"No retreat, no surrender!" That was the message from Minister of National Security Senator Dwight Nelson to members of the Police Traffic and Highway Division at their dinner and awards ceremony last Saturday. "We must take a renewed stand in the fight against lawlessness, viciousness and barbarity," the minister said.

Minister Nelson said a new battle cry needs to be sounded as the enemies of the state are numerous and varied. He said the need to rise up with renewed vigour and determination to crush the unspeakable disdain, contempt and scorn with which these merciless men have assailed the forces of law and order is most urgent.

Team effort necessary

The minister said it needs to be a team effort that would require the engagement and participation of the wider populace. "We cannot afford to alienate the citizenry," he said.

Minister Nelson also called on persons to adopt a no tolerance approach towards all crimes, minor or major. "The lesson must be learnt that minor offences have a way of escalating into major offences," he said.

Quoting former Mayor of New York Rudi Giuliani, the national security minister said further that "if you want to change the big things, you pay attention to the small things". He noted that in a lot of the approaches to crime, quality of life and social programmes, small things are being allowed to get worse rather than being dealt with at the earliest possible stage. He said attention must now be paid to the little things that were being ignored. "We must move decisively to right the many wrongs which we have lived by," said Minister Nelson.

At the function, awards were given for outstanding traffic leaders/managers to retired SSP Dudley Bryan, DCP Owen Ellington, SSP Ealan Powell, retired DSP Byron Powell, retired DSP Nigel Cunningham, DSP Pauline Foster-Turner and DSP Dennis Wright. The top-cop award for 2008 went to Corporal Max Burger and the top-cop runner-up for 2008 was Constable Omar Myrie. Special awards were also given to Ms Marie Escoffery and Ms Ina Richards for over 20 years of service.