SHALIZA HASSANALI
Senior Investigative Reporter
“Get a hold of your little self!” This was the message from National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds to young men who were recently seen brandishing high-powered guns in videos posted on social media.
Hinds spoke to reporters yesterday after delivering the feature address at the T&T Prison Service’s 82nd sports and family day in Arouca, which was attended by outgoing acting Prisons Commissioner Deopersad Ramoutar.
In one of the videos filmed in the hills of St Augustine, overlooking the Caroni Plains, a man was seen posing with a high-powered rifle while being interviewed by Canadian YouTuber Chris Hughes, popularly known as Chris Must List.
The armed man, whose identity was hidden, was surrounded by other men while being interviewed by Hughes as they walked through the hotspot community. The men complained that they were not being given jobs by the Government.
Days after the video surfaced, Hughes was arrested by police and charged with sedition after he allegedly posted videos featuring individuals professing to be gang members, advocating criminal activities, and using threatening language. On Friday, Hughes’ attorney, Criston J Williams, applied for a writ of habeas corpus on his behalf.
The media wanted to question Hinds about Hughes’ sedition charges, but he agreed to talk to reporters on one condition: that we refrain from asking him anything outside of the sporting event. “Note that I have a bit of a hearing issue imposed on myself today,” Hinds told reporters.
Describing the march past as a magnificent day, Hind spoke about the responsibility and challenges of national security. “As you know, we deal with the crime and the grime and the bad behaviour and the anti-social behaviour and the lawlessness and the sinfulness of human beings, some of which we call crime.”
Hinds said members of national security try to make places safe, “because take it from me, there are those in this country and in this world who do not want safety and peace.”
Instead, he said, they are hell-bent on “trouble and upheaval, pain and trauma.” He referred to his recent address at the T&T Police Service’s Sports and Family Day, stating that he spoke on an issue “that had become rather popular in recent times, some of the viral videos.”
Some of those videos featured young people in T&T. Hinds said, “claiming falsely that this country did not avail sufficient opportunities for young people.” The minister categorically denied this. He said young people in T&T have diverse academic and training opportunities regardless of where they live, “other than violence and pornography.”
Hinds said he “rejected the suggestion.” Hinds said it was “a myth, it is a horrific joke to suggest that our young people do not have opportunities.” What they need to do, he said, “is to settle their little selves and reach out and touch and take the opportunities … make use of them as so many have.” He urged those engaged in illegal activities to “get a hold of your little self.” Hinds said experts have led him to think that drugs have a critical role in their actions.
“Running wild apparently without fear of anything, including their own deaths,” he added.
Commenting on recent videos on social media with young people brandishing guns and claiming to be unemployed, Hinds said, “It is rather painful and unfortunate not only at the illegality but at the ignorance, emptiness, stupidity, and futility of that life because, by so doing, it is easily an advertisement.” The keen eyes of the police, Hinds said, are also observing those videos. “Police will do what police have to do.”
The minister said the problem with these social media sites was that they presented our country in a very negative light abroad. “Our international relations are very important to us.
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Sources: Shaliza Hassanali , CNC3, June 1, 2024. Hinds to gang members: Get a hold of your little self!