Wednesday, October 10 2012

National Security Minister Jack Warner emailed the following statement, at about 9.45 pm, to clarify his statements made earlier to reporters.

ISSUE: PNM MURDER



“The statement was inferred to a select few front line opposition members of Parliament who have continued to make negative statements which may have the effect of nullifying the gains made over the last month, instead of looking at ways in which we could work together to ensure the statistics remain in check.

This in no way includes the membership of the party - even though I may not agree with their political affiliation, I respect them as citizens of this country.

I am incensed when I hear of “but one murder”...we have always said one murder is one murder too many - let us agree not to use this as a political football but to engage in supporting the men and women of the protective services in continuing the excellent work they have been doing - and the gains they have made.”



“The intent of this measure is to seek to ensure that crime statistics are not sensationalised thereby acting as a domino effect in certain hot spot areas and causing an escalation of crime in that hotspot area.

The issue is not about withholding the statistics — it is about the management of the sensitive information that many times is released along with the statistic that always has the potential to inflame additional crime — particularly when treating with the issue of gangs and the ‘gang culture’.

For instance, there is no issue with stating that there may have been a homicide in area ‘X’, the issue becomes more challenging when the information released includes the homicide in area ‘X’, along with the homicide being gang related, and involving person ‘Y’...this is a recipe for unnecessarily inflamed tensions.

Therefore my statement was earmarked to avoid unnecessary murders and escalation of crime in hot spots, and not in any way a means of muzzling the freedom of information, and I apologise if it may have been taken out of context.”