Keith Rowley said Monday night it is dangerous to put an army of soldiers and police under the direction of the National Security Minister Jack Warner, whom he described as "dangerous".
The Opposition Leader, who was speaking at a public meeting in St James, said making this change has serious implications for the rights and freedoms of citizens of this country.
Rowley said Warner cannot be trusted to protect the rights of citizens. He criticised Warner for misrepresenting a meeting of citizens.
"He comes to the Parliament and tells the country that these people are setting about to overthrow the Government...
"No National Security Minister worth his salt would have gotten any information about any subversive plot and come to Parliament and blurt out anybody's name and location of the meeting...
"And of course it doesn't occur to him that it is these people's fundamental right to meet every night if they want to, in every house, and Jack Warner has absolutely no control over that," Rowley stated.
The leader of the People's National Movement (PNM) said his party cannot support the change that the government wants to to create "soldier police".
The leader of the People's National Movement (PNM) said his party cannot support the change that the government wants to to create "soldier police".
"Under the current law the Commissioner of Police can precept anybody he thinks is fit. The law as it stands, can allow that precepting," the PNM leader stated.
He claimed that the bill before Parliament would give soldiers soldiers the right to detain and search persons with the national security minister directing the soldiers.
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