Real apology we want from Hinds

THE EDITOR: I note the "apology" offered by the Minister of National Security during his contribution to the budget debate earlier this week in the House.

The following is the real apology we the beleaguered and crime-weary nation would truly want to get from Mr Hinds. It is structured as a letter to the newspapers:

Dear citizens,

It pained me as it did the rest of the nation to see the video of that woman being thrown to the ground, dragged and assaulted by criminals in broad daylight along Charlotte Street. Due to my incompetence as minister, I apologise.

I apologise to the people especially those who have lost dear ones to the criminals, to those left traumatised by criminals, and to those who have had to live through the trauma of home invasions, rape, and other forms of violence.

On behalf of those of us that behave in those ways, those who choose crime as a business model, I apologise to the rest of us.

I recognise that as minister I have overseen a national-security apparatus that was unable to deal with the criminal element and also to turn away people from a life of crime.

As minister I have demonstrated an inability to carry out this most important mandate of national security. I apologise for not resigning earlier when it became apparent that I couldn't perform my duties.

I did not have the capacity to prevent this nation falling under siege by criminals and for this, I apologise.

I also apologise for saying it was not my duty to keep citizens safe.

Under my watch, this year, we have seen a murder rate hurtling towards 500. For all of my failings, I hereby tender my resignation as minister with immediate effect.

Before this decision, I instructed that CCTV cameras be installed in five specific areas in the Port of Spain and as of October 16, other cameras will be installed in other parts of the country. I really don’t know why I didn’t think of doing this before. For this I humbly apologise.

I apologise for not taking responsibility for my inaction sooner and sorry too, for my non-action.

I have failed the citizens and therefore, I humbly resign as this is the morally correct thing to do. My successor, whoever he or she may be, will have an uphill task. A task I was unable to fulfil. And for this, I unreservedly apologise.

SOFIA FIGUEROA-LEON

Via e-mail