UNC: PM must fire Hinds now

ONE year after the brutal murders of two young women – Ashanti Riley and Andrea Bharat – Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is asking what has happened to the implementation of the pepper spray legislation Government promised amidst protests over their killing.

She is also questioning the status of the anti-gang legislation as gang-land killings play out across the country.

She called on the Prime Minister to fire National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds as the murder rate continues to climb.

The call was also echoed by attorney Sean Sobers, a former San Fernando West candidate for the UNC during the party's virtual report platform on Monday night.

“When the Andrea Bharatt issue was raised, really gripping the nation in grief, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi jumped on the bandwagon, crying crocodile tears, somewhere in a vigil promising pepper spray.

“Today I ask you Faris, where is the pepper spray legislation implementation?”

She said it got UNC support, just like the anti-gang legislation, but used the acronym NATO – ‘No action, talk only’ to describe Government.

“We are not going to let them get away with that any more. We will remember, and we will not let them – or the country – forget. We will hold them accountable.”

“Women are no safer today than they were then. Things are definitely worse.”

Newsday sent a WhatsApp message to Al-Rawi who is part of the Government two-day retreat to get a response as to the status of the legislation. While he read the message, he did not respond.

Persad-Bissessar said the writing is on the wall for him and Dr Rowley that soon it will be time for this government to go.

“While you are there, protect our women — bring on the pepper spray legislation fully into force and if that ‘Fitzy fella’ can’t do the job, get rid of him.

“Get him out. As Minister of National Security, that legislation is under him. Get him out of office for that and many other reasons."

For the first month of the year, she said, there were 48 murders, including the horrific killing of two men as they sat in a car at the car park of the busy South Park Mall, San Fernando, last week.

“It was a frightening and worrying development, with criminals becoming more brazen in broad daylight, going anywhere at any time. Automatic gunfire in the midst of a shopping area with hundreds of citizens.

“You have to wonder whether this is somewhere in the Middle East in Syria or some other war zone. Or is this Trinidad and Tobago?”

Yet, she said there was not a peep from Hinds or Rowley, the latter who was teeing off on a golf course.

“With all this gunfire taking place all over the country, this government is spending money and valuable time tracking who got legal firearms. Have they spent one cent or one second to find out where all these illegal guns are coming from, how they are getting in, how they are crossing the borders?

“Fitzy, tell us, who is bringing it and why? You are so busy running down a man with a licensed firearm, but nothing is being done or said about the unlicensed illegal ones.

“I call on the country to make your voices heard and demand that Rowley replace Hinds with a competent Minister of National Security.

“Hinds must go now. This is not a joke. National security is a serious issue and Hinds is totally incompetent.”

While crime is surging, she observed police officers are not being properly deployed.

She drew attention to “a bus-load of police officers” accompanying Arima MP and Housing Minister Penelope Beckles, on a walk in that borough last weekend.

She also observed police and "flashing blue lights" following Energy Minister Stuart Young everywhere, although he is no longer entitled.

“While crime is out of control, you put police on the Mosquito Creek (a part of which has collapsed) to look for the mangrove crab that the UNC is sending, when you have bandits in this country at length across the land.

“Deploy the police to do the police job, to protect and serve.

“I feel sorry for (acting Commissioner of Police McDonald) Jacob but your line minister is Fitzy. I feel sorry for you, that is real stress."