Joseph, Mark trade blows on crime

UNC Senator Wade Mark accused Government of associating with criminals, while Minister of National Security Martin Joseph accused the Opposition of revealing police strategies.

In a motion on the adjournment of the Upper House, Mark said, "The criminal element in Trinidad and Tobago is able to run amok. People are leaving this country because of the spate of criminal activities."

Mark accused Government of under-funding the Anti Kidnapp-ing Squad (AKS) in favour of the Special Anti-Crime Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (SAUTT).

Mark urged Joseph to state what actions he intended to take against crime.

In reply, Joseph recalled the UNC castigating Chaguanas business persons whom he had met to discuss crime. An emotional Joseph charged, "Is it in the Opposition’s best interests to make sure we don’t get a handle on crime?"

Three Independent Senators tapped their tables in support.

Joseph accused the UNC of undermining the police. He said Government had boosted the AKS, SAUTT, and engaged external agencies which he was unwilling to identify.

"That’s the best I can go without saying a whole lot more because let me tell you what has happened. I think I need to say this. In another place (House of Represen-tatives), a member unfortunately provided to this country the entire map of our intelligence agencies."

Joseph said the UNC MP had publicly identified the heads of every single one of its police agencies. "He talked about how we were using surveillance equipment to deal with certain types of activities.

"As a result of that, criminals knew exactly how we were treating them with respect to phone calls etcetera, and their whole approach to dealing with kidnappings has changed as a result of that."

Joseph said Government now has to rethink its strategy to tackle kidnappings. He said fear of crime gripped the whole country, adding: "Nobody knows who is going to be next."

In an apparent criticism of the Judiciary/Magistracy, Joseph said when the police held a veterinarian’s kidnappers, the crooks got bail.

An emotional Joseph said, "Madam President, they got bail. Madam President, they got bail. And what happens is that, well, Madam President, they got bail."