Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Fitzgerald Hinds is supporting recent statements made by National Security Minister Stuart Young of a conspiracy by certain criminals to destablise T&T.
Hinds said Young did not pull his statement—that a new trend of random shootings was emerging at people not involved in criminal activity to create fear and panic in society—from the sky, but divulged the information based on police intelligence.
Young came under fire from the Opposition, former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj and political analysts for the comments he made during Thursday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, where he asked who in society would gain from pushing the homicide rate up, stating that citizens have been facing acts of terror and lawlessness with a recent upsurge in the murder rate.
In a statement on social media on Saturday, Young said in conveying the information, he did not “call a single name” and would continue to stand by his statement that there is a conspiracy to destabilise the country.
The information, Young said was provided to him by the authorities.
UNC’s PRO Senator Anita Haynes dismissed Young’s utterance as “PNM propaganda” while Maharaj called on him to bring proof.
In a telephone interview with Guardian Media yesterday, Hinds said “it appears as though that Mr Young used a flit gun to deal with mosquitoes and cockroaches start flying all over the place. As I say, he (Young) throw he corn but he did not call any fowl.”
Hinds said Young did not identify or named anyone but spoke about certain individuals encouraging criminality to create an atmosphere of destabilisation and trauma.
However, he said people in the UNC found it necessary to speak out “to declare their innocence. That is a matter for them and for the national community to draw their own conclusions.”
Hinds said if the police reported to Young that some of the recent shootings and murders were not categorised as gang feuds, fight for drug turf or domestic violence but noticed a “strange phenomenon of random shootings at innocent people and police, then, that to my mind is proof that there are persons. It is not aliens doing that or Martians. Is persons in T&T carrying out those acts. So what Mr Young said is absolutely correct on that basis alone.”
The Laventille West MP said the UNC was free to express their views.
Hinds said the police are investigating the matter raised by Young.
“I am sure, in the course of time, if and when they find out they will make it known either by saying so or arresting people for conspiracy to murder some citizens of T&T.”
He said some people would choose a life of crime despite the State and law enforcement’s concerted efforts.
In going forward, Hinds said the State would have to step up its game to bring those who have no respect for law and order before the courts.
“I am fully aware that the society is traumatised and people are living in fear...serious fear. “
This, Hinds said, was not new.
“So, yes, we are not unaware that this society like every society everywhere in the world has a problem with the phenomenon of crime. So I would urge the citizens to gang up...to team up... to work together, all of us, at all levels...those who are not the perpetrators of crime against those who are the perpetrators.”