Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 17/Dec 07:41

Porous borders and Venezuelan terror

THE EDITOR: The PNM government’s poor performance, especially in securing the country’s borders, has made our citizens suffer. This has reached a critical point where it cannot be ignored any more. The porous nature of our coastal borders has allowed a steady influx of drugs, guns and Venezuelan migrants. They include organised criminal elements who infiltrate our country, wreaking devastation on the safety and well-being of citizens. This failure rests squarely on the shoulders of the government, particularly the Minister of National Security and the Coast Guard. The total failure should be nailed to their chest. The glaring inefficiencies have left the nation vulnerable to a wave of violent crimes that we have witnessed in the past decade. The alarming rise in kidnappings, extortion, armed robberies, and other violent crimes is not accidental, but linked to the unchecked entry of Venezuelan gangs. Citizens now live in fear as these criminal networks expand their influence, terrorising communities with no clear solution in sight. The Coast Guard’s inability to adequately patrol and monitor the nation’s coastline has allowed these elements to exploit our weaknesses. The National Security Ministry has failed to implement any plan for protecting the borders, or any plan for border control, or even investing in the necessary resources to close these gaps. This is not just a failure of governance, it is also a betrayal of the trust placed in the government by the people. The PNM administration’s inability to safeguard the nation’s borders has endangered the lives of all citizens, breaking down public trust in law enforcement, and has left communities faced with the consequences of its inaction. TT’s citizens now pay the price for this negligence, as Venezuelan gangs infiltrate and destabilise the country. Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s call for the deportation of Venezuelan migrants involved in crime is a step in the right direction, and the UNC has the policies to deal with this issue that demands more than just reactive measures that this Government is not even capable of. It requires strong leadership, decisive action, and a complete revamp of national security policies – none of which the PNM government has demonstrated any capability to provide. This singular issue of border insecurity, increased by its devastating effects on crime and public safety, is enough to justify voting the PNM out of office. The citizens of TT deserve a government that puts their safety and well-being first, not one that allows criminal elements from outside our borders to develop networks that flourish unchecked. The PNM government has failed to deliver on its most fundamental responsibility: to protect the people. This failure alone is reason enough to demand change at the ballot box and hold the government accountable for the state of affairs in which this country finds itself – where we continue to be terrorised under this god-forsaken regime. DR NEIL GOSINE Treasurer, UNC The post Porous borders and Venezuelan terror appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.