Let me make my position very clear and the position of the government of Trinidad and Tobago and the position of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. Gang warfare is gang activity, is criminal conduct, as a matter of fact, it is criminal conduct that spawns the identification of gang, gang leader, gang warfare, gang peace or gang war
Dr Keith Rowley
PRIME Minister Dr Keith Rowley is against police refereeing peace deals with gangs.
He made the comment at a press conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s on Monday.
Dr Rowley said, “Our police service has the authority to speak to any citizen in this country and that judgment is a judgment for the police. Now when you’re talking about, oh well, this gang and that gang negotiate a peace treaty with the police blowing whistle as a referee, that is not on.”
He described crime as the country’s biggest challenge but noted that it was the disruptive behaviour exhibited by a minority of the population who believed that crime should or must pay.
Dr Rowley said, “We’ve directed significant resources, increase those resources, stay focused and support our police service. As the agency that under law, has the responsibility for responding to the potential and threat of criminal conduct and also responding to holding criminals accountable for their conduct.”
He said, “Let me make my position very clear and the position of the government of Trinidad and Tobago and the position of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. Gang warfare is gang activity, is criminal conduct, as a matter of fact, it is criminal conduct that spawns the identification of gang, gang leader, gang warfare, gang peace or gang war.”
Dr Rowley said, “The Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago understands this and has allotted significant amount of parliament effort to codify the law, to allow the law enforcements in Trinidad and Tobago to respond to criminal conduct identified as gang activity.”
He said, “I refer you specifically to the anti-gang laws and notwithstanding the fact that the police is required to speak to every citizen in this country if the police sees it fit. Whether you are an abusing husband, a delinquent parent under the Currency Act or otherwise, the police will speak to you and be authorised to speak to you, but what the police is not going to be authorised to do, is negotiate any abridgment of the laws of Trinidad and Tobago as it applies to any aspect of criminal conduct.”
Dr Rowley was referring to an Express report of a truce between the Sixx and Rasta City gangs in the Port of Spain area.
He said that the government was now going to procure vehicles for law enforcement from showrooms since it was taking too long to get them through the usual procedure.
