MINISTER of Homeland Security Roger Alexander yesterday urged the public to allow investigators to complete their work into the detention of businessman Dominic Hadeed, his wife, Genevieve and her maternal aunt Star Sabga, warning against what he described as trial by social media and the court of public opinion.
Speaking at the Roslyn Hall and Lounge in Tunapuna, Alexander said he would not comment on the specifics of the matter because police officers needed the freedom to conduct investigations without external interference.
DETAINED: Genevieve Hadeed
“What I can share with you at this time is that the police need to do their job, and I am one of the people who advocate that,” Alexander said.
He said law enforcement officers must be given the opportunity to conduct investigations “effectively and efficiently” without being influenced by public commentary or speculation.
“In order to do that job effectively and efficiently, they must be given that option, that opportunity to do that, without this set of crosstalk and the court of public opinion making statements and thing,” he said. “Do your job and let’s see where we go from there.”
Alexander said the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) was pursuing “a particular type of investigation” and that the outcome should be awaited before conclusions were drawn.
“All I can say is that the police are pursuing a particular type of investigation and we await the outcome,” he said.
He also criticised what he described as commentary surrounding the matter on social media and statements made by political figures.
“The court of public opinion and the social media advocates and the persons who are making various statements…I was taken aback even by certain pronouncements made by the Opposition,” Alexander said.
He defended the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, saying the office held a position of significant importance within the country’s justice system.
“The DPP holds an office in Trinidad and Tobago second to none,” Alexander said.
Drawing on his experience as a former police officer, Alexander said he had found the DPP to be meticulous in carrying out his responsibilities.
“He, from my knowledge and from my experience as an ex-police officer, is very meticulous in how he does things,” Alexander said.
The minister urged citizens to respect the rule of law and argued that such values should be taught from within the home.
“Respect the rule of law. If you start with it at home as a parent, you will see your sons and daughters growing up respecting that,” he said.
Alexander warned that diminishing respect for authority could have wider consequences for society.
“When you as a citizen, or you as a society, or you as a country, start to pull away from that type of respect for authority, then what do you expect to happen?” he asked.
He called on citizens to allow the judicial process to take its course and to accept the decisions of the courts.
“Let us move away from that and return to the day when a citizen was proud to be a citizen in Trinidad and Tobago and allow the court, where everybody does run to, make a decision, and we respect the outcomes,” Alexander said.
