Business leaders came out strongly yesterday in support of a call for a limited state of emergency to deal with the spiralling crime rate.
By Gail AlexanderIndependent Senator Ken Ramchand has also called for a session of Parliament to be convened immediately, to discuss any emergency anti-crime measures.
Anglican Dean Knolly Clarke, too, said yesterday that emergency measures were needed.
He said so during the funeral service for murdered acting Insp Edward Williams?bodyguard of former President Arthur NR Robinson.
National Security Martin Joseph, who attended the funeral, reiterated his previous statements that a state of emergency was not necessary for T&T at this time, when asked to comment on Clarke?s statement.
But business leaders say otherwise.
Chamber of Industry and Commerce President, Christian Mouttet, in a telephone interview from overseas, said the greater evil would be to do nothing, as opposed to debating the impact of a limited state of emergency.
While the organisation did not advocate employing any action which would hinder economic activity or deter investors, Mouttet said:
?The situation has reached such catastrophic proportions that the chamber will support a limited state of emergency. If that is what?s required to remove the guns from the criminals and arrest the upsurge in brutal and vicious crimes, then, so be it.?
Ramchand advised that there should first be an immediate sitting of Parliament to discuss the needed emergency measures.
?If Parliament can agree to it and spell it out clearly, I?d be interested in that.
?I wouldn?t like a blanket declaration that we have a limited state of emergency where it isn?t absolutely clear what are the new powers.
?That would be too vague, and would lead to abuse and misrepresentation, and it might make the situation worse.?
Also supporting the call was former Senate President Dr Wahid Ali, who was mugged while jogging early on Sunday morning around Queen's Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain.
?The murder rate and muggings are so bad, that a limited state of emergency cannot give T&T any worse a name in the international financial arenas and other fora.?
There was some opposition to the call, however.
Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday said he didn?t think a limited state of emergency would necessarily solve the crime problem.
?What will they do that can?t be done now? The Government hasn?t got a plan to deal with the matter. That?s clear, but nobody wants to accept this.?
Panday reiterated that the solution began with social change, and this stemmed from overall constitutional reform.
UWI principal Bhoe Tewarie, although he had been critical of the state of the police service in the wake of Williams? murder, last Tuesday, said a limited state of emergency would only drive the criminals underground.
?My view is the police need to get their information flawlessly organised and need to have intelligence on the ground. They don?t need a state of emergency for that.?
Rev Cyril Paul, head of the Inter-Religious Organisation, also had reservations:
?I recognise the situation is serious, but introducing a limited state of emergency means you are giving out a signal that you cannot handle the situation.?
