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THE United National Congress (UNC) says National Security Minister Stuart Young is attempting to blame the Opposition “for his own failures.” It said fewer crimes occur whenever the UNC is in power.
The UNC was responding to statements made by Young at an awards ceremony for police and soldiers at the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) Headquarters in Aranguez on Friday.
Young had complained about the failure of the Bail Amendment Bill and continuation of the Anti-Gang Bill to be passed in Parliament. The latter, requiring a special three-fifths majority, was unable to get past the committee stage with 20 government members voting to support it and 19 opposition members abstaining on November 20.
On Friday, Young said, "I know how hard especially the IATF has been working in going after the criminal gangs. And to be a member of parliament, I hung my head in shame when not everyone supported the continuation of the anti-gang legislation. And I apologise to you as an elected member of parliament because the Parliament failed us that day, not Government."
Responding in a release on Saturday, the UNC quoted the Prime Minister, who, as opposition leader in 2013, said, “Any time a government resorts to blaming the Opposition for its failure to deliver on their mandate and their responsibilities to the people, it is a clear sign that they have outlived their usefulness.”
The UNC said the current Government was yet to explain why the procurement legislation was “watered down,” despite the disapproval of many stakeholders.
“The government has sought to exempt from punishment many unscrupulous actions that continue to fuel crime such as the unfair awarding of state contracts...
“Stuart Young has been the most ineffective and useless Minister of National Security as his only action has been to blame everyone else for his failures. Because of this, he should resign forthwith for as long as he stays in office, criminals will continue to run rampant.”
The release, in calling for a return of the original procurement legislation, cited that Young recused himself 57 times from meetings of the Cabinet over the years 2016-2020 in matters involving close relatives.
Cabinet members are required to recuse themselves when conflicts of interest may arise in matters before the body.
The release asserted that whenever the People's National Movement (PNM) is in power, “crime always skyrockets out of control.
“The lowest levels of crime have always been under a UNC-led administration because we do not waste time blaming others like Minister Young, but we focus on the task at hand."
It continued,“Ineffective leadership coupled with little to no social programmes by this government only fuels the crime wave.
"Everyday citizens are on the front lines ravaged by criminal elements and all the Minister of National Security can do is play the victim.”
The release ended by giving holiday greetings to the public.
The post Opposition slams ‘useless’ Young: Crime rate lower under UNC appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.