Port-of-Spain mayor Raymond Tim Kee said evil lurked everywhere in the country, as he commented on the deaths of more than two dozen children for the year. He was speaking during yesterday’s street parade to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the city. Responding to questions about the high level of baby deaths in the country for 2014, Tim Kee said he supported calls by US evangelist Benny Hinn for citizens to pray for the nation.
“Obviously things are not normal and when children become victims that is abnormal and unnatural and the most natural way to deal with those things is to turn to God.” Tim Kee said he was not convinced that “some of the men we have walking here know what to do.” Mayor Tim Kee said he agreed that evil was stalking the land. “But you see it on the streets everyday, you see evil on the streets everyday, so there is no doubt about that.”
He said the people of the country were lawless and the laws must be enforced to deal with crime, adding that he was alarmed and discomforted by the level of crime in the country. He said those in authority should not give up the fight against crime but should use the most civil and humanistic measures to deal with the issue. “We have to demonstrate a certain kind of firmness and seriousness with what we have to do.” He said harsh situations must be met with harsh remedies.
Tim Kee said it was not just young people who were engaged in crime but also the elderly. He said some of the crimes were committed in the presence of police officers but no action was taken.
Main challenges
Identifying street dwelling and the wrecking service as two major challenges for his corporation, Tim Kee said a plan was being developed to address the street dwelling issue. He said the plan included constructing a building in the city to house the homeless. Confidential discussions have been taking place over the past few months and the details would be provided in due course. On the issue of wrecking, he said he had kept his promise to penalise the wrecking companies which were found to be wanting.
He said the contract of one of the companies had been terminated, since the company had “been blatantly unfair to the motorists and it was a hustle.” He said he also told the police that “they are in a relationship (other than a professional one) with these people (wrecking companies).” While saying that he had no authority to lock up policemen, he said he did have the power to terminate the licence of wreckers.