UNC mood swings on crime

Speaking at the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s 2006 dinner at the Hilton Trinidad on Tuesday night, the Prime Minister said Government had no problem about being criticised honestly and forthrightly about its efforts to reduce crime in the country. However he observed: "For some reason, the criticism seems to be forthright when it comes to the Government, but not forthright enough where the Opposition is concerned."

Referring to statements from the business community for members of the House of Representatives to address the crime situation in TT, Manning said: "What in fact they are saying, and those who want to say, is that the Government has proposed and the Opposition has been standing in the way at the parliamentary level of the enactment of appropriate legislation to create a proper legislative framework within which the crime situation can be properly and effectively tackled."

Manning said Govern-ment/Opposition crime talks got off to a good start with last year’s passage of the amended Bail Act in Parliament, and Government he said, has made it clear to the Opposition that "we are not prepared to engage in discussions that convey an incorrect impression to the national community." The Prime Minister added, "I think I have a responsibility to say to all of you that when we (Government and Opposition) met on the last occasion about two weeks ago, the Government noted a change in the attitude of the Opposition.

I say tonight only to alert you that it looks as though after a very successful and enthusiastic start, the discussions are now appearing to be a situation of business as usual (for the Opposition)."

Manning said it was too early to reach any firm conclusions on this matter. He added that Government and Opposition have rescheduled their crime talks from Friday to next week (tentatively Monday).

The Prime Minister reiterated Government’s commitment to bringing crime under control in TT but said "Government does not propose to make that issue (crime) the first and last word in national development."

Approached afterwards by journalists, Manning declined to give any details of the perceived Opposition mood swing, or comment on reports of divisions in the UNC about making investigations into an alleged plot to frame Opposition Chief Whip Ganga Singh and UNC Senator Sadiq Baksh a condition for continuing crime talks with the Government.

Chamber president Christian Mouttet said the business community is satisfied that "some progress is being made in tackling crime." He urged that the Government, Opposition and other relevant authorities continue to do what they can to reduce the levels of crime in TT. "What is good for TT is good for business and crime is not good for TT; we simply must not, and will not allow violent crime to destroy our country," Mouttet declared.