Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan on Wednesday rubbished claims by the parliamentary opposition that government has not taken urgent measures to manage the country’s crime problems, while arguing that the existing statistics are proof of its efforts.
In fact, he said that the opposition ought to be working along with government to address crime, while adding that it had failed to do so during its 23 years in office.
The government and opposition traded blame during a debate on an adjournment motion on crime, which was brought to the National Assembly by Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira. The motion sought to have the National Assembly call on the government to take urgent measures to effectively manage the public security sector and to uphold its responsibility to protest the safety of all citizens and reduce the levels of crime which are “eroding public trust and lowering the quality of life.”
Ramjattan, in rebutting the premise of the motion, disputed that there is an erosion of public trust, while pointing out that the measures introduced by government since it took office in 2015 have actually resulted in a steady decrease in the crime rate.