Minister in the Ministry of National Security Subhas Panday says new strategies will be implemented soon by the Police Service to reduce crime and stem the rise in homicides. Panday was speaking after a meeting with members of the police executive and Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs at the Ministry of National Security, Temple Court, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. Five people were killed in separate incidents between Sunday and Monday morning in Santa Cruz, Laventille, Marabella and La Horquetta.
Among them was 40-year-old Debbie Maloney, a mother of seven, of Phase One, La Horquetta. She was fatally shot hours after she spurned her attacker when he tried to kiss her, police said. Her 14-year-old daughter, Stephanie Titus, who was also shot by the gunman, is fighting for her life at Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope. Sandra Henry, a mother of four, was killed by a stray bullet in Marabella when gunmen opened fire on Anthon "Jim" Jones.
Jones was shot 24 times, causing his body to catch fire. In an interview, Panday said: "We held a meeting today at the ministry with the Commissioner and certain strategies have been put in place in attempt to harness crime." The minister admitted that several of the latest homicides were gun-related. "They are all gun-related and the police will put strategies in place in the next two weeks that were discussed at the meeting," Panday said. Attempts to contact Gibbs and Deputy Police Commissioner Jack Ewatski proved futile. National Security Minister John Sandy is out of the country.