Creating Opportunity

Being interviewed by TV6 news on Carnival Monday Acting Police Commissioner James Philbert lamented the fact that citizens of this democratic country were not taking the advice of the police with regards the wearing of jewellery. He went on to state that the police specifically told citizens to not come into the city wearing their jewellery as this would create ‘opportunities’ for criminals. At flittering consideration Mr. Philbert’s recommendation might seem practical and therefore we may be quick to say ‘it good for dem’ should anyone be robbed of their gold chain on Carnival Monday or Tuesday, however that would be a fatal mistake and gross perversion of our democratic freedoms.

As citizens living in a democratic country it is our fundamental right to purchase and wear jewellery and other luxuries when and wherever we choose without having the fear or concern of creating opportunities for criminals. When a Police Commissioner could come on national television and make such empty statements it makes citizens feel more insecure, legitimizes criminal activity and holds the victim of a crime accountable for someone else’s callous actions.

If we are to go by Mr. Philbert’s logic then I can only conclude some of the following:-

•Pretty soon the police will be issuing travel advisories to tourists telling them to stay away from Trinidad & Tobago as their presence would create an opportunity for criminals.

•Citizens will be told not to drive into the city with their vehicles as this would create an opportunity for the criminals to steal them.

•Citizens will be told not to buy houses as this would create an opportunity for criminals to break into them.

•Citizens will be told not to wear nice clothes as this would give the impression that they have money and create the opportunity for criminals to rob them.

The point I am making is there will always be ‘opportunity’ for criminal minds. Truth be told, the successful lives of ordinary working class people in this country is by itself a lucrative opportunity for criminal minds who prefer not to work but instead choose to live off of hard working law abiding citizens. Criminals are committed to being the human parasites going so far as to killing their victims for their property. If one were to consider the vast majority of murders in 2009 not many of the victims were adorned in lavish gold jewellery and many were killed in their homes. I think the Commissioner’s time would be better spent on improving the efficacy of his men and enhancing the disgustingly low detection rate of the rubble he presides over known as the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.

Mr. Philbert’s unfortunate statement is a just reflection of the dismal intellect emanating from the underperforming craniums of those charged with the responsibility of governing this country whose ideas and thought processes are completely void of any modernity. As far as they are concerned everything that goes wrong in this country is the citizen’s fault. The only solution now is for us as a nation to ‘create the opportunity’ for political and social innovation by removing the old political guards who are determined to keep us entrapped in a vacuum of mediocrity and psychological underdevelopment.

To protect, serve and pilfer with pride.

Honestly...............what more can be said? I guess the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is entering the new year with a new and improved motto.

James Philbert no Sherlock Holmes

Much thanks to James Philbert we now know why this country has one of the lowest crime detection rates the world has ever seen. Imagine Sunday 20th, two days after the fracas outside Parliament between civilians and police Mr. Philbert was quoted in the Sunday Express as having stated that his men may have used excessive force and he did not think there was need for such force by his men. This report in the Sunday Express remains unchallenged to this day by Mr. Philbert and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service so one can only assume that what was reported by the Sunday Express was the truth.

Fast forward to Tuesday 22nd, and here we have none other than Mr. James Philbert Acting Police Commissioner on TV6 news reviewing what appears to be a police created 10 second clip of his men ‘arriving’ at the scene in front Parliament on Friday. The video does not show any of the footage that was shown Friday evening by several media houses of the police beating, assaulting, pushing and antagonising the protesters. Yet still, ignoring all the lengthy clips provided by various media houses showing his men using unnecessary force to remove a group of citizens exercising their constitutional and human rights, Mr. Philbert says that based upon the police’s footage he is of the view that his men did not use excessive force.

What is even more amusing is Mr. Philbert says he is awaiting an ‘investigation’ before submitting the matter before the DPP. If this is in fact true, then why is Mr. Philbert making a statement as per his views concerning the actions of his men if he is ‘awaiting’ an investigation? If he has already concluded that his men did nothing wrong then why have an investigation? With this level of inconsistency coming from the head of the Police Service, his use of inadequate and blatantly biased evidence to justify the callous and unprofessional behaviour of his officers and his pronouncement on an issue even before receiving a report regarding a so called ‘investigation’, is it any wonder that the police service is unable to solve crimes. Mr. Philbert has breached every single investigatory and enquiry procedure in the book and it is quite clear to all and sundry that our TOP COP ain’t no Sherlock Holmes!

I also noticed that Mr. Philbert has indicated that there were many laws broken such as people jostling the police and swinging signs at the police. I wonder if Mr. Philbert is aware that it is a criminal offence for his police officers to unnecessarily jostle a group of citizens exercising their constitutional rights? I wonder if Mr. Philbert is aware that citizens of Trinidad and Tobago have a right to self defence irrespective of whether the person assaulting them is a police officer. It has been reported and has since not been denied that the police attempted to forcefully remove the protesters and as per Article 19 and 20 of the Human Rights Charter, I wonder if Mr. Philbert is aware that this is a breach of International Human Rights? Time and again the Police in Trinidad and Tobago seem to be totally oblivious of the laws they are responsible for enforcing. Hence the reason you have a man being arrested for exercising his constitutional rights with the police using a Highway Act to evoke arrest despite the fact that said individual was on a side walk nor was said individual ‘blocking’ and preventing anyone from entering or leaving Parliament. ©