No state protection for criminals

- “whistleblowers “ accommodated, not “snitches” – Govt

 By Michael Younge

The new A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Government has made it clear that it will not offer State Protection to persons who are engaged in criminal activities or have deep rooted links to the criminal underworld. State Minister Joseph Harmon on Friday told reporters that Government is prepared to offer individuals with information that would lead to the capture of persons who are responsible for serious crimes explaining that both the legislative and structural apparatus are in place to facilitate such a move. “If people are prepared to come and provide information to us that will lead to the capture of these criminals and so on, certainly we will provide the kind of protection for them because people who give the information, what you call them? Whistleblowers…we will provide the kind of protection that is needed,” the Minister of State said. Harmon’s statement comes against the backdrop of growing uneasiness amongst the populace about the sudden hike in criminal activity which is occurring as a result of a breakdown in law and order in several policing divisions in the country. His comments are also coming on the heels of scandalous revelations made by self-confessed Death Squad Member Sean Hinds who have made allegations against several high-ranking officials and policemen seeking to link them to extra-judicial killings and criminal activity. Hinds has reportedly expressed interest in meeting with Harmon and the Government to share information that he says he has about the involvement of certain persons in the criminal underworld in exchange for State protection. “Something got to set up before I talk to the police. I willing to talk to Mr. Harmon, I am no stranger to Mr. Harmon”, he said.  He did not expand on the reasons why he is familiar with Harmon. He has also expressed fear that persons that he has and will expose in the coming days will come after him. “When you mash some people toe, they will come after you. They will come after me, they will ‘try a ting’…they will come after me because I gun be mashing some people toes. If I don’t get to say what I want to say, tapes would be dropping off at different media. I ain’t stupid. I tired going down for people”, he is quoted as saying in another section of the press. But most likely alluding to Hinds, Harmon made  a distinction between “whistleblower so” and what is known in the underworld as “snitching”. He made it very clear that his Government does not support criminals or persons who have had their hand muddied by taking part in murders. “Persons who are part of the criminal enterprise… involved or engaged in killing people… then they will have to face the music too. So we are prepared to give the kind of protection to persons who are going to give us the information that will lead us to the arrest of these criminals that will get to the intellectual authors of crime”, the Minister insisted. The previous administration had passed the  Whistle blowers Protection Bill will also provide for the procedure by which individuals in both the private and public sector, may in the public interest disclose information that relates to irregular, illegal or corrupt practices; to provide for the protection against victimisation of persons who make such disclosures.