Making TT safe again

It is almost as if there is hope that it will magically fix itself.

Since the infamous Section 34 legislation not much has been done to reduce the backlog of cases in our courts.

Despite the acquisition of several new yellow and blue patrols cars, police patrols remain for the most part unregulated and unstructured.

Vehicle identification continues to be archaic and the public continues to lose trust in the Police Service.

What is required is innovative immediate action to make our nation safe again.

The following are steps that, if taken, will immediately change the security climate in TT : * Enact legislation to dismiss or plea-bargain all cases in the system over five years.

* Enact legislation making it a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment to tamper with or destroy State electronic surveillance hardware.

* Build and staff area surveillance centres strategically positioned throughout the country to monitor communities via drone technology from the air.

* Invest in the acquisition of several high-quality, long-range drones equipped with appropriate electronic recording equipment to immediately respond to calls of robbery, kidnapping and shooting incidents and record the activities of the criminals while giving real- time information to the police patrols.

* Use drones to patrol our marine borders.

* Enact legislation to make electronic data acceptable evidence in our court.

* Immediately change the vehicular identification and transfer system to less complicated but more effective registration, similar to that of the developed world.

* Start a drive to remove all illegal guns from the State through a gun amnesty for two months and thereafter enacting legislation that allows for imprisonment of not less than six months for illegal possession of a firearm.

* Enact new firearm laws to allow for a special court for firearm offences and to allow the heads of police districts to issue firearm permits to citizens who pass the required background checks and show reasonable need for a firearm.

These are just some of the many changes required to make our nation safe again.

A major input must be economic development. That must be done not by State grants but by State facilitation.

There is more than enough demand for restaurants, car repair centres, construction workshops, light manufacturing, food processing and nature exploration. The State must facilitate these economic activities by offering appropriate real estate with supporting facilities and very reduced rates to entrepreneurs.

Groups must be encouraged to get involved in sustainable, rewarding economic activities rather than crime.

STEVE ALVAREZ via email