Charles on Anti-Gang Bill: Uplift and educate the youth, not jail them

NAPARIMA MP Rodney Charles said the Anti-Gang Bill 2020 was the triumph of a philosophy of locking up TT’s youths rather than giving them an education and pointing them to a brighter future.

“The Government believes mass incarceration and condemning our males to Remand Yard is a signal achievement,” he told the House of Representatives during debate on Friday.

Charles said the ethos behind the bill was the same as that which cut GATE funding, UTT activities and school meals.

“Much was promised in 2018 but little been delivered.”

Recalling Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi in 2018 saying TT had 2,459 known gang members and all he needed was the Anti-Gang Act, Charles said, “How may of these have been arrested and convicted? What has happened to the 2,459? Have they disappeared?”

Charles complained the Opposition was "coerced" to support the legislation in 2018, but he then heeded Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George’s call to withdraw and re-phrase the remark.

“We were told we’d be unpatriotic," he said. "We supported the bill and nothing has come out of it.”

Charles quoted news stories of gang activity over the past year. These were about a man shot dead for refusing to join a gang in November 2019, two stories of gang activity in July 2019, and a report in July 2020 of a gang leader's promise of a blood bath against the police for questionable Laventille killings.

Charles also said arrests were easy to do, but not convictions.

“Much was promised, nothing delivered in terms of conviction. This Government should be charged today for breach of promise.”

Charles said the Opposition supported the fight against crime but not bad legislation.

“Whether the act is in force or not, it makes no difference yet we are here to extend it by a further 30 months.”

Charles instead attributed any recent drop in crime to the covid19 lockdown, as seen in all cities globally.

He lamented one of his employees had been pistol whipped in her home by gangsters, while, last week, three home invasions had been committed in Naparima, all by the same gang.

“We have to deliver and stop talking.”

Charles urged the Government to deal with social problems that contribute to crime such as he said had been detailed in the Selwyn Ryan Report, No Time To Quit.

“You cannot legislate yourself out of a crime problem,” Charles said.

He said it was a crime to put a young man in Remand Yard, exposed to covid19, without a court date.

“What would Jesus do, lock them up or put them on the road to rehabilitation? I’ll not be coerced, pressured to pass legislation that’s not good for TT.”

Charles vowed to not be part of a system that gives his children an advantage but puts other people’s children in jail.

“Renewing the bill today without addressing the sociological issues, I’ll not be part of that.”