Minister: Social programmes don’t cause crime

SOCIAL Development Minister Mustapha Abdul-Hamid yesterday slammed a newspaper report alleging Government’s social programmes were contributing to crime in Trinidad and Tobago. Speaking at the post-Cabinet news conference at White Hall, the Minister said the report was inaccurate and there was no evidence to suggest that any such thing was happening in the Government’s social sector programmes. “I would have to qualify that as ridiculous. The Government’s social sector programmes are intended to address the needs on a number of levels. One is to provide immediate relief where there is need for relief. The second is to improve the circumstances that give rise to difficulties,” Abdul-Hamid said.

The Minister said he held regular meetings with private sector representatives on Government’s social sector programmes and these alleged concerns have not been raised to date. Abdul-Hamid then announced that Cabinet had approved a new Community Mediation Prog-ramme (CMP) which will address many of the small disputes which could mushroom into crime if they were not nipped in the bud. Some of the disputes which the CMP would address include threat and harassment problems, neighbourhood conflicts and juvenile conflicts (truancy, delinquent children and gang-related activities). He explained that mediation centres will be established throughout TT and under the new CMP “community mediation would treat promptly with walk-ins together with referred cases from non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations and other agencies.” The Minister said the CMP would cost $9.7 million annually.