Charles: PNM does not care about black youth

NAPARIMA MP Rodney Charles has claimed the PNM Government does not care about its support base.

“They do not care about poor black youth who records show make up the bulk of the prison population. I am not dog whistling today, I am stating a fact.”

He was piloting a private members’ motion calling on the House to condemn this Government for its failure to deal with rampant crime.

He said he would be ashamed if the kinds of crimes that existed in PNM constituencies existed in Naparima and he would call in parents, churches and be talking to Social Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis to come in and help. He reported the Crime and Problem Analysis branch of the police showed the districts with the highest numbers of murders from 2009-2013 included Belmont, Besson Street, Morvant, Arima, West End, Barataria and Arouca. “They are your constituents. They are looking to you for salvation and hope. And somebody has to tell the PNM they have a responsibility to young black males in TT at this time who are crying out for help.”

He said the Government cannot criminalise a young man from Beetham who did not know how to express his utter disgust for the representation of his MP, a clear reference to Richard “Snake” Marcell who splashed flood water on Laventille West MP Fitzgerald Hinds in August 2018 and is before the courts on a charge for assault and using obscene language. Charles said instead of “gallery and lock up” this was a teachable moment.

“Teach the young boy. He needs help.” He said the UNC looked after the interests of black inner city youths better than the PNM.

“This wasn’t the PNM of Dr Eric Williams. This Rowley-led PNM has failed young black men period.”

He criticised the Government for spending more money on enforcement than prevention such as $126,000 on the scout movement and $198 million on the Strategic Services Agency in 2020 “and say that you are concerned about youth.”