Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles has accused Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of politicising national tragedy, responding directly to a social media post in which the Prime Minister attacked the People’s National Movement over crime and gang violence. PM Persad-Bissessar, in an earlier tweet, asked: “Why does the PNM hate our citizens but love the local drug mafia?” and went on to outline what she described as crime statistics from 2015 to 2025. In the post, the Prime Minister said that under former Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, Prime Minister Stuart Young and Beckles, the country recorded 124,062 crimes, including 5,000 murders and nearly 9,000 rapes and sexual assaults. She said rapists, murderers and violent gangs flourished under the PNM. She added that communities most affected by violent gangs were Afro-dominated communities within PNM stronghold constituencies.