Minister of National Security Fitzgerald has assured that a decision has been taken to deal with the immediate upsurge in drug and gang-related killings and shootings.
Speaking with the Guardian Media on Wednesday, Hinds said over the last few days and weeks he has observed that “these murders are getting ever-present of us again” and as a consequence, he called all the leadership and all the elements of national security together for a discussion last Sunday.
“We had a very long and deep and searching conversation on these matters and resolutions were taken in terms of an approach in dealing with that immediate upsurge,” Hinds said.
He disclosed that from Sunday to Wednesday he had already received a report of the “success of those operations and the management of crime generally across the country.”
He, however, added that he will continue to wait on reports from law enforcement on how the response is progressing but he expressed satisfaction with the efforts thus far.
Hinds also said that he remains confident that the crime situation willnot get out of hand.
Asked what was in the first report he received, Hinds replied, “There were some areas they’re seeing in Central Trinidad, in West Trinidad, in the Laventille area, Belmont area, in the Arima area, certain kinds of activities, drug dealing, gang driven around it.”
The National Security Minister said he also had a three-and-a-half hour-long meeting with one of the Divisions of National Security, “working along with those professionals to see how we could make a better and a bigger contribution in improving the administration of justice in Trinidad and Tobago.”
He described that meeting as very successful and productive, “again important decisions were taken and I’m confident that we’ll see a way up and forward going from here.”
Earlier this week, acting Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith, before proceeding on vacation, revealed that an emergency meeting was called by Minister Hinds in the face of rising crime and murders in the country.
For the past two months, there has been an upsurge in shootings, murders and other drug and gang-related activities across the country.
This past weekend, there were seven murders recorded—a triple killing and a double murder in Kelly Village and Enterprise respectively on Friday and two unrelated murders on Saturday in Malabar and Montrose, Chaguanas. On Wednesday, Port-of-Spain gang leader Anthon “Boombay” Boney was also executed.
