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... the following article was published in Tobago News on the 9th of September 2011...
Searching for the 'Big Fishes'
A climate of intimidation, dishonesty is ignored or rewarded, emotional and physical violence leading to no sanctions, unlawfulness and patrons being
involved in criminal activity.
Patrons willfully disadvantage their clients and conspire with the opposite site for their own advantage framed by a maximum-leader above the law.
All this causes a State of Emergency! This is not only to be said about Laventille, drugs, guns and gangs and rivalry between gangs and their
leaders - this description might also be characteristic for aspects of the legal system in this country. Does the judiciary deal with criminal
elements in an according manner or might it be even part of the problem?
The best legal system, the best political system and the best police service of the world have to fight with bad elements within their
ranks. Personal weakness, greed and criminal energy are human characteristics and it is impossible to exclude them completely from
influential positions. From time to time, a police officer, public servant, judge or politician might even have to go to prison for any
kind of criminal offence. Yes, even the most humane, modern and civilised societies in the world are bothered by crime and criminal elements.
In these societies you can compare criminals to bad fish in the ocean. It is the job of police and judiciary to catch these bad fish and to
make the water safer.
In a Mafia-like society however, the problem is not the fish - the problem is the water. It is much more difficult to clean the
water of an aquarium or even the ocean than to catch some bad fish. This explanation was made by an Italian crime-fighter to explain
characteristics of organised crime.
In a Mafia-like society, criminal elements infiltrate police, judiciary and the political system. A young law student is given financial
support from a "successful businessman" so he can continue his studies despite his financial problems. The "businessman" becomes his tutor
and helps him to gain influential posts within the judiciary. In case the "businessman" is under investigation for trading drugs and weapons,
his former law student in high position would hardly dare to prosecute his patron.
The existence of criminals in police-uniform and politicians with contacts to leaders of organised crime is also internationally well proven.
Italy is best known as a country where these criminal structures are well described in books and movies and fought by brave women and men.
Each institution in Trinidad and Tobago should be in the spotlight in search for criminal activity and structural weaknesses within their
systems. The crime problem is more than simply the boy on the street who sells small amounts of drugs to make his living.
Are politicians, police officers and members of the judiciary mainly part of the solution and characterised by integrity,
bravery, honesty, sophistication and brilliant working ethics? Or might some women and men of these services be part of the
problem? Each crisis is to be considered as chance. Honor and respect to all good lawyers, judges, police officers and politicians.
The search for Big Fish could lead to a better country.
Jorg Kilian
... we would like to invite you to have a look at another article published in Tobago News -
Justice System needs reform ...
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