Manning, Panday for crime talks

PRIME MINISTER Patrick Manning and Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday will meet at Whitehall next week to discuss the mechanics of the Police Service Bills. The discussions will also deal with how this legislation could improve the ability of the police to win the war against crime in Trinidad and Tobago. The decision for the two leaders to meet arose from an intense 20-minute discussion between Manning and Panday behind the Speaker’s chair during yesterday’s sitting of the House of Representatives. Speaking to Newsday during the adjournment of the Lower House, Panday confirmed that he planned to meet with the Prime Minister to discuss the country’s crime situation. “We are to arrange a date for a meeting next week,” the UNC leader said.

When asked if Manning was personally trying to convince him to support the Bills’ passage when they are debated in the Senate on June 29, Panday replied, “No. The Prime Minister is aware that the Opposition has been absolutely clear (on its position on the Bills). We are ready to meet to discuss the problems of the country.” Panday has claimed there are insufficient safeguards in the Bills and the avenue this created for an abuse of political power by the Government. Previously, the UNC had stated that it would not support the Bills without wider constitutional reform. Addressing a luncheon hosted by the Greater Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce on Wednesday, St Augustine MP Winston Dookeran said Manning and Panday must talk in order to find a way to address the nation’s crime problems and how best the Bills could address those problems.

Panday said tomorrow at 2 pm, the Opposition would meet with the Police Service Second Division at his Port-of-Spain office to discuss the Bills, and on Monday at 1 pm, talks will be held with business representatives at the same venue. The UNC plans to hold daily meetings next week with various groups such as the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, ASJA and Communities Mobilising Against Crime (CMAC) to discuss “the impact of the Bills and why the Opposition will not support them. “So we (Manning and Panday) have to fit a date in there next week (to meet),” the UNC leader said. The Prime Minister discussed the Bills with the Inter-Religious Organisation at Whitehall on Thursday, and is due to hold similar discussions with businessmen in San Fernando on Monday. At Thursday’s post-Cabinet news conference, leader of Government Business Ken Valley was optimistic that the Bills would be passed on June 29 and Government had “a clear plan” to achieve this objective.