Caption: Chief of Defence Staff Vice Air Marshal Darryl Daniel and Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher. AZP News/Prior Beharry
THE government of Trinidad and Tobago has declared a State of Emergency (SoE) to tackle the rising crime rates, but it seems the ruling PNM has no clear understanding of what this measure is supposed to achieve.
Instead of offering plainness or a strategic plan, the SoE appears to raise more questions than answers, leaving citizens uncertain about its purpose and efficacy.
An SoE by vaps and a rush to show citizens they are tackling crime in an election year. Gimmickry and smoke screen.
For instance, how will the SoE address the illegal inflow of firearms, a primary driver of violent crime? Without proper border security measures, enhanced intelligence-sharing, and strengthened customs operations, the declaration risks being nothing more than a temporary bandage over a gaping wound.
Similarly, how does the SoE aim to resolve the judiciary’s chronic backlog of cases? Arresting individuals without a system in place to process them efficiently will only exacerbate delays in the justice system. If this systemic issue remains unaddressed, what does the SoE truly achieve?
Transparency and accountability also come into question. Extraordinary powers require extraordinary safeguards, yet this critical measure is conspicuously absent.
In particular, the public has a right to know the extent to which their freedoms are being restricted. What specific rights are curtailed under this SoE, and what mechanisms are in place to ensure law-abiding citizens are not disproportionately affected?
The effectiveness of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) itself is also a critical factor. How does the SoE address long-standing issues of non-performance and corruption within the TTPS? Without competent leadership and accountability, even the most powerful measures are unlikely to yield meaningful results.
The question of tackling gang activity also looms large. Anti-gang legislation, financial tracking through the FIU, and even disruptive measures like currency changeovers have failed to dismantle criminal networks. What makes the Government confident that an SoE will succeed where these previous initiatives have failed? This SoE was being described as the “last resort,” what happens if it fails? What contingency plans does the Government have in place, and how do they intend to protect citizens if this measure proves futile?
Crime requires thoughtful, sustainable solutions, not vaps reactions. Without clear goals or a proper plans, the SoE seems more like a tool brandished blindly rather than a decisive strategy. We the citizens deserves better than uncertainty and unanswered questions, they deserve leadership with a real vision for safety and stability, none of which are given under this administration.
Neil Gosine is an insurance executive, sometimes a temporary Opposition Senator, an ex-treasurer of the UNC and a former chairman of the National Petroleum Marketing Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NP). He holds a Doctorate in Business Administration, a Master’s in Business Administration MBA, BSC in Mathematics and a BA in Administrative Studies. The views and comments expressed in this column are not necessarily those of AZP News, a Division of Complete Image Limited
Commentary: SoE is Gimmickry, Smokescreen
Caption: Chief of Defence Staff Vice Air Marshal Darryl Daniel and Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher. AZP News/Prior Beharry
THE government of Trinidad and Tobago has declared a State of Emergency (SoE) to tackle the rising crime rates, but it seems the ruling PNM has no clear understanding of what this measure is supposed to achieve.
Instead of offering plainness or a strategic plan, the SoE appears to raise more questions than answers, leaving citizens uncertain about its purpose and efficacy.
An SoE by vaps and a rush to show citizens they are tackling crime in an election year. Gimmickry and smoke screen.
For instance, how will the SoE address the illegal inflow of firearms, a primary driver of violent crime? Without proper border security measures, enhanced intelligence-sharing, and strengthened customs operations, the declaration risks being nothing more than a temporary bandage over a gaping wound.
Similarly, how does the SoE aim to resolve the judiciary’s chronic backlog of cases? Arresting individuals without a system in place to process them efficiently will only exacerbate delays in the justice system. If this systemic issue remains unaddressed, what does the SoE truly achieve?
Transparency and accountability also come into question. Extraordinary powers require extraordinary safeguards, yet this critical measure is conspicuously absent.
In particular, the public has a right to know the extent to which their freedoms are being restricted. What specific rights are curtailed under this SoE, and what mechanisms are in place to ensure law-abiding citizens are not disproportionately affected?
The effectiveness of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) itself is also a critical factor. How does the SoE address long-standing issues of non-performance and corruption within the TTPS? Without competent leadership and accountability, even the most powerful measures are unlikely to yield meaningful results.
The question of tackling gang activity also looms large. Anti-gang legislation, financial tracking through the FIU, and even disruptive measures like currency changeovers have failed to dismantle criminal networks. What makes the Government confident that an SoE will succeed where these previous initiatives have failed? This SoE was being described as the “last resort,” what happens if it fails? What contingency plans does the Government have in place, and how do they intend to protect citizens if this measure proves futile?
Crime requires thoughtful, sustainable solutions, not vaps reactions. Without clear goals or a proper plans, the SoE seems more like a tool brandished blindly rather than a decisive strategy. We the citizens deserves better than uncertainty and unanswered questions, they deserve leadership with a real vision for safety and stability, none of which are given under this administration.
Neil Gosine is an insurance executive, sometimes a temporary Opposition Senator, an ex-treasurer of the UNC and a former chairman of the National Petroleum Marketing Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NP). He holds a Doctorate in Business Administration, a Master’s in Business Administration MBA, BSC in Mathematics and a BA in Administrative Studies. The views and comments expressed in this column are not necessarily those of AZP News, a Division of Complete Image Limited