Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley has commented on the increase in murders over the past week, noting that “in recent years, people have gotten their hands on firearms and heavier weapons such as automatic assault weapons.”

In a seven day span which began on Holy Thursday, an alarming 22 murders were recorded. 

The Prime Minister said there are elements of state engaged in doing what is doable in trying to identify the potential for these crimes to take place and seeking to disarm people.

This includes the procurement of more CCTV cameras, the PM announced during a media conference on Thursday. 

In the House of Representatives earlier this month, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds revealed that of the 1,796 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras currently installed throughout T&T, 733 are not fully functional or are non-functional. 

Prime Minister Rowley also noted, however, that “there are a lot of crimes done and are only known to us when it’s done in the household.”

“I know there are calls for Government to do more, but there are certain limitations to what the Government can do with respect to household crimes,” he lamented. 

His position echoed earlier sentiments shared by Acting Police Commissioner Mc Donald Jacob, who said “All these murders (recorded over the Easter weekend) … were domestic and altercation-related matters between close friends, relatives and that is one of our major concerns,”