While boasting the crime rate is lower than 2014, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon said yesterday he was concerned about T&T’s murder rate.
But with T&T recording over 270 murders in just eight months, Dillon continued to put his faith in the national security agencies, saying there was ongoing development and enhancement of the T&T Police Service. Asked if he was satisfied with the work done thus far, however, he said he would only be pleased when crime was reduced to zero.
“I will be satisfied when there are no murders in Trinidad and Tobago. I will be satisfied when there is no crime in Trinidad and Tobago. That is when I will be satisfied but I do not think that can be,” Dillon said as he responded to questions during a visit to his Point Fortin constituency yesterday.
“That is Utopia, the real world that does not exist. In no part of the world you can tell me there isn’t a murder or a crime committed,” he said.
While murders are common around the world, there are several Caribbean countries with very low murder rates. In 2012, Bermuda recorded five murders; Turks and Caicos Islands had two in 2009 and Montserrat and Anguilla recorded one in 2008 and 2012 respectively. European countries, such as Andorra, Monaco and San Marino, have all had years with no one murdered.
Dillon said: “Our number one issue continues to be the murder rate which we are all concerned about.
“As the Minister of National Security, I am personally concerned about it and I can tell you that the agencies of the State are working assiduously to deal with the murders.”