… the police are so under directed and possibly out of control that they are busy brokering peace deals among gangs like some bootleg United Nations.
Alicia Chamely
By Alicia Chamely
DEAR Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Leader of the Opposition Kamala Persad-Bissessar, I write to you both on this fine day to ask a question that is most imperative…’y’all serious?’ Are your parents proud of you? Because your citizenry, you know the people who entrusted you to take care of their country, is flabbergasted by this trivial, kindergarten blame game of “why we can’t meet to discuss crime” that you two are merrily engaged in.
Nobody feels safe anymore. You don’t know if a simple trip to the market will end with you being an unfortunate bystander or victim of mistaken identity and instead of picking up bread, you end up picking bullets.
Not sure if you two are aware, but the situation is critical. We have more than 500 murders for the year, gang warfare is brazenly taking place in the daylight, the police are so under directed and possibly out of control that they are busy brokering peace deals among gangs like some bootleg United Nations.
Kamla Persad-Bissessar. AZP News/Azlan Mohammed
The excuses both of you are giving us are… to sum it up politely… extremely pathetic. According to you Mrs Persad-Bissessar you won’t meet unless Dr Rowley is there and only if you can bring along your guest former minister of national security under the People’s Partnership, former commissioner of police under the People’s National Movement and current leader the National Transformation Alliance Gary Griffith.
I am certain that I am not the only one asking, “Why Gary? Why do we need to bring him into this situation.”Mr Griffith no longer holds any influence within the government or the police service and unless he has some super insight into the situation (which if he does, he’s being a bit of dick not freely sharing it) he really has no reason to be there. Honestly, it just seems political. You know Griffith and Rowley have a complicated relationship, especially over the Justice Stanley report, so why do you feel the need to bring someone whom the current government does not have faith in into a situation that demands equal respect and cooperation?
Mrs Persad-Bissessar, with all due respect, our crime situation is not a stage for your party’s campaigning and most reasonable people can see right through your insistence to have Griffith join you.
He does inspire a certain level of confidence among people and having him at your side does work well for election optics, but this is not election time.
Now, Dr Rowley, don’t get too smug because frankly I am not very impressed with you either and your insistence that you do not need to be a present at these talks. Listen, I get the opposition annoys you, most people annoy me too, but that doesn’t mean I hide in my office and let others handle my responsibilities. Because, sir, as an elected representative of the people of T&T being present and involved in critical talks regarding the safety of said people, is your responsibility.
I know you aren’t big into optics and are not very concerned about people’s opinion of you, but for the sake of at least letting us know you care about the people of T&T, get into that meeting.
Because how are we supposed to have confidence in your government’s commitment to tackling crime when you, our Prime Minister and the chairperson of National Security Council, doesn’t think his direct involvement and presence at much needed bipartisan discussions are necessary.
Shame on you both. While you two continue to bicker and throw barbs at one another the blood continues to flow, the gun and drug trade continues to boom and we, the people who put you where you are, are left to fend for ourselves.
Dear Rowley, Kamla…
DEAR Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Leader of the Opposition Kamala Persad-Bissessar, I write to you both on this fine day to ask a question that is most imperative…’y’all serious?’ Are your parents proud of you? Because your citizenry, you know the people who entrusted you to take care of their country, is flabbergasted by this trivial, kindergarten blame game of “why we can’t meet to discuss crime” that you two are merrily engaged in.
Nobody feels safe anymore. You don’t know if a simple trip to the market will end with you being an unfortunate bystander or victim of mistaken identity and instead of picking up bread, you end up picking bullets.
Not sure if you two are aware, but the situation is critical. We have more than 500 murders for the year, gang warfare is brazenly taking place in the daylight, the police are so under directed and possibly out of control that they are busy brokering peace deals among gangs like some bootleg United Nations.
The excuses both of you are giving us are… to sum it up politely… extremely pathetic. According to you Mrs Persad-Bissessar you won’t meet unless Dr Rowley is there and only if you can bring along your guest former minister of national security under the People’s Partnership, former commissioner of police under the People’s National Movement and current leader the National Transformation Alliance Gary Griffith.
I am certain that I am not the only one asking, “Why Gary? Why do we need to bring him into this situation.”Mr Griffith no longer holds any influence within the government or the police service and unless he has some super insight into the situation (which if he does, he’s being a bit of dick not freely sharing it) he really has no reason to be there. Honestly, it just seems political. You know Griffith and Rowley have a complicated relationship, especially over the Justice Stanley report, so why do you feel the need to bring someone whom the current government does not have faith in into a situation that demands equal respect and cooperation?
Mrs Persad-Bissessar, with all due respect, our crime situation is not a stage for your party’s campaigning and most reasonable people can see right through your insistence to have Griffith join you.
He does inspire a certain level of confidence among people and having him at your side does work well for election optics, but this is not election time.
Now, Dr Rowley, don’t get too smug because frankly I am not very impressed with you either and your insistence that you do not need to be a present at these talks. Listen, I get the opposition annoys you, most people annoy me too, but that doesn’t mean I hide in my office and let others handle my responsibilities. Because, sir, as an elected representative of the people of T&T being present and involved in critical talks regarding the safety of said people, is your responsibility.
I know you aren’t big into optics and are not very concerned about people’s opinion of you, but for the sake of at least letting us know you care about the people of T&T, get into that meeting.
Because how are we supposed to have confidence in your government’s commitment to tackling crime when you, our Prime Minister and the chairperson of National Security Council, doesn’t think his direct involvement and presence at much needed bipartisan discussions are necessary.
Shame on you both. While you two continue to bicker and throw barbs at one another the blood continues to flow, the gun and drug trade continues to boom and we, the people who put you where you are, are left to fend for ourselves.