People's Roundtable offers anti-crime measures for budget

MOVEMENT for Social Justice (MSJ) political leader David Abdulah and Artists Coalition of Trinidad and Tobago representative Rubadiri Victor have said the People's Roundtable will be making recommendations to several key decision-makers and entities for measures to reduce crime to be included in the upcoming 2024/2025 budget.

They said these recommendations are contained in the report of the group's civil-society crime summit, held at Cipriani Labour College, Valsayn on January 31.

Among the people and entities that will receive copies of the report this week will be the Prime Minister, Finance Minister Colm Imbert, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Chief Justice Ivor Archie, Commissioner of Police (CoP) Erla Harewood-Christopher, the Police Service Commission and the Financial Intelligence Unit.

Abdulah (the Roundtable's convenor) and Victor (a member of the Roundtable) made these statements during a virtual meeting hosted by the MSJ on September 10.

The People's Roundtable comprises the MSJ and a number of civil-society groups.

At a news conference at the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union's headquarters in San Fernando, Abdulah described the January 31 summit as a success, as participants discussed gender-based violence, the education system, communities, white-collar crime, business and the economy, among other issues.

On September 10, he said the report arising from the summit has several recommendations which could be used to reduce crime and these should be included in the budget.

Victor added that copies of the report will be delivered to the offices of key officials and entities with this objective in mind.

He said it was not enough for the police to use a "boots on the ground" strategy to deal with crime.

Victor suggested Harewood-Christopher look at hiring data and intelligence analysts to work in the police service. He said having such personnel in agencies like the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) was not enough.

Victor also said Harewood-Christopher should look at strengthening community policing.

On the Judiciary, Victor called on Archie to ensure there are transparent guidelines on bail applications for violent crimes, gun-related crimes and repeat offenders.

He said he heard a story about someone who was charged 43 times with respect to violent crimes being able to access bail.

"That is madness."

Victor urged Imbert and Planning and Development Minister Pennelope Beckles-Robinson to consider funding for more community-based development projects in the budget, to stimulate economic activity in areas such as East Port of Spain and Fyzabad.

He suggested funding be including in the budget to ensure all community centres are fully operational. Victor said both these initiatives could create opportunities for people to engage in meaningful activities instead of becoming involved in crime.

Abdulah called for the budget to have a provision to incentivise tertiary-education students to become school social workers or guidance counsellors.

He said this would allow them to help troubled students to be able to pursue their education and not be recruited by criminals for nefarious activities.

To cut down on vehicular theft and related crimes, Abdulah said Imbert should explore the establishment of a central authority to make licence plates with computer chips embedded in them, to identify vehicle owners and track down stolen vehicles.

He also suggested firm timelines be set for the full operationalisation of scanners at sea ports to curb the flow of contraband into Trinidad and Tobago.

To curb potential corruption in electoral politics, Victor called for the implementation of campaign-finance legislation.

He estimated that it could cost a political party approximately $300-$500 million to stage an election campaign.

Victor said there must be legislation to ensure no questionable financial activity happens in any election and political parties must be able to account for their sources of funding at all times.

At a post-Cabinet media briefing on August 28 at the Office of the Prime Minister at Whitehall, St Clair, Dr Rowley said one of government's objectives in the new parliamentary term will be the passage of campaign-finance legislation.

The new term opens on September 13 at the Red House.