Five thousand Special Reserve Police officers (SRPs) may soon have access to the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine campus, during the two-month hiatus between academic years.

National Security Minister Jack Warner yesterday revealed that plan as part of his initiative to improve police access to training.

Warner would not say much on the move as he spoke with reporters during the tour of the Police Caravan tents on the Brian Lara Promenade in Port of Spain yesterday.

"Ask them (Police Administration). I have told them to put 5,000 SRPs under training at UWI in the quickest time, and they have three months to do it, and I left that there," Warner said.

He said he did not want to say any more since he did not want any "smart lawyer" saying he was using his ministerial position to "direct the Police".

"For the time being, I have given them instructions, and I withdraw myself," he said.

But while Warner remained mum on any further plans, his current initiatives have already earned him high praise from Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA) president Gregory Aboud.

Both men met twice yesterday, first when Warner visited businessman Ayoub Kabli at his Henry Street businessplace yesterday morning and again as Warner attended the Police Caravan later in the afternoon.

Kabli allegedly shot and killed a would-be bandit during a robbery attempt on Thursday morning at a car park on Henry Street.

"The country has been waiting for a long time to have some sort of stand taken against those who think that they could do whatever they want, wherever they want and to whomever they want. Regardless of whatever controversy arises in this particular case regarding Minister Warner, we want to say the country is in desperate need of some sort of intervention," Aboud said.

"The people of Trinidad and Tobago have been waiting to be saved, and we pray and hope that the time has arrived that we will once again be safe," he said.

Aboud said in all his years at DOMA, this was the first time any government minister has responded the way Warner did.

"While we know that appearing on the scene is not enough to solve any problems, we must say that it is a step in the right direction," Aboud said.

"The man seems genuinely interested in his ministerial post, and he seems to relish the opportunity that is entrusted to him with great fervour," he said.

"We know that these are early days yet, but we are willing to go the distance in the hope that help has finally arrived," he said.