T&T – PM Shocked About Criminals in Politics

“These sentences demonstrate the commitment of HSI alongside our federal and Caribbean nation partners and the US Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, to be steadfast in investigating and shutting down illegal firearms smuggling from the US,” he added. The case was investigated by HSI including HSI’s Attaché (Caribbean) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Caribbean country, Ministry of National Security and T&T Police Service as well as US Citizenship and Immigration Services. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, US Customs and Border Protection and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs were also involved in the investigation.

“This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach,” the US authorities said.

Prime Minister Keith Rowley expressed shock that criminal conduct is no longer seen by some people as debarring them from being politicians. Speaking during a television interview on Thursday, Dr. Rowley addressed the crime rate and said he remains prepared to work with the Opposition and other stakeholders to find ways to curb crime. He shared that since the PNM returned to office, the UNC refuses to cooperate with them to find bipartisan solutions to crime.

Rowley also said no government can be efficiently run on the basis of “rampant populism.”

“It has gotten to the point where certain politicians see the country’s success as the government’s success, especially if they are in power”.

He said he never envisioned himself in the political arena with people “for whom criminal conduct is not a disqualifier.” He recalled when he first entered politics in 1987 as an opposition senator.