THE Prime Minister on Thursday called on the population to unite against criminals whom he said were no "weak siblings", but individuals disrupting the society for their own ends. Dr Rowley's call came at the post-Cabinet briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's.
In question time, he said the police were working to solve the case of anonymous bomb threats sent by email to dozens of schools last Friday, lamenting this could be hard to do because perpetrators can cover their tracks.
Newsday asked if his remarks at last Sunday's PNM family day at Toco carried any insinuation against the Opposition, when he asked listeners if it was accidental/coincidental that the bomb scares occurred on the day of the Opposition's no-confidence motion against Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds.
Rowley said in a country with freedom of expression, his remarks had not gone too far. "To me it is a reasonable thought. It might be inconvenient for some people."
He related, "There's a family in Santa Cruz who one Christmas week the wife came into town to do some shopping specifically for her husband. She died in a shoot-up on Charlotte Street. Remember that?
"Remember what the miscreants who were alleged to have been involved in that were about?
Rowley said that "indiscriminate shooting in a public place" sought to portray the Christmas period and the then government in a certain light.
Tapping the podium to emphasise each word he uttered, he said, "There are people in this country who will do things to hurt this country if in so doing - it matters not how horrendous it is - if that will advance their agendas. And you had better believe that!"
Asked about a home invasion earlier Thursday in his Diego Martin West constituency, he recalled telling the recent crime symposium that TT's criminals use business models.
"The criminal element is not an accidental development in this country. They have business models.
"Kidnapping was a business model until the Anti Kidnapping Squad rooted it out. Holding up cash in transit is a criminal business model. Going to a business place and forcing someone to open a vault is a business model. Taking them back to the place, that's another business model. Thinking that somebody home has cash in their house and go there and force your way in, that's a business model."
He said no one was immune to these methods of operating of criminals.
"The criminals are not weak siblings learning to crawl.
"These are well thought-out, predetermined actions of people, who determine to use crime for profit.
"Unless we all close ranks against them, they will succeed in going between us and making us fight against ourselves while they profit in the process.
"That is what this country is called upon to do: close ranks against the criminals, starting in the home."
Rowley said criminals rely on people in their homes keeping secrets for them and even certain police officers facilitating them.
"If you know something about criminal intent or criminal conduct, help the country to survi
