Allow women to legally use non-lethal devices for protection: Kamla

Trinidad and Tobago: UNC leader Kamla Persad condemns the government of T&T for not fixing the disputes of National Security and the Criminal Justice System.

According to UNC leader, the government’s continued failure to fix predicaments in the administration of National Security and the Criminal Justice System professes a clear and present danger to the safety and protection of the people of Trinidad and Tobago.

Furthermore, instead of fixing the problems in National Security and the Criminal Justice System, the Rowley regime is now disgustingly attempting to politicize the issue of crime-fighting, she added.

She stated that It is shocking and unacceptable that their failures continue to pose an actual and present danger to the safety and protection of all law-abiding persons of T&T.

The current government continues to play politics on critical national security and criminal justice concerns instead of fixing the National Security and Criminal Justice System problems.

The Rowley government continues to resort to politicking on the crime dispute. At the same time, our nation prays for, amongst other things, the safe recovery of young Andrea Bharat, the safety and protection from criminals of terrified law-abiding citizens, and justice for the many crime victims.

As she has repeatedly said and provided evidence to show, the Rowley regime has failed to resource our protective services adequately.

Furthermore, she added, The Prime Minister, Attorney General Faris Al Rawi, and National Security Minister Stuart Young must justify why their Government has the capital to allow contracts to pay millions to the family of AG Faris and National Security Minister Young. Yet, they cannot find money to adequately resource the protective services to carry out their duty better to protect and serve.

UNC leader stated that Now is not a high time for any cheap political points but a time where the Rowley govt should be giving their full support to the protective services to help find Andrea.

The only argument we need to hammer out here is how do we protect our young girls and all residents from those who prey on them.

Another critical issue to consider is legislating and legalizing pepper spray and other non-lethal appliances for women and others to protect themselves from criminals.

Since 2017, she has been calling for the administration to allow women and others to legally use non-lethal appliances such as pepper spray and tasers to defend themselves.

It is time the Government takes significant steps to move this forward. It has been approximately two years since National Security Minister Stuart Young said the matter was under “careful review,” and more women have fallen victim to vicious criminals at that time. The time to act is now.

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