The United National Congress wants an investigation into reports of a peace deal being brokered by the TT Police Service and gang leaders.
The call was made by Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal after a newspaper report claimed the police made a deal with leaders of the Sixx and Rasta City gangs.
Moonilal said the investigation must be independent of the police, as there seemed to be a history of such allegations in the service.
Speaking at a cottage meeting in Couva South on Monday night Deputy political leader Jearlean John said she was all for peace, “because we are paralysed with fear about home invasions, horrified by the vicious beatings and rape of teenage girls, the murders of mostly young, black men between the ages of 14 -30 years.
“What is urgently needed is piece of training and education, piece of jobs, a piece of forex (foreign exchange) to sustain small business, and opportunity of a piece of the pie for every single citizen.”
The Opposition leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar questioned the inability of the police and government to make a move against criminal gangs.
“Do they have the potential to blackmail you?
“If you know there are gang men, why don’t you lock them up?
“You are handling these bandits with kid gloves,” she said, recalling the pressure by former attorney general Faris Al-Rawi for the Opposition to support the anti-gang legislation, accusing the UNC of obstructing the process.
She recalled Al-Rawi promising once the legislation was passed, the authorities would pick up every single gang member, as they knew their names and addresses.
“Have they picked up a single one yet? None.
“Right now, you are brokering and negotiating with bandits and gangs. You are making peace with them. What the hell you be should doing is locking them up! Put them behind bars!”
She said crime had created an undeclared civil war in once-peaceful TT.
“We are the world’s most dreadful non-war killing zone.
“We are a killing field, and, as Jearlean John said, it is the young ones who are being wiped out. A whole lost generation,” said Persad-Bissessar