NAR: Both Government and Opposition desperate

Speaking at the party’s council meeting at its Victoria Square, Port-of-Spain headquarters yesterday, Charles said since Government was unable to address the spiralling crime situation, it (Government) tried to make excuses by debating it in Parliament. In similar desperation, Charles said, the Opposition decided it was prepared to hold talks with Government. A move which Charles said "took them off the hook."

What the Opposition should have done during those discussions, he said, was insist that Government introduce measures to address what was taking place with the young people in our communities. Also, he said, the Opposition should have insisted that the power in the communities be placed in the hands of elected local representatives and those who were prepared to uplift the communities.

Both sides should have paid attention to what the Commissioner of Police was saying when he indicated that our society was producing more young criminals, who had very little regard for life, Charles said.

He said they ignored the fact that our youths were internalising outside influences through television and movies, yet put no counter influences in place. Then, he said, the police were expected to deal with the problems which the community and Government had helped to produce. These "crime talks," Charles said, only averted the public eye for a moment.

While society needed the recent victory of the Soca Warriors and the record broken by Brian Lara, those in authority must not hide behind these accomplishments and ignore the reality of the crime situation.

Regarding Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s recent visit to Israel to hold crime talks with that country’s leader, Charles warned that he (Manning) had to be very careful how he positioned this country in world affairs, since Trinidad and Tobago is so small.

"If you play the fool on the international stage, you will place our country in a very dangerous position," Charles said, adding that Manning had to be very careful not to take his local "adventurism" into the international arena.