President Anthony Carmona says crime should no longer be treated as a political issue and he is urging Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar to ensure their discussions on the issue tomorrow successful in the interest of the entire nation.
In a brief address at yesterday's Independence Day reception at the Policer Administration Building in Port-of-Spain, President Carmona said the crime problem was so grave that he “invoked the power of God that he will inspire the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader that they can get together to come up with ideas and policies and initiatives.”
He added: “It has nothing to do with politics.”
Speaking passionately about the issue, Carmona said dealing effectively with crime “was all about country” and an effective solution will allow “all of us here to live with the required peace, with the required harmony with the required unity.”
He said the entire nation was “hoping that policy will be engaged in a way to deal with the issue of crime in this country.”
“When great people meet great things must happen. It must not be a talk shop, it must not be foot works. We have to get the job done,” he said.
There have been 304 murders for the year so far. Carmona said all citizens and the law enforcement agencies “need to band together, as a nation, we need to be unified in our approach to solve the problem.”
He saif that while T&T has problems, they were all salvageable and there is always the need to engage the maturity and the intellect of the nation to solve problems.
Guests at the reception included Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, his wife Sharon, Chief Justice Ivor Archie and his wife Denise. The highlight was a toast to the nation on the observance of its 54th anniversary of Independence.
The President’s comments were made ahead of a meeting scheduled for tomorrow and convened by Prime Minister Rowley at the request of Opposition Leader who will submit proposals to address the crime problem. It takes place at the Office of the Prime Minister.