Letter: Kamla has done well to fight crime, but needs to tackle other problems

The Honourable Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago is showing remarkable courage in the face of a sustained effort to cause her to lose her focus.

I refer to her leadership in tackling the burning issue of crime. Tonight (Friday) on TV she was seen walking on the streets and in the crime ridden South Quay area and into City Gate where according to the news, commuters were surprised to be greeted by the PM and to be able to shake her hands.

This is the third time in a week that she has gone into the high crime riddled areas (Piccadilly, Chaguanas and now South Quay) to meet the protective services. No PM or Minister of National Security has done so before this PM and Minister John Sandy.

In addition, earlier this week she met face to face with the Police Second Division and according to newspaper headlines held on to her offer of five per cent. This is real leadership. She is unafraid of her opponents and those who are bent on chaos and while she is prepared to reason, she will not sell out the country.
 
The truth is that PM Kamla has begun the fight back against the criminals. As citizens we must now join the effort. We know what happens in our communities. We also know those who are doing the crime. We must now stand up and be counted by joining her.

The hands on approach taken by the PM is what this country wanted. However she must not stop now. She must continue this onslaught after Carnival. Here are some suggestions: 

• attack school violence and even have a boot camp for errant and violent children
• introduce laws to make parents pay for their childrens’ bad behaviour and violent activities
• encourage more searches of homes of gang leaders for guns
• give high rewards for information leading to the recovery of guns and ammunition
• attack gangs with full force. Bring the Anti Gang Bill and set up a Gang Suppression Task Force. No mercy must be shown to these heinous killers
• repair Police Stations and build some of the nineteen that were supposed to be built.

Unless she takes such action, unless she mobilizes the communities then her words in the much publicized Daniel Guerra Decree would become meaningless and she will be accused of Public Relations gimmickry. 

This is something she cannot now afford since her actions have begun to turn around the image of this government.

When all is said and done, the people still want the basics for living a reasonable quality of life. If you listen to the radio stations, they are still complaining of the small things, houses, roads, drains, mosquitoes, noise pollution, jobs and traffic congestion. 

All of these are within the realm of the government to be able to do something. However, it requires a reformulation of the focus of the government. When you have political noise you quell it, especially when it is coming from your base.

There is therefore a need to speed up decision making in these areas. If you don’t Madam PM then 2011 will not be a Year of Delivery. Seven Months have virtually gone in terms of the new fiscal year. 

There has to be a way of fast tracking the start up of projects. This will kick start your economy. Jack Warner has said publicly that he cannot do anything without the NIPDEC Board. Is this true, and if it is, then do something about it. His Ministry is responsible for most of the construction projects.

You have done well to lead the fight non crime. But do right in the many other areas I have identified above.

In the meantime Duke has fizzled out. The Government should not now be afraid to take Duke and the PSA to the Industrial Court. 

Duke and the membership of the PSA would do well to remember that when the late PM George Chambers sent them to the Court they got zero per cent. Go for the court if you have to Madam Prime Minister.

Chandra Harnanan (Via St John’s Road San Fernando)