00:00Stand up against your representative and tell them you want special operations in your constituency.
00:06It's the advice of Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander to citizens residing in PNM-controlled areas
00:13as the government prepares to roll out zones of special operations in constituencies under its control.
00:20Vanessa Cutting has more.
00:22If you don't want something by you, all we will do is put it by us.
00:28Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander is sitting back at critics of the government's latest decision
00:35to enforce zones of special operations only in UNC-led constituencies as well as the two Tobago seats held by
00:44the TPP.
00:45This means that the 13 PNM-led constituencies, Port of Spain South, Port of Spain North,
00:52Sint-Anse West, Lavantel West, Lavantel East Mova, Arima, Aruka Lopino, Trin City Maloney, Malabar Mausica,
01:03Degomartin West, Degomartin Central, Degomartin Northeast and Sint-Anse East will not have any special zones of operations
01:12when the bill is likely passed with the government's simple majority.
01:16However, in the case of San Fernando East, which is PNM-controlled,
01:21there are some UNC-held electoral districts within that constituency.
01:26This will allow closed zones to be set up in Marabella East, Marabella South Vistabella and Marabella West.
01:34As for those in the PNM-led communities who may be supportive of the special operations zones,
01:40the Homeland Security Minister is sharing the following advice.
01:44Your representatives don't want it. So you stand up against your representative then, if that's the case.
01:50You stand up against your representative and say, listen, you're speaking for you because you don't live here.
01:56We want to speak for ourselves and you'll see the difference.
02:00There have been mixed views from the public on the matter.
02:03However, there has been no official polling of the population.
02:07The bill currently before parliament makes no mention of enforcement in UNC areas only.
02:13What is the government considering doing public consultation to get the views of the people?
02:17You heard a whole bill that they refuse the zones of special operations.
02:23That's all. A whole bill that they refuse.
02:25Public, public say.
02:27Hold on. A whole bill that they refuse. Who are they?
02:31Again, the representatives.
02:33You heard a whole bill.
02:35We went to parliament, we went to the senate and they refuse it, right?
02:38Even the independent person refuse it.
02:40You hear what I'm saying?
02:42According to data from the TTPS, the Northern Division ranks the highest for reported crimes at 621 for the year
02:51thus far,
02:52followed by Port of Spain at 390 and Central at 352.
02:59If you don't want something, right, should we force it on you?
03:03You are saying, you're going to the parliament, you're going to the parliament and say,
03:06my constituency don't want this.
03:09I am saying to you, we'll give it to the constituencies that wants it.
03:14And we will build a wall.
03:16It's like a wall of law enforcement officers to prevent those who are lawless
03:21and committing crime against our citizens, prevent them from coming in.
03:26So we move them away from good people.
03:29Brunassa Cutting, TV6 News.
Comments