responsibility for National Security is in denial about the reality of the situation, then we cannot expect a critical response to arrest the deadly state of affairs in our nation.”
This abdication of accountability, she explained, is reminiscent of the previous PNM administration, who, in the face of unprecedented levels of death and violence would offer the suffering population excuses and public relations distractions such as “Crime not that bad” and “crime is temporary”.
Mrs. Persad-Bissessar concluded by demanding that the Prime Minister, as Head of the National Security Council and the Minister of National Security face reality and account to the nation on what they have done thus far and what they are going to do with respect to crime. Otherwise if they are unable to provide the necessary leadership in this regard, they should do the honourable thing and resign.
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