tidings
Corey Connelly
Chief Secretary Farley Augustine says the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) will soon launch its own safety and security department in a bid to better tackle the worsening crime situation on the island.
Augustini first mentioned the initiative in the THA budget presentation in June.
Last week, on Saturday, Tobago recorded its tenth homicide of the year with the shooting death of Special Reserve Constable Kyle Lashley during a robbery.
The constable, who was last assigned to Crown Point police station, was shot at around 7.10pm while talking to friends in Providence Road, Les Coteaux. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Scarborough General Hospital. The attacker stole his gold chain.
At a press conference on Friday at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex, Augustine said he is expected to visit Les Coteaux and its surroundings this week.
“I’m going to take some time to reach out to that community with the area representative (Zorisha Hackett) because I think she’s planning for us to have some engagements there with the national security apparatus,” he said.
Augustini said the THA executive was dismayed by the increasing number of murders on the island.
But he noted that the assembly was legally limited in addressing certain aspects of crime.
“One of the challenges that Tobago will face is that there is no legal responsibility over national security. So the THA cannot order the police to do X, Y or Z. The THA cannot order that there be joint patrols. That is the plain and simple truth of the laws as they are,” he said.
Augustini said, however, there are some measures THA can implement to address the disaster.
To such an extent, he said, is the department of safety and security.
“On the Tobago side, we are very close to opening our security department and have been engaged with security experts who have guided us on the structure of the terms and how it should work.
“Not only are we looking at safety and security in terms of murders and robberies. We’re also looking at the broad picture, everything from terrorism to natural disasters and everything in between.”
Augustine said the safety and security department will advise THA on security measures. He added that he would also marry those initiatives with social programs “to help those who are prone to criminal activity.”
Beyond that, Augustine said, THA is also looking at the legality of creating its own localized security service, similar to what exists in Trinidad with the municipal police.
“We are working on a similar framework for the THA so that we have a force on the island that adds to what the police are already doing.”
Augustini said they are also looking into bringing back community amenity patrols.
“This was a national initiative and when you talk to the communities, they will tell you that they felt very safe seeing those vehicles, just patrolling the area and they were very helpful in helping the communities, especially when it comes to petty criminal matters.”
He said the details of whether comfort patrol officers should be armed with weapons are still being worked out.
Augustini said he has also discussed the island’s crime situation with Minority Leader Kelvon Morris. They are expected to meet again at the end of this month.
Outside of crime initiatives, Augustini said THA was also looking at creating mass skills training and re-education programs within communities.
“We have campaigned for the fact that there should be parallel systems of education and there is a need for traditional academics. But we also need to put some resources behind technical/vocational education, skills training and make all our offerings available to the community, because ultimately learning should be lifelong.”
