THE Opposition UNC has claimed the government is not serious about dealing with the threat of extortion.
Chaguanas mayor Faaiq Mohammed and Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein made these allegations at a news conference at the UNC's headquarters in Chaguanas on November 10.
In an immediate response, Minister in the Ministry of National Security Keith Scotland said their allegations were baseless and serious efforts were being made to deal with the problem.
Referring to a walkabout that Scotland did with police officers and members of the Chaguanas Chamber of Commerce in Chaguanas on November 8, Mohammed showed a map of the area as he claimed Scotland did not go to the places where business people were allegedly being extorted by criminals.
He said it was another case of the government's attempts to "lie, cry and mamaguy."
Mohammed added that he drove around in Chaguanas on November 9 and saw no signs of any joint army and police patrols, which he said Scotland had promised.
He said he knew of business people who were so worried about crime that they were seeking to migrate.
Mohammed added that people fell victim to crime from doing ordinary things such as buying doubles or sitting outside a bar.
"Nowhere is safe in this country."
Mohammed disclosed his cellphone number, told Scotland to call him and promised to show him the areas in Chaguanas where extortion was happening.
Hosein agreed with Mohammed that extortion was a serious problem.
While he did not provide details, Hosein said he had received reports from constituents of extortion in Barataria/San Juan.
He criticised National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds for attending the funeral of PC Krishna Banahar in Fyzabad on November 9.
Banahar, 25, who was attached to the Siparia CID, was shot and killed during an anti-crime exercise in St Rose Street, Gonzales, Guapo on November 6.
Also killed was scrap-iron dealer Al Hakim Joseph, 44.
Another officer, Cpl Mohammed, was also hospitalised with gunshot wounds after the incident. A 25-year-old suspect is in police custody.
Hosein said such displays offered no comfort to anyone and Hinds was an abysmal failure as minister.
He repeated UNC claims that government was not providing resources to the police and officers were going into the field with defective bullet-proof vests.
Speaking to the media after Banahar's funeral, Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher said officers would defend themselves when they are attacked.
She added, "The police are not giving up and we intend to win this battle."
Harewood-Christopher said everyone must play their role to bring crime under control.
In a phone interview after the UNC briefing, Scotland said he had no intention of politicising the matter.
He added that Mohammed was wrong on all counts
Scotland said, "That exercise (walkabout in Chaguanas on November 8) is a continuing operation."
The walkabout, he continued, came about after four meetings with the Chaguanas Chamber of Commerce.
"Not one, not two, not three, b
