Hinds is a facilitator, Leader of Opposition

THE EDITOR: The Opposition’s continued call for the removal of National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds seems to give the impression that some of us do not understand the function of the minister in question. The Opposition Leader even went so far as to brand Hinds’s non-removal as “atrocious.”

The Opposition Leader, having led the previous administration for over five years and with the changing of eight national security ministers, has not recognised that the role of a national security minister is as a facilitator and not directly responsible for crime-fighting.

Are we then also going to hold the Minister of Sport responsible for the failure of the national football team? This minister is also a facilitator to all our sporting disciplines. They both provide finances and resources where necessary.

An argument bandied about is that Hinds does not inspire confidence. It reminds me of the Brian Lara era when he captained the West Indies cricket team, and the argument was that he did not inspire confidence in his teammates. Here was a man making tons of runs and his teammates’ failures were placed on his shoulders. They were never questioned about their poor shot selection nor their commitment.

If I know that my failure will be placed on the captain’s shoulders, there will certainly be no need for me to up my game. So, the TTPS could fail! “No car available at the moment, ma’am.” Hinds should take the blame. Electrical failures at both Caroni and Desalcott plants, simultaneously; vandalism at WASA booster pumps and Minister Gonzales is to be blamed?

I am yet to hear the Opposition Leader roundly condemn the vandalism that is taking place at WASA booster stations, denying thousands of people precious water.

After experimenting with eight different national security ministers (facilitators), let us hope that with the upcoming crime talks that the Opposition does not request Hinds’s head as a prelude to any discussion.

LARRY HAREWOOD

Couva