By Chantalé Fletcher
UNITED National Congress (UNC) Councillor Anil Baliram is calling on the Government to step up the fight against crime in his district of Freeport\Chickland.
This came after bandits robbed the proprietors and customers at the Savi and Anna Mini Mart on Mission Road, Freeport, around 10.30 am on Friday.
Baliram also said that on Thursday night, a police constable was held up at gunpoint at his home in San Francisco Road, Preysal, where he and his family were robbed of two vehicles.
He said, “This recent escalation in robberies in my district is unprecedented as bandits no longer fear police and are bold enough to rob a family of multiple police officers in their home. Crime in this country is rampant. Just yesterday a Roman Catholic priest was tied up and robbed. Two children were shot earlier this week. Every day we are hearing of murders and robberies. Criminals have no respect for police or the church anymore so no one is safe. Anyone can be their next target.”
Baliram also called on the prime minister to remove the ineffective Minister of National Security as the spiralling crime situation which has occurred under his watch seems to only be getting worse.
He added that the murder toll this year has already crossed 360, approximately 140 more murders than the same period last year.
“Hinds is clearly incapable of performing the duties of National Security Minister and the country desperately needs better. We have a constitutional right to security and we deserve to feel safe. We deserve a National Security Minister who knows that it is his/her duty to make citizens safe and doesn’t shirk this responsibility,” Baliram said.
