Mr PM, take a stand against crime evil

THE EDITOR: Open letter to the Prime Minister.

I am stripping myself of all my professional accomplishments and education. I am writing as a desperately concerned citizen of TT.

I am one of the many individuals of this once little island paradise who has been affected by a serious crime. I don’t know if you know what happens to victims and their families after they go through a traumatic experience.

If they are lucky enough to live, they then continue to live their life here in constant fear and paranoia. You could never begin to understand how many nights my family and I struggle to sleep at night knowing that someone out there is going to be murdered.

It has become standard to see another murder on the newspapers but to me what is far worse than that is to see members of the homicide team of police officers who don’t even flinch at a dead body. Perhaps they are being professional or they have become desensitised to another human lying in a pool of blood. Isn’t your heart heavy, sir?

Even now as I write this letter, social media is flooded with crimes that even mainstream media have a hard time keeping up with.

Before you were Prime Minister, before the golf course, before the security entourage, before everything, you were a citizen. One of the most difficult things to obtain as a citizen of this country is a peace of mind.

Sir, this is not about a voice being raised in panic but rather a cry for help to a leader of a civilisation. Your people have lost respect for the Police Service due to rogue agents and a corrupt entity.

There are members of your Government that do not understand love but know the anatomy of spite and are only concerned with adding fuel to their egos. You seem blind to these facts and you have made many statements in the past on what constitutes a weak government.

Mr Prime Minister, clearly the population thinks you are best person for the job at the moment, but all of what you have said about crime has been rendered bogus. Your words are empty because crime is still a dominant factor in society and seems to be evolving into an ecosystem of its own.

You have appointed poor leaders in key positions and these consequences are not felt by those in authority but the general population. What is the life of a citizen worth to you? Every day someone is crying out because of terrorism.

Stop expecting mediocrity and start demanding excellence from you team. Take responsibility for things that go wrong. This will at least show you care.

I know our country faces many problems. However, crime is paramount. Your leadership is critical at this point and you have the power to make the difference.

Sir, I am just about holding on to my pride as a citizen of this nation. Please take a stand against this evil. Will you stand up for what is right?

JOHN-JASON KOKARAM via e-mail