National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds threw Opposition MPs into uproar in Parliament yesterday, when he said a Police Commissioner had told him that undercover police were following a UNC MP who was meeting with gang leaders.
Hinds revealed the situation while replying to UNC MP Rodney Charles’ queries. Charles had asked whether Government has held meetings with reputed gang leaders to broker a pact by offering lucrative contracts.
Hinds stated, “The Ministry of National Security and the law enforcement agencies under its purview have not engaged in any discussions or negotiations of any kind whatsoever with reputed gang leaders, or suspected or known gang leaders, in an attempt to broker any pact whatsoever, through the use of contracts of any kind. This is not the policy of the Government, and hasn’t happened.
“We’re not unaware of the current crime situation; and in particular the issue of serious violent crimes, currently affecting the population, which is mainly driven by gang activity. In this regard, the Ministry, through its law enforcement agencies, has chosen, as the best approach, to enforce the relevant laws to control their activities; and as well to implement several other strategies to mitigate and deter gang activity.
“For example, the TTPS has recently implemented the Gang Reduction and Community Empowerment (GRACE) Project, with the objective of strengthening the society’s ability to resist gang proliferation; and enhance lifestyle choices away from criminal activity.”
Charles then asked about a 2006 peace-brokering meeting the PNM had with reputed leaders at Crowne Plaza in Port-of-Spain.
But Hinds retorted, “What I know of is the fact that a Commissioner of Police came to a Joint Select Committee (JSC) which I chaired to tell us that a member of the Opposition sitting in this House today was followed by undercover police because intelligence revealed he was about to have a very surreptitious - God knows for what purpose - meeting with gang leaders in this city, having paid their bill at ...”
PNM MPs chorused ,”Hhmmmmmmm!!”
Opposition MPs denied it in an uproar.
“I was a member of that JSC and the Minister is lying!”declared UNC’s Saddam Hosein.
“The Minister is lying, I’s a member of that JSC...”
House Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George asked Hosein to retract a word used and also asked UNC’s Rudy Indarsingh to retract a word he’d also used.
Hosein said, “I do retract the word and the Minister has told untruths in this House.”
Indarsingh said, “I retract but I heard the Minister making accusations about my colleague!”
Annisette-George said she’d heard no colleague’s name called, “And I’d ask all Members to compose themselves properly on all sides.”
UNC MP Roodal Moonilal then said Hinds had imputed improper motives to “...Members of this House, on this side of the House and he has clearly imputed improper motives and I’d ask that he apologise and retract and withdraw the statement,” Moonilal added.
Annisette- George said ,”In light of what the Member said: he said it was said at a Joint Select Committee which was in public, so I overrule the point about imputing improper motive.”
UNC’s Charles said it wasn’t good practice to bring “gossip and ole talk” into the discussions.
The JSC which Hinds alluded to was on the afternoon of January 29, 2020.