2 weeks Ago By Express Editorial
“Things are afoot to disrupt the electoral process,” warned acting Commissioner of Police (CoP) Junior Benjamin. Having made this startling disclosure at a news conference on Tuesday, Benjamin then refused to provide details, only assuring that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) “will be taking a zero-tolerance approach with respect to that”. The problem is, if he wasn’t going to explain to the public, even in broad strokes, what form the disruption should take and what elements might be planning it, the acting Commissioner should have just kept quiet.
His only duty was to put measures in place to prevent any supposed interference with the election next Monday. Instead, by raising fears among citizens, Benjamin himself, intentionally or otherwise, may have committed electoral interference. Even telling people “After you vote, leave” could be interpreted as intimidation by the TTPS or, in the context of his previous statement, that they would be exposed to danger at the voting booths.
If enough people take Benjamin’s warning to heart, they may decide that casting their ballot isn’t worth risking life or limb. After all, in the past week alone, the country has seen a man assassinated at Piarco International Airport, an autistic 15-year-old girl murdered and a suspect who died by suicide while in police custody, a nurse murdered by car-jacking bandits and, on the same day Ag CoP Benjamin had his news conference, a father and son shot dead in their truck in a coordinated hit on the public road at 6 a.m.
These are the murderous matters that Benjamin should be focusing on, instead of trying to appear on the ball by talking about unidentified individuals or groups who may be planning to take some sort of indefinite action on election day. What strains credibility is that Trinidad and Tobago has never once had any serious disruptions in any of its elections, and certainly never any election-related violence. Yet this is the fear that the acting Commissioner is mongering.
Let us suppose that Benjamin’s irresponsible remarks result in a lower-than-average voter turnout. That is bad for democracy since a low turnout is more likely to result in a government that does not have the support of a majority of the electorate. Figures from the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) show this has happened three times before: in 1991, 2007 and 2020, when the People’s National Movement (PNM) took office with under 50% of overall votes but a majority of seats.
While it is unlikely that the acting CoP intended to influence turnout, it is easy to see how his unguarded remarks might lead to speculation about who is whispering in his ear. Mr Benjamin should not forget that he is only Commissioner because of the suspension last January of Erla Harewood-Christopher, who has still not been charged with any offence. As such, he needs to be extra circumspect about what actions he takes and does not take, and what he says as a public official.
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