Now that the Prime Minister has signalled his willingness to hold talks with the Opposition on crime, Kamla Persad-Bissessar said she also wants the Government to meet with the business community, civil society and all other stakeholders on the matter.
She said: “Every stakeholder who wants to help should be given an opportunity to make a positive contribution. The fight against crime cannot be guided by emotional responses to praise or criticism.
The UNC leader said the door has always been open for the Prime Minister and she will await the correspondence from him.
Persad-Bissessar said the Opposition was ready and willing to support the Government in the anti-crime fight.
However, in an interview with GML, she made it clear that the discussion must include UNC’s proposals for a Stand Your Ground law to give citizens a fighting chance to defend themselves, the creation of the criminal offence of home invasion and legislative amendments to make firearms users’ licences more accessible to law-abiding citizens.
She again called for the removal of Fitzgerald Hinds as National Security Minister, saying: “He lacks the ability and he commands no respect from stakeholders to manage effective implementation of anti-crime policies.”