THE design of urban
areas can play a role in
criminal activity, Minister
of Planning Dr
Bhoe Tewarie has said.
Tewarie, who was
the feature speaker
at the opening of the
three-day third Caribbean
Urban Forum on
Wednesday, said the
design of urban areas
was one of the issues
coming out of the draft
national spatial development
strategy.
The conference was
held at the Hilton Trinidad,
St Ann’s.
“Crime and anti-social
behaviour is more
concentrated in urban
areas. Poor planning,
design and management
do play a role in
the shaping of urban
environment that put
citizens and property
at risks,” Tewarie told
the representative from
19 countries, including
13 Caribbean countries
and delegates of the European
Union.
“The physical fabric
and layout of cities
have a bearing on the
activities of offenders
and victims and the opportunities
for crime,”
he said.
He told the gathering
that while it may
be one thing to develop
strategies for crime it
can be mitigated by the
way one plans an environment.
“Because things
have been helter skelter
in terms of development
we have created
our own comess because
we have allowed them to
emerge as they evolve,”
he added.
Tewarie said that as
early as next month he
would be bringing the
Urban and Regional
Planning Profession
Bill 2013 to be debated
in Parliament to regulate
new developments.
Speaking with members
of the media following
the conference
Tewarie, in response
to questions posed to
him, said that the areas
in East Port of Spain
are “by and large unplanned
areas”.
He added they are
unplanned development
that began right
after Emancipation,
which has evolved with
tremendous urbanisation
taking place there
and, with that, crime