Caption: Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at the TT Agri Expo 2024 on Friday. Photo: Office of the Prime Minister
By Prior Beharry
PRIME Minister Dr Keith Rowley laments that bad choices were being made by youth of the country.
He issued a warning to young people in Trinidad and Tobago about the dangers of engaging in gun battles with law enforcement.
Speaking at the launch of the TT Agri Expo 2024 at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain on Friday, Dr Rowley referred to the police killing of six young people at Razack Trace in Freeport on Wednesday.
While he refrained from delving deeply into the incident, he suggested that “some bad choices were made.”
He said, “I want to say to young people, don’t make the mistake of believing or letting anybody make you believe that you could shoot your way out of a situation with the police or the Defence Force. That is a bad decision.”
Dr Rowley said that associating with those who arm themselves illegally and believing one can prevail in confrontations with law enforcement is a grave misjudgment.
“Don’t do it. Don’t do that to your family. Don’t do that to your sisters. Don’t do that to this nation. Don’t make that decision,” he said.
Noting the training and readiness of police officers, Dr Rowley said, “The police have been trained to shoot and they will shoot to kill if you threaten their lives. When you arm yourself with a weapon like a gun, it means that you have made a decision to use it. And it doesn’t make sense to think that the law enforcement officers will wait to see what you do and how you use it. So, you are putting yourself in harm’s way.”
He said, “I want to appeal to young people making such decisions, don’t make that decision. It could only end badly for you, for your family, and for all of us.”
Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds also commented on the killings, noting that while he had received a report on the incident, he lacked sufficient details to provide an informed commentary. He expressed sorrow over the loss of young lives and urged youths to avoid activities that attract law enforcement’s attention.
Hinds said, “That is a very short-sighted, ungodly position to take because success is natural, failure is unnatural; good health is the natural condition, disease and ill health is unnatural; love is natural, hate is unnatural; peace is natural, war is unnatural; and you are a natural being created by God and therefore you ought to behave naturally.”
He encouraged young people to take advantage of the numerous opportunities available in Trinidad and Tobago, highlighting sectors such as education, art, culture, and sports. “There is no lack of opportunity and therefore I say to them reach out and make use of those opportunities,” Hinds said.
