Praedial Larceny Squad doomed under Rambarath
I wish to lend support to the Deputy Political Leader of the United National Congress, Ms. Khadijah Ameen, regarding her concerns over the present mismanagement of the Praedial Larceny Squad (PLS). The planned move of the PLS to the Ministry of National Security by the ill-informed Minister is a PNM strategy that was tried and failed before.
Prior to the establishment of the National Praedial Larceny Squad in 2013, two noted attempts were made to deal with Praedial larceny, in 2002 there was the assignment of police officers at each police station to address matters dealing with Praedial larceny. In 2009 the Agriculture Ranger Squad (ARS) was established but the officers had no powers to arrest, were not precepted and the police did not provide timely assistance in the form of backup and response.
The Peoples’ Partnership Government in 2013 launched the Praedial Larceny Squad (PLS) was established using a hybrid structure whereby recruitment and supervision of the officers of the PLS would be shared between the Ministry of Food Production and the Ministry of National Security. The records of the PLS will unequivocally show that to date this has been the most successful operation to reduce Praedial larceny. Yet this successful model is being thrown away by the PNM Government.
The transfer of the Praedial Larceny Squad to Ministry of National Security by bumbling PNM ministers, IS DEFINITELY NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE FARMERS. I anticipate that this will lead to less reports of Praedial larceny being made by farmers, it will result in no officers dedicated to act in the interest of the farmers and create the possibility of insufficient resources being assigned to deal with Praedial larceny or the assigned resources being utilized for other policing matters.
The Minister has to date treated the hardworking members of the Praedial Larceny Squad with little regard and by extension the farmers as the Squad is dedicated to serving the farmers and no consultation was held with the farmers with respect to the future of the Squad. In the spirit of honesty, objectivity, accountability and transparency, the Minister should disclose why he does not see it fit to include the Squad in matters involving Praedial larceny and their future. How has he arrived at the decision to transfer the Squad to Ministry of National Security and what would be the system utilized to ensure its effectiveness and the benefits of this transfer to the farmers?
The Minister should also inform the populace of the stakeholders consulted to arrive at this decision and feedback he received from the farmers on the performance of the Squad as well what the farmers would like to see for the Squad since the needs of farmers should be the major determining factor in the future of the Squad.
Devant Maharaj
Former Minister of Food Production
683-8233