By DARCEL CHOY Wednesday, June 27 2012

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OVER TO YOU: Former National Security Minister John Sandy speaks to reporters outside the ministry's office in Port-of-Spain while next to him, new Na...

RETIRED Brigadier John Sandy yesterday said that he gave it his best as National Security Minister although he did not get the results he would have liked to see while at the helm of security.

Speaking outside the Ministry’s Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain, office shortly before he handed over to his replacement Jack Warner, Sandy said: “I did my best. I did not get the results I would have liked. As I said, every crime is one too many and I am sure the national community will agree with me.

“But if I were to judge myself, I would do so with some degree of satisfaction and one thing I know I could say is that I put my best foot forward in all areas and I could sleep comfortable at night knowing I did my best.”

Sandy pointed out that he came in to office on June 1, 2010 and left on June 22, 2012 and over that period, murders had subsided by 15.8 percent while serious crime fell by 15.4 percent.

Sandy said that as minister he quietly visited several communities such as Nelson Street Port- of-Spain, to speak to residents. He said he chose to go quietly as he felt if he did not the people in those communities would have felt he was doing it for them.

“I felt that if I had gone into those areas and making a big splash, the people would feel I am doing it for me and not for them and this is how I went about my business and I got some success in the areas and thank God for that,” he said.

Asked if he felt he should have been more visible as minister, Sandy said, “I think therein lies my lack of political experience. I think if I were to do it again I would do it the same way for that same reason because I did not want the people to feel I was just coming for show.”

Warner yesterday thanked Sandy for his service to the nation and added that he can only build on what Sandy put in place and accomplished.

“I promise I can’t wave a magic wand overnight to achieve the kind of instant success people may want. You have instant coffee...instant Nescafe in crime fighting, you don’t have. But I will give it my best shot based on the collective efforts of all members of staff, the permanent secretary and Minister in the Ministry Collin Partap,” Warner said.

Sandy admitted this ministry is a difficult one and advised Warner saying he should look at every area and ensure he gets involved in all the areas within the ministry. Sandy said there were a number of policies he would like to see continue, but would only share that with Warner.

Responding to Warner’s hint of a return of the feared police Flying Squad, Sandy noted that when the Flying Squad was around the number of guns in this country were not as high as present.

“The squad was above in that respect with their ability to respond quickly. It is worth the effort and I will support Warner in every area,” Sandy said. In Newsday’s Monday edition, it was reported that Sandy has accepted a post at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations Office at Geneva. Sandy yesterday did not confirm or deny this posting. Asked what were his plans for the future, he said, “I have plans but I will not share that now with the national community.”