NTA knocks PM's response to spiralling murders

THE National Transformation Alliance (NTA) has lambasted the Prime Minister’s response to the country’s spiralling murder rate, describing his approach as a failure that has resulted in over 2,000 murders in the three years since the end of Gary Griffith's tenure as commissioner of police.

NTA senior advisory committee member and former Arima mayor Ghassan Youseph penned a statement in which he characterised Rowley’s handling of crime as lacking accountability.

“The inability to address systemic issues, provide support programmes and implement effective crime prevention strategies must be recognised and acknowledged,” Youseph said.

His remarks followed Rowley’s statement from the Office of the Prime Minister on December 27, where the PM said he was “very disappointed” with the nation’s crime levels. The country has recorded at least 616 murders as of December 28.

“I am very disappointed in the outturn where once again in this small nation, frequent killings see us, for the second year straight, recording over 600 deaths attributed to widespread violence,” he said.

While commending the national security agencies for their efforts, Rowley urged the police to intensify their work to deter criminal activities. He also called for collective action from families, communities, and the judiciary, saying “normalising criminal conduct” must end and to ensure perpetrators face the full force of the law.

Youseph, however, argued that the government’s decision to sideline Griffith was a turning point in the country’s worsening crime statistics.

“We … note that 2024 marks three consecutive years of the highest murder rates in our history, following the record reductions seen under NTA political leader Gary Griffith when he was commissioner of police.

“This is significant because it was the Prime Minister’s visit to the President’s House to deliver a document that triggered the merit list fiasco, which saw then Police Service Commission chairman Bliss Seepersad and then President Paula-Mae Weekes...operate outside their constitutional remit,” he said, referencing Rowley’s admission of involvement in the controversial withdrawal of the merit list for CoP in 2021 which had reportedly recommended Griffith as the top candidate.

“The end result of those actions was that the public lost the services of a commissioner of police they had 80 per cent approval of, to be replaced by those described as the second worst and worst in the history of the country,” Youseph charged.

Youseph said Griffith’s leadership resulted in record reductions in murders.

He noted that since Griffith’s exit on August 31, 2021, “the over 2,000 murders (are the) product of poor and purposeful political decisions that lie at Prime Minister Rowley’s feet.”

Youseph also highlighted what he termed a misallocation of police resources in the years since Griffith’s departure and suggested these resources could have been better spent on crime prevention.

Rowley acknowledged the brazenness of criminals in his statement, saying they operate “as though, without fear of detection and certainty of timely, dissuading punishment.”

He stressed the government’s commitment to supporting law enforcement and called for a national effort to confront violent crime, which he described as a “major public health issue.”

Youseph countered that while the Prime Minister recognises the severity of the crisis, he has failed to accept responsibility for the government’s strategy and ineffectiveness.

“While acknowledging the persistent and unacceptable levels of violent crime and the efforts of national security agencies, his statement falls short by not fully accepting responsibility at the highest level,” he said.