National Security Minister Stuart Young is questioning what data the authors of an online report which ranked this country as 12th on a list of the world’s 20 most dangerous countries in the world used.
On Friday, a publication in the Business Insider gave T&T the ranking after noting that murders, domestic violence and sexual assaults were on the increase in T&T.
But Young yesterday disagreed with the report.
“I certainly don’t think we rank 12th as the most dangerous countries in the world. That is my opinion and living here etcetera.
“And when you look at the article itself, there is absolutely no supporting information of any measurement as to how they come up with Trinidad being at number 12,” Young said on i95FM yesterday.
He said the publication “claimed” it was quoting a couple of sentences which was from a US State Department report.
“But those sentences are not backed by any statistics,” Young added.
But in the wake of several murders which occurred over the weekend, Young said he was troubled not only by every killing that has taken place but also every element of crime.
Among those killed was national award winner Haseena Ali, who was found dead at her home in Freeport. An autopsy has since revealed she was stabbed nine times before her house was set on fire with her in it.
“Every single murder is of concern to the Government and when you look at the number of murders, that is something which is always of concern to us as citizens,” Young said.
He said he was working closely with law enforcement officials to try and deal with these issues but urged the opposition to stop politicizing crime.
In response to the recent police killings of five people in Laventille, the minister said while law enforcement officers have the Government’s support, this did not equate to a license to kill.
“There is no way and nowhere that police are given a license to kill. What the Commissioner has said is if you shoot at police, expect police to shoot back.
“I maintain the position and it is the final position and the only tenable position that once police officers are operating within the perimeters of the law then they have the Government’s support,” Young said.