HOW ROWLEY’S ANTI-CRIME PLAN FAILED

THE People’s National Movement “will adopt a whole-of-government approach to national security,” the party vowed in its 2015 general election manifesto. 

“All ministries and agencies will share responsibility to be accountable for the security and safety of the State.” 

That pledge underlined broad-ranged PNM promises to resolve the crime impasse in Trinidad and Tobago. 

The PNM painted a T&T riddled with crime (it is “out of control,” with more than 400 murders in each of the two previous years), and deemed the “tenth most homicidal and violent country in the world.” 

The party told of T&T being downgraded in the Trafficking in Persons report, of an increase in money laundering and white-collar crimes, a weak detection rate, and low police morale. 

The country has since slumped in each of these indexes – and has been added to other charts depicting runaway crime. 

The comprehensive PNM manifesto declarations suggested that the political party had a coherent rescue plan. 

Proposed measures included boosting the Police Service with human and technical resources and effective leadership, modernising laws, enhancing border protection, “new intelligence architecture,” prison reform, and partnering with the judiciary. 

Also, “developing an adaptable defence and security posture,” and introducing or improving various programmes and schemes.   

In Government, the PNM “will move swiftly to rebuild our Coast Guard, restore confidence in the armed forces and protective services, and reconstruct anti-gang, forensic, and criminal surveillance systems.” 

There were assurances on curbing the importation of illegal guns and ending gangsterism, and generally “rebuilding our national security apparatus.” 

A Police Service Inspectorate would be set up “to measure, evaluate and report regularly to Parliament on the performance of all police divisions.” 

The military would be integrated into the national security effort, the PNM stated, and there would be general reform of criminal justice institutions. 

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. 

T&T has since been reduced to a criminal hellhole, one of the most violent societies, per capita, in the world, with murders becoming more heinous each year. 

That indicates that the electoral promises were not fully and effectively implemented. 

Or that the provisions have not bought the desired results. 

A close analysis finds that both factors are correct. 

There have been some helter-skelter measures, such as the failed anti-gang legislation, but most proposals are still on the “To Do” list or are not well managed. 

The borders remain porous, the Police Service is without substantive leadership, guns and drugs abound, the military remains idle, and the judiciary is still operating at snail’s pace. 

Discipline in the Police Service remains weak, CCTV cameras are not operational, and intelligence-gathering is poor.  

With Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley now seeking to consult the population, it is evident that he has lost confidence in the PNM’s much-touted plans. 

Or maybe the manifesto promises were merely a collection of appropriate phrases designed to temper an anxious nation with guarantees of a better day. 

In short, the PNM’s much-ballyhooed 2015 election pledges have not delivered the goods, and Rowley is now casually walking away from them and turning a new page. 

His stated attempt to build national consensus means he wants to start from scratch, create a new roadmap, seek time to deliver, and promise a safer nation down the road. 

In sharp contrast to his brash confidence of 2015, Rowley is now seeking to give the illusion of the public being part of the decision-making process,  

This is a well-known political ruse to buy time, diffuse public pressure, and appear to be consulting widely with respect to a national ailment.   

But while the grass is growing, the horse is starving.