The T&T Defence Force will be given $100 million to undertake special interventions in certain communities.

This was announced by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at a PNM meeting in San Juan last night where he said negative commentary about the TTPS has given criminals confidence.

He added that special intervention is now needed in communities which have become nurseries for criminal conduct.

Also speaking on crime, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said school drop-outs and low achievers can be lured into gangs.

However, she assured that work is ongoing to address these issues with some improvements thus far.

She noted that at the SEA level in 2022, only 37% of students scored above 50% but by 2023 the figure was up to 58%.

She added that at the CSEC level in 2022 62% of students passed while in 2023 the figure stood at 67%.