Rowley’s crime plan…

EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF! 

WHEN Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley summoned a media conference a day after the horrible killing of six-year-old Kylie Maloney, many were confident that he would confront the scourge of violence. 

After all, what could be more pressing for the national leader? 

Instead, Rowley delivered a typically ill-tempered assault on political opponents, in a bizarre defence of his nominee for President, politician Christine Kangaloo. 

He made only a brief reference to crime, and, in characteristic Rowley-speak, blamed society, accusing the public of shielding criminals. 

“Do the country a favour and stop protecting the criminals,” he implored family members. 

His greater angst was about opposition criticism of the Kangaloo nomination, terming it “an attempt to incite the population,” and undermine the constitution, democracy, and freedoms. 

Rowley’s outrage on the matter of the presidency is dramatically out of sync with his absence of focus on critical issues, in particular, crime, but also worsening poverty and cost of living, and economic stagnancy. 

Amid the unrelenting crime spree, including the ever-increasing incidence of home invasions, there remains cold silence and reckless indifference from the Prime Minister. 

His call for “conversations” on the crisis – as senseless and hopeless as that was – has fallen as flat as his earlier vow to treat the emergency as a medical matter. 

“It is the Government’s intention to declare violent crime a public health issue,” he pronounced six months ago. 

He did not bother to explain that esoteric term. 

And, like most hare-brained political schemes, it simply withered on the vine. 

There have been no policies or strategic initiatives to counter a plague that has turned Trinidad and Tobago into the most violent smallest small society, fast becoming a pariah of the developed world. 

Rowley’s foolhardy decision to clutch onto Fitzgerald Hinds (“his loyal friend”, according to the Express) as National Security Minister is a flagrant indication of the lack of priority given to crime. 

The Prime Minister’s call for citizens to finger-point criminals is a disturbing signal that he is unaware – or just does not care – that observers are routinely mowed down and the witness protection plan does not work. 

The Express speaks for all in stating that “the public is seeing no plan. 

“The police service seems paralysed, with its leaders unable to offer more than platitudes.” 

The exhaustive election manifesto promises – an “all-of-government approach,” the PNM boasted – have yielded nothing. 

Indeed, Rowley’s scorecard is a land littered with murder casualties, and victims of every dastardly crime, with bloody attacks on families, the elderly, and children. 

Even chicken-and-chips delivery workers, truck drivers, taxi operators, and cafe proprietors are having high-powered guns shoved in their faces. 

The normally-reticent Diana Mahabir-Wyatt, a highly respected national, sums it up that “the government does not care about the children of the nation.” 

Ms. Mahabir-Wyatt points to the lack of resources for the Children’s Authority. 

She courageously speaks truth to power: “The Government is prioritising what Dr. Rowley feels is important.” 

The priority, the esteemed former senator said, is to undertake projects “that will keep them in power.” 

In those circumstances, “children are not treated as priorities.” 

To be fair, the Government is an equal opportunity offender, incompetent in all aspects of governance, not only toward innocent children. 

An example is the revelation by opposition politician Dr. Roodal Moonilal that in addition to the scandal of $50 million worth of mobile scanners remaining idle, tyres on some of their vehicles are not working.  

In addition, the issue of the controversial award of a contract for CCTV cameras is reportedly being investigated by the US authorities, under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. 

Ms. Mahabir-Wyatt says the gang culture could be combated with mentorship. 

That and other valuable and timely recommendations were identified in the thorough crime study of the high-powered Professor Selwyn Ryan Committee a decade ago. 

All the dark fears of the Ryan team – “crime is a dagger aimed at the capital city” – have come to pass, and the authorities are still fidgeting and making it up as it goes along. 

The Government’s anti-crime crusade is a coarse cocktail of bluster, pretext, and rebuke.  

There remains no national leadership on this savage evil of our times, and, more than ever, citizens must protect themselves, their families, and their property. 

In the midst of a callous and feeble administration, we must look out more and more for our fellow citizens, especially the vulnerable, children, elderly and infirm. 

Without stating it, the anti-crime policy of the Rowley Government is obvious. 

It is every man for himself!