The channa bomb attack on the Ministry of Home Affairs last month must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. An assault of this type on a ministry could only have the most nefarious of motives particularly at this time of sharp divisions over the death squad allegations which are buffeting the Minister of Home Affairs.
It raises again the question of security for ministries and other government buildings. Over the years several ministries and government buildings have been burnt to the ground in suspicious circumstances and there have been arson attacks on others. Yet, despite this, there has been no marked improvement in the security of these buildings. If one were to consider the channa bomb attack on the Ministry of Home Affairs concerns would have to be raised immediately about the quality of security there and at other buildings. The best information suggests that the attackers were seen loitering under a tree outside of the ministry before the attack was committed - obviously preparing their incendiary arsenal. This in itself should have triggered curiosity from within the ministry and further down the road from the Brickdam Police Station. Inevitably it didn't. The attack was then launched with the arsonists hurling their missiles at various points of the ministry and then fleeing - presumably in three different directions - without any guard from the ministry being able to pursue on foot and apprehend at least one of them. The police were also not involved in any hot pursuit. Not impressive at all. There must be some considered review of the security of state buildings immediately.
Inevitably, the failed attempt to burn down the ministry provided the PPP and the PNCR with another opportunity to point the finger in each other's direction as is evident by their recent press releases. The two parties never lose the opening to make themselves look foolish in the eyes of the public with all types of allegations and innuendo about who did what but without supplying any kind of substantiation or proof whatsoever. They always seem to know the facts when in reality they know little and just end up confusing the issue further and working- up their supporters.
The real problem, of course, is that these political recriminations take centre stage in an atmosphere of pure ignorance of what the real truth is and therefore the messages of the parties resonate with those of their followers who are willing to believe anything and particularly if it indicts the other side.
Only solid and efficient police work can defuse this type of red herring and it is in this area that the police force has been woefully lacking over the years. The political parties and other groups have taken advantage of the fact that the police force will be unable to investigate critical crimes and provide answers through the laying of charges and the prosecution of cases. The public will already know that the chances of the police catching any of the arsonists from the Home Affairs Ministry attack or doing incisive forensic work in this case is more remote than Osama bin Laden being feted at the White House. It hasn't happened since Monica Reece - the key marker in the continuum of police investigations - and very few cases have been solved by good old- fashioned sleuthing and hard work by the police force. On the other hand, particularly since February 23, 2002, literally hundreds of murders, shootings, robberies, kidnappings and thefts have gone unsolved because the police simply can't provide solutions for want of resources or technique. There is a great danger in this as the criminally minded espy opportunities to go after their targets quite confident that they won't be caught by the police. Conversely, unable to solve crimes through traditional means, some in the police force are tempted to take the law into their own hands.
While the Iranian cleric remains missing after a frighteningly professional kidnapping that the police don't seem to have a clue about, a six-year-old girl was rescued from her abductors through the initiative of a family elder and public-spirited citizens.
Just having emerged from their annual officers conference and now under new leadership, the police force must know that the country is depending on it to provide clear answers through professional policing to crimes that have the potential to be exploited by political parties and other groups for narrow partisan purposes. So whether it is providing answers on Gopaul Chowtie's exploits, determining who shot Shafeek Mohammed and left him dead in a car trunk or pinpointing the drug kingpins and compromising their operations, the police simply have to begin performing.
The new police commissioner should not be shy about seeking resources from the government to bolster the intelligence-gathering, investigative and forensic capacity of the force as it is through these capabilities that the police service will be able to optimally discharge its responsibilities. We hope that Mr Felix will be able with his senior aides to draw up a plan of action setting out his exact needs and presenting this for funding as this holds the key to clearing up many crimes before they end up as politically-charged flashpoints.