PSC, Sandals and fake promises

Look, we could have ten national security ministers like PNM's Marvin Gonzales or UNC's Roger Alexander, but the control, reduction and management of crime and public safety will not effectively and efficiently materialise.

Why? Unless the government (old or new) quickly undertake a complete reform of the Police Service Commission (PSC). If the PNM and UNC work on this together, everybody wins.

Now is the time to tell politicians what the country needs and don’t vote for those who don’t listen. The 2016 PNM-UNC well-intentioned joint creation of the PSC and constitutional amendments in the Constitution (Section 123) has not worked as expected.

Is PM Stuart Young’s vote-catching pledge to review the PSC a “new chapter” example?

Or is it just another pacifying promise?

However, for the government to achieve improved policing, effective police leadership and public confidence, the entire Section 123 of the Constitution should be reviewed – not only the PSC. There should be no delay. The opposition should break its silence now. The free media should also speak more loudly on this critical matter.

The longer government takes to deal with this complicated, convoluted system of appointing and monitoring a police commissioner and three deputies as well as reviewing the “complete powers” of the CoP (Section 123) to “manage the police service,” the country will continue to suffer low levels of policing and leadership, high levels of fear, runaway gangsterism and other serious crimes.

And while I am on this and not waiting to complain, I am not sure if the UNC’s proposal for three ministries rather than one well-stocked ministry of national security will produce the all-round efficiency and effectiveness now required. The siloed duplication and costs are not worth it.

The PNM and UNC must show financial restraint in opening more ministries. As I explained to the Advisory Committee on Constitution Reform, we already have too many ministries.

A published letter last week by citizen, F Laurenco, headed "Circus of Lies every 5 years" referred to the vast number of promises politicians make but remain unfulfilled while politicians enrich themselves.

His scepticism emerged about the same time, PNM Point Fortin candidate Kennedy Richards Jr accused the UNC of “lies, deception and hypocrisy,” an allegation lacking specifics.

Meanwhile, UNC leaders – Kamla Persad-Bissessar, David Lee, Dave Tancoo, Jearlean John – all condemned the PNM for spreading “falsehoods and lies” that the UNC “will devalue“ our dollar to “TT$15 to US$1” to pay for the promised “ten per cent" increase in public servants’ salaries.

Now public worry over a “circus of lies” may not be a phenomenon of today. It depends on how far back you wish to go. This, of course, is not a pleasant subject especially when we have so many hard-working, well-intentioned candidates looking towards April 28. The 60 per cent or so who usually vote do so because they believe in their chosen party no matter what, ignore their party’s sins or vote for the “lesser evil.”

Another public interest issue is the Sandals hotel for Tobago. Now, Young, in an act of “political generosity,” invited a large amount of hotel stakeholders to a meeting last week. Now, we understand the Tobago priority, but whether Sandals accepts or rejects our government’s invitation, the matter concerns entire Trinidad and Tobago, especially for conditions requiring taxpayers’ money.

One of the first commendable pledges Young made was to “unify the country.” Therefore, given the history of this Sandals’ project, this “stakeholders’ meeting” should have included the UNC opposition where any new proposal could be discussed, supported or reservations respectfully clarified.

In a published letter headlined “Sandals’ deal must be the same as with local businesses,” former chairman of the Tourism Development Company Denise Demming stated: “The now infamous memorandum of understanding exposed, thanks to Afra Raymond’s legal challenge, showed a lopsided agreement. The state was to fund and build the resort on public land, while Sandals would enjoy sweeping concessions – tax holidays, duty-free status, unlimited work permits for foreign workers and no obligations to local employment.”

She said: ”All this, all costs, all burden – carried by the public.” She called for “full transparency, including the release of all agreements before they are finalised.”

This, incidentally, is far different from what hotel entrepreneur Johnny Aboud offered Tobago with his planned Rocky Point hotel – full local employment, public shares and large investment.