Warner says he wants to see evidence to show that crime has increased

Jack Warner said on national television Monday he wants to see evidence that crime has escalated. And he said he believes something is being done right because for 10 days there have been no murder in areas labeled as "hot spots".

Critics have said crime has increased in Trinidad & Tobago but official statistics say otherwise. 

So the minister is asking his detractors to show him the data:

"Where is the empirical evidence to support that? I have not seen it," Warner said. "I have to see the evidence. Bring the evidence," he told host Fazeer Mohammed on the TV6 Morning edition show.

Warner also stated that his ministry needs time to "roll out" its anti-crime strategies. However he did not give a timeline for it to happen. "Things will get better," he said. "And they will not get worse before they get better."

He admitted that he is not happy with Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs. Both men have disagreed on a number of things, especially the 21st century policing system, which includes the closure of some police stations. Warner has said in the past that he wants the stations reopened.