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Wild Wild West
A friend recently described Trinidad and Tobago as “a failed state with a little bit of money.” What will happen when that money done is the burning question that we must all ponder. The country has slipped into a state of anarchy. There is absolutely no respect for the rule of law, and the will of the bandit now prevails. Disorder, chaos and confusion now characterise the national psyche, as the Government itself disrespects the law. Without batting an eyelid, Minister Enill indicated that the smelter project would continue, despite a landmark ruling by the High Court that the environmental clearance certificate was illegally granted.
Such disrespect for the Supreme Court is reminiscent of that delayed reaction of the Manning administration in the Maha Sabha radio licence case. It practically ignored the order of the Privy Council ordering the grant of a radio licence, and eventually capitulated due to public pressure and the threat of further litigation. Another example would be the slow response to set up the Equal Opportunities Commission, in response to the judgment of the Privy Council. As the abduction, rape and murder of innocents continue, PM Manning is dreaming of a front-page picture with him shaking the hand of the Queen of England, with First Lady Hazel at his side. Manning and Hazel see themselves as Barack and Michelle Obama, hosting, meeting, greeting and talking to world leaders and all.
Vacant offices
They are concerned with international issues affecting the world, and have no time for mundane matters affecting life, limb and property of our citizenry. Institutional pillars of support for a functioning democratic society, such as the Integrity Commission, the Police Complaints Authority and the Firearms Appeal Board cannot function because the Government has failed to appoint new members. Additionally, key offices that act as an important audit and check and balance on the abuse of power by public officials, such as the DPP, Solicitor General, Commissioner of Police and the Chief Parliamentary Counsel, among others, remain vacant.
Come next year, when the effect of all the artificial spending to facilitate the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference is over, the raw reality is going to sink in. The true effect of the economic crisis will be felt. The extent of the crisis is underscored by the angry reaction to the murder of Tecia Henry. Laventille has—not for the first time—vowed revenge on the police and possible culprits. This PNM heartland has long been transformed into the unmanageable Wild, Wild West. It is practically a separate mini-state governed by a different set of laws. Bullets fly, policemen are chased out, and the police are intimidated and harassed because of the perceived reluctance to take swift action in an area they fear to tread.
The fact is the police simply fear going into Laventille, because they come under heavy gunfire from a militant and aggressive community that bands together to hide and support the very criminals that took Baby Tecia. Allegations of police brutality are made, and the media spotlight unfairly amplifies one side of the story. If Manning was serious about saving this country, he would have accepted the recommendation by the Ken Gordon Crime Commission and declared a limited state of emergency in crime hot spots, and flushed out the criminal elements. Nothing reinforces the extent of our failed state like the statement made by Police Commissioner Philbert, while addressing the PoS Rotary Club, advising lawmen not to shoot at bandits during/after a car chase, because this could endanger the public.
Demotivate police
It seems as if the police must now simply “escort” armed bandits with kidnap victims in stolen cars and take a detour, if they are fired upon. Whatever happened to trained marksmen and sharpshooters in our Police Service? Philbert must clarify what he meant by this statement. It has de-motivated the entire Police Service. What, pray tell, did he expect officers to do if Tecia was spotted in the back of a stolen car, struggling with armed bandits who fired at the police while speeding towards a busy area, in the knowledge that Philbert told his men not to return fire during/after a car chase, to avoid hurting innocent members of the public?
To add insult to injury, Martin Joseph comforts us by telling us that he, as Minister of National Security, has begged Laventille not to take revenge by taking the law into its own hands. Moreover, due to the high levels of crime in the country, Joseph said that as a parent, he was “literally begging his children not to be out too late, and to change the way it is that they are now doing their business.” The message is clear: We cannot guarantee your safety, so there is an undeclared state of emergency with a curfew. It’s our little secret.
By Anand Ramlogan
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...well said Anand, and long overdue...but this is definitely not new, its has been going on for quite a long time unchecked...and now, well it's beyond repair...thats my take on it...!
...this did not happen overnight, it has been gradually creeping up our backsides for too many years like a cheap jockey shorts, and we the people allow the politicians to sit on their fat behinds and do nothing except sqaunder our patrimony with impunity and disrespect for the people.
...if we would only look at the records going back to 2000 onwards, one does not have to be a rocket scientist to figure out what in the world was happening, everyone except the politicians whose responsibility it was to look after things for the people...!
...so now crime outa control and de money all gone dong the drain...we broke like church rats and we are prisoners and hostages in our own homes, let alone on the streets and highways...!
...well, what else is new, we have been saying so all along on this site...no one is listening...we are a failed state...plain and simple...except we are too proud a people to readily admit that...!
...we have to wait for some foreigner to come and pay them billion of dollars to tell us what we all know...!
...well, thanks Anand, for telling it like it is, hard to swallow, but its true and soon like the old folks used to say...when we can't hear we go feel...!
...but then there was another old folk saying, that some people are so get to putting out barrel after the rain done fall...and thats what we are going to be doing soon here in the Land of Milk and Honey...now all the milk and honey gone...after Patrick and his henchmen done with we, we would be lucky if we have land left over to remain on...or maybe he already mortgage the whole country away to China and Taiwan already...so is slavery all over again second time around...?
...beware my friends...beware...its like a sinking ship...and even the rats done jump ship, they smarter than we yes...!
...but where's Patrick in all of this...trying to be a world stateman...a "wannabe"...?...all the while he own toilet flowing over and he saying that he trying to fix the whole world's problems, while his own stench in his backyard is so unbearable..?...what vision and foresight, what a leader...?
...take care my friends, even the wild wild west was a lot safer than here now, at least everybody had a gun then to defend themselves...!
...but not here, we are just all plain sitting ducks...no..?
...goodluck...trini.t.o.o
Every so often, Anand writes the tata that the typical Trini mentality comes to accept as wisdom. Maybe because he has a 'big name' or something for people to swallow this tripe.
"Nothing reinforces the extent of our failed state like the statement made by Police Commissioner Philbert, while addressing the PoS Rotary Club, advising lawmen not to shoot at bandits during/after a car chase, because this could endanger the public."
Anand may have missed the lesson by his parents "a thrown stone have no eye". Same for bullets.
He suggests in a following sentence that Patrick's stance of collateral damage is acceptable.
"What, pray tell, did he expect officers to do if Tecia was spotted in the back of a stolen car, struggling with armed bandits who fired at the police while speeding towards a busy area, in the knowledge that Philbert told his men not to return fire during/after a car chase, to avoid hurting innocent members of the public?"
The correct thing to do would be to hold back, follow the car if possible, or let them get away and detect afterwards.
For a bullet 'aimed' at a moving vehicle travelling at high speeds, can easily hit a stander-by quicker than a bandit in a fast moving car. Not to mention, just as easily hit the 'Tecia' they are trying to 'save'. In fact, the course of action recommended by Anand may well result in more innocents being injured or slaughtered, than bandits.
Funny thing is, in a similar situation, someone like Anand can come along and find all the faults of the officers and make them resonsible for the ineptitude displayed. And point out exactly where in law they erred. Go figure.
For once, Philbert actually thought and acted like a reasonable police officer. Accept that.
Ah think Jumbie hit on an important point dey.
"It seems as if the police must now simply “escort” armed bandits with kidnap victims in stolen cars and take a detour, if they are fired upon. Whatever happened to trained marksmen and sharpshooters in our Police Service?"
This sounds like an uninformed statement and question intent on poking some fun or sarcasm. Anand steps out of his range of expertise to imply that something different should happen, but does not say exactly what. The reference to trained marksmen and sharpshooters suggest that he would expect someone to be shooting back.
And the rhetorical question that follows "What, pray tell, did he expect officers to do if Tecia was spotted in the back of a stolen car, struggling with armed bandits..."..leads one to think that Anand expects something dramatically different, perhaps a shoot out of some kind - like in a Clint Eastwood movie.
Anand would be the first to represent survivors (or relatives of the deceased) who were hit by stray bullets fired negligently by the police. So, I really cannot understand his line of argument. It doesn't seem to be guided by any appreciation of the law or any regard for consequences of stray police bullets hitting innocent people (or even victims of kidnapping). To expect a shoot out is frankly ridiculous.
The commentary has some merits in parts but in other parts, like above issue, I had to wonder if it was really Anand who wrote that commentary. It reminded me of a previous commentary when he piled praise on Panday - that caused me to be Baffled.
...I have to agree with all of the above comments, as each one has its own merit, all of which are well supported by facts...and this is not going along just to get along here...to quote the late Johhny Cochrane, O.J's famous lawyer...!
...the points that I focussed on in qualifying my statements were that - Trinidad & Tobago was (a) 'a failed state"...(b) that the country was being taken down the drain and will be broke and penniless, if they have not already reached there by now...and (c) that crime has taken a grip over the country to the extent that it was beyond the control of the government at this point...and (c) that the people were at risk and peril because of the inept mismanagement of our monies and resources, along with the attitude of the politicians in power who are holding our people for ransom because of all of the above....!
...so while I did not dwell so much on Anand's thoughts of how the police should address each different crime situation, I was more inclined to believe that the failed state syndrome was present except we were so reluctant to admit it...hence the problem cannot be solved if there is not problem to begin with...to first admit there is a problem...I think we can all agree on this...!
...anyway, thanks for the comments which helped to check my blinders and clarify our viewpoints differently...and as I said before ...its the same accident...just different viewpoints...!
...goodluck...Trini.t.o.o