By Prior Beharry
TWO OPPOSTION parliamentarians are calling for Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds and Acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob to be summoned before the Joint Select Committee (JSC) on National Security.
The request was made in a letter to Chairman of the JSC on National Security Port of Spain South MP Keith Scotland by Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal and UNC Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial.
The letter dated Tuesday (October 25, 2022), stated that the nation was left shell shocked by reports of one of the bloodiest long weekends in memory with 17 murders reported.
Dr Moonilal and Lutchmedial wrote: “Whilst the crime situation has been spiralling out of control for some time, the detection rate for such heinous crimes remains abysmal and the sense of fear and hopelessness felt by citizens is becoming every more apparent in their many pleas for an intervention for those who hold political office.
It quoted Tuesday’s Express editorial titled Silence as Crime Soars that noted that there was no word from the prime minister even as a three-year-old child was killed on Saturday morning in gang violence in La Puerta which is in his constituency.
Therefore, Dr Moonilal and Lutchmedial said it was critical for the committee to interrogate Dr Rowley, Hinds, the leadership of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and the head of all intelligence gathering agencies including the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) as a matter of urgency to see what, if anything, can be done to curb the spate of senseless killings.
The letter stated, “As a committee of responsible Parliamentarians tasked with the duty to examine the safety security and protection of citizens, we are in our view obligated to make the necessary enquiries on behalf of the taxpayers of this country who have voiced concern about this matter.
“This type of inquiry by the Committee is essential if we are to uphold our overall mandate to ensure that peace, order and good governance of the country prevails.”
