Kamla tells PM: Steps needed now against ruthless criminals

The Opposition Leader has called on the Government to immediately implement some practical anti-crime initiatives to stop the bloodshed and terror.

A statement on Wednesday from Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, said while the country awaits an official response to her letter to the Prime Minister, she was “hard-pressed” to speak on behalf of “our besieged nation.”

The letter she referred to was recently sent to Dr Keith Rowley, outlining anti-crime suggestions and asking for stakeholders to be included in proposed talks between the two main political parties.

“Over the past couple of days, there have been multiple ghastly murders, brutal home invasions, shootings, and audacious threats from gangs to harm our courageous police officers,” the statement said.

“The raw reality is that TT is in the early throes of anarchy, with unrelenting horrific crimes, a low detection rate, no government crime-prevention plans, and an overburdened judicial system leading to social decay.”

Persad-Bissessar cited several recent crimes, including separate incidents in which the decomposing bodies of a man and a woman were found.

She added that people were killed while doing business, an elderly business family was savagely attacked, and a teenager had gone missing.

“That is a mere snapshot of the rampant and unchecked violence and disorder,” she said.

The Government, she said, seems to erroneously believe it has a licence to do nothing “to rein in the runaway violent crime crisis until the proposed anti-crime talks.”

She urged Rowley to listen to people's calls, including those of the business community and civil society.

Once again, she called for the PM to remove National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds and institute immediate practical measures to protect the people from ruthless criminals.