An angry PM solves nothing

At midnight on December 27, the Prime Minister made a statement on the official Office of the Prime Minister Facebook page expressing disappointment at the murder rate for 2024.

The families of the 615 people slain to date are also disappointed, not least because of the continuing inability to bring killers to court, far less to justice in TT.

What the PM hopes to achieve by badgering the Judiciary and police to do better, is unclear. He has made such calls before to no tangible effect.

In his vigorous “blame-storming” session, he urged police officers to “make criminals uncomfortable with penetrating detection methods.”

He called on the Judiciary to consider Old Testament justice and “stop pretending that criminals are the victims who deserve only mercy when by their heartless, lawless behaviour they are to receive firm punishment.”

Citizens were urged to “stop normalising criminal conduct in your social life (and) stop encouraging or shielding your family members and friends who are engaging in criminal conduct.”

His government, however, “will continue to provide full support to the police and other agencies.”

Dr Rowley’s frustration with the continued escalation of violent crime and unsolved murders is understandable and is shared by every right-thinking citizen.

But this formal statement followed a Christmas holiday over which the Prime Minister, President, and Archbishop Gordon all called on Jesus Christ as a response to crime.

This demonstrably did not produce results, and robberies, murders, and home invasions continued apace.

A throat was slit, men were gunned down, and a 74-year-old man defended his family and home with a piece of purple heart wood.

The terrible total of 600 plus murders for the year should signal to Dr Rowley that what’s needed is more than the promised all-of-government approach, still to deliver a tangible effect.

Murders have been the headline event for years, but crime is not one thing, and its motivations are equally nuanced and complex.

What’s needed now is an engagement by every elected official to take responsibility for their constituencies and the vulnerability of their constituents to crime in all its forms, delivering effective preventative solutions.

The government should not underestimate the wisdom of the crowd, citizens who experience crime, and witness the indicators of its progress.

The Police Commissioner’s promise again to increase ground patrols must herald a more intimate confidence-building effort with the citizens that officers are sworn to protect.

For his part, the Prime Minister should be mindful that crime is the result of what is rewarded, what is punished, and how effectively each extreme is managed. Those decisions are made by the government and the legislature.

The final responsibility for Dr Rowley’s last two terms lies with him.

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