Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley has admitted his government was losing the war on crime.
Speaking to supporters at a public meeting in St. Joseph about four miles from the city of Port of Spain, Rowley stated that every attempt by the Government to bring the crime situation under control it was being stymied and blocked by the Opposition.
He said this was affecting the lives of citizens. The police have recorded 205 murders so far for the year.
The prime minister said the Ministry of National Security had been allocated the largest slice of the 2015 / 2016 budget, making it more money government is injecting into crime fighting.
Rowley also slammed some members of the police service for not “measuring up” in the performance of their duties.
He noted that for the past nine months, the government has been trying to appoint a police commissioner to manage the service, but the Opposition has since challenged in court the process to appoint a commissioner of police.
He said if the morale of the Police Service was low and the environment corrupt, noting would change.
“Trinidad and Tobago is losing the war against criminal elements. We are losing the war. We are saying we want a commissioner of police. There isn’t a news item in this country where the major part of the news is who kill who,” he said.
Rowley said criminals were now planning murders, kidnappings and mayhem.
