UNC MP challenges Hinds: Reduce crime or resign

NAPARIMA MP Rodney Charles has challenged National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds to reduce murders this year by ten per cent or resign.

Charles issued this challenge on Friday, 24 hours after two people were murdered in a car park at South Park Mall in Tarouba and 48 hours after three people were murdered in East Port of Spain.

In a statement, Charles said, "The UNC is challenging Hinds, if he is a real performer committed to measurable performance targets, and who can back up his performance credentials with action, to commit to reducing this year’s murder rate by at least ten per cent compared to last year’s."

He added there were 448 murders last year, so by December 31, if Hinds succeeds, this number should be reduced to 403.

But, he warned, "Already the country has recorded 43 murders for January, almost twice the 24 murders last year."

Charles claimed that under Hinds, Trinidad and Tobago is recording between two and three murders daily and could reach 600 murders by year's end.

"We are indeed in wild, wild west territory, with citizens living in fear and criminals shooting with seeming brazenness, impunity and regularity."

He predicted Hinds would not accept the UNC's challenge because Hinds "knows more than anyone else that he lacks the qualifications, vision, track record, aptitude, experience and competence to reduce measurably our out-of-control murder rate."

Predicting that murders will continue to increase under Hinds, Charles reiterated that TT is fed up with Hinds' platitudes, old talk and nice-sounding phrases.

"That is why we are challenging him to perform measurably, or shut up and resign forthwith "

Charles opened debate on a motion in the House of Representatives to annul the Commissioner of Police and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Selection Process) (No 2) Orders, 2021 later in the day.

A similar motion filed by Opposition Senator Wade Mark was defeated in the Senate on Tuesday.