Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says today's latest outrage, where five people lost their lives at one location in Belmont and three others were killed elsewhere, brings home the depth of the problem that the Government is grappling with.
In a statement posted to his Facebook page, the Prime Minister said, "This ever-increasing total wanton disregard for human life is to be condemned in the soundest of ways. My condolences go out to the families who are today experiencing the pain that traumatizes the entire national community."
Dr Rowley said the presence of and frequent use of assault weapons in our country has brought an added dimension of effectiveness to the murderous lawlessness which continues to plague us.
"I want to give the nation the assurance that even as we experience today’s tragedy, the State through its lawful activities will continue to identify and extract these weapons and their criminal owners and operators. The population can rest assured that the state agencies will not give up the fight to rid our streets and other places of the evil that is now widespread as a "gun culture" in Trinidad and Tobago," he said.