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| Jack Warner: "This murder is a PNM murder. Quote me on that". |
Reports state that two assailants shot Stephen Morris in Eastern Quarry, Laventille as he left his girlfriend's home just before four in Tuesday morning. Warner told reporters at a news conference outside the Parliament Chamber on Tuesday afternoon that the murder could have been avoided if the PNM wasn't against the Government's crime plan.
"This could have been avoided if the PNM was not sponsoring crime. I am saying so and you could quote me liberally. I am saying that of course unequivocally. This murder is a PNM murder. Quote me on that," Warner told reporters. "The Opposition should be very glad that their prayers have been answered," he added.
"He died on the spot. Police recovered more spent shells on the ground than his age. They recovered 29 spent shells on the crime scene," the minister said.
Warner also said he no longer wants police to to release murder statistics daily. "I've decided, with immediate effect, that no figures of any kind will be given anywhere for any absence of murders and murder reports shall be given quarterly as necessary, and not daily as the case may be. I have also instructed the police not to reveal any figures on murders," Warner said.
Laventille had been murder-free for a month. On Monday the opposition criticised Warner's plan, calling it “nothing more than a painkiller." Donna Cox, the Laventille East/Morvant MP said, "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."
"This could have been avoided if the PNM was not sponsoring crime. I am saying so and you could quote me liberally. I am saying that of course unequivocally. This murder is a PNM murder. Quote me on that," Warner told reporters. "The Opposition should be very glad that their prayers have been answered," he added.
"He died on the spot. Police recovered more spent shells on the ground than his age. They recovered 29 spent shells on the crime scene," the minister said.
Laventille had been murder-free for a month. On Monday the opposition criticised Warner's plan, calling it “nothing more than a painkiller." Donna Cox, the Laventille East/Morvant MP said, "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."
Warner slammed the opposition for criticising efforts to reduce crime. He said, "We can only succeed based on the collective efforts of all of us. It is a pity that the Opposition doesn't think so and worse yet, it is a pity that in their very same constituencies, that they are the ones who are sponsoring and encouraging mayhem and murder."
Warner added that he plans to meet with the police to devise ways to improve safety and security in Laventille.
Warner added that he plans to meet with the police to devise ways to improve safety and security in Laventille.
Speaking in the budget debate the leader of the Congress of the People, Prakash Ramadhar said, "They proud now that they get a murder in Laventille. I feel so hurt. You know things don't just happen you know."
The Legal Affairs Minister said it is wrong for the Opposition to criticize efforts to reduce crime in the country, especially since during their term in office murders were at an all time high.
"So this hypocrisy has got to end and it has got to end now. They condemned the return of law and order and peace to a community."
The Member of Parliament for Laventille West, NiLeung Hypolite has called Warner's statement "irresponsible and disrespectful" and is demanding an apology for saying that the PNM was responsible.
"He needs to apologise to the people of Laventille, the people of Trinidad and Tobago and most importantly, the People's National Movement for making such an irresponsible statement," Hypolite said.
He charged that Warner never had a plan to combat crime. "By putting police and soldiers in one area of Laventille...does not mean that murders in Laventille will stop. The boundaries of Laventille is part of Belmont all the way to part of Morvant. The Beetham is part of Laventille all the way up to the Lady Young," he said.
"So this hypocrisy has got to end and it has got to end now. They condemned the return of law and order and peace to a community."
The Member of Parliament for Laventille West, NiLeung Hypolite has called Warner's statement "irresponsible and disrespectful" and is demanding an apology for saying that the PNM was responsible.
"He needs to apologise to the people of Laventille, the people of Trinidad and Tobago and most importantly, the People's National Movement for making such an irresponsible statement," Hypolite said.
He charged that Warner never had a plan to combat crime. "By putting police and soldiers in one area of Laventille...does not mean that murders in Laventille will stop. The boundaries of Laventille is part of Belmont all the way to part of Morvant. The Beetham is part of Laventille all the way up to the Lady Young," he said.
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