Fire Ministers in National Security

Sturge issued the call while leading off debate on a private member’s motion in the Senate to express concern about the rising levels of crime in the country.

He also suggested that the Attorney General be given one month to bring legislation to free the country from the limits imposed by the Privy Council’s Pratt and Morgan ruling so that hangings could be resumed. He said there are currently ten persons on Death Row who could be hanged, demanding “hang them!” Sturge criticised the Police for its low detection rate which he said was about three or four percent.

“And then you still have to hope for a conviction and hope that the conviction is not overturned on appeal.” He said the major causes of crime in the country were drug related; the turf war between Muslims and Rasta City; Muslims versus a smaller group of Muslims known as Unruly ISIS; other gang wars; paid assasinations; killings as part of a break in; and domestic and other confrontations which result in killing.

He said break-ins at homes which result in rape and other forms of violence must be dealt with but since crime is multi-faceted then the solutions must also be multi-faceted.

He said while some of the killings in the country are carried out by novices, many are not and many of the killings have the stamp of professionalism and are carried out with finesse and expertise.

He said many of the murders are carried out in a way which suggests that they are well planned and do not leave a shred of physical evidence behind, suggesting that the killers are skilled and highly trained.

He wondered “what are the reasons for these killings and who is paying for them,” suggesting that some of the killings may be carried out by hired guns - “guns who may have been hired by members of the armed forces regrettably.” Sturge said that 20 years ago the Police had much higher detection rates although the service did not have the level of technology it has now and said that something is obviously wrong when the Police have all the technology it has and has the lowest detection rates anywhere.

“We pay the most money on National Security and we get the least results. That cannot continue.” He asked whether the Minister of National Security knew what was the reason for the war between the Muslims and Rasta City or that between the Muslims and Unruly ISIS.

He asked where all the guns were coming from, adding that the country was given the impression that legislation expanding the responsibility of the Strategic Services Agency was urgently needed and would go a long way in crime detection but he said that in the last nine months since the legislation was passed the Act was still awaiting proclamation.

He listed some short term solutions to the country’s crime problem: Fire all three ministers in the Ministry of National Security; give the Attorney General one month to bring legislation to free the country from the limits imposed by the Privy Council in the Pratt and Morgan judgement and in the meantime establish a small team of lawyers dedicated to ensuring that death penalty cases are heard within the time frame set out by Pratt and Morgan;

Give the Attorney General three months to bring the crime legislation promised for the last six months particularly laws which would speed up the hearing of firearms- related cases; double the capacity of the court system, instituting an evening shift from 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM to try matters in which persons are on bail. He said this could allow the system to handle twice the amount of cases it handles at present with a doubling of judicial staff and support staff;

Set up a database on firearms in police custody and devote more personnel at the Forensic Sciences Centre to balistics; establish CCTV cameras at intersections nationwide and at junctions at specific hotspot areas; make the Motor Vehicle Authority the only legal entity to produce licence plates and stop the private sector from producing licencing plates; scan all containers coming through the country’s ports.

He said it was a hollow argument that this would slow down commercial activity and the government must decide whether saving lives was a priority or whether it was a greater priority to appease the business community and return the Strategic Services Agency to its original responsibility - drug interdiction and related matters.