Gonzales pledges more open communication as National Security Minister

NEWLY-APPOINTED National Security Minister Marvin Gonzales is promising more open communication with the public and to tackle issues in the police service's management as he takes the reins.

Gonzales spoke to the media at the Ministry of National Security Drug Council’s annual meeting at Cascadia Hotel, Port of Spain, on March 19.

He said the principles of management for the Ministry of Public Utilities, where he was previously the minister, and the Ministry of National Security were similar.

“It’s about holding people to account and holding managers to account.”

Gonzales said he has met with heads of national security bodies, including the acting commissioner of police, the head of the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) and the chief of defence staff since he was sworn in on March 17.

He told reporters that plans were already in place to leverage the momentum gained by the state of emergency (SoE), which is expected to end on April 14.

Gonzales said after conversations with the acting police commissioner, he plans to look at the management of the police service on a divisional level.

“That is what we are looking at. We are going to tackle it from a divisional level, holding the divisional managers to account and while we are doing that we will provide all the resources that the divisional managers need to combat crime.”

The minister thanked his predecessor, Fitzgerald Hinds, for his hard work over the past four years, but noted one particular shortcoming during his tenure – communication.

“I had a long handover session with him and I must say, based on what I have discovered, perhaps the Ministry of National Security may not have been communicating effectively to the national population.

“That is what I plan to deal with moving forward. While we provide all of the resources to the state agencies to combat and push back against the criminal element, I intend to have open communications with all stakeholders so that they understand what we are doing, where we are falling short and what we plan to do to address those areas.”

He said communication was key to plans of improving public trust, which he said was an imperative in the fight against crime.

“While the statistics are telling you that there is a reduction in homicides and you have an increase in the confiscation of firearms, the perception and trust of the public is very critical.

“The population must feel that the police service and law enforcement officers are in charge and that they can go out with the confidence that the police is in control of the situation.

“We need to communicate information to the public. They have to know what is taking place. We have to go out into the communities, meet them at the community level, meet the business community and all critical stakeholders and when you do so and you forge that close working relationship, you build trust.”

Asked about the effect he believes he will have at the ministry, with the election date set for April 28, Gonzales said he is making every day count.

He said while tackling crime would take some time, he saw his appointment as an opportunity to start on a clean page to suppress crime.

“While the general election is important at this point in time, I am not going to be distracted by April 28, because every single day is an important day and an opportunity for us to suppress crime, gang activity and other kinds of criminality in Trinidad and Tobago.”