New THA Chief Secretary to discuss crime with police

New Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Farley Augustine intends to meet with executives of the police service on the island to discuss the way forward with security.

Speaking with Newsday, Augustine said the assembly is committed to working with the police to find solutions to the challenges of crime.

He said: “Already, I have spoken to ACP Nurse, and he said to me at some point he would bring all his heads of department to meet. I would expect to get some security briefing from him and use that as the jumping-off point.”

Crime, he said, is a social issue that requires certain social investments and inputs to be made in order to fix it.

“We can’t fight crime by giving the police more guns or increasing the number of police. We have to fight crime by making a better society. That way more people would feel invested in the community. People who don’t feel invested in their communities subconsciously desire to destroy.”

Last Friday, Augustine named his team and assigned portfolios after the presentation of instruments of appointment to the secretaries and assistant secretaries in the THA.

He pointed out the realignment, noting the Division of Community Development, Youth Development and Sport. He said the reason for doing this was to begin to re-engineer local communities and make them more cohesive.

“In so doing, we reduce the struggle of crime.”

Additionally, he mentioned streamlining social protection and social welfare services.

“So instead of this division giving out food cards, a next one giving food vouchers – we need a streamlined, well-co-ordinated, well-oiled department with sufficient staff that can respond to people’s need in real time, so that people don’t feel driven to criminal activity because they cannot get access to the services that they need.”