Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC is urging citizens to exercise greater emotional control and restraint, saying dozens of murders this year could have been prevented if disputes had not escalated into violence.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Prime Minister referenced comments made by Roman Catholic Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon in 2019, when he warned that the country needed to examine the root causes of violence and how everyday behaviour contributed to rising tensions.
The Prime Minister quoted the Archbishop, who said, “The violence in our country is very, very difficult to deal with and it escalates and just keeps escalating and keeps escalating. As a nation, we have to stop and ask, what’s all this anger about and where is all this violence coming from and how are we contributing to this violence? By the way we drive, our short temper at home, in the workplace, by the way that we are contributing to the build-up of tension, and I think every citizen can find a way to bring it down.”
The Prime Minister said current crime statistics support the Archbishop’s concerns.
According to Mrs Persad-Bissessar, there have been 40 murders linked to altercations, 30 attributed to revenge and 12 resulting from domestic disputes so far in 2026.
“Eighty-two murders in 2026 could have been avoided had the ordinary citizens involved exercised emotional control and physical restraint.”
The Prime Minister contrasted those figures with a decline in gang-related killings, which she said fell from 273 in 2024 to 122 in 2025 and currently stand at 78 for 2026.
“These figures show that the national security services, under the SOE, have made significant progress against violent criminal gangs.”
However, she noted that murders stemming from altercations, revenge attacks and domestic disputes continue to present a major challenge.
“While gang-related murders have decreased, altercations, revenge and domestic disputes committed by ordinary citizens have been the probable cause of 371 murders between 2024 and present. These categories of murders being perpetrated by ordinary citizens that take place suddenly, arbitrarily and usually under the intoxication of drugs and alcohol are exceedingly difficult for the TTPS to predict or prevent.”
Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar said while the country is making progress in reducing crime, greater gains can be achieved if citizens adopt a more peaceful approach to resolving conflicts.
She again cited Archbishop Gordon’s call for forgiveness and compassion, quoting his words: “Love has the last word. To understand the crucifixion is to understand that love is triumphant to the end. When we show the worst of the anger, violence and hatred, Jesus Christ still forgives and embraces us. Live under the sign of forgiveness.”
The Prime Minister said the message remains relevant today as the country continues its efforts to reduce violent crime and build safer communities.