Minister Kareem Musa: Curfew Did Not Hinder Crime

Kareem Musa

Home Affairs Minister Kareem Musa also supports the removal of the curfew, which is likely to take effect on March first.  But does this help with the bigger issue of crime?  Musa says contrary to what people may think, the curfew does not hinder crime – it simply changes the timeframe during which criminal elements operate.

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“We are at a point in time where we are seeing a downward trend in hospitalizations and I think the public is certainly craving the need to get back to some sense of normalcy and want to not feel as contained as we felt over the last two years with COVID and so whenever we have a down time in COVID, we have to take those opportunities to definitely free up.”

Reporter

“With curfew being lifted, do you expect criminal elements to be more at play at night?”

Kareem Musa

“A lot of people believe that for some reason the curfew has helped with crime. I am not of that belief because we’ve just seen where criminals just move up whatever criminal act that they want to do – they move it up earlier in the day.”

Reporter

“They were forced to move it up because of the curfew…”

Kareem Musa

“Yes. And so I don’t see any greater increase. Like I said, crime will always be an issue and will always be a priority for our government. But I don’t believe that the curfew was in any way a deterrent to crime.”