PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar and Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley have agreed on a number of initiatives to stem rising crime in the twin island state, with the government insisting that “crime is everybody’s business”.
The meeting followed the recent murders, including two 16-year-olds, in a section of the capital earlier this month.In an address to the nation following the meeting Thursday night, Persad Bissessar said that no political party, no individual government can solve crime alone. “This is neither a party nor a political issue. The fight against crime should be something that unites us, not divides us. It will take the collective efforts of the government, all other political groups, the protective services, non-government organisations, businesses and citizens. “Crime is everybody’s business and we cannot end it if we put partisan interests ahead of the good of our country.”Rowley told reporters that the opposition is com¬mit¬ted to working with the government in the fight against crime and reiterated that a collaborative approach was needed.“We are saying that this matter requires urgent action; we will not put any political impediment in the government’s way in treating with the loss of security and loss of opportunities for people in East Port of Spain or anywhere else,” he said.Persad Bissessar said the meeting agreed to devise a new system for the appointment of a Commissioner of Police and to boost the morale within the police service by filling vacancies and undertaking a comprehensive review of promotions in service.There was also an agreement to create a specific offence for witness tampering and intimidation and there would also be a review of the controversial Anti-Gang legislation.Persad Bissessar said with regards to the Bail Act, consideration will be given to deny bail to a convicted criminal if after conviction on a first offence, the person is charged a second time.She said that her administration had undertaken a number of initiatives to deal with the crime situation, and that approval has been given for the police to form a Rapid Response Unit (RRU) and to purchase 300 new vehicles.“This unit will consist of response teams and will be equipped with advanced technological devices to improve police response time to crimes that are in progress. Alongside this, officers will be on patrol throughout the length and breadth of the country,” she said, adding that the teams would initially be focused on the most crime-prone areas in Trinidad and Tobago.“We expect the Unit to be fully operational before the end of the year,” she said, adding that the government has also embarked on a specialised training programme for Special Reserve Police officers. She also called on other stakeholders including religious leaders, teachers,community groups “to continue to work with us so that together we may create safe and secure communities and a country free from fear and the horrendous crimes we are currently witnessing”.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserverHOUSE RULES
1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper – email addresses will not be published.
2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
5. Please don’t use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed:mailto:advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
comments powered byView the original article here
Trinidad PM, Opposition leader agree on measures to deal with crime
