Lucky: Martin Joseph must go

NATIONAL Security Minister Martin Joseph must be removed from office, whatever embarrassment it may bring to the Government. That is the call from Gillian Lucky, “independent” UNC Member of Parliament for Pointe-a-Pierre. Speaking Friday in the House of Representatives, during debate of the Privileges Committee report on the “teacup brawl,” Lucky said it was obvious that Joseph cannot handle the crime situation because of his lack of expertise. She said it could be an embarrassment to them to remove him, and so it was convenient to “leave him there.” She insisted, however, that Government has to start setting examples rather than point fingers at each other, and its actions must stand the test of time.

She stressed that Joseph should go, whatever embarrassment it may cause to Government, bearing in mind he is the second national security minister who appears to be unable to deal with the escalating crime in the country. Lucky said consideration should be given to the role Joseph is playing, and clearly it should not be as the national security minister. She said the country was at an all time low where persons had self imposed curfews, as they are afraid to go out, and for Joseph to say that crime was not as bad as it seemed, was not accurate.

She said maybe if Joseph was an “enforcer” like New York Senator Hilary Clinton, “we may not have the problems we are having,” as she touched briefly on the issue of the appointment of Hazel Manning being appointed a minister by her husband Prime Minister Patrick Manning. She questioned the comfort of ministers in criticising Hazel in Cabinet, when her husband was the boss. The call for Joseph to be dismissed as national security minister comes a day after the business community met to discuss crime, and has called on all MPs to stop making promises and deal with the matter.