Padarath: I will not “shut up” while murders skyrocket under Dillon
Princes Town MP Barry Padarath slammed National Security Minister Edmund Dillon for his comments in the Parliament yesterday calling on Padarath to “shut up”. Padarath who at the time was asking Minister Dillon what action he had taken to bring down the murder rate was met with the outburst from the Minister.
Padarath said it demonstrated that the Minister was cracking under pressure and was experiencing a meltdown, after hearing all the statistics and facts about his dismal performance in the position of National Security Minister.
The Princes Town MP further stated that neither he nor the other members of the Opposition would be muzzled and prevented from representing the voices of the people of Trinidad and Tobago on serious issues like safety and security inside or outside of the Parliament.
MP Padarath accused the Minister and the government of attempting to distract the population from the high murder and homicide rate by attacking the opposition. He added that during the Minister’s contribution to the debate, the Minister could not identify one initiative that the government started that has worked to bring down the murder and homicide rate.
The Princes Town MP also cited that the Prime Minister was totally absent from the Parliament when the Minister of National Security stood to defend himself and this was a sign that the Prime Minister simply was not concerned with what was happening under his Minister and in the National Security Ministry.
Padarath indicated that there was a growing trend in the government to silence anyone or any group who spoke out against the Prime Minister’s poor leadership and the government’s inactions, he added that they were behaving like dictators who were intent on “shutting up” the voices that reflected the anguish and pain of citizens. He also indicated that while Minister Dillon was not doing his own job to reduce the crime rate he was attempting to prevent Padarath from doing his job as a representative of the people by speaking on their behalf.
The Princes Town MP said he remains resolved to be a voice for the voiceless and to represent the thousands of families who have been affected by crime. He stated emphatically that No member of the government could shut him or the opposition up.