Policemen cannot fly like birds

THE EDITOR: A Newsday report of an attempted break-in at a young couple’s home at Longdenville, foiled by the desperate young man himself who had to take the law of self preservation into his own hands and chop a bandit attempting to enter his sacred sanctuary, his home, after several futile calls for police assistance ends with a call for hospitals to assist them by notifying them of any persons coming in for attention with a chopped hand. First of all, this young man is probably lucky that he himself was not charged with inflicting damage on another human being!

The immediate question to the call for further information that must be asked is “why bother?” on two counts: (a) why should others bother given the obvious inertia and inaction of the police when called on for emergency help and (b) why should the police bother to ask for further information when it would seem clear that they weren’t in the least bit bothered about apprehending the would be criminals (or, given the number one occupation of the criminals these days, even kidnappers perhaps) in the act or helping the hapless citizen? The real “bother” is that this is not an isolated case. Just a few days prior a young lawyer in San Fernando, associated with the Opposition party, whose office is located virtually within spitting distance of the police station lost a large quantity of cash, materials and equipment and strangely “three boxes of files” (what will they do with those?) when thieves broke in through shattering glass and not a policeman heard or saw anything. Bodes ill for those living farther away from the police station for sure, if they cannot see or hear what is happening on their doorstep!

Some serious investigation needs to be undertaken to ascertain the real cause of such a situation. Is it simply lack of resources and tools for those entrusted to “serve and protect?” One cannot after all expect the policemen to fly like birds to go to the assistance of the populace — they need transport and enough manpower to service their respective areas; although this can hardly apply in their immediate environs. In an emergency surely they can call on another station for backup anyway. One cannot even entertain thoughts that it might improve with Mr Manning’s latest “plaster” for the crime epidemic, his elite brigade under the nations’ latest Brigadier, promoted without proving his worth in anyway in the field in which he will be performing. Police and army training are I believe very different and I understand that his qualifications lie in assisting in quelling the 1990 uprising; is Mr Manning expecting another? They will probably be restricted to “elite” and highly confidential service fighting “terrorists” not criminals anyway so JQ Public need not bother to look forward to that as the panacea, despite the optimism of the Chambers, big business and Mr Manning.

Interestingly until recently Mr Manning denied that TT was possessed of a terrorist threat so why did he bother to form this new outfit rather than concentrating his efforts in what we already have — a police service to “police” the nation. By dictionary definition the latter are “the department of government concerned primarily with maintenance of public order, safety and health, and enforcement of laws and possessing executive, judicial and legislative powers.” Quite a lot of power. Interestingly, the definition of a police state, which no right thinking person wants, is a “political unit characterised by repressive governmental control of political, economic and social life usually by an arbitrary exercise of power by police and especially secret police in place of regular operative and administrative and judicial organs of the government according to established legal processes.” Mr Manning did at least acknowledge that this new “crime stopper” force, expected to go into action in about two months, will be secret — by whom will they be policed? The nation to all intents and purposes appears content to continue under siege for the time being in hope of more “promises.” Those that wish to demonstrate their displeasure with the existing situation, however, are finding themselves foiled by police inaction again — this time in bureaucratic red tape. The latter apparently do not have the manpower, ability or will to issue the requisite approval (applied for) for said marches for peace — so those too have to wait till later — after the new police (army?) unit comes into operation!

These honest, upright citizens are meanwhile being denied a basic constitutional right, but I guess that’s no big thing. Why bother? Let it join the pile, like the lack of signed integrity forms, any semblance of discussion on constitutional reform, equal opportunities or accountability. “Morality, spirituality and the rule of law” is in control, replete with integrity, lack of bias and an abundance of “caring.” There is not cause for bother — is there? Some, like myself, would disagree and say that there is the gravest cause for “bothering” — both in mind and deed. Democratic status and rights are worth bothering about and no citizens, be they Afro or Indian, should permit supposed bureaucracy to impede and cow them and conveniently push their planned protest action over to next year. Based on current data a lot more will be either dead or kidnapped by then. They must demand approval or a plausible answer right now; they are neither terrorists nor criminals. Maybe the PM can assist.

VIRGINIA VERITY
Port-of-Spain