PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad--Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Stuart Young, on Thursday assured the Government was ready, willing and able to talk with the Opposition on crime but hopes the meeting does not degenerate into a talk shop or play at politics.
Young made the comment at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister, St. Clair.
Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley agreed to today’s meeting after Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar called for one in a press release last Thursday.
She proposed an urgent meeting with the PM and members of the national security teams to have non-partisan dialogue on a way forward in dealing with the serious crime situation.
The Opposition has proposed that discussions include legislative matters, administrative issues, civil society and public stakeholder relations, non-partisan parliamentary partnerships and a framework for continued cooperation.
Young said Persad-Bissessar had since put forward an agenda for the meeting, which would be held at the Office of the Prime Minister.
The Government’s delegation will be headed by Rowley, as chairman of the National Security Council, and includes Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon, Port-of-Spain South MP Marlene McDonald and Young.
Asked what was expected at today’s meeting, Young said Government had no intention of politicising crime.
He said when Rowley was Opposition Leader he met with then Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar to support a number of pieces of legislation without politicising crime. Young said back then, the People’s National Movement supported the Bail Bill in a bid to alleviate issues related to crime.
“So that continues, of course, with us being in Government. We have absolutely no interest in politicisation of crime. We as a Government are committed to doing all that can be reasonably done to assist in the alleviation of crime and to assure our citizens of Trinidad and Tobago are safe,” Young said.
He said Government was also ready to listen to the Opposition.
“And we are hoping that they [Opposition – Ed.] come here with opened arms and fairly to really try and support, on behalf of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, with what is necessary to really take a fight to crime,” he added.
As to what legislative issues would be discussed Friday, Young opted not to say.
“At this stage I don’t want to be premature or put anything that will be set in stone. So the Opposition are the ones who requested the meeting, the Prime Minister has assembled his team and we are ready and willing and able to talk to them.
“We certainly hope, on behalf of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, it is not going to be a talk shop or certainly not a play at politics,” he added.
Pressed on if Government had a specific agenda for the meeting, Young said they had received the Opposition’s agenda and looked at it.
“We stand ready to discuss with them what they have put on the table. As you would have seen what they have put forward... there are no particulars... there is no specifics. So until they start to particularise and put forward specifics, we as a Government have an idea what needs to be done,” he said.
Young said the Government was put in office to run the country which it had been doing.
“We hope along the way that the Opposition supports pieces of legislation that may require their support but we certainly will not be hamstrung as a Government in that area and that aspect,” he added. ~ Trinidad and Tobago Guardian ~
