A heated political debate has erupted in Trinidad and Tobago over the handling of national security, after Attorney General John Jeremie made a startling revelation in parliament last week. Jeremie confirmed that a gang member triggered a major national security incident last Friday, which required heightened security protocols for all sitting parliamentarians and extra protection for senior government officials.
Following this disclosure, local newspaper The Express reached out to multiple opposition Members of Parliament to gather their reactions to the unprecedented news. Among those contacted was Stuart Young, the opposition MP representing Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West, who launched a scathing attack on the current Kamla Persad-Bissessar-led administration.
Young blasted the government for what he described as a careless approach to matters of critical national security. He told reporters that he and other opposition lawmakers had no prior knowledge of the alleged threat cited by the Attorney General, raising urgent questions about transparency and risk management. “The AG alone knows what he was speaking about. I certainly was not aware of any incident to which he referred,” Young said. “What is worrying is the Kamla Persad-Bissessar Government’s handling of national security and the loose manner in which they throw about alleged matters of national security.”
Young further questioned whether gang activity has grown so emboldened under the current ruling United National Congress (UNC) administration that parliament itself faced an unreported threat. “He should be asked exactly whether it is that gangs in Trinidad and Tobago are now so brazen under the UNC that the Parliament was under a threat that we were not informed of,” he added.
Young’s sentiment was echoed by Keith Scotland, opposition MP for Port of Spain South, who also confirmed he had no advance information about the incident referenced by Jeremie.
The row comes just days after Defence Minister Wayne Sturge publicly acknowledged that constituencies controlled by the opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) are among the areas worst affected by ongoing gang violence. In response to the emerging controversy, Opposition Chief Whip Marvin Gonzales confirmed to The Express that he plans to deliver a full, comprehensive response to the situation during a planned news conference scheduled for this week.