Today, Thursday November 03, 2022, Minister of National Security, Fitzgerald Hinds, visited the Rose Hill RC Primary School and the Rose Hill community to get a first-hand look of how law enforcement efforts were transpiring on the ground to curtail the ongoing gang and gun related violence in that community.
On Monday, the Rose Hill RC School was caught in the middle of a terrifying exchange of gunfire that was caught on camera. Since then the school has been closed and online classes have been taking place.
Minister Hinds visited the school alongside DCP Earla Christopher of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and Lt Col. Singh of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force and held discussions with Mr. Sterling Jacob, Catholic Education Board Manager for the Rose Hill RC School.
Speaking to the media before the walkabout in the Rose Hill community, Minister Hinds stated, “I am advised from the authority for the school Mr. Jacob, that Monday would not have been the first time that such a traumatic event would have taken place.”
Minister Hinds went on to say that, “While the police are very active in the neighbourhood, the police cannot be everywhere at every time. As soon as they go about their routine patrols and turn to go somewhere else, the youngsters with guns take the opportunity to bark them out. It means therefore, that different types of crimes sometimes need different types of policing. It requires a multifaceted approach to restore safety and security in this community and the larger community of Laventille, where the problem of gang violence has been experienced on an ongoing basis.”
Minister Hinds went on to say that the, “Government’s position is that the business of the state, that is the business of the school must go on uninterrupted, must proceed unperturbed and undisturbed. That is why a large chunk of the nation’s budget went to the Ministry of National Security and that is to ensure that the business of the state, both public and private are able to role smoothly and undeterred by those who intend to challenge it.”
