Broad brush idea to deal with crime

THE EDITOR: The need for men and women of courage in our country exists more now than ever before. The saying by a long ago wise man that “for evil to flourish good men must do nothing” is truer now than ever before in the history of our nation.

People commit crimes when the fear of being caught is not there. They believe that the authority of the state to find and convict them is something that they need no longer respect or are concerned about. This is what is so wrong about our society. The criminal has no longer any respect for the law enforcement agencies or the legal system. Simple laws are broken every day wilfully and with complete impunity. The erosion of this authority began with the adoption of the Republican Constitution and the establishment of the Service Commissions. What to do?

In my view the Government of the day should suspend the constitution and by doing so the service commissions. Then deploy all the policemen and policewomen, as well as the Regiment, with suitable precepts on to the streets of the nation with the mandate to enforce the  laws of the country with extreme rigidity and if you like “zero tolerance.” The clerical work in the Police administration would be done by public servants assigned to police stations across the country. Senior police officers would be given the authority to discipline and command within the bounds of their assigned limits of authority. The Judicature would be mandated to speed up the criminal legal system and to endeavour to limit bail, and make sure that the whole legal system is fast tracked. The Law Association must provide assistance to make sure that this happens. This is a broad brush idea, but again, “If you do not have a solution you are part of the problem.” Here is a part of a possible solution.

DAVID L MARTIN
Port-of-Spain