Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has questioned the “deafening silence” from Prime Minister Keith Rowley—chairman of the National Security Council—about the country’s spiralling murder rate.
She spoke about the situation after yesterday’s launch of the 11th Parliament. Up to yesterday, thirty murders had been reported since September 12.
President Anthony Carmona, in addressing the ceremonial opening of the new Parliament, also spoke about the crime situation, saying, “We as a people cannot, in good conscience, sit idly by while entire communities are under siege. You have only to open the newspapers, and some of us, our doors, to see and feel the debilitating effects of crime on our society.
“It is easy to lay blame at the doorstep of the incumbent Government or the past government but we are all responsible, in more ways than one. There is a spirit of inhumanity that is sweeping through our nation, marked by a callous disregard for the sanctity of human life.”
Persad-Bissessar, who holds the national security portfolio in the opposition PP shadow cabinet, speaking to the media after the function, said: “The murder rate is tremendous cause for concern for all of T&T.
“But what I find very strange is the deafening silence on the part of the Prime Minister who is the chairman of the National Security Council, and also, indeed, from all of them on what plans do they have on this—if at all they have a plan—and what they would do to stem the tide of murder.”
Persad-Bissessar also took issue with National Security Minister Edmund Dillon’s call for the Opposition not to “politicise” crime.
She added, “To say it should not be politicised is in effect politicising it. But moreover the country needs the comfort and assurance from those in charge of the national security apparatus—the minister and chairman of the National Security Council—who owe T&T some words of comfort and assurance that they will in fact be dealing with this issue.”
On the death of 13-year-old Yakini Charles of Gonzales who was shot dead recently, Persad-Bissessar added, “It is tragic when it is a child or anybody.”
About the opposition PP’s senate bench which lacks a Tobago representative, Persad-Bissessar said the Opposition chose people who would bring experience which was needed in the Senate. “I’m quite satisfied with the selections which were made.”
She also commented on the president’s address in which he urged MPs to work together. “We’ll give them a fair chance and the benefit of the doubt. We had no problems, for instance, in seconding the nominations for House Speaker and deputy speaker,”
Persad-Bissessar said she had also noted other parts of the address on incorporating the skills of youths and for enactment of disability legislation which her government passed in June. She noted the Opposition PP had the youngest MP who is Princes Town MP Barry Padarath.