By Sue-Ann Wayow
FOUR people murdered in one night and the government and other groups do not seem to be outraged by it.
That is outrageous says Member of Parliament for Oropouche East Dr Roodal Moonilal.
He questioned if it was because the children were from a stigmatised community at the Heights of Guanapo, Arima.
The Opposition’s Shadow Minister for National Security said at a press conference on Tuesday he was “outraged that there is no outrage” over the shooting that left three children and a teenager dead, all under the age of 20 and several others more injured.
“I am particularly outraged about this senseless, mindless murder of the children,” Dr Moonilal said.
The act could not be dismissed by saying a relative may have been involved in criminal activity and children had to pay the price.
“Killing children is wrong,” he said.
Dr Moonilal continued, “What is the business community saying about this? What are the different civil organisations, the faith-based organisations saying? I can’t help but feel, is it because those children were in a particular community? Is it because they are in a lower-income, working-class community?
“Had it been elsewhere groups in this country would have been calling for citizens to drive on the road with their lights on during the day. They may have been calling upon us to lie down in front of the Parliament and circle the Parliament with us lying on the ground.”
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has been the only one to express outrage, claimed Dr Moonilal.
Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher came under fire from Dr Moonilal mentioning the incident in a few lines at end of an unrelated press release.
Also speaking about the killings on the Government’s side were Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds, the Children’s Authority, the Council of Evangelical Churches, Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) political leader Phillip Alexander, founder of Project RARE ((Raising Awareness on the Ripple Effect of gun violence) Caron Asgarali, Creative Director of D MAD (Drama Making a Difference) theatre arts company Andre “Ziggy” Dillon as well as others have since spoken about it.
Dr Moonilal added that the grieving relatives deserved more which may have included a visit from the relevant authorities.
He called again for the resignation or dismissal of Hinds.
Next week, when the Budget is announced, Dr Moonilal said joblessness and crime should be the main issues addressed.
He said, “The crisis that confronts us is really of crime, infrastructure, utilities, poverty and joblessness. Any serious government will have a strategic programme to create jobs. This country has a crisis of joblessness and they must have a programme to create jobs and ignite the economy.”
