San Juan/Barataria MP, Saddam Hosein has criticised Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley for last week telling the country “don’t blame me” for crime.
Speaking at the UNC’s Sunday media briefing yesterday, Hosein accused the Prime Minister of “abdicating” his responsibilities.
Hosein said that “every single part of Trinidad and Tobago is under the siege of crime” and that Rowley was “doing absolutely nothing”.
He recalled that in 2012 when Rowley was in Opposition, he stated that if a government couldn’t deal with crime, then it was part of the problem. He went on to accuse the then-government of “conveniently” addressing responsibility for crime.
Hosein said law-abiding citizens were “clamouring” for legally appointed firearms, in order to defend themselves.
The Opposition MP also referred to the PM’s appeal last month to young people not to engage in crime and to take advantage of opportunities to seek better lifestyles and claimed that Rowley and his Government had removed critical skills learning programmes and other opportunities for young people and had “created an environment for opportunities for criminals”
Hosein said extortion of businesses by gangs had people “running away” from T&T. He further warned of a brain drain, claiming he was being told by young people they would not be interested in living in this country if the People’s National Movement (PNM) were to remain in government after the next general election.
He also accused the National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds of “sleeping” in office.
He said the People’s Partnership left the government with a murder detection rate of 18%, which was now at 8%.