Things in T&T are “falling apart” on crime, United National Congress MP Rodney Charles indicated yesterday.
Charles did so in piloting an Opposition motion to reprimand Government for its failure to effectively prevent the surge in criminal activity in T&T and alluding to reported remarks by Guyana Vice President Bharath Jagdeo that T&T was “falling apart.”
Charles maintained that National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds should have been removed in the recent reshuffle.
A YouTube video has shown Jagdeo advising on Guyana’s oil and gas thrust and getting non-oil/gas jobs ahead so Guyana wouldn’t become like poorer countries. He said things were falling apart in Trinidad and Tobago, with no jobs and negative growth.
Charles used the issue to portray his view on T&T’s crime situation. He said Guyana’s VP Jagdeo “tells his citizens that ‘T&T is falling apart’.”
But Charles added that he didn’t like to hear “things were falling apart” in T&T.
“ I love my country,” Charles said.
Later on in his submission, Charles again referred to “things falling apart.” He also quoted author Chinua Achebe when he noted, “The centre cannot hold.”
Charles said he wanted T&T to be better than Guyana, Barbados and other islands.
But we have to work together,” he said.
Slamming the “complete incompetence of this PNM kakistocracy and their cluelessness in the fight against crime,” he added, “Minister after minister has come and gone during this administration’s time, each worse than the last and yet the only people who feel comfortable enough roaming freely are criminals.”
He said the biggest insult towards citizens occurred last week “when the Prime Minister reshuffled his Cabinet and failed to remove the worst, most clueless, ignorant, incompetent Minister of National Security we’ve had to date.”
“The Prime Minister must state why he saw it fit to keep Minister Hinds when we’re witnessing levels of brutality and a blatant disregard for human life from criminals as never seen.”
Charles targeted Hinds throughout his address until reminded that the debate wasn’t a no-confidence motion against Hinds but on crime.
“Six years they have been in office and what do they have to show for it? Over 3,000 murders, 15,500 robberies, 11,700 burglaries 1,200 home invasions.”
Charles added that (Hinds) had failed the National Security Ministry and every subdivision.
“And the Prime Minister has failed the country, every citizen and every victim of crime by allowing the minister to retain his post. There’s a leadership crisis in National Security,” he said.
He also said the new Attorney General must not come with a suite of legislation like his predecessor without stating projected results.
