Panday: URP, CEPEP to blame for crime

OPPOSITION leader Basdeo Panday has blamed the URP and CEPEP programmes for the country’s high rate of crime. “URP and CEPEP are the cause of crime because they (the PNM) have taken URP and placed it into the hands of criminals,” he told supports at a UNC campaign meeting at the Point Fortin Civic Centre on Monday night.

Panday also claimed “criminals” employed by the  ruling People’s National Movement (PNM), received as much as $250,000 fortnightly which they used to purchase drugs to sell. As a result, he said, the selling of drugs has caused turf and gang wars to escalate. Panday declared: “The CEPEP device is not for poor people, but for PNM hacks and big boys.”  He accused ruling party of awarding million dollar contracts to their friends and said the PNM had taken people for granted in areas like Point Fortin and La Brea. “They believe you don’t count, that is why you have to send a message on July 14,” the UNC leader said. Undaunted by the small crowd at the meeting, Panday declared that “the most important function of the government is to ensure that it’s people  are safe” and in this regard “the PNM government has failed miserably.”

Citing statistics from 1991 to 2000 to back his claim, Panday said whenever the PNM was in office there was an increase in crime, while there was an overall decrease when the UNC was in office. He declared: “It seems as though crime follows Manning and the PNM.” Also addressing the meeting were Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Couva South MP Kelvin Ramnath and Opposition Senator Arnim Smith.