UNC on Police Bill: No more power for Manning

The Opposition United National Congress (UNC) has not yet met in caucus to discuss the Police Reform Bill, according to Siparia MP, Kamla Persad-Bissessar. However, sources say the party will not support the Bill if it is reintroduced in Parliament. “There is no way the UNC will support that Bill! It would put into the hands of Patrick Manning, control of the Police Service. He has already tried to intimidate the Judiciary — now he’s after the police. He’s on his way to becoming another Hitler!” exclaimed one concerned insider.

Another exasperated source said: “They come back with this again! I don’t understand why all these so-called educated people cannot see that this Bill will do more harm than good. We already have enough problems with the executive having too much power, over what are supposed to be independent arms of the State. I can’t believe that anyone would even consider giving them more power!” Senator Wade Mark echoed similar sentiments, “we have not yet met to discuss it, but the UNC will have great difficulty supporting that Bill. That Bill is not about crime — it would not solve crime!

Crime cannot be solved that way because the PNM is in league with the criminals, the same criminals he went into alliance with to remove the UNC from office.” He insisted, “The UNC is not prepared to put more power directly into the hands of the Prime Minister, and that is what that Bill will do. It will establish Manning’s private Gestapo police force.” Mark asserted, “the country requires and demands sweeping constitutional reform. In the absence of that, the UNC will not put more political power into the hands of the PNM.”