00:00People are integral to policing, with the pulse of the dynamic being trust and confidence.
00:05To protect this setup is the separation of powers etched in the Constitution,
00:10giving the law enforcement institution its independence from government.
00:14That's according to People's National Movement Senator Sanjeev Boudou, who says,
00:18once upheld, it allows for the TNT Police Service to execute its functions efficiently.
00:24But the present landscape surrounding political narratives uttered in Parliament,
00:28producing glaring sirens from Boudou's perspective.
00:31A responsible government, he says, should be able to identify the threat.
00:36Do you think we have a responsible government at this time?
00:41Let's see what they have done.
00:43We have heard in Parliament the Honourable Attorney General declare war on certain segments of the population.
00:50We have heard him say in Parliament,
00:52There are, quote, there are also gangs who describe themselves in terms of percentages.
00:59We all heard the Honourable Attorney General talk about the cells that await Tetron
01:04for those who challenge him or challenge his Prime Minister.
01:08Compounding the issue, the AG's remarks during the SOE extension debate
01:13about the U.S. visa revocation of some members within the local Syrian community.
01:18Boudou, noting that it's the situation affecting TNT nationals, regardless of class or race,
01:24is sounding alarm bells over why they became the AG's focus in Parliament.
01:28On the heels of that, the detention of prominent businessman Dominic Hadid and his wife.
01:34The incident, for which no reason has been made public and no charges have been laid,
01:39coming under scrutiny by the opposition senator.
01:42And this is shortly after the same person who's been arrested, now in custody,
01:48criticized the government's taxation policy.
01:51Did you read that in the papers?
01:53Yes!
01:54So, he has criticized the government's taxation policy, and next thing you know is jail.
02:00Lock up!
02:01Boudou believes that there are innuendos between that and the case of slain businessman Danny Guerra.
02:07One minute, he was reported to have been financing UNC in Eastern Dad.
02:14Next minute, you heard that he had some sort of disagreement with some minister of that cabinet.
02:21Next minute, he's in jail on a detention order.
02:25Next minute, he's released.
02:28And the next minute, he is dead.
02:31All right?
02:31Now, what is the conclusion?
02:33What is the message that the public receives from this type of innuendo and messaging?
02:40The message that the public receives is very, very simple, ladies and gentlemen.
02:44It is dangerous to disagree with this UNC government.
02:53And to him, it overshadows the TTPS.
02:56The message that the public receives is that the government is directing the Trinidad and Tobago police service.
03:04And let me be clear, I have no evidence that that is the case.
03:09But perception, he says, carries heavy weight in the quote of public opinion
03:13and should be pointing to a clear separation of powers, not the opposite.
03:18That's it.
03:21That's it.
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