“Walk the talk,” Dillon said.
Dillon spoke about the matter on Saturday, the day after after the so-called Unruly Isis outfit, announced it was changing its name to Masjidus Islaam (Peace masjid).
The Enterprise gang was spotlighted recently following a resurgence of gang warfare in the area. Four people were killed in quick succession over the last three weeks.
Army and police patrols—Rapid Response, Inter-Agency Task Force and Guard and Emergency units—are currently in force with foot and mobile patrols.
A police station will be built in the area soon. An Assistant Commissioner of Police for the Central area has been appointed. At a briefing last Friday on a “peace deal”, reputed gang leader Abdul “Krysis” Wakeel announced the group’s name change.
Kerron Alexis - son of assassinated reputed gang leader Selwyn “Robocop” Alexis - was expected to have also been present at the briefing. But he didn’t show up.
Yesterday Alexis said he didn’t attend the meeting since he doesn’t represent any gang.
“They have to find out who they at war with. I wasn’t in that meeting because I only speak on behalf of myself and my family. Nobody should put a label on me. I got a lot of heat from the police, so I’m not staying in that community—I gone,” Alexis said.
Present at the meeting was David Muhammed, local representative of US black Muslim leader, Louis Farrakhan’s Nation of Islam. Dillon said the gang’s name change is not enough unless some change in the group’s behaviour and actions is detected.
“Their actions and behaviour have to convince the public and their community particularly and those actions and behaviour will also have to have a positive influence in those sectors.”
“So we have to see what evidence of this comes forward - let the actions and behaviour speak for themselves - walk the talk.”
Yesterday Enterprise Imam, Morland Lynch whose son was killed in 2015, also said name changes, “Are just superficialities. They don’t remove the bloodstains from Enterprise.”
“They don’t bring anyone back or give people justice. It will take more than name changes for things to change in Enterprise.”
Opposition Chaguanas East MP Fazal Karim, added, “Having made statements about the group’s name change, we now look forward to what he (Krysis) has to contribute to the mediation process and to the reduction of conflict in Enterprise.”
Karim who has been following up on plans for the promised police station, said Government officials have indicated that approvals have been granted by Cabinet to identify a location and to start work on the site shortly.
Karim said he learned that the sites examined include the African Grounds area and a pre-school in Dass Trace which had not been opened.
Yesterday, Islamic Front leader Umar Abdullah who had said he was Wakeel’s manager, added they wanted to meet this week with the new ACP (Central), the Police Commissioner and Dillon to discuss facilities for Wakeel to give the information he had promised authorities during a walkabout in the community two weeks ago.
Abdullah said the meetings hadn’t been arranged yet.
Wakeel who had spoken to Dillon during the Minister’s recent Enterprise walkabout had promised to reveal information on issues in the district. But Abdullah said he wouldn’t do so until Wakeel got certain conditions. Dillon confirmed last week, no information was received from Wakeel.
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