The Opposition United National Congress says the Government lacks the political will to do what is necessary to tackle the ongoing “crime crisis.”
Opposition MP Dinesh Rambally made the claim yesterday as he said the Government’s approach to crime is overly reactive, adding it has no strategy or plan to curb the levels of violent and sexual crimes.
“Indeed, because of the inaction of this Government, this Rowley-led PNM Government, there is no hope for improvement, as they’ve demonstrated their exceptional ability to yap endlessly while people suffer,” Rambally said.
“After all is said and done, more is said than done.”
Rambally said that the country is paralysed by concern and fear about the levels of violence.
He said as a result, many people have put themselves in self-imposed curfews but they are not even safe at home.
“Women are tortured and abused, bludgeoned to death. They are trafficked and sold as sex slaves. They are trafficked and sold as sex slaves.
Child trafficking and other forms of child abuse are taking place in this country because of people who are well-connected to the upper echelons of power,” he said.
Rambally compared what he called the Government’s failure to address human trafficking to the actions of British colonial figures like Thomas Picton and Sir Ralph Woodford.
He said many Venezuelan migrants are being abused in a similar manner to how Picton tortured 14-year-old Luisa Calderon, who was accused of theft in 1806.
“Like Luisa’s mother, Venezuelan migrants here—many in a desperate search for a better life—they make life compromises just to survive, like Luisa, many young girls have their fate decided for them, and are given over to men who yield power, or are trafficked by people who are often well-connected to high government officials,” Rambally claimed.
“Maybe we should rename Picton Street to Hinds Street.”
He claimed one has to wonder why the Government isn’t taking what he called the necessary action to respond to reports like a recent US State Department 2022 Report on Trinidad and Tobago.
Among its findings, the report claimed that sex trafficking has intensified in T&T during the pandemic.
The report also alleged that police officers, immigration, Coast Guard personnel and customs officers were involved.
Rambally claimed that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds were primarily responsible for failing to take the necessary action.
“Why is that so? Why is the Government not interested in going after those reports of having high-ranking officials somehow complicit with the commission of human trafficking crimes?
“Why are they still not carrying on detailed investigations into immigration? Into customs? Into the Police Service?” Rambally asked.