Who is protecting criminals?

THE EDITOR: Thus saith the Prime Minister to the nation: "Stop protecting criminals."

Former police commissioner Gary Griffith once lamented that the Government was harbouring criminals, by giving state contracts to gang leaders and their gangs.

A Special Branch report, in 2019, stated that seven gang leaders in north Trinidad received state contracts totalling almost $6 million for the period 2016-2018.

After Griffith's contract was up in August 2021, there was an all-out attack on citizens who had received permission for firearm user's licences. Major concerns were raised by former military and police heads and the Government about the types and amount of guns legal firearm holders were importing or buying.

The same concerns were not expressed about the massive number of illegal guns in the hands of criminals. That seemed to be okay with the Government.

No government has ever entertained the concept of a gun amnesty.

In February 2011, former police commissioner Dwayne Gibbs said that a "gun amnesty is not right for T&T at this point in time." This was under the People's Partnership government.

In April 2019, former national security minister Stuart Young said that "a gun amnesty works in certain countries and certain circumstances. We don't think that is applicable to Trinidad and Tobago. Those who are using guns to commit crime in Trinidad and Tobago are not going to put down their guns."

In May 2022, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds said there will be no gun amnesty to get illegal weapons off the street.

In December 2022, Hinds reiterated that a firearm amnesty "wouldn't be employed at this time but (a firearm retrieval programme) would be done via detection and investigative methods."

There is no need to have a gun amnesty if the Government continues to give state contracts to criminals.

By the end of 2022, there were over 600 murders in the country.

Who is protecting criminals, Mr Prime Minister?

LINUS F DIDIER

Mt Hope