Hochoy calls it ‘Mongoose Gang’

Minority Leader in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Hochoy Charles has likened the proposed Assembly Police to the infamous “mongoose gang” of an earlier political era in a neighbouring Caribbean island.

Charles said he was fearful of what the current Assembly was “attempting” with the establishment of its own Police Service and declared the minority membership’s (opposition’s) total rejection of such a move. He did so at Thursday’s plenary sitting of the House during his contribution to debate on a Bill to establish the Assembly Police. “We not supporting any ‘mongoose gang,’ you know!” he declared. Charles queried: “What happens to the members of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (in Tobago)? That has consequences!” he asserted.

He argued that Government should allow the THA to handle the internal security of the island and give “directives” to the TTPS detachment serving in Tobago, “but not set up another police service!” Charles contended: “The law (Section 26 and 27 of the THA Act No 40 of 1996) is there; we don’t need to set up another police force in Tobago, the Minority Leader suggested. “I am afraid of what you attempting!” he declared. “It resembles the ‘mongoose gang.’

All that was needed, he insisted, is to “put the direction of the police service (TTPS) in Tobago under the THA.” But in a direct response to Charles in his contribution which followed, THA Chief Secretary Orville London declared: “What we heard is a lot of rhetoric from a psuedo attorney-at-law.” London said the THA had made a commitment to establish an Assembly Police Service, and stressed that this must be done within the framework of the law.

He noted that the Police Service Act and the Municipal Act make no provision for an Assembly Police Service. Hence the introduction of a THA Bill that would lead to enactment of the law to provide for the establishment of the Assembly Police. The Bill was subsequently passed with all members of the minority present voting against it. As provided for in the THA Act (1996), the Bill will now be forwarded to the Cabinet and then sent to Parliament where it is expected to be enacted into law. London  also an-nounced that following the Assembly Police Bill, there will be other Bills with respect to the protection of the environment and Tobago’s heritage and culture.