In a powerful endorsement of current leadership, Trinidad and Tobago citizen David Beckles has drawn stark contrasts between the nation’s previous and current security approaches in an open letter to Newsday. Writing from Arima, Beckles characterizes the former People’s National Movement (PNM) administration as a decade of “chaos, neglect and empty posturing” where crime spiraled uncontrollably while citizens pleaded for effective action.
The correspondent describes the PNM’s security strategy as fundamentally flawed—prioritizing public relations over substantive solutions, with consistent blame-shifting and chronic mismanagement creating a climate of fear and institutional failure. According to Beckles, this approach left the population vulnerable and stripped the nation of confidence through inadequate investment, strategic delays, and systemic denial of the growing crisis.
In direct opposition, Beckles portrays Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s United National Congress (UNC) government as implementing transformative changes that prioritize citizen safety through intelligence-driven operations and coordinated enforcement. The current administration has reportedly equipped security agencies with long-deprived tools, technology, and oversight mechanisms while delivering targeted community interventions previously absent under PNM leadership.
The letter credits Persad-Bissessar with reinstating discipline, accountability, and humane governance to a sector that had descended into operational free fall. Beckles emphasizes that the Prime Minister’s proactive leadership style—rooted in the principle that citizens deserve tangible safety rather than excuses—has set the nation on a renewed path toward stability and competent governance where measurable actions have replaced political theater.