Police station for Enterprise

Later in the sitting, Independent Senator Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir called on the media to stop focusing on stories about, “the man with the gun”, or, “the boy who is dead”, in communities such as Enterprise.

Dillon’s announcement came in the wake of fiery street protests in Enterprise last Friday following the murder of 60-year old Sylvan Alexis, the older brother of Selwyn “Robocop” Alexis, who was murdered in Enterprise last year. Between Friday last and yesterday, four persons were murdered in Enterprise.

“The Government believes a more direct and strategic approach is required to deal with what is now going on in the Enterprise area,” Dillon said.

After explaining a principle of warfare which calls for confrontation of force at the right time and place, Dillon - a former head of the Defence Force - declared, “This government believes that time is now. The place is Enterprise and the force will be one of utilising all agencies of national security to deal with issues in that area.” “The NSC has in fact taken a decision to construct a police station in the middle of the Enterprise area in the shortest possible time. That decision will see a police station occupied by both police and members of the Defence Force to deal with issues of gang warfare,” Dillon said.

He reminded Senators that in response to crime and violence in Laventille, the police and army established a presence at Soogrim Trace, following which, levels of violence in that area dropped significantly.

As he reiterated Government’s commitment to curbing crime, Dillon slammed the former People’s Partnership (PP) government for dismantling several key entities of the national security apparatus between 2010 to 2015.

After identifying the Special Anti-Crime Unit (SAUTT) and the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) as two such entities, Dillon said the People’s National Movement (PNM) is not an “irresponsible government” and will do all that is required, “even if we have to do it alone”, to curb crime.

He said while the offshore patrol vessels which the PNM was trying to obtain, could remain at sea for 28 days, Damen naval vessels acquired by the PP, could only do so for 12 days.

He slammed the Opposition for stalling the process of appointing a new Commissioner of Police and Deputy Commissioner.

He said the Opposition remains uncooperative on several pieces of legislation being driven by his ministry and the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, to improve the criminal justice system.