When we think about the Ministry of National Security, the first thing that pops into our minds is crime prevention. It will come as no surprise, therefore, that public perception of the effectiveness of that ministry stems almost entirely from the level of safety our citizens feel when carrying about their daily activities.
And it is with this thought in mind that I believe the Minister of National Security decided that instead of actively finding solutions to make our citizens more secure, they would just launch a public relations campaign to convince people that they are safer, whether it's true or not.
Just because certain classifications of crime has reduced in occurrences over the past few years does not mean that the people will feel instantly satisfied that these crimes won't occur to them. Also, reduction to a smaller number does not mean that these crimes are at an acceptable level, as the ministry is so desperately trying to promote.
The acceptable level for all criminal activity is zero, full stop, and until we achieve that number, then the concern that people feel both inside and outside of their homes is completely justifiable. This concern encourages vigilance and so, until crime has been completely eradicated, this suspicion that we have will help keep us cautious and aware of our surroundings.
When our National Security Ministry suggests, however, that crime is being reduced and the authorities have the situation under control, what they are actually conveying is a false sense of security and will cause citizens to unwisely drop their guard, especially heading into the two most crime-prone seasons in our country.
While I understand there may be a need for the authorities to share information with the population, the manner in which this is done should be focussing more on the data and less on commentary because as it stands, the numbers are less than flattering and therefore does not justify any self praise or touting as they have been doing. I even recall our National Security Minister hastily trying to claim credit for several international joint venture operations, only to have them refuted by other agencies involved. None of this is necessary.
The truth is that if the ministry and their agencies work towards finding solutions and obtaining results then the population will feel safer as a consequence. But when image and marketing are the priority rather than purposeful intent, not only do they fail to accomplish their goals, but the people begin to lose faith in the institution and the Government as a result, and this doesn't benefit anybody.
Ravi Maharaj