Rishard Khan
rishard.khan@guardian.co.tt
Some sitting members of parliament are currently under investigation by police for having ties in the criminal underworld. The long-touted rumour was confirmed by Minister of National Security Stuart Young during an hour-long, one-on-one interview on CNC3’s The Morning Brew yesterday.
“Are there persons engaging in this? Yes. Have I been provided with information by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service with respect to that type of behaviour? Yes”, Young said.
Much like he did at last Thursday’s post-cabinet media briefing Young kept further details close to his chest.
“It is against certain members of parliament and again I will leave it at that because I don’t want to interfere with any police investigation,” he said.
While Young refused to divulge on which side of the political divide these accusations lay; he admitted to having heard the “rumour” dating back many years ago and directed at multiple administrations.
“I’m not suggesting that it has only come up in the last five years or in the last 10 years. Every time this topic of conversation comes up; you always hear about what has gone on for many many years,” he said.
Young said he received information on these criminal links as recent as “even this weekend”.
He added that these matters should be investigated by the police as they are “dangerous”.
Young also alleged that he was approached by members of the criminal underground in his electoral district.
“I’ve had it happen in my constituency where persons who are persons of interest- as the police call it- have asked to meet and stuff and I refused because I personally am not going to engage in that type of behaviour.”
Minister Young also defended his statements made at last week’s post-cabinet media conference that certain people have been using crime to cause fear and panic among the population in a bid to destabilize the country. His statements have been criticised by the opposition and political analysts.
Young repeated that he is willing to go before the Joint Select Committee of National Security to provide the necessary information to back up his claim.
That Committee is chaired by Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General Fitzgerald Hinds.