Rowley: Crime like an exotic disease

THE Prime Minister yesterday said he plans to invite an expert to TT to help address the crime facing the country.

Dr Rowley made the statement at a press conference in Barbados when he was fielding questions from the media on crime in TT.

Standing alongside Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Rowley said, “Last week I was talking to our National Security Minister (Stuart Young) and we are inviting an expert into Trinidad to open a conversation on this issue which is crime and violence as a public health issue.”

Rowley said TT is trying to face the crime challenge. “It is like an exotic disease that comes into an environment for plants and animals. Once it is in the environment you have to face up to it and that is what we are facing up to now.”

A reporter asked Rowley what advice he will give Barbados on their rise in crime.

He said, “The only thing I will say though is that the level of violence in society is a feature in the modern world.”

The Prime Minister was in Barbados for the signing of a memorandum of understanding on energy cooperation.

As of August 13, Barbados had recorded 34 murders compared to the 28 in the whole of 2018.

Rowley said he is concerned that the next generation of people in TT are involved in crime. “That is the frightening thing, it is the next generation, the young population that seems to not have the value system even on the value of life.

“We are also penetrated by the problems of our larger neighbours with the drug and firearms trade.”