Young: Tobago crime taking a “frightening” turn

Heads of various security agencies will be meeting in Tobago in the “next couple weeks” to get an understanding of the island’s security concerns.

So said Stuart Young, Minister of National Security, who said the impunity of the crimes seen in Trinidad was starting to find its way to Tobago.

Describing this as “quite frankly, frightening,” he said, “I am of the personal view that unless we turn that around now, I don’t know what the future holds.”

Young was speaking at the launch of the National Crime Prevention Programme (NCPP) in Tobago last Friday at the Conference Room of the Division of Community Development on Glen Road.

He told the audience that “I am not prepared to sit in an office and have meetings in a suit and try to get an understanding of what is going on. So part of my time would be spent on the ground, getting a proper appreciation.

“I intend as the Minister of National Security in the not too distant future… I am actually hoping in the next couple weeks to come across to Tobago with all the heads of the national security apparatus for us to do a tour of Tobago and to meet with the people of Tobago, ending with a public meeting along with the Tobago House of Assembly aimed at getting a first-hand understanding of what is happening here in Tobago and what needs to be addressed in Tobago,” he said

Young said the NCPP was extremely important to the government of TT, and more so to the citizens of the country.

He said success of this programme was not driven by the Ministry of National Security nor the THA but from the communities.

“It is driven from the communities and from the individuals as you work along with our protective services and getting back into community policing,” he said.