‘Clueless PNM only bluffing!’

THE ruling PNM has no clue to deal with the rising crime situation and “in fact are bluffing their way out,” Opposition UNC political leader Basdeo Panday said on Monday. “They are paying millions of dollars to a foreign firm for a plan to deal with crime and if they ask anyone of you how to solve crime, you will give them a plan for free,” Panday added as he spoke during the party’s weekly Monday Night Forum, held this week at Montrose Government Primary school.

A large crowd was on hand to hear the UNC leader and members of his party speak on national issues. “Every sensible person knows what causes crime and how to deal with it except the PNM, who are paying millions to get a plan with nothing new from recommendations former New York Mayor Giuliani had made,” Panday said. To boisterous applause, Panday stressed that in order to fight crime there must be constitutional reform with the police being accountable to the people and Parliament, and not the Prime Minister. He added that previous crime plans including operation “Anaconda,” had failed and the population continues to be victims of rape, robbery, kidnapping and murder. “We must get the politics right by having constitutional reform which will, among other things, make the Police Service accountable in the widest sense.”

“The police must be accountable to whom? The PNM has corrupted the Police Service to do their dirty work, instead of dealing with the public and the people’s business,” Panday continued. Regarding the controversy surrounding the Chief Justice and Prime Minister Patrick Manning, Panday said recent newspaper publications were intended to “in the most bloodthirsty manner, put the CJ on public trial and to convict and execute him.” Panday said he was not sure why the PNM was pursuing such a line of action, “but I will soon find out.” “Come hell or high water, CJ Sharma must be destroyed under the PNM, for you must remember that PM Manning has to recommend the judges for the tribunal so what do you expect? No matter what happens in the tribunal, the CJ is dead. He finished. He gone through,” Panday said.

“They have totally emasculated the judiciary and you think any judge would go against the PNM?” Panday then asked “under these circumstances you think any UNC person will get a fair trial before the courts in the country?” Panday then warned that this country was heading in the direction of Guyana, when under that country’s Forbes Burnham regime, Panday said, there was an exodus of business people and high profile Indians out of the country. “Those who cannot run will have to stay and face the music and it would not be sweet. They believe that you will not fight and that you have no belly. “That is the only reason they will inflict with impunity such measures like the Terrorist Bill which they were planning to introduce in Parliament but when you get in a corner like a cat chasing a rat, you will know how to fight back and get your politics right?