Kamla questions murder rate stats

“I call upon the Minister of National Security and the Commissioner of Police to level with the country as to whether they are covering up and under-reporting the number of murders in Trinidad and Tobago,” Persad- Bissessar said .

“Because when I read the names I repeat to you this — it is 328 persons murdered, their lives snuffed out because of criminality .

“I do not really want (to do) what I am going to do next,” she added, “but I think it is important for us to be mindful of where we are today after just one year of the government.” Persad-Bissessar, who is also the Opposition Leader, then revealed a list that she claimed contained the 328 names of murder victims. “When I read these names I am doing it for a reason, because when you speak of murder and the murder rate so high, people become so numb, because it is something distant.” She then began, with the permission of the flag-waving audience packed into the hall, to read the names, the dates of their death, and the manner in which they were killed. However, she stopped after having read ten names .

Speaking briefly with Newsday after the forum, Persad-Bissessar said the list was compiled by meticulously sifting through media reports of murders for 2016 .

She then went on the comment on last Friday’s bipartisan talks between the Government and the Opposition .

“You know what that meeting did? Amongst many things, it clearly pointed to the importance of the Opposition,” she said. “I think they now understand that they need the Opposition to run this country.” The Opposition Leader said that the first thing she did in the meeting was ask Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley for ways in which the Opposition could help curb crime. According to her, the Prime Minister presented her with three recommendations .

He asked for Opposition support on appointing a Commissioner of Police, anti-gang legislation, and the Strategic Services Agency Amendment Bill. On the first suggestion, she criticised Rowley for his approach, saying, “He is still in the kind of thinking that the Alpha and the Omega to solve crime is the Commissioner of Police.” On the anti-gang legislation, which was first passed in 2011 and expired on August 15, Persad- Bissessar blamed Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi for failing to renew the legislation in time. Regarding the SSA Bill, she said she reminded the Prime Minister that though not supported by the Opposition, the Bill was passed in May and simply needed to be proclaimed .

“If they bring anything not for the people, anything that tramples the rights and freedoms of people, we will not support it,” Persad-Bissessar said .

Six of the party’s candidates to contest the eight electoral districts of the Chaguanas Borough Corporation in the upcoming local government elections were later presented .

They are: Felicity/Endeavour, Debideen Manick; Charlieville, Faaiq Mohammed; Enterprise South, Erica Harry Belfon; Cunupia, Vandana Mohit; Munroe Road/Caroni Savannah, Adrian Shazard Ali; Edinburgh, Rana Persad .