No UNC support for Anti-Kidnapping Bill

THE OPPOSITION United National Congress (UNC) will not support the Anti-Kidnapping Bill when it comes up for debate in the Senate tomorrow, according to Senate Opposition Leader, Wade Mark.

On Saturday, Attorney-General Glenda Morean-Phillip called upon the Opposition to prove their seriousness about dealing with crime in Trinidad and Tobago by supporting the Bill. Morean-Phillip reiterated that once the UNC supports the Bill, Government will be able to reintroduce clauses of the legislation such as making kidnapping a non-bailable offence and seizing the assets of kidnappers. Both of these clauses require Opposition support. However, Mark told Newsday yesterday that Government would be holding its breath if it believed the UNC would support the Bill.

According to him, the AG was engaging in “tongue in cheek ole talk” and had misunderstood the party’s statement about wanting to meet with Police Commissioner Hilton Guy and National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee. He said the Opposition could not support the Bill when “Government is part of the crime problem in this country” and reiterated the party’s allegations that the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) was in league with criminal and terrorist elements in the society. Mark also claimed the PNM had compromised Trinidad and Tobago’s national security. Responding to similar allegations levelled against the UNC while it was in office, Mark stated: “Whatever we did with those elements you are referring to, we did it officially and in broad daylight.”

Referring to last week’s kidnappings of Cindy Mahase and Geewan Geelal, the UNC chairman claimed: “They seem to be clueless, hopeless and they seem to be directionless in addressing this issue.” Both of the 13-year-old children were freed by their abductors after ransoms of $10,000 and $200,000 respectively were paid for their release. Mark added that if the PNM could not solve crime in Trinidad and Tobago it must call fresh general elections within the shortest possible time.