Is TT still the safest destination?

THE EDITOR: The Minister of Culture (please note!) And Tourism, Pennelope Beckles, in refuting the UK Foreign Office Common-wealth office travel advisory warning of kidnappings amongst other crimes now prevalent in Trinidad and Tobago, makes the beautifully, politically correct statement that this country is “still” (transiently? momently?) “one of the safest places to visit in the Caribbean”.

This might be likened to claiming that, say, Juno, is one of the warmest places in Alaska, which does not claim that Juno is passably warm! Is Ms Beckles content that, in placing this country in direct comparison to Gu-yana, Jamaica (around Kingston that is) Haiti and even the higher crime areas of Puerto Rico, it comes out smelling like roses? If Ms Beckles were not a poltiician, taking the usual double talk of her profession, wouldn’t she be more likely to say she was hurt and embarrassed about the travel advisory, admitting it was accurate nevertheless, and making a commitment to the full restoration of law and order and respect for individuals and their property? Perhaps if Ms Beckles were advised of one of the safer places in the Congo, she would be attracted to holiday there?

GEOFF HUDSON
Port-of-Spain