Dennis chastises 'inconsistent' THA for passing the buck on crime

PNM Tobago Council leader Ancil Dennis has chastised Deputy Chief Secretary Dr Faith BYisrael for seemingly passing the buck when it comes to Tobago's security of Tobago.

BYisrael on Sunday criticised a Facebook post by Minority Leader Kelvon Morris, who called on Tobagonians to "demand serious action by this current administration that is entrusted with leading and securing the island."

In response, BYisrael said Morris's statement "grinds my soul" and was foolish. She said the "THA, though not responsible for national security, has been spending our limited resources on (THA Act) 6th Schedule items (which are assigned to Central Government)."

Chief Secretary Farley Augustine told Newsday on Sunday that the Prime Minister and the Minister of National Security must make Tobago's security a priority, as it has been neglected in the past.

“It's under their purview," Augustine said. "They are always quick to point out where they have responsibility, and this is something they need to take up.”

However, Dennis recalled comments from BYisrael in 2016, when she said the THA was responsible for Tobago's security.

"Their disingenuousness and inconsistency is vexing," he said.

Dennis posted a screenshot of a Facebook post by BYisrael in which she said, “If we keep thinking that crime is a national security issue, then we will continue to fail. Crime has very little to do with national security, since the detection, investigation, and judicial response to crime is simply that – a response.”

BYisrael had called for the root causes of crime to be addressed, "so that we wouldn't need to spend time and effort responding to crime."

Dennis said BYisrael was heavily critical of then chief secretary Kelvin Charles in 2018 for lack of a crime plan.

"During the last election campaign, they boasted of having the best crime plan. Now today, they have all the excuses in the world, among them, national security is not their responsibility," the PNM Tobago leader said.

Dennis said the THA is indeed not responsible for national security, but it is responsible for Tobago's security.

"In Tobago, crime prevention is not so much about policing, as it is about youth development and sport, education, social services, community development, business development, and Tobago’s economy; all of which are THA responsibilities."

He reiterated his complaints about the THA using Trinidad contractors instead of local ones. He said the consequence of this is money not trickling down into young Tobagonians' pockets, which will affect crime.

He said there have been "job losses in both public and private sector, a stagnated economy, a destroyed construction sector, an ineffective social support system, a collapsed sporting infrastructure, and depressed and deprived communities on the island."

He said the PNM recognised this and focused on community and sporting facilities and programmes as well as established programmes catering to business development and skills training.

Last week, Augustine said the THA would ramp up its social programmes as one of the measures to tackle crime on the island.