Opposition Leader Disparages P.U.P. Government Over Another SOE

The state of emergency was first introduced by the previous administration, to much criticism from the then People’s United Party opposition.  Since it took office in November 2020, three states of emergency have been implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs in an effort to quell the ceaseless gang violence.  Today, Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow chided Prime Minister John Briceño, Home Affairs Minister Kareem Musa, and Commissioner of Police Chester Williams for adopting the very crime-fighting strategy that they roundly condemned.

Shyne Barrow

Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“State of emergency is the same thing that they accused, derided, chastised the Barrow administration for doing and it is what they are doing.  They said that that was an admission of failure, none other than Prime Minister Briceño.  Charging the individuals suspected of engaging in crime for being members of a gang, the same thing that we did and they say that was a failure, that’s a band-aid approach, that’s not going to really solve the problem.  So what is the solution?  It’s been two and a half years and obviously Kareem Musa does not have the solution, his CEO does not have the solution.  They don’t have the solution and so, again, we call on the chairman, but that’s why we’re calling for the government to go, because we’ve called on the chairman of the National Security Council which is the prime minister. What we’ve seen is a pattern of dither, deflect and distract.  “Oh, when the U.D.P. was there.  Oh, they don’t have any moral authority.”  I am saying that this government, led by Prime Minister Briceño, has zero moral authority at this point.”