An Opposition MP says that crime detection in Tobago is better than that in Trinidad.
He made the assertion as he is questioning why there is any need for more police officers from Trinidad to be deployed in Tobago.
The Opposition MP was responding to statements made by the Prime Minister after the National Security Council Meeting which occured in Tobago yesterday.
00:00As Sister Khadija Amin told us a few minutes ago, this is a government that cannot protect us from a mosquito.
00:07They cannot protect us from a mosquito.
00:10And we expect them to protect us from bandits, murderers, kidnappers.
00:15Oropuch East MP Dr. Rudal Munilal, during the opposition's media conference on Wednesday,
00:21the day after a meeting of the National Security Council, chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Kifir Auli in Tobago,
00:28which was attended by Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Farley Augustin.
00:32Look where Tobago is today. Quadruple murder.
00:36There was a time people said, if things get bad in Trinidad, we'll go to Tobago.
00:40We believed that tourism will continue to generate foreign exchange and revenue in Tobago,
00:46notwithstanding crime in Trinidad. Look what has happened.
00:50Dr. Munilal highlighted the explanation on Tuesday about the rationale behind a decision by the police executive
00:56to have an increase in the number of police officers from Trinidad deployed in Tobago.
01:02Policing Tobago are Tobagonians in Tobago.
01:07And that might be a good thing because people are policing home.
01:11But there are certain outflows from that which cause me and others to believe that the policing effort is not as sharp as it should be.
01:25Largely because of the General Maxim of Familiarity Bill's contempt.
01:30And we have decided in the discussion this morning that the Tobago policing effort can benefit from a greater effort of intermingling of the services.
01:42Dr. Munilal praised the work of Tobagonian police officers in Tobago.
01:47Do you know, check the records, the detection rate for serious crimes is higher in Tobago than it is in Trinidad?
01:54The detection rate of serious crimes is higher in Tobago than Trinidad.
01:59So what are you bothering with Tobago policemen for? They're doing a good job.
02:02The East MP also gave the opposition's impression of the National Security Council meeting in Tobago.
02:09And the prime minister goes and have a national security meeting there.
02:13That is grand charge. That is gallery. That is politics.
02:17That is the two seats in Tobago. That is the two seats in Tobago they are campaigning for in the next year.
02:23Prime Minister Rawley made no mention of the next general election due in 2025,
02:28but did make reference to the result of the last general election as he responded to a question regarding the opposition.
02:35What we try to do is to get the best effort for the nation.
02:39So an opposition comment that the government has failed.
02:44All I will say to them is that if they didn't feel when they were in government, they wouldn't be in opposition today.
02:51Dr. Rawley spoke about an anti-crime initiative that occurred in Tobago while the opposition UNC was in government.
02:58Do you know in 2014 under the partnership administration, we installed, we erected 185 CCTV cameras in Tobago.
03:08It was the first time Tobago saw CCTV cameras in that way.
03:13Do you know how much cameras are functioning today?
03:16181.
03:19They fixed a few, I must say, but they have not added one single new CCTV camera in nine years.
03:29In response to a question about the 181 CCTV cameras in Tobago during the media conference there on Tuesday,
03:36the national security minister said the government proposes to add another 2,500 CCTV cameras to the 2,500 CCTV cameras
03:46he said had recently been installed and inclusive of the amount mentioned specifically in Tobago.
03:53And telling us, well, you're setting up command center.
03:55In nine years, you didn't add one CCTV camera.
03:57Which command center are you setting up?
03:59And who got in the contract for that?
04:01Your friend?
04:02A specific number of additional CCTV cameras for Tobago is yet to be provided.
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