Govt launches two-pronged attack on crime

CABINET will today approve 15 programmes to tackle the social factors which cause crime, and Prime Minister Patrick Manning will address the nation on Sunday on Government’s “Plan B” for crime. In making these announcements at a breakfast meeting at Kampo Restaurant in Chaguanas yesterday, the Prime Minister said, “Two weeks ago — and it goes to Cabinet tomorrow — we identified 15 programmes of training and empowerment that we will give priority until the end of this year.” Explaining that the programmes will be properly managed and national in scope, Manning declared, “We have renewed our efforts on training because we realise that some of the people who are involved in crime in this country are people who have lost hope because they feel alienated from the traditional system of employment.

“We have gone out of our way to identify persons at the social and economic base of our society who see themselves as alienated from the mainstream of economic and social activity and who we believe can be the subject of a change in attitude and approach and outlook, if they were given an appropriate skill on which they can build their future.” One of these programmes is the recently launched Multi-Sector Skills Training Programme (MuST). Manning said he took the additional responsibility as Finance Minister so that he could address social sector expenditure in TT and “that has largely been achieved.” He added that his recent walkabouts in several communities had shaped many of these policies. The Prime Minister reiterated Government’s commitment to use the most advanced technology in its war against the criminals. He said this was evident in the high-tech coastal radar system now being established and the three offshore patrol vessels which Cabinet has already approved to reinforce TT’s border security against incursions by drug and arms traffickers.

Manning said Government was acquiring high-speed craft and helicopters to intercept criminals who ply their nefarious trade in TT’s coastal waters. “We are committed to introducing helicopters as the major tool for coastal patrol in this country. The helicopters are going to be armed so that they can play an integral role in the interdiction effort,” he said. Manning added that technology would be given to other areas of national security where it was necessary. The Prime Minister said notwithstanding the Opposition’s refusal to support the Police Reform Bills in Parliament, Government was working diligently within the parameters of the law to improve the management systems within the Police Service.  “The Police Service is basically a management exercise. Unless we can work around the existing management constraints we will continue to have problems,” Manning declared.