PM walks away from crime questions during sod-turning

THE Prime Minister declined to comment on calls from different quarters in the society for the declaration of a state of emergency (SoE) and the dismissal of Laventille West MP Fitzgerald Hinds as national security minister after a bloody Easter weekend which saw murders and home invasions.

Among them were the murders of two men on the Churchill Roosevelt Highway near Trincity, the murder of a Chinese businessman in San Juan and home invasions in Debe and Aranguez.

Dr Rowley declined to answer questions from the media when approached after a sod-turning ceremony for a new solar energy plant in Couva.

He said, "You know I don't encourage that."

He was then escorted by Special Branch police officers to his waiting SUV and left.

The last SoE in TT took place from May 15-November 29, 2021. Its purpose was to restrict the movement of people and public gatherings to curb the spread of the covid19 virus.

This week, attorney Israel Khan, SC, and Fishermen and Friends of the Sea secretary Gary Aboud repeated calls made two years ago for an SoE to deal with crime.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, in a statement on Tuesday, reiterated the UNC's call for Hinds' dismissal, after the crimes over the Easter weekend.

On July 7, 2022, Rowley suggested it was time to look at crime as a public health emergency. He made the comment against the background of serious crimes taking place in TT at that time.

"It is the Government's intention to declare violent crime as a public health issue because violence across the society is now the norm. From domestic violence, violence in schools, violence of persons against persons, armed responses for everything and, of course, the gains to be had by criminal conduct where lives are lost and property being destroyed and stolen and so on. It is a whole plethora of violent, unacceptable conduct."

Rowley said elements of a plan to address crime as a public health issue was being worked on by members of the public service.

He also promised to raise the issue at the level of Caricom.

On April 6, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne said a special Caricom symposium to treat crime and violence as a public health concern takes place in TT from April 17 to 18.

The symposium will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain. Browne said members of the public would be able to participate virtually in the symposium.

Some of the areas to be discussed include crime and violence, their link to public health challenges and related issues in the areas of mental health, education, youth and best practices in addressing crime and violence.

Browne said several Caricom member states had confirmed their participation in the symposium.

In some cases, he added, that participation "is at the level of head of government."

Some non-Caricom member states have also expressed interest in participating in the event.

A statement issued on Wednesday by Caricom about the symposium, reiterated the points previously made by Rowley and Browne.

As lead PM in the quasi-Caricom cabinet for national security, Rowley will chair the symposium.