Senior Reporter
Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander says the Government will not sit by and watch crime continue as the country reached the 100 murder mark yesterday.
He also says he will not grade his performance and will let the people do that for him as the Government’s one-year anniversary in office approaches.
Alexander spoke with the media at the graduation ceremony for some 52 budding hairdressers at the Roslyn Hall and Lounge, Auzonville Road, Tunapuna, yesterday.
“I am not prepared to grade myself. I will tell you what, that’s the question I should ask the young people here today, what grade they will give their MP?”
The murder count climbed to 100 after the murders of two men in Arima and Diego Martin.
Police reported that around 4 pm on Friday, Joel Plaza, 50 of Bypass Road, Maturita Trace Extension, Arima, was offloading items outside his home when he was killed. No motive was given for his killing.
The second incident took place just after midnight yesterday at River Estate, Diego Martin, near Dirk’s Mini Mart. Police reported that armed men exited a white vehicle and opened fire on McDonald Bailey, 52, of Blue Basin Road. Two other men were also injured in the shooting.
Asked about the Government’s plan to address violent crimes, Alexander said, “Let us be real about this. I’m saying to you, it’s a work in progress. You see how many things are happening at the Ministry of Homeland Security? You know why? Because I am a go-getter. This Government will not sit idly by and watch things continue. But again, it’s a work in progress.”
In a media release yesterday, Deputy Commissioner of Police Suzette Martin said the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service continues to implement “a multi-pronged, intelligence-driven approach” to address violent crime, adding that there is more work to be done.
“Central to this strategy is the targeting of underlying drivers, particularly gang-related activity. Through focused anti-gang initiatives and the strategic use of legislative powers available under the current State of Emergency (SoE), we are actively working to disrupt criminal enterprises and dismantle organised networks,” she said.
She added that effective policing requires public partnership, resulting in the TTPS expanding its community-led intervention programmes that are critical in reducing the risk of retaliatory violence and fostering cooperation between law enforcement and communities.
The Gold Commander for the SoE assured that the police remain steadfast in their commitment to protect and serve with pride.
“We will continue to leverage modern policing strategies, strengthened partnerships, and community collaboration to reduce violent crime and enhance public safety Alexander added that parents play a critical role in addressing crime in the country, adding that some murders are due to family disputes and other non-gang-related causes.
“If the police put out in the public domain the information that we have about murders, very few of it will be gang-related, eh. The behaviour of some citizens, the anger, the frustration, the hurt, and most of all, the control of property, is resulting in a lot of these things taking place,” he said, adding that “We have become a materialised society.”
During his presentation to graduates, Alexander took time out to comfort Iesha Kallicharan, whose mother, Tricia Maharaj, was gunned down when she went to view a car that her killers claimed was for sale. He said Kallicharan displayed strength by attending the graduation days after the murder.
“You, as participants, must stand with her and give her the courage to continue; it is not over.”
His encouragement came after telling the graduates to live by the words of Michael Jackson’s “Don’t stop till you get enough.”
He encouraged the graduates to “get your own money and build your own future to be less dependent on us” by “making your own money.”
Not wanting to leave out the men, he said there are plans to introduce courses in tailoring, welding and other skills.
