Now that the time has come to review the workings of this Anti-Gang legislation, the Govt has begun a PR exercise to deflect its failures and again is “taking front” by already blaming the Opposition.
Was it a coincidence National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds called a media briefing on Friday, just hours before the debate in Parliament brought by the Opposition UNC titled “Failure to Prevent Surge in Criminal Activity” was to resume.
Hinds was again joined by Ag Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob which strengthens public perception there is no separation of powers between the Executive and the TTPS and strengthens that perception that under Jacob’s leadership, the TTPS is an arm of the Executive. Isn’t Jacob aware the TTPS is about law enforcement while the Govt oversees policy, strategies and resources?
The main issue of this media briefing was the Bail Amendment Act which is due to expire on August 4 2022. According to Hinds, if this Act is not amended, “violent criminals will run rampant in T&T.” Aren’t criminals running rampant now?
Hinds postured a premeditated conclusion that since this legislation requires “the support of the Opposition, it’s doubtful whether they would support it”
But the Rowley-led PNM Administration has been down this road before with this particular legislation. The Govt and the TTPS have had this Legislation in their possession as the much-needed weapon they were clamouring for which they touted will be the magic formula for stopping and solving the spiralling out-of-control crime epidemic and that citizens should expect a return to peace and tranquillity.
In 2017, then AG Faris Al-Rawi, supported by Prime Minister Rowley, told the country the TTPS was keeping close tabs on “2,459 suspected gang-members whose names, whereabouts and alleged activities are known to authorities… more will die since the Opposition had failed to support the Anti-Gang Legislation which was the solution to stop the spiralling out-of-control crime epidemic.”
Four months later, on March 9 2018, the Anti-Gang Bill 2018 was unanimously passed in the Lower House, a move Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said was in the “best interest of the people.”
But with this Legislation in place, T&T continues to be under siege and is now in the midst of a violent and out-of-hand crime wave which is being fuelled in a rise in gun violence while the PNM’s promise to citizens that they should expect a return to peace and tranquillity remains just that… a promise!
Now that the time has come to review the workings of this Anti-Gang legislation, the Govt has begun a PR exercise to deflect its failures and again is “taking front” by already blaming the Opposition.
This was clear in Al-Rawi’s message in Parliament yesterday, “UNC not serious about curbing crime!”
Even with the recent report by World Population Review which rated TT as having the sixth highest crime rate, Hinds and Jacobs keep deflecting from their failures by continually making pronouncements such as “murders not out of hand; there is need for a holistic approach; there is no rapid or out and out increase in murders and police statistics show there is not an upsurge in criminal activity.”
Meanwhile gang members, knowing the “rewards and risks” i.e. the nominally low chance of being apprehended and convicted continue to rule the streets and generate the highest levels of fear, anxiety and insecurity among law-abiding citizens.
What would be the justification for the Opposition to support extending this legislation which has been an absolute failure.
Under this Administration, gangs have moved from “conventional crimes” to “illegal quarrying (sand-mining), fraud-scheming, money-laundering, prostitution, black-market sale/resale of FOREX, party and events promotion, organized robbery, motor-vehicle larceny, and drugs-dealers.
These gang leaders are now presenting themselves as community-leaders and seven reputed gang leaders in north Trinidad have benefited from State contracts worth close to $6 million in spite of assurances by Govt to the contrary.
(Ref: www.guardian.co.tt/news/gangsters-benefit-from-contracts-through-corporations-6.2.887939.11377ea659)
Seven years ago, then Opposition Leader Keith Rowley promised he would turn around the crime situation, publicly declaring he was “horrified by the unrelenting spate of violent crimes” in the country.
Isn’t he horrified now?
Keith Rowley is Prime Minister today and the situation has gotten one hundred times worst!
Commentary by Capil Bissoon, June 25, 2022
