Dillon: Robberies reflect lack of values

NATIONAL Security Minister Edmund Dillon says robberies of places of worship in recent weeks represent a problem with the values of our young people.

He was speaking to Newsday at the Parliament building during the Senate sitting on Thursday.

Pundit Pavan Maraj, also on Thursday, delivered a letter addressed to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at the Office of the Prime Minister on Gray Street, St Clair requesting a meeting with Dillon on the recent robberies.

The letter, copied to Commissioner of Police (CoP) Stephen Williams, comes after a media conference on Sunday at the Kailash Parvat Sharana Gati Ashram in Las Lomas No 2 which was attended by Hindu and Muslim religious leaders.

The conference was called to highlight the breaking, entering and burglary of the temple last week Wednesday as well as other incidents.

The letter asked for a public statement on the matter from Dillon, as well as a meeting with him to discuss ways the group can engage the security services to combat this menace; to engage the attention of the CoP to encourage more community policing and patrols in and around places of worship, particularly on days of religious devotion/service and during special events; and to request a review of the laws on sacrilege and offences committed in places of worship. Dillon told Newsday he was prepared to meet with the group.

“As I’ve always done I am prepared to meet the Muslim leaders if they so choose. But I have always extended a meeting to them. We have met at the round table to discuss issues relevant to them. So once I receive the letter I will treat with it accordingly.”

Asked if he was concerned about the burglaries of places of worship Dillon responded: “Of course. I am concerned about any illegal activity as Minister of National Security. Even before I do so, I know the TT Police Service has taken an active interest in those break-ins that have taken place in the last couple of weeks.”

He said the fact that people could rob places of worship touches on the society’s value system.

“It touches at the core of our upbringing. So it means that something is not being done to get the kind of values that are right in our young people. We have some work to do as a society.”