Moonilal: Govt not focused on crime

In a press release yesterday, Moonilal said: “The inept (Prime Minister Dr Keith) Rowley continues to place emphasis on speed guns and breathalysers while the violent crime siege has turned Trinidad and Tobago into one of the deadliest countries in the world.”

“I plead with Rowley’s regime to place deserved priority to taming this bane of our times so the country would be spared more anguish as that being endured by families and friends of Thursday night murder victims.”

The minister said Thursday’s triple murder in Debe was a “direct result of the PNM government’s rank incompetence in handling the ever-worsening crime scourge throughout Trinidad and Tobago.”

The country has never been more unsafe, said Moonilal, and the triple murder made clear the government’s “lack of political will to drive the police service to protect citizens.” Moonilal said “Recent moves to create safe zones at Laventille, Sea Lots and Beetham Estate have seen crime being exported to areas like Debe, Tunapuna, Chaguanas, St Joseph, Penal and other communities, which the Government has shown no resolve in protecting.”

He called for an upgrade of the highway patrol office in Debe to a full police station and for the re-introduction of the Community Comfort patrol.

If the government cannot handle the crime situation, “they must resign and call a general election now,” said Moonilal.