Two persons are being sought by the Trinidad and Tobago police service for their unsavory remarks on Social Media. Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith yesterday made it abundantly clear that the TTPS would not be tolerating online smear campaigns by any member of the public going into the politically charged voting season.

“I have a job to do and I am not here to make friends, but we feel like our democratic right is to say what we want and do what we want. That is not true. Within the last 24 hours I’ve received two reports, and the TTPS have now launched investigations, and we would be having these individuals come to the police stations and will be interviewing them.”

Police Commissioner, Gary Griffith.

The first social media post, Mr. Griffith said threatened to bury a political leader in a grave, while the other alleged that “certain officials” had paid off medical officers “big money” to inject citizens with the H1N1 virus (swine flu).

The Commissioner further warned others members of the public and social media users to be mindful of their reactionary comments to posts of such slanderous nature.

“This madness stops now, and persons would again, they will go after the Gary Griffith Road March, (some people) feels like you have a divine right to say what you want and do what you want because that is your democratic right. This is not a Banana Republic. No one has the right to say and do what they want if it affects the rights and safety of citizens. Definitely not on my watch.”

Gary Griffith

Section 49 of the Summary Offences Act on Violent Language and breach of the peace can be used against any person making use of any insulting and annoying or violent language with intent to or which might tend to provoke any other person to commit a breach of the peace, and any person who uses any obscene, indecent or profane language and to the annoyance of any resident or person in the street.