Hinds: UNC giving criminals edge over cops

JUNIOR National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds said the criminals were taking advantage of the UNC’s refusal to support the Bills and currently hold a “psychological advantage” over the police. Speaking during debate on the Police Reform Bills in the House of Representatives yesterday, the Minister explained that discipline and training were all that separated “the police from the mob,” and since the Police Service was a crucial plank in fighting crime in Trinidad and Tobago, the bills were anti-crime legislation in principle, if not in name.

Hinds said the issue before Parliament was a political question more than a legal one, UNC’s use of constitutional reform as a pre-condition for its support was nonsensical and former President Sir Ellis Clarke said there was a clear dichotomy between constitutional reform and constitutional amendments. Explaining that the bills required only constitutional amendments, the Minister said several constitutional amendments had been made to laws in TT since 1962 — with six amendments being made by the former UNC government during the period 2000 to 2004. He added that constitutional reform only became an issue when the UNC lost power in 2001, and the PNM is not afraid of undertaking any type of constitutional reform.

“There was no mention of constitutional reform when the bipartisan and Technical Teams (were formed in 1999 to create the Police Reform Bills). The public will see who is defending their interest and who is pretending to defend their interest,” Hinds declared. He reminded UNC MP Gillian Lucky that the Anti-Corruption Bureau was placed under the control of the Office of the Attorney General when the UNC was in power, and has remained there ever since. Hinds also disclosed that the Forensic Science Centre in St James would receive additional staff, particularly four new scientific officers, over the next two weeks to improve the Centre’s operations. Attorney General John Jeremie told the Opposition they could play as many political games as they wanted, but “at the end of the day, the Government will have done its work.”