Charles: Hinds overseas during murder hike; Hinds: I'm right here doing my work

NAPARIMA MP Rodney Charles hit the Government on Sunday for Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds going abroad at a time when there is a spike in murders and the police commissioner post is still vacant.

However, Hinds spoke to Newsday later on Sunday to say he was very much in the country and was diligently doing his work after returning from an overseas trip. He said the trip was for six days, in which he was mandated to represent Government "at a very important handing over ceremony" for the US Southern Command.

Hinds also rubbished Charles' claims that this trip was a Christmas shopping one as he said that in addition to the handing-over ceremony he also met with US State Department officials for talks on co-operating to tackle transnational organised crime, climate change and cyber security.

Speaking at a UNC press conference at the Opposition Leader's office in Port of Spain, Charles lamented the absence from TT of five government ministers, namely the Prime Minister and the Planning, Foreign and Caricom Affairs, Energy and National Security ministers.

Asking if the ministers were seeking TT's interests or living the good life, he said they had left a leaderless country as "an early Christmas gift for criminals." Charles lamented 51 murders in October, up from 32 last October, despite Trinidad and Tobago being in a state of emergency. He claimed TT is on track for 600 murders this year.

"The 51 murders this month are an indictment on the incompetence, cluelessness and ineptitude of Fitzgerald Hinds, who seems assured that an acquired Oxford accent will disguise the fact that he is ill-suited by qualifications, experience or track record for the job of Minister of National Security.

"Hinds is now in Miami attending a change of command ceremony when he should be dealing frontally with the change of command crisis in our TTPS," Charles said. He accused Hinds of dereliction of duty in being unable to prioritise such issues.

"While in Miami, Hinds enjoys tax-free per diems and other perks all in crisp, hard-to-come-by US dollars, enough to do early Christmas shopping, to enjoy all the trappings of ministerial life in TT." Meanwhile, in TT, it is each man for himself, Charles said.

Contacted for comment, Hinds rejected Charles' claims of his getting $56,000 in per diems. "That comment is as false as he, Mr Charles, is burdensome. He knows he can file a question in Parliament to find out," Hinds said.

He said government ministers, unlike those in a past administration, do not go riding around in helicopters or getting drunk and being unable to attend meetings. He criticised Charles for having once dined with French far-right politician Marine Le Pen at the UN.

At the UNC press conference, Charles also chided Dr Rowley for a ten-point crime plan to hoodwink the population, claimed Energy Minister Stuart Young was clueless on everything, and slammed Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, who he said was nothing more than "a smooth salesman, pure and simple, and no legal luminary."

"While our Cabinet ministers enjoy the good life here and abroad, TT burns and crime has gotten a new lease on life," Charles claimed.

"Something is amiss and Hinds prioritises a one-week change-of-command ceremony in Miami while criminals run amok and our police service is essentially rudderless."

He said the business of policing is at a standstill with no commissioner of police being appointed and only a deputy commissioner at the helm.

"No FUL licences can be granted, none! Hundreds of promotions are being held up. No disciplinary actions for 99.9 per cent of police officers can be finalised and Hinds in Miami eating 'strimps.'" Charles asked if criminals were becoming emboldened by the administrative weaknesses in the police service.

"Is the escalating crime spree in October because we have no CoP and only one deputy CoP and the Police Service is essentially rudderless?"

Saying a new CoP could be the PM's handmaiden, he alleged Government had infiltrated all independent institutions, including the Election and Boundaries Commission (EBC), the Public Service, service commissions, the police and the Parliament. He said a public official had made a list of CoP nominees vanish into thin air.

Charles promised a vigorous debate on the Police Service Commission nominees whenever the list comes to Parliament.

He also vowed to closely watch all independent senators after their rejection of the Opposition's censure against President Paula-Mae Weekes over her non-submission of a CoP merit list to Parliament, and two independent senators' criticism of the conduct of Opposition MPs in the Electoral College vote.

Noting an NGO's appeal for bleach donations to clean the country's prisons against covid19, he urged Hinds to reduce his foreign travel and instead address the treatment of prisoners plus rising crime.

Hinds told Newsday Charles was on a wild fishing expedition to find things to complain about. He said his visit to the US involved sharing information and maintaining the TT-US relationship. He said the three areas discussed – crime, climate and cyber security - all affect TT directly. He cited illegal migration to TT.