Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has issued a statement regarding the “unacceptable high level of violent crime in the country”.

In it, he points to the second consecutive year of a 600 plus murder toll, saying “as much as the Police has done, they are required to do much more if the stated objectives are to be attained.”

He says despite significant state resources and efforts by national security agencies, criminal minds continue to operate, as though, without fear of detection and certainty of timely punishment.

The PM then issues specific messages to police, citizens and the judiciary saying, “If I am to make some special appeals they are to the Police that they make the criminals uncomfortable with penetrating detection methods. To those who know and are doing or saying nothing, stop normalizing criminal conduct in your social life and to those who share the proceeds of violent criminal conduct, stop encouraging or shielding your family members and friends who are engaging in criminal conduct. To those in authority who are responsible for dispensing justice, stop pretending that criminals are the victims who deserve only mercy when by their heartless, lawless behaviour they are to receive firm punishment as prescribed by the law as enacted in anticipation to cover the various destabilizing practices.”