Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Speaker A: You're tuned into the all new freedom. 106.5.
[00:00:05] Speaker B: 106.5 welcome back to our show, political leader of the patriotic friend Mikhaila Pandey. Good morning to you. Nice to have you with us here again this morning.
[00:00:14] Speaker A: Good morning, Fateh. Good morning, Trinidadbago. Thank you so much for inviting me.
[00:00:18] Speaker B: It's a discussion on an issue that has confronted us as a nation for a pretty long period of time. And this morning the front pages of the various newspapers scream what can be perceived as evidence of our failure to treat with the crime situation.
Over the weekend, 15 people that we know about were killed.
And from all intents and purposes, we don't know how many others are waiting to be found all over the place.
Let's get your opinion on what happened over this weekend and what do you think it says about our crime fighting efforts thus far?
[00:01:05] Speaker A: Well, I think it is. I mean, it was just horrific. I live, as you know, in South Trinidad. So you first sort of begin reading about the young lady who was killed at Toyota, then in central Trinidad. I believe it was kunupia. Three men were ambushed, I think, outside a pizza joint.
And every time you hear it, to me, I hope that our country hasn't become immune, and I doubt it very much, but it has gotten completely out of control. And we have to start using different language so that people understand. We say murderous, we say homicides, we say crime. This is gun violence.
This is a severe gun violence crisis in Trinidad and Tobago that did not happen overnight.
We are rated 12th in the world and climbing.
And we know that gun violence, what it does, it creates a climate of insecurity and it hinders economic development. But people think of that more in a long term. When we look at, let us say, for example, 2022, the Trinan Tobago police service themselves had said 400. I think it was 490. Forgive me, homicides in 2022, 90% involved firearms.
50% of the victims were between 15 and 29 year olds. And basically you were seeing that young adults between the ages, let's say 18 to 25, were perpetrators and victims. Something is going seriously wrong in this country. And what I believe needs to be done is that we need to start to look at the causes or the factors that's contributing to this gun violence epidemic that we have in Trinidad Tobago, where nobody is safe, save for those who have security of the state, perhaps.
But why, we never ask, how can you, how can you find a solution if you do not understand the cause? Why is there a rapid increase in illegal firearms? And we see every single year in Trinidad and Tobago, when the statistics come out, whether it's from the UN, whether it's from our own police service, we see that the amount of guns and ammunition on the streets increasing. And now as we know and the public knows, this isn't your handgun, you know, this is ak 47s. This is m 16s. These are high powered weapons. When they leave a scene, 56, 57 spent shells. Where is it coming from? Well, we have to ask ourselves, and we know, and this is not a political thing because I do not believe in politicizing crime at all. But we have had enough surveys done. We have had the joint select committee on national security security tell you themselves that it. Let's start with the United nations. The United nations has said trafficking from neighboring countries and traffickers exploiting weak border controls. We have very porous borders in Trin, Tobago allow guns to come into the country quite, quite easily.
Where are the opVs?
Last time I found out there was only one working. So you, you have in and out of. Whether it's Venezuela, they were talking about French Guyana, Suriname, guns just coming in and out, coming into Trinidad, using Trinidad as a port. So the government and governments on the whole, I will say within the last maybe 20 years have failed to address the issue of border control adequate adequately. And what has happened, Satish, is that this has facilitated the flow of illegal firearms into the country. But I think what's even worse than that or shocking, and I do not know if the people of Trinidad and Tobago know, not many people look at the parliament channel so much anymore. But they were saying that the majority of guns coming into this country are coming in through legal ports.
I don't know if I missed whether you discussed that this morning, but illegal firearms coming through legal courts. There was a joint select committee that sat on national security where they admitted that no scanners at the port in Port of Spain were working. So one, we don't have the scanners. And two, three officers were tasked with manually inspecting thousands of containers that enter this country. Three, because they were short of staff, yet we hear people don't have jobs. But that is what is happening. And they reported to the joint select committee, reported to the parliament that the majority of guns coming were coming through legal ports.
A young lady when questioned by the committee says, we now have operational only one scanner in Port of Spain. And listen to the amount and just think of when we say how this has happened. They're saying January to August. We scanned 3998. So nearly 4000 containers out of 23,000.
That's the cause and we know that a root cause of gun violence in Trinidad is the increase of illegal firearms.
So we need to do something about that, address that issue. The average man on the street cannot do that.
I. What, another cause? Sorry, my dear.
[00:07:17] Speaker B: No, I'm.
I take your point. And we've been hearing more and more about these guns coming in through these, what's supposed to be very regulated ports of entry. But I want to take you back a bit to when you entered parliament. It was in 2007, correct?
[00:07:40] Speaker A: Correct, yes.
[00:07:41] Speaker B: And under the administration that was headed by your father, we're talking about a long time ago. And the current situation was a bit different from what we see today.
[00:07:54] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:07:55] Speaker B: The proliferation of these crimes and gangs and everything else was not prevalent back then. What was some of the, if you can remember, some of the items that national security focused on back then and what were some of the plans, if you can remember, for fighting crime and putting things in place?
[00:08:17] Speaker A: Gosh, I don't want to say that a long time ago, then it will show my age, but I remember, I think what they had done and what him as leader of the UNC and even as prime minister and then leader of the opposition, he continued to keep talking about what you call a holistic approach.
So you have to look at poverty alleviation. That is. That is huge. You have to look at me to remember educational opportunities, you have to have targeted interventions in high risk communities.
In fact, what they did, they had introduced an act, I can't remember right now. I think in 1995, you know, restricted gun laws as opposed to putting more guns onto the market. They also had introduced community policing.
You would remember that there was. The police themselves were a lot more visual. They had introduced the e 999 service.
At that time, we did not have all the technology we have available now, but they used it to the best of their ability. So they, you know, they tried to really make it climb a deterrent.
One of the problems that we're seeing when they. When they gunned down, because that's what they did when they gunned down the young lady outside Toyota in South park, it was midday.
There is no fear of being caught in, in this country. There is no fear that anything that they're going to be repercussions. There's no fear that the judicial system will step in and do what it's supposed to do.
We have always said if you're going to address the issue of crime, you must look at prevention first.
It's a holistic approach. First prevention, then you have to look at detection then you have to look at prosecution. And I believe that we must also look at rehabilitation.
Not everybody can be rehabilitated, but you have to. So I believe at that time there was definitely a more holistic approach and I believe that that was happening because there was the political will to solve crime. So you were seeing 98 murders a year.
We hit in 600 and more. It's over 300 and something already. And half the year has gone. And 15 people dying in a weekend, minimum three a day. And to me it is so unbelievably unacceptable that you don't hit anyone in authority, anyone not simply putting blame on just the government or just the minister, anyone. Say something.
People vote for you to protect them.
You're not supposed to be protecting yourself. Yes, people vote for you to protect them. One of the major, major roles and responsibility of the state is for them to protect you.
Going back, one of the things that my father had done, they looked at gang activity, what was going on. The government intervened. They looked at what you would say is socioeconomic disparities, the difference in economic and social conditions among people. And I tell you something, I believe that these things are not done. When you suffer people and you divide people.
They're not just done willy nilly. I think there's thinking behind this because you, the more you have people dependent on you is the more that they will accept what you do without questioning it. And this is the problem that we have in this country. How many more joint select committees do we need?
How is the Chenan Tobago Police Service investigating gun crimes adequately? When they don't have the resources, and sometimes even the expertise like the criminal, to combat gun violence, how are they going to do it? Tell me. You have government legislation, okay. But we know loopholes in those legislations and the inconsistencies. We're not stupid. So all of a sudden there is an ease with which certain individual can obtain gun licenses and you don't even have background checks. You're seeing people who have been accused and found guilty of domestic violence being given guns. So you have to start at the top and people with authority and in positions of authority, may that be the police or whatever, law enforcement agencies, the government, the ministers, they have to start to take responsibility.
We know what the problems are. We know how they are caused. Why are no solutions being implemented to do something?
You have a thousand illegal firearms at minimum a year. Authorities intercept less than 5% of this. Tell me. We talk about murders. We keep on saying murders in Trinidad. And I keep on coming back to this 90% is committed with guns.
And the criminals are not afraid. They are now at everybody's doorstep. So this is not a situation of, you have poorer communities.
What is happening in those communities are happening there alone, of course not. On a Sunday, people take their kids out. A little pizza, right where a friend was telling me, right in canupia where they shot the three guys. You know how busy it is on that day. There's a real good double speller there.
[00:14:41] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. One of the problems, one of the, one of the things that has, that has developed as a result of the crime situation is that there's no wrong or right place. Again, every, everywhere that you go, you, and I've said this to my listeners, people need to start operating as if they could be the next potential victim. I've, I do, I've urged my listeners that, listen, you're going somewhere. You're reaching your vehicle, lock your door as you sit on, and you want to dig up in your pool. So you want to eat something or drink, close your doors and make sure that you are safe before you start to do anything. Because these, these fellas all about this. They're opportunistic. They're looking for whatever could take place as quickly as possible and move on. Anybody's as a potential victim. And we saw here a stray bullet. A stray bullet could have resulted in somebody else being killed by this pizza outlet. And we have numerous cases where you have all of these wanton shootings. This lady who was killed by Toyota in South park, you think when she left home that morning, she ever thought to herself, never that, well, I ain't coming back home.
And that's the sad reality that exists at this point in time. People say that I paranoid, but I can't help it. I am just so overly observant of my surroundings simply because I've read too many stories about how simple things can happen to people. But there's a question that needs to be answered.
Your party, you are saying that, you know, you intend to contest the elections and the people will have to adjudicate as to whether they support you or not. Do you think as a country we can get a handle on the crime situation?
[00:16:23] Speaker A: Of course you can. How can there be? The answer could never be no. The answer, the only way you can't is if you do nothing.
The only way you can't. The only way we can't win is if we do nothing. The only way we can't get a situation on a crime situation is if you do nothing.
And it feels as if nothing is being done. I know there's a lot to be done. But surely they are experts and you prioritize and you begin to address this head on. And you've got to be brave. You gotta be brave. Well, you see here you say people things that they. They don't want to know. I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I'll tell you something else. You know what you have to. What you have to do when you look at the trafficking of guns, okay? So nobody wants to talk about it because it's not politically attractive. Maybe that's the word. When you look at the trafficking of guns and contraband. They were aided, and this is again in a joint select report. I think it was just late in the parliament, maybe march, you know, on guns and crime and that kind of thing. You know what they're saying.
They were aided by these traffickers. Were aided by corrupt personnel. Okay. In the customs and excise division. I'm not listing this. I don't know this. I did not do an investigation. This is a report laid for the public of Trinidad and Tobago to see in the parliament in March. Customs and excise, immigration division, Trinidad police Service, coast guard, the regiment, okay? They identified rather 184 people. And you know that they a bit more, you know, they were still active personnel and they probably still are today. And you know, only six were discharged. Tell me something.
Who's serious about dealing with crime in this country? You identify the individuals. I don't know who they are. This was not my investigation. You identify the individual and you're telling me that they are continuing to hold their posts. I didn't say that. Report says that. Grab a hold of it. I'm sure it's online on the parliament website.
Even the fellas, the six of them who had been discharged, I do not believe. I think it was none of them was held for criminal conduct.
97. Let's talk about dealing with crime in a serious way. 97% of the corrupt officials in Trinidad Tobago retained their jobs.
This is not Michaela Pandey saying this. This is the joint select committee, a national security saying this. In the parliament.
The amount of bribes that they sit down and they tell you that criminals are. There are massive bribes that they are able to pay to import illegal guns and drugs. So what's going on? Tell me. Tell me what's happening. That's how you deal with crime. You begin with the simplest of things. That doesn't. That does not cost you $1 before you buy these scanners.
Why is as our system and our institutions in this country because of waste, corruption, mismanagement for God alone knows how long cause all our institutions to collapse. This country don't have enough magistrates.
Is there a parthood matter? And this and this one moving from here to there. I mean if you are seriously. I just cannot understand it and sometimes and maybe I just. Something might be wrong with me. I don't know if other people think like this.
To me you do not need to be a rocket science. There are basic things that need to be done. You know that there are 184 identified active personnel, six discharge.
[00:20:27] Speaker B: Yeah, we need to take a couple quick messages but when we get back we'll probably open the phone lines. Encourage some of our callers to be a part of the discussion. And if you joined us Midway, we are speaking political leader of the Patriotic Front, Mikayla Pandey. And of course we'll be taking some of your calls as well on the other side of these messages. Stay with us.
Welcome back. With us here this morning political leader of the patriotic friend Mikila Pandey. Let's see if we could take a couple of your calls on 625-2257 hello. Good morning.
[00:21:09] Speaker C: Good morning satish and good morning to your most honored guest misses Mikayla Pandey.
[00:21:15] Speaker A: Good morning sir.
[00:21:16] Speaker C: Very frightening to hear your voice.
You speak to the nation. Princess Tong here.
[00:21:23] Speaker A: Hi Mister Princess, how are you?
[00:21:26] Speaker C: Yeah, I agree with you. But I want to add to the discourse the question of opportunity. You know we talk about the crime epidemic but is there an opportunity epidemic in Trinidad and Tobago as it relates to crime?
Because when you look at forest borders, short staff, custom officers and equipment and cameras. The police service is short, the auditor general is short, the DPP and agencies of government that is supposed to deal with law enforcement and law and order and the constitution and the protection of the country. And the citizens are short on staff, they are short on finance, they are short on equipment and they are short on so many things. So what you expect to be the net result of all of that chaos and confusion, lawlessness and criminality. And I am saying this is not an accident or a coincidence.
This is part of the state responses deliberate to undermine the rule of law and justice in Trinidad and Tobago. It cannot have any other rational explanation for this problem.
Because if you cannot solve the problem, there's the Caribbean Security Agency. Why are you not probably asking America, Canada, India, whoever for help?
How you could you sit down as a government and see people being slaughtered daily, day after day and you giving us only talk and talk and talk and talk and talk no, this. This is past. This is past governance. This is the worst that has ever been in Trilante. Miss Mikayla Pandey, I hope that you can really bring, bring something new and different and bring some hope for this country. Thank you, Princess stone.
[00:23:37] Speaker A: Thank you Mister Princess dawn. He's absolutely correct.
Everything is short staffed. Don't have resources, financial or otherwise. The DPP don't have enough human resource, financial resource. So how can it work? And therefore it brings me back to this.
You run your country in a way where you know how much resources you have and how you need to allocate them. And the problem in Trinidad continues to be waste, corruption and mismanagement.
Mismanagement. We need to prioritize. Government needs to get its priorities right. First and foremost, you need to provide the basic necessities for people. And one of that includes ensuring that they are safe.
One of the things, I don't know if you've heard this satish.
One of the things I'm always shocked about when I listen to sometimes members of the government speak, they're always so shocked by what's happening. Or they say, this is so terrible. How can this be happening? Well, who's gonna fix it?
It is not for the people to fix it. Who's gonna fix it?
People vote you in because they believe that you have the solutions, that you have the political will and that you will rid this country of the wastage we waste because we have so much. You waste and then you say you have none and it continues. Whereas you feel like, has anything ever, ever really changed? But now we're in trouble and now it's on your doorstep. So it is no longer a hot spot. Trinidad is a hot spot.
Look at what's happening in Tobago. We don't see that happening in Barbados. If you have to choose to go to a tourist destination, you'll go to one where you could possibly be killed. No, that's not happening in Antigua. That's not happening in Cayman. That's not happening. You know, so, so there are so many long term effects in addition to the short term effects of what's happening. And it is not easy, right? Because they say, you know, if you're not in government, it's always easy. But oh good lord. Start somewhere. Start somewhere. You're the one with the resources and the finances. Somebody I got robbed in barrack Paul recently. I mean, come on. You all don't have mask and tape to label the evidence. The guy had to go to a shop to go and get the mask and tape. That is the state the police service is in. We. We have. We are. Yet look at 2024 going in 2025. Why are the police station not computerized? When my father was there, you were asking me. And during the break, trying to rack my brain, he introduced Bimcott vehicle maintenance company of Trinidad and Tobago. So that any time anybody in this country calls for the police, nobody can say they don't have a car.
Look at the amount of vehicles rotten down in Trinidad all over and Trinidad and Tobago you're seeing who even has these lots to put them there. As soon as they get a little bang, you go. And then the government comes and they. And they bring in a whole new fleet of cars. Why? Because the money. The money is not yours.
Would you do that with your own vehicle?
So you don't have that even happening? No, they don't have enough vehicles.
We have nothing, all right? And that's why this is what it is. We have nothing. And then there's no solution. Well, then it's time to go.
It's time to go.
That happens in companies. If you're in a company and the board of directors is not functioning anymore, you remove them.
And again, I always say this is not a hit on anybody directly. But the evidence and the facts as we've been discussing today, satish and everyone listening speaks for itself. It speaks for itself. And to simply shift that responsibility on the citizen to look after themselves is equally unacceptable. Equally unacceptable.
[00:28:16] Speaker B: We are almost all the time. Just about two minutes again, we didn't even get an opportunity to speak about things taking place with the patriotic front and preparations for general elections. That's another discussion.
Yes, but in 1 minute, if I were to say to you, give citizens something to think about as you leave in a minute, what would it be?
[00:28:41] Speaker A: I think. What can I say? Give citizens something to think about. Think about. Envision a country that you want.
Vision a country that you want for yourselves. Vision a country that you want for your children, for your grandchildren. What do you want? And then ask yourself which political party has a vision for this country? Or is it that they just simply have visions for themselves? Think about that. Trinidad and Tobago.
[00:29:11] Speaker B: That's. We're going to have to leave it here this morning. As always, thank you for being with us.
[00:29:14] Speaker A: Thank you my brother. You take care. Be safe.
[00:29:17] Speaker B: And that of course. Ladies and gentlemen, I will drop the curtains on our interview here this morning with political leader, patriotic friend Mikayla Pandey. At least you have crime.
[00:29:29] Speaker A: You're tuned into the all new freedom 6.5 formal 6.5.
