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Complain about drug blocks

Complain about drug blocks

From Trinidad Express · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar criticized the Opposition PNM for complaining about new police posts while ignoring "drug blocks" run by their associates.
  • The Opposition Leader called the posts a "knee-jerk" reaction and an attempt to revive a failed policy.
  • The Prime Minister accused the PNM of prioritizing drug mafia profits over citizens' safety and fostering hatred against security services.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has strongly criticized the Opposition People's National Movement (PNM) regarding the government's plan to establish 30 joint army-police posts across the country. The Prime Minister accused the PNM of hypocrisy, questioning why they complain about the new security measures while remaining silent on "drug blocks" allegedly operated by their "mafia friends."

Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles had previously described the government's announcement of the unplanned and unfunded police and army posts as a "knee-jerk" reaction to rising crime. She also suggested it was a strategic move to reintroduce the government's previously failed "zones of special operations" policy. In response, Persad-Bissessar used her social media to challenge the PNM, stating that PNM stronghold constituencies suffer from high murder rates, violent gangs, unemployment, and poor infrastructure. She alleged that the PNM and their associates actively oppose increased police presence and security assistance, spreading "hatred against the security services" to benefit the drug trade.

To my admirers in the PNM, why complain about the 30 new joint army/police posts across the country when you should be complaining about the drug blocks that your local drug mafia friends are running across the country, poisoning our children?

โ€” Kamla Persad-BissessarPrime Minister criticizing the Opposition's stance on crime and security measures.

Persad-Bissessar further accused the PNM and the local drug mafia of prioritizing profits over the safety of law-abiding citizens, suggesting that 5,000 murders occurred because the PNM sought to enrich "rich fake elite drug-trafficking financiers." She characterized PNM MPs and supporters as being driven by "hatred and racism," preferring their constituencies and children's futures to be destroyed by the drug mafia rather than cooperating with security efforts. The Prime Minister also defended law enforcement officers, calling the PNM's criticism "disgraceful and evil" and affirming the public's support for the protective services.

The denigration and scandalising of our brave men and women of the protective services by the PNM MPs, supporters and local drug mafia is disgraceful and evil.

โ€” Kamla Persad-BissessarDefending law enforcement officers against criticism from the Opposition and alleged drug mafia.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Trinidad Express. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.