Ramesh writes PM on crime

Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, former attorney general and chairman of newly formed political party, ACT Trinidad and Tobago, has written to Prime Minister Patrick Manning asking that a crime plan be revealed to the country in light of the present crime situation. In a letter dated December 21 and titled “No Plan By the Government to Catch the Criminals,” Maharaj said “In light of the Government’s neglect to deal with the serious epidemic of crime, you (the Government) must state to the nation, what plan, if any, you have to cause the persons to be caught.” According to Lawrence, “It is reasonable for the nation to believe that the Government does not have any plan and has not taken action to catch the criminals. Your Government some time ago announced that it has identified 66 criminal gangs and 500 of their members.

Why have they not been brought to justice?” said Lawrence in the letter.  “Your Government has had more resources than the last government to fight crime. There are increased numbers in the Police Service and the Defence Force, improved technology and vastly increased expenditure in the Ministry of National Security. Although the last government had fewer resources, less money and fewer members of the Police Service and Defence Force, and with the same Police Service it was able to have crime under control,” Lawrence stated. The ACT Trinidad and Tobago chairman also noted that crime had caused extreme fear and insecurity in the nation, and the people believed that the Government had surrendered the country to criminals. Maharaj also said if the Government does not have a plan and cannot provide relief, then it should resign and allow the people to decide if a new government would give them relief.