PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):
THE TRINIDAD and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce Wednesday called on the Patrick Manning government to "take whatever action necessary" to deal with the crime situation in the country.
On the Christmas weekend 11 persons were killed, bringing the death toll to just over 370 so far for the year. Last year, 262 people were murdered in the country. In addition to the murders, the country is also experiencing a kidnapping wave that has resulted in more than 70 people being abducted for ransom.
In a statement, the main private sector body said that the Manning administration should embark upon "draconian" measures if necessary to deal with the spiralling crime situation.
"The level of serious crime in 2005 has been totally unacceptable, and has steadily deteriorated as the year progressed. The recent escalation in murders, kid-nappings, rapes, gun and drug related crimes, including the arrest of senior army officers, even if only on suspicion of criminal activity, has left our nation in a daze."
EXCUSES
"The Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce calls on Government and those responsible for our nation's security to stop making excuses and to take whatever action they deem necessary, draconian or otherwise, to apprehend the perpetrators and restore normalcy."
"Zero tolerance of all crimes, big and small, removal of illegal guns and ammunition off the streets, continual sourcing of external assistance, which was alluded to three months ago in the 2005/2006 National Budget, must all be aggressively pursued without further delay."
"Uniformed law enforcement officers must be out on our highways and byways enforcing such zero tolerance. We cannot continue to sit and wait for another day to pass by while our leaders and law enforcement authorities vacillate. We call on them to act now, and to do so decisively," the chamber said.
