Warner: Criminals can choose good or face jail

National Security Minister Jack Warner says first-time offenders can choose either go to jail or follow the right path. He was speaking of Government’s proposed laws to fight crime. After a meeting with leaders of the protective services on Friday, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said Government would bring to Parliament legislation for making the possession of firearms and the possession of drugs non-bailable offences.

Warner said the proposed laws were worth a try. “This is a fight to the finish which the criminals cannot win.” Warner maintained he has a crime plan. “If people are saying that I don’t have a crime plan, then so be it. But at the end of the day, I remain convinced that the plan we have will bear fruit. If it does not bear fruit then we as a nation will be in peril.”

Warner appealed to law abiding citizens to work with law enforcement agencies. “I am convinced, therefore, the no bail for having guns, ammunition and drugs.... we will increase the penalty. If people choose to go straight to prison, that is fine. We have a lot of room in the prison now. They have a choice to make. They could choose to go on the right side of the law and behave as law abiding citizens or go on the wrong side and pay the price.”

While Warner empathised with the beheading of Learie Ceballo, he said it was not the first such incident. “This was the third one. And whether it was the third, fourth or fifth, each one was as gruesome as you can imagine.”