PM – Government to target youths as violence deemed a public health concern

THE Prime Minister says Government will specifically target the nation's youth for action to prevent this vulnerable section of society from falling into a life of crime and criminality.

This as Dr Rowley said at a press conference on Monday that the State is ready to deem violence a public health concern, warranting specific courses of action involving several arms of Government.

In addition to the issue of crime and violence, the PM also touched on the lifting of the public face mask mandate and the economy. The following is a brief overview of some of the key points made by the PM:

CRIME

Rowley said his Government's intention is to declare violent crime as a public health issue and in so doing, there will be an operationalised response aimed at the youth population at various levels including a line of education to steer young people away from crime and criminality.

He said a team of public servants including the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Development will be involved in this targeted approach to dealing with youths and crime.

He also said that the police have formed the conclusion that the upsurge in crime has been supported by shortcomings on the part of the State with respect to issues such as illegal quarrying. He said the State plans to take relevant action to curtail and eliminate this kind of facilitation.

The PM also said it is his intention to lay in the Parliament, when next it convenes, an executive summary of a report done following investigations into alleged discrepancies and law-breaking involving the Firearms Bureau of the TTPS and the issuing of firearms users licenses. He said the report makes for very disturbing reading.

In addition, the full report will be sent to the Commissioner of Police and the Police Service Commission.

MASK MANDATE

While acknowledging the relief some sectors of society will have now that the public mask-wearing mandate has now been lifted, Rowley warned that if a situation arises as far as covid19 infections are concerned, due to the irresponsibility of the people, the Government will have no difficulty whatsoever, in returning to the public mask-wearing mandate.

He warned TT that the pandemic is very much alive and in fact, the covid19 virus continues to cause global concern because of its ability to mutate and side-step the efficacy of current vaccines and other medical treatment.

THE ECONOMY

In announcing that TT's inflation rate stands at five per cent, the Prime Minister said that Finance Minister Colm Imbert will give a detailed report to the nation on September 2 on the state of the economy and actions Government is taking and plans to take to assist those in society in need of help in dealing with their economic situation.

The Prime Minister also said there will be an early reading of the 2022/2023 National Budget this year.

He also said the Cabinet agreed to funnel $1b out of the recent windfall earned from unusually high global fuel prices, caused by the Russia-Ukraine war, towards the fuel subsidy.

OTHER ISSUES

Rowley said that on August 18, Dr Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana, will be on a State visit to TT a day before this country hosts Part Two of a series of meeting Caricom heads are having specifically to deal with agri production and regional food security.

Jamaica's Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness will be a guest of the country as part of TT's 60th anniversary of Independence celebrations. Rowley said Holness has accepted the invitation first made to him by TT's Prime Minister when the latter paid a State visit to Jamaica to try and clear up misunderstandings between the two countries back in 2016.