Monthly Archives: August 2011

Caribbean, Food, General T&T, People's Partnership

Ensuring T&T’s Food Security

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By Derren Joseph
August 30, 2011

Derren JosephThere was a recent story in the Jamaica Observer about food security in Jamaica that got me thinking. Like Trinidad, Jamaica is a net importer of food. Two officials at Jamaica’s College of Agriculture, Science and Education (Case) argued that crucial political decisions must be made in order to secure Jamaica’s ability to feed the population, particularly in the face of a natural disaster such as a hurricane. The officials advocated an urgent need for efficient national food storage systems.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, India, Law, Opposition Party, People's Partnership, PNM, Police, Politics, Race and Identity, Racism Watch, Security, Violence

Rejecting the State of Emergency

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
August 30, 2011

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeIs either I stupidly or Anand and dem know many things I don’t know. But I didn’t know that one had to declare a state of emergency to capture some gang leaders and charge them with possession of marijuana or cocaine. I didn’t know that the only way to solve the crime problem was to declare a state of emergency and arrest about five hundred young people (call them gang members) from Black areas in order to solve the crime problem. If so, the PNM was more than stupid to hold its hands until the PP discovered that it takes a state of emergency to capture all these black people so easily.
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Court, General T&T, Law, People's Partnership, Police, Politics, Security, Tobago, Violence

Teen apologises on Facebook for Kamla threat

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State of EmergencyMinor Violator
“I could not sleep last night. I just want to say I am sorry to the Prime Minister (Kamla Persad-Bissessar) for insulting her like that. I am sorry for the language, I am sorry for all the racist stuff I said. I do not really care about racist things because I am not racist, I do not really look at it like that but I am just real sorry.”
The above apology was made and posted on Facebook by a teenager, who is the subject of a police investigation in relation to a previous video she had created.
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Court, Crime in T&T, Drug Trade, General T&T, Law, Money Laundering, People's Partnership, Politics, Security, Violence

State of Confusion

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By Raffique Shah
August 27, 2011

Raffique Shah“GUILTY as charged, sah!” I declare before the court of public opinion. I hasten to add, as most felons do, “But I need to explain, boss.” Yes, I was foremost among persons who felt that serious crimes had long passed the point of tolerance, that law-abiding citizens were living in a state of siege, and if a state of emergency was required to restore some semblance of order in the society, then bring it on.
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Court, Crime in T&T, General T&T, Labour, Law, Media, Opposition Party, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, Security, Violence

462 arrests in 5 days

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State of EmergencyGANG LEADERS HELD AT HYATT
Two gang leaders hiding out at the exclusive Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port-of-Spain were arrested yesterday morning by police under the anti-gang legislation. The two men ages 36 and 31, along with a 22-year-old woman checked into the hotel on Tuesday and stored large sums of cash and jewelry in safes provided in the hotel room suites. The men reportedly were staying on a day to day basis and paid US$250 (TT$1,600) per day.
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Crime in T&T, Law, Police, PSC, Security

PSC Must Explain

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Newsday Editorial
August 26, 2011 – newsday.co.tt

Police Commissioner Dwayne GibbsON SUNDAY, President George Maxwell Richards signed a proclamation declaring this country to be under a state of emergency.

It should be common knowledge that when this country is under a state of emergency, it is placed in a very sensitive position: civil rights are significantly curtailed, curfews are often put in place, the Police Service, the Defence Force and the Ministry of National Security assume extraordinary powers of stop, search, arrest and detention.
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Complaints, Court, Crime in T&T, General T&T, Labour, Law, Media, People's Partnership, Politics, Protest, Security, Tobago, Violence

56 gang members arrested, says Commissioner Gibbs

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State of EmergencyPRESIDENT WRITES SPEAKER
PRESIDENT George Maxwell Richards has informed the Speaker of the House of Representatives Wade Mark of the reasons for his declaration of a nationwide state of emergency on Sunday, explaining that he took the decision to proclaim an emergency because of a recent upsurge in murder and gang-activity and the need for “more decisive and stronger action” in dealing with crime.
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Complaints, Crime in T&T, General T&T, Labour, Law, Media, People's Partnership, Politics, Schools, Security, Violence

All of T&T Under State of Emergency

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State of EmergencyAll of T&T under state of emergency—Minister
The state of emergency, and powers of the security agencies under this, applies to all of T&T and not only the six “hot spot areas”, according to National Security Minister John Sandy. He stressed that yesterday during a media briefing at the Ministry of National Security, Port-of-Spain. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Sunday night announced a “limited state of emergency” and a 9 pm to 5 am curfew in “hot spot” areas. Sandy said there had been a misconception that the state of emergency applies only to the six “hot spot” areas where the 9 pm to 5 am curfew was in force. Sandy said criminal elements who would want to “migrate” from “hot spot” areas to other parts of the country to avoid being nabbed, should be warned that the state of emergency applies all over T&T. He added: “So let it be known that the state of emergency exists in the entire country and the powers given to the police and the military exist in all areas of T&T.”
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, Labour, Law, People's Partnership, Politics, Violence

State of Emergency Nothing to Do with Crime

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By Gerry Kangalee
August 23, 2011 – workersunion.org.tt

State of EmergencySo in the midst of the joint unions’ mobilising for the general strike, the government has declared a state of emergency under the guise of dealing with crime. It is clear that this latest desperate act by the PP government has nothing to do with reining in crime, but everything to do with beating back the rising tide of working class discontent. On July 21st the website of the National Workers Union published this article.
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Crime in T&T, Drug Trade, General T&T, Law, Opposition Party, PNM, Politics, Religion, Violence

Time for Action: ‘The war is on…’

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State of EmergencyTIME FOR ACTION
SAYING desperate times require desperate measures, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan yesterday declared war on criminals as the State unveiled a programme of heightened police action and appealed to citizens to stay home during the curfew hours of 9 pm to 5 am at six listed regional corporations.

‘The war is on…’
Persons arrested and detained under the limited state of emergency in force throughout north, south, east and central Trinidad for the next 14 days, will not be immediately allowed bail, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan indicated yesterday.
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