By Prior Beharry
STATISTICS show that the crime rate in People’s National Movement (PNM)-controlled constituencies is higher than everywhere else.
And some of these communities are called the Gaza.
This according to Opposition Senator David Nahkid during the 2023/2024 Budget debate in the Senate on Tuesday.
He said, “Why is it that the crime rate in the constituencies that the PNM control is higher than everywhere else?”
Nakhid said, “What they going to tell us that is not the case but, every statistic shows that is the case. Why is that? And funny enough the party that portrays itself as the party of the blackman, but black people suffering the most in this country.”
He said, “And our East Indian brothers and sisters should thank Dr Eric Williams for sidelining them, it forced them to work by the sweat of their brow to realise their dreams and not depend on this government.”
Nakhid said, “Because the people who depended on this government look where they are. In every social and economic index, they on the bottom of the ladder. Do they (PNM) care about that? They cannot deny it. It’s fact but they could sit down here and smirk and laugh and pound their desk with venom becasue they making ah money.”
He added, “They doing well. They coming to tell you take $3.50 an hour extra (in the minimum wage) and they telling you that with pride…”
Nakhid said without politics the PNM senators would be unemployable.
He said 30% of the black youth in Trinidad and Tobago were in and around the poverty line.
Nakhid said in Tunapuna, youth unemployment was close to 50%.
He said, “And they you would ask why it is easier for a black youth to find a gun than to find a job under this government.”
Nakhid said he did want to trade insults with government senators whom he said should have presented something during the debate to educate and uplift the population “and put some meat on that boney thing that you all call a Budget.”
He said in some constituencies controlled by the PNM, residents referred to their community as the Gaza.
Nakhid asked, “Do you understand the gravity of that statement?”
He added, “That tells you they feel besieged. They feel locked in. They feel excluded. What is more telling than that? They have been excluded from the process.”
