Will someone kindly explain the specific issue that is being addressed through the proposed acquisition of armoured personnel vehicles?I have tried to follow arguments offered by Minister Gary Griffith in several TV interviews but unfortunately I have been unable to make the connection between the proposed acquisition and a specific threat and/or issue. I must have missed a key argument.
I have previously argued that the Republic of T&T constitutes a population of some 1.4 million inhabitants residing on two small islands:
Trinidad–60 miles x 40 miles
Tobago–27 miles x seven miles
There are three mountain ranges in Trinidad as well as one in Tobago that are for the most part forested.It may be useful for us if we were to develop a gridded outline of the total territory for policing, including the 12-mile conventional sea limit, and gather meaningful data with respect to critically important statistics on demographics, economic and social activities, etc, within the identified grids.
This information can be used to :
�2 identify specific issues to be addressed,
�2 develop time frames within which measurable outcomes can be assessed.
This approach may well lead us to conclude that it is feasible to enhance current policing.A previous national security minister indicated that there were 7,500 officers in our police establishment.Clearly, there must be available mechanisms through which the current human, physical and financial resources can result in better outcomes with respect to current deterrence, detection, prosecution and conviction rates.
A similar approach in the reformation of justice, law and penal systems may also result in improved outcomes with respect to recidivism.I believe we should desist from applying solutions without carefully identifying the issue that we are attempting to resolve.
Samuel B Howard
Maracas/St Joseph