Put Rowley in charge of National Security

"After listening to the member for Diego Martin West, he sounded much more persuasive (than National Security Minister Martin Joseph)," Panday said.

Panday seemed to be presenting his list of anti-crime proposals as he spoke on Government’s motion on crime in the House of Representatives yesterday.

He had another recommendation for the PM — when dealing with "bad boys" that Joseph referred to in his contribution, do what the UNC did with "bad boys like Joey Ramiah and Dole Chadee." Don’t, the Opposition Leader advised, put them in charge of URP.

Panday also advised the Government to find out why, in spite of a multi-million dollar high surveillance blimp, people were still getting kidnapped, phone calls were made between the kidnappers and the victims’ family to negotiate the ransom, the ransom was being dropped, and the blimp was in the blind about all of this. In a contribution that seemed to demonstrate why he held the title of Opposition Leader, Panday even had House Speaker Barry Sinanan openly enjoying his oratory skills.

The most promising aspect of Panday’s contribution was his public invitation and stated commitment — which was immediately accepted by Prime Minister Patrick Manning — to meet and talk in order to bring an end to spiralling crime.

"If you want seriously to deal with crime, let’s get together and deal with crime," Panday told Manning, saying that he had been issuing such a call for two years.

A surprised Manning, who couldn’t believe his ears, said, "Whoooooooo," as his frontliners Keith Rowley, Ken Valley and Colm Imbert extended the echo.

"Don’t open yuh mouth, whoooooo," Panday mocked, adding that Government members were sounding like "owls." Manning said he was trying to meet Panday for three and a half years. Manning rose to ask if there would be any pre-conditions to the discussions on crime in the national interest. "The object of meeting with the Government is to end crime," Panday said.

"In other words, you are prepared to meet without any pre-conditions. We will be available to meet from Monday," Manning rejoined, apparently forgetting his previous invitation to Political Leader Winston Dookeran.

"Whatever I have to do, I will put aside," Panday replied, stressing, "This is more important than anything else.

"The only thing that will prevent me from coming is death, and I might land up there in a coffin," he said. The chamber exploded with laughter. Even House Speaker Barry Sinanan couldn’t help but join in the good natured banter, saying, "It is expected that the President ought to keep a very stern and strict face, but you are encouraging me to laugh."

Panday said he felt sorry for Joseph when he said "tell us what more we can do." "It means you can do nothing more," Panday said. He said Joseph should have then said, "Since I can’t do anything about crime, I shall resign," rather than saying, "he would resign if it would solve the crime problem."

Panday said one of the strange things the minister should investigate was why as soon as people were kidnapped, the first question asked by the police is "How much ransom you could pay?"

"That is not a question to ask," Panday said.

Panday said Government was blaming the police, the Opposition, the courts, everybody else for its failure to deal with crime, except itself. In response to a statement from across the floor, Panday said, "You are right. That is for us to do." Panday said Joseph’s motion was a plea for the entire Parliament to take blame in Government’s failure.

Panday said he agreed with Joseph that the citizenry should be united in the battle against crime. However, Panday said, the citizenry should also be united in the battle against discrimination, against the inequitable distribution of State resources, and against the use of the coercive machinery of the State to persecute opponents.