Category Archives: Security

General T&T, Law, Murder, Police, Security

A Radical Thought on Crime

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By Raffique Shah
November 21, 2022

Raffique ShahActing Commissioner of Police McDonald Jacob has been in the Service for too many years, and served at the executive level for far too long to fall for the trick of announcing yet another anti-crime initiative in a bid to halt the near hysteria emanating from the population over the five-to-ten murders a day. He is experienced enough to know that nothing short of a significant drop in the murder rate will ease the burden of his minister breathing down his neck, the opposition politicians lampooning him and deep frustration among his subordinate officers making his life very uncomfortable.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, Kidnapping, Police, Security

Enter Gary Griffith: Act One

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By Raffique Shah
September 19, 2018

Raffique ShahGary Griffith couldn’t have scripted a better opening act for his entry onto the national stage as the new Commissioner of Police, even if he were the Bard of Cascade or whatever suburb he lives in or comes from.

After six years of play-acting by career police officer Stephen Williams, and amidst much intrigue, controversy and good old Trinidad bacchanal over the selection of a new CoP, which featured principal parts played by politicians of every hue and persuasion, not to add cameos by a significant number among the “extras” in the 1.4 million population, Gary landed the starring role—and what an entry he made.
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General T&T, Law, Media, Parliament, PNM, Politics, Security, UNC

Carmona denies employee’s company used: ‘Wine from Italy was cheaper’

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September 29, 2016 – guardian.co.tt

President Anthony CarmonaPresident Anthony Carmona says “contrary to false and incorrect media reports, neither Ms Pramati Noe, former private secretary to the President, nor Antonio Piccolo purchased, nor imported quality wines on behalf of the Office of the President.”

Additionally, he said, Italian Import/Export Limited, a registered local company and/or its directors, neither purchased nor imported any wine on behalf of the office of the President.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, Law, PNM, Security

Gap between intelligence and action

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By Raffique Shah
May 22, 2016

Raffique ShahReally, it does not bother me that the Strategic Service Agency (SSA), or any other State intelligence agency, from the AIA to the ZIA, might want to peep through my back door, monitor what I am writing now, check my email before I do, or listen in on my telephone or family conversations at my home.

I have long accepted that with the sophisticated technology available to them, indeed to anyone who might want to “macco” people, the privacy that we once enjoyed, or thought we did, has ceased to exist.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, Law, Media, Schools, Security, Violence

CRIMINAL STUDENTS

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By Richardson Dhalai
February 24 2016 – newsday.co.tt

TIM KEE MUST GO!CRIMINAL students are among the population of the Chaguanas North Secondary School and Minister of Education Anthony Garcia, yesterday pledged to have them removed.

As a start, Garcia revealed that 24 students — identified as ring leaders in the delinquency that has plagued the school — are to be sent home with immediate effect.

Following a return visit to the school yesterday, this time along with Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon, Garcia told reporters, “I have taken a decision, a definite decision, that I will not tolerate indiscipline and violence in our schools. My mantra is no school indiscipline, no violence in schools.” Dillon also said the country may have to consider boot camps for delinquent students as Garcia said he will be looking at ways in which the students who are removed from the school could be reintegrated into the system.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, Law, Police, Security

Police Mutiny

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By Raffique Shah
April 19, 2015

Raffique ShahOn the morning of Monday, March 23, when I became aware of the massive traffic gridlocks in several strategic arteries across the country occasioned by the police purportedly conducting legitimate roadblocks, my immediate reaction was, “This is mutiny!”

Later that evening, when television footage showed police officers of varying ranks holding tens of thousands of law-abiding motorists and commuters hostage, trapped in scorching heat and toxic exhaust fumes with no chance to escape, I thought that by the following morning I would wake up to hear that scores of police officers had been suspended from duty pending investigations into their misconduct.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, Law, People's Partnership, Politics, Security, UNC

Griffith threatens to walk – AG to resign

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Anand Ramlogan, Gary Griffith, David West

Griffith threatens to walk

By Renuka Singh
February 02, 2015 – guardian.co.tt

National Security Minister Gary Griffith is threatening to quit in the face of scathing press release issued by Communication Minister Vasant Bharath yesterday accused him of making false claims and compromising the integrity of Cabinet. Bharath was referring to reports that Griffith claimed he was pressured by his Cabinet colleagues not support a criminal complaint by Police Complaints Authority Director David West.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, Law, Media, People's Partnership, Security, UNC

AG must step down: first act in rare drama

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Anand Ramlogan, Gary Griffith, David West

Express Editorial
February 01, 2015 – trinidadexpress.com

“The standing of the Attorney General is not the only consideration Ms Persad-Bissessar is obliged to weigh. If, indeed, Mr Griffith had been aware of illegality even suspected of being engaged in or proposed by the Attorney General, he should not himself have waited until now to be exposed as someone in the know. His own fitness for office is now at least open to question.

“Finally, that it has taken nearly three months for Mr West, a lawyer, to report to the relevant authorities some illegality he might have suspected is itself troublingly questionable.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, People's Partnership, Politics, Security, UNC

ANAND UNDER POLICE PROBE

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‘A CONSPIRACY’

By Andre Bagoo
January 30, 2015 – newsday.co.tt

ANAND UNDER PROBEACTING Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams yesterday announced that he had ordered a police probe into an allegation of an attempt to pervert the course of justice made against Attorney General Anand Ramlogan by Director of the Police Complaints Authority David West.

In a media release, the police public affairs unit stated, “The Commissioner of Police (Ag), Mr Stephen Williams, wishes to advise that today, Thursday 29th January, 2015, he was visited by Mr David West at Police Administration Building, Port-of-Spain, and presented with a signed statement, in which Mr West made an allegation of ‘an attempt to pervert the course of justice’, against Senator the Honourable, Anand Ramlogan, Attorney General of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.”
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