Protective services to benefit from military hospital, says Warner (with CNC3 video)

Steps in place to construct Military hospital

National Security Minister Jack Warner ducked questions from the media yesterday about his long-awaited crime plan. He had just finished speaking at the launch of the National Security Officers’ Foundation at the Centre of Excellence in Macoya. “Six weeks ago, when they talking about the crime plan, they believe the crime plan must be put on the front page of every newspaper and then one by one they would say how it not good,” he said.

“They want Operation Anaconda, they want Operation Zaboca, they want Operation Warner. They can get nothing of the sort. They will get the crime plan as it evolves, but don’t expect any Operation Warner. There is nothing like that.” Warner said said members of the protective services would soon benefit from a military hospital, which he indicated was part of the anti-crime plan.

The hospital, he said, would also benefit the families of law-enforcement officers. Praising his predecessor, Brig John Sandy, Warner said it was the former chief of defence staff who was instrumental in the foundation becoming a reality. He said between 1937 and the present, 97 law-enforcement officers had died while in the line of duty.

Describing the society as “very sick,” Warner said the problem was no one wanted to make positive changes. He urged the foundation members to use the organisation to assist in crime-fighting. There would also be a national security officers’ day of appreciation, to be observed every year on April 26, he said. The date, Warner said, was chosen in recognition of four firefighters and two soldiers who were killed in the Camp Omega explosion on April 26, 1988.

The events marking the appreciation day will include an inter-religious service and an inter-agency parade.