By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE United States should not be blamed for the failure of the Trinidad and Tobago Government to effectively fight crime.
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley seemed to have gotten fed up with blaming her and the United National Congress (UNC) for his incompetence that he has now resorted to blaming the US, where most guns were manufactured.
Speaking at the UNC Monday night forum at New Grant, Princes Town, Persad-Bissessar said the regional symposium held last week was one “pappyshow” with nothing substantial coming out of it.
She said, “How can you blame the United States for our porous borders that all these guns are coming in? All the cocaine, the human trafficking? You can’t blame the US for that.”
Persad-Bissessar said the one plan that was mentioned was the ban on assault rifles, a ban that was already in place.
She again called on citizens to make their voices heard loud and clear about how they were being affected by crime.
To have one’s home invaded by criminals was one of the scariest feelings and there should be special penalties for such an act, Persad-Bissessar said adding that a private members bill to deal with that offence was being drafted.
She also again called for the expedition of the issuance of Firearm User’s Licence (FUL) to those qualified.
Reminding supporters that the UNC has shared their comprehensive crime plan on several occasions, she said it begins and ends with one plan, “Rowley must go!”
PNM to appoint a ‘puppet procurement regulator’
Persad-Bissessar also said that the scheduled proclamation of the Public Procurement Act for Wednesday was to distract the population from the “foolish” crime symposium.
But more importantly, she said, “They waited until the term of office of the existing procurement regulator came to an end. Who will now appoint the new regulator?”
President Christine Kangaloo will make that appointment to appoint a “puppet procurement regulator” Persad-Bissessar declared.
“They are planting PNM puppets in every institution,” she said.
Also speaking at the event were UNC MPs, Barry Padarath, Rushton Paray, Saddam Hosein, Michelle Benjamin and Rodney Charles.
They all expressed dissatisfaction with how the Government was dealing with the issues of crime, economy and infrastructure.
