Opposition: Guanapo mass shooting symptom of Government's failings

The Opposition is pinning Thursday morning's mass shooting in Guanapo on the Government saying the incident is a symptom of the systemic collapse of the country's institutions.

In a release, Naparima MP Rodney Charles said: "Our schools, our TTPS, our unpatrolled, porous borders, our failing social safety nets, increasing poverty, rising homelessness, limited job opportunities for thousands leaving schools, seeming inability to deal with rising mental illnesses among citizens, lack of structured, well resourced sporting programmes and even shortages in FX leading to an unregulated black market with all its attendant criminal opportunities are all linked to what took place in Guanapo yesterday."

He said crime in TT has reached a new level of brutality with the current administration "incapable of understanding the inextricable link between institutional collapse and out-of-control crime."

He took aim at the Prime Minister, Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Stuart Young, Minister of Finance Colm Imbert, Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds and Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly. He asked if they recognised that if they fail to discharge their functions effectively, "the net result is increased mayhem and gangster-styled murders."

Similarly, Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal said the Guanapo killings are another reason on the list for why Hinds should be fired.

"The latest ghastly mass murders and a new round of travel advisories from developed countries are further compelling reasons for the immediate dismissal of failed Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds," he said in a release.

He said Dr Rowley must abandon "his arrogance and conceit" and fire Hinds who he described as "the most disastrous Security Minister in the country’s history."

Moonilal said the PM's failure to remove Hinds means he has no concern for the safety and welfare of citizens.

Moonilal ended the release by singling out the Caricom crime symposium held earlier this year, saying the Guanapo killings were evidence it was a wasted investment.

"Clearly the $3.4 million crime symposium at the Hyatt has led to absolutely no positive change in the fight against the new breed of heinous criminals that stalk our land."

Shortly after midnight on Thursday, armed gunmen stormed a Guanapo home killing four people, three of which were children and injured five others. Deceased are Faith Peterkin, 10, Shane Peterkin, 17, Tiffany Peterkin, 19, and Adris Crawford, 17. Wounded were Christian Stephen, 18, James Mohammed, 25, Shenika Peterkin, 21, Arianna Peterkin, 14, and Jamiah Crawford, 14.