Prime Minister Kamla Persad-­Bissessar has lambasted the Opposition People’s National Movement (PNM), firing back at its criticism of the planned 30 joint army-police posts to be installed across the country, and its failure to say anything about the “drug blocks” run by its “mafia friends”.

Opposition Leader ­Pennelope Beckles took issue with the Government’s plan to boost its anti-­crime fight, saying the Prime Minister’s announcement of the commencement of unplanned and unfunded joint police and army posts is a “knee-jerk” reaction to mounting public concern over crime.

She said it was also a calculated attempt to quietly reintroduce Government’s failed “zones of special operations” agenda through the back door.