The Caricom crime conference that Trinidad and Tobago sponsored in April of last year, according to the prime minister, was beneficial to the country.
Advancements toward the creation of police units with specialized training to combat organized crime are among those advantages.
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On April 19, Dr. Rowley responded to a question in the House of Representatives from Chaguanas West MP Dinesh Rambally.
The treatment of crime as a public health concern was the main topic of that conference.
Afterward, Rowley stated, “We have been receiving much better cooperation from our international partners which include tracking and preventing the illegal importation of firearms, making it more difficult for persons to engage in that activity.”
Dr. Rowley told MPs, “We have also been receiving information that is being acted upon to tackle transnational organized crime, in so far that they impact the borders of T&T and the interests of T&T.”
T&T’s international allies are also giving its security personnel better intelligence and training.
Rowley stated that efforts in the field included “steps to authorize and begin to operationalize vetted units in the T&T Police Service to bring about better information-sharing with our international partners.” He didn’t elaborate on it more.
The first remarks on the subject were made by Rowley in July at a PNM political gathering in San Fernando and a National Security Council (NSC) gathering at the Diplomatic Center in St Ann’s.
During a press conference held on February 2 at the Prime Minister’s Office in Whitehall, St. Clair, Rowley stated that the government was closely collaborating with the United States to create specially vetted police teams to combat organized crime.
“We are now attracting elements of organized crime.”
Rowley had just returned from a meeting in Washington, DC, with senior US government officials when that briefing took place.
In addition, Rowley stated that the government of T&T has been provided with resources from the FBI, CIA, and Department of Homeland Security to aid in the battle against crime.
According to him, the talks with US government representatives also covered the creation of a cyber-security bilateral committee to support local authorities in combating cyber-security threats, collaboration in the field of maritime security, and the creation of a gun crime intelligence unit to handle illicit firearms entering T&T.
Rowley informed the MPs that the symposium’s outcomes had improved the coordination of local law enforcement agencies’ responses to concerns of national security.
Rambally questioned Rowley: “How these initiatives have helped with the scourge of home invasions, robberies, and other serious crimes?”
Rowley said that Rambally was attempting to connect what he had just stated to a particular problem or crime. He said to Rambally, “Certainly you can’t be serious.”
The T&T PM stated, “But with respect to our ability to respond to the criminal element, these developments between our government and governments that co-operate with us, friendly nations, we are in a much better position than we would have been if we had not done this (regional crime symposium).”
As he continued, “There is a benefit being had and benefit to be had as a result of these developments,” government members pounded their desks.
Rambally questioned Rowley: “Are you satisfied with the present state of crime, given all of this co-operation that you (have) just spoken to?” Rowley replied, “I don’t think that anybody in Trinidad and Tobago could say that they are satisfied with our experience with crime and criminal conduct in the country.”
He further mentioned, ‘What I can say is that if these developments did not take place, it would be far worse.”
Rowley did not provide any details about that claim, and no opposition MP requested that she do so.
