Illegal firearms must be top priority

THE EDITOR: I could but smile in wry amusement at today’s lead news that the newly formed Firearms Interdiction Unit (Police/ Army or both?) had arrested three south businessmen on incendiary charges; of housing them unsafely (not in a safe), not maintaining a proper record and retailing without a license. Meanwhile, lethal illegal incendiaries (ie firearms) continue to proliferate and wreak havoc.

With less than two of the fifty two weeks of 2003 to go — a year which has seen a bumper crop of murders and crimes by gun toting thugs — this bold initiative is, I imagine, designed to inspire confidence in the citizens and reinforce the message that the police are indeed seriously attacking the crime situation — at the right level of course! (For Police read Government and their latest Minister of National Security, who effectively declared early o’clock that he will leave the police to do their job, and he will do his — which is exactly what then?).

I always thought that the Minister of National Security was the one charged with ensuring the safety of the nation — which includes each and every citizen, be they honest or otherwise. Our new Minister of National Security does not, however, intend to be caught out on a limb like poor Chin Lee — promise nothing and they will be thankful for crumbs being his motto. I consider both these latest manoeuvres an insult to my intelligence, and I am sure that I am not alone in this, since “firearm nuisance killing” will continue unabated with far more lethal result than the scratch bombs. Of whom are the authorities afraid? Certainly not children and struggling businessmen.

Of what is this citizen afraid? Only that next year, like this one, will set another new record. Even the PNM have changed their tune — from “no problem to the average citizen” — we are now being psyched into accepting that it is a long term problem with no immediate solution; designed to obviate the likelihood of Mr Manning once more being asked to return to the polls prematurely on the same issue as on the last occasion. That is, incidentally, what we should be focussing on — the fact that he could not do it the last time around and certainly hasn’t improved on his record, after two years, this time around. Why? Indeed, the continuing downward spiral into anarchy and mayhem on all fronts is unprecedented and cause for the gravest of concern.

Dispossessing Parliament and taking up office where it does not yet leak is either a Manning preoccupation or a very convenient “distraction” element to be trotted out when required, with objectors being studiously ignored; as are citizens’ queries concerning the new elite squad created by Mr Manning (still getting their act together (legally?). To whom will the latter be responsible and/or accountable — the Police Commissioner (acting or otherwise), Army head or PM? Happy New Year TT. Continue ignoring at your own peril. Parliament is only next in the line of casualties and we were effectively dispossessed since our free and fair, but not free from fair, elections. So much for morality, spirituality and the rule of law. Robert Mugabe is still mouthing platitudes about democracy and freedom in an oppressed and financially and spiritually depressed nation, even whilst severing Commonwealth ties.

VIRGINIA VERITY
Port-of-Spain