Question, before angels get wings

THE EDITOR: Let me get this straight. The San Juan/Barataria MP Dr Fuad Khan plans to establish a civilian anti-kidnapping squad called “Guardian Angel”?

This group, according to Khan, will comprise young persons from San Juan/ Barataria between the ages of 15 to 18 who will carry out anti-kidnapping and anti-crime manoeuvres including surveillance work. He has written to CoP Hilton Guy, asking that “the angels” be trained in the use of firearms and other combat techniques including karate.

Question One: Dr Khan, having been voted into office by the constituents of San Juan/Barataria, is he now asking those constituents to allow him to put up, their 15 and 18 year old sons, mere callow, inexperienced youths, against hardened criminals who are prepared to kill without hesitation while we have a police service, trained and well paid to do the job but hampered by Dr Khan party’s refusal to vote with the present government to institute much needed reforms?

Question Two: Will Dr Khan put himself and his 15 to 18 year old relatives on the frontlines of the streets with his “angels”?

Question Three: If an “angel” is injured, crippled, killed or arrested how will he or his family be financially assisted or compensated and who will be held responsible for that angel’s misfortune?

Question Four: Is Dr Khan aware that an expert karate exponent, the late Bruce Lee, once said “When you are facing a man with a gun all the karate you know is of no use”?

Question Five: Is Dr Khan familiar with the phrases “stab fright” and “gun shy”? Many an experienced soldier faces a moral dilemma in using his knife and/or gun in a close range encounter with the enemy. How will 15 and 18 year olds react in a similar situation?

Question Six: We already have too many guns on the streets, arming the “angels” will increase the number of guns on the streets and trigger an “arms race” between the criminals and the legal gun owners and put family members and girlfriends of the “angels” in jeopardy, not so?

Question Seven: I have a real problem with a politician in charge of armed men. I fear that there may be a possibility that these armed “angels” may be used in time to come to protect Dr Fuad’s political meetings in the San Juan/Barataria area and discourage other political parties from campaigning in that same area. Not so?

Hitler had his brown shirts
Mussolini had his black shirts
Eric Gairy had his Mongoose Gang
Papa Doc had his Ton Ton Macoutes
Saddam Hussein had his Fayedeen

All such organisations using methods of violent intimidation to install and sustain a particular political party in power. Is Trinidad and Tobago, an oil producing nation, about to enter this arena and attract the kind attentions of a Mr George Bush?

JACK  LEARMOND  CRIQUI
New Yalta
Diego Martin