By Sue-Ann Wayow
WEAPONS that were scarce in Trinidad and Tobago many years ago are now being used by criminals.
Such arms and ammunition could have only been found at the shooting range in Chaguaramas Prime Minister Dr Rowley said at a press conference on Monday.
He said, “Frequently in recent times, the bulk of those killings or the breaking through of doors involve firearms of the heavier types, the ones which came on the scene in the not too distant past and we are now seeing at crime scenes where more than one person is being hurt or killed in prevalence of ammunition that was at one time very scarce in this country.”
“Today it is all over the country. In the hands of all kinds of people,” Dr Rowley said.
While crime occurs in all societies, the Prime Minister said in Trinidad and Tobago criminals seem to have no regard for life.
He said, “All the arms of the State and the national population need to respond to that. That’s why I appeal to the public, if you know something, say something. The police are not magicians.
“Many people know who is doing what and what is going on. You could save a life, you could save this country by giving up those who have taken it upon themselves to live their life at the end of an AR-15.”
He said all persons committing crime were connected to someone, a family member or friend.
“If you know something, do the country a favour and stop protecting these criminals,” Dr Rowley appealed.
“It does not take very many criminals to make a population of 1.3 million people very unhappy. It does not take much. Nobody gets his or her hand on an AR-15 to wish you good morning. They are weapons to shed blood and it doesn’t matter whose blood,” he said.
Dr Rowley added, “The Government’s policy has always been that that ammunition ought to remain in the disciplined defence force but of course it isn’t always so.”
Commenting on the death of six-year-old Kylie Maloney who died after being shot on Sunday, he said, it was unfortunate that the little girl died because people believed they had a right to go to someone’s door to settle whatever score they had with persons there.
His confidence also remains in National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds.
“As I have said before, if there is any minister in my government that I don’t have any confidence in, at the moment when that confidence is lost, that would be their last day in the Cabinet,” Dr Rowley said.
