T&T gov't throwing business community to the wolves: Panday

Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday said Monday he strongly believes that the Government has failed to stop the national siege by criminals and is "throwing the business community to the wolves".

The former prime minister noted in a media release that every survey since 2002 has identified crime as the most serious problem facing this country, "yet the government continues to pay lip service to this critical issue as the number of murders continues to reach record highs year after year."

Panday noted that The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010 identified crime and theft as the most problematic factor in doing business in Trinidad and Tobago.

"When compared to the rest of the world, this country was ranked at the bottom of the table at 128th out of 133 countries surveyed in terms of the business costs of crime and violence", he said.

Panday said when the Opposition UNC raised the issue of extortion during a parliamentary debate, the Minister of National Security "expressed surprise and suspicion" that Chaguanas businessmen were being forced to pay protection money to criminals in order to prevent their families and customers from being robbed, assaulted or killed.

"The crime of extortion has now taken on a national perspective with businessmen from Sangre Grande, San Juan and elsewhere being confronted with demands by criminals for protection money," Panday said

He noted that many businessmen are seeking firearm licenses, having lost faith in the ability of the Government, the Minister of National Security and the Police Service to protect them. He lamented that, "Instead of treating with what is obviously a serious problem, their applications are turned down without explanation."

He said many businessmen have fled the country for fear of being murdered or kidnapped, and many others live under self imposed curfews. And he called for action.

"The time has come for the business community to stand with the UNC and the rest of the population in protest against the government's continued inaction against crime," he said.