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| Donna Cox in Parliament |
In her contribution to the debate on the budget Cox challenged National Security Minister Jack Warner’s statement that there has been a reduction in crime in Laventille.
Warner attributed this to several effective anti-crime initiatives, including the deployment of soldiers to the Beverly Hills area.
Cox, who served as a minister in the Ministry of National Security in the Manning PNM administration suggested the solution that Warner has applied is a "band aid" one. She said, “Placing a watchman on my doorstep night and day will hold me back for as long as the watchman is present and awake and more importantly for as long as you can afford the cost.”
Cox also said crime is not something that has affected all communities in Laventille.
“Mr Speaker, the minister spoke of joint hot spot patrols which is not new. He also stated that it had produced results and there has not been a murder in 22 or 26 days.
Cox, who served as a minister in the Ministry of National Security in the Manning PNM administration suggested the solution that Warner has applied is a "band aid" one. She said, “Placing a watchman on my doorstep night and day will hold me back for as long as the watchman is present and awake and more importantly for as long as you can afford the cost.”
Cox also said crime is not something that has affected all communities in Laventille.
“Mr Speaker, the minister spoke of joint hot spot patrols which is not new. He also stated that it had produced results and there has not been a murder in 22 or 26 days.
"Mr Speaker, one would think that Beverly Hills represents the whole of Laventille. If police and soldiers lock down an area, it is only obvious that there will be a decrease in crime in that area. So, to boast about not murder in Laventille is another boast of the Government,” she said.
"One would think that Laventille usually has a murder 365 days a year and that is something that needs to be clear because people do not know about Laventille but they talk about Laventille...Beverly Hills is just one area in Laventille.
"So, when you talk about no murders in Laventille you have to say no murders in Beverly Hills. Laventille does not have a murder every day...The impression given to the public is that there is a murder in Laventille every day. That is not so. It is not the norm. It was never the norm.”
Cox called the Government’s anti-crime measures “nothing more than a painkiller." She added, "It stops the hurting but the underlying problem still exists and will continue to flourish until the real depth and seriousness is tackled head on."
"So, when you talk about no murders in Laventille you have to say no murders in Beverly Hills. Laventille does not have a murder every day...The impression given to the public is that there is a murder in Laventille every day. That is not so. It is not the norm. It was never the norm.”
Cox called the Government’s anti-crime measures “nothing more than a painkiller." She added, "It stops the hurting but the underlying problem still exists and will continue to flourish until the real depth and seriousness is tackled head on."
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