PORT OF SPAIN – Government will be heading to the Legislative Review Committee to introduce an Anti-Gang Legislation Bill to deal with gang-related crimes in the country.Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar made the announcement on Friday night during the United National Congress launch rally for the July 26 local government elections.Persad-Bissessar said former national security minister Martin Joseph frequently said the high crime rate in the country was gang-related, but yet his government did nothing to deal with the gang leaders.“We are also looking to put in place an amendment to the Bail Law so those who are charged with gang-related offences, they cannot get bail,” she said.
The new administration is also planning to have joint police and defence force patrols, which will also require another change in law. Persad-Bissessar was also critical of the Opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) for abstaining from voting on the selection of the new Commissioner of Police, Dwayne Gibbs, as she noted that since 2005 the crime rate had been escalating and its detection rate decreasing.“Here it is now, we are at a crucial juncture as we went to approve a Police Commissioner, and what do the PNM do? What does Dr Rowley do? Wash his hands and abstain like Pontius Pilot, while our children, our sons and daughters are dying and blood is being spilled on the soil of this land,” she said. Persad-Bissessar also told supporters that the task upon them was to ensure that the party could deliver results at the local government level.
(Trinidad Express)
