Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley yesterday knocked the delays in the criminal justice system and the ability of some to be free on bail to commit more offences to pay their lawyer bills.
Speaking at the opening of the new Besson Street Police Station, located at the foothills of East Port-of-Spain, one of the country’s crime hotspots, Rowley said some criminals were of the view that they were wining the fight against crime, adding that this must not be allowed to prevail.
“It has to be that the vast majority of citizens and the infrastructure of the police and all security agencies working together...and that is what we don’t have,” he said.
“As head of the government I cannot say that there is swift justice, even when we are fortunate to have some detection of crime and the perpetrators are known to us. There is no swift justice in T&T,” Rowley, who sits as chair of the National Security Council, said.
In making reference to the judiciary, he said even though suspects were held, they were quickly back out on the streets and would do anything possible to preserve their freedom including committing more crime.
“Those perpetrators of crime want to be free to commit more crime and in this interlude between being apprehended and having their matter concluded and facing the conviction...the cost of that freedom is paying their lawyers.
“They have no assets to start with and now they have a serious liability which is to pay a significant sum of money, always in cash, to lawyers to ensure that they preserve their freedom and they are out committing more crime to raise cash to pay their lawyers to ensure that the process is delayed in the court or that they are unpunished for the crime they committed. That is a fact in T&T and we better face up to that,” Rowley said.
And in the midst of all of this, he said, it appeared that the Police Service was “permanently overwhelmed” by this situation.
Saying there was a “fairly well resourced” Police Service the PM said citizens expected perpetrators to be held accountable and therefore the efforts of the police must create safety and comfort.
He also reiterated his call for police officers must get out of their vehicles and offices and walk through the communities to rebuild trust which was so badly lacking throughout the country.
He urged officers to ensure there was that “human contact” especially in challenging areas.
“Because if you do that many people would have a different view of the Police Service. The one thing that would guarantee perpetual failure in a district like this is if the sentiment of the community is that the police is the enemy and that the uniform that the police wears is a symbol of oppression or lack of caring.
“Come down on the streets and talk to those who need the police. Remove that sentiment that the police is against or that the community is one of a war-zone. I get the impression that there are certain districts that are viewed in a particular way,” Rowley said.
He said some people, whom he referred to as “imps,” must not be allowed to believe they had control of any street in this country.
Rowley said he hoped the new facility would improve the information gathering skills, adding that it would also enhance the east Port-of-Spain community.