Hinds: Israeli bullet shells found after city shooting

Opposition Senator Fitzgerald Hinds says he was told Israeli-made bullets were found on Nelson Street, Port-of-Spain, after a shooting incident on Monday. Contributing to yesterday’s Senate debate on a bill to amend the Exchequer Act, Hinds said the Government had failed to deal effectively with the crime problem as there have been 62 murders in some 50 days. He told legislators after a shooting incident on Nelson Street an unnamed friend told him the rounds of ammunition had inscribed on their base “IMI.” 

Hinds said “IMI” meant “Israel Military Industry” and the T&T military purchased that type of ammunition. He quickly said he did not know the source of those spent shells. Senate Leader, Environment and Water Resources Minister Ganga Singh, shouted: “Tampering with a crime scene,” but Hinds dismissed that claim. He said the Ministry of National Security got more funds than it had requested in the last budget and he questioned whether the country was getting value for money because the crime rate continued to escalate.

Hinds and Opposition Senator Faris Al-Rawi both raised the controversy over the reported revival of the Flying Squad in the Police Service. They were critical of the move and insistedthe Government must provide answers. Earlier, Independent Senator Subhas Ramkhelawan said the Government should review the legislation before seeking to approve it and it should be amended to make it compulsory for limits to be placed on credit cards for electronic transfer.

“We cannot have a situation where you give persons credit cards, bank cards and give authority for electronic transfer without having clear and discernable limits,” he added. Ramkhelawan and Hinds congratulated President-elect Anthony Carmona who will become the fifth T&T President on March 18.

Ramkhelawan also said he would speak to the media about his position on calls for independent senators to resign when a new President is to assume office. He said it was the custom and practice for independent senators to serve for the full five-year term of Parliament but that period could be altered if the President had cause to terminate the appointment before the full term was completed.