LETTER: Enough with the Hypocrisy | Minister Turner Responds to MP Kelvin Shugy Simon

The Prime Minister has made it absolutely clear: no heinous crimes are being pardoned. Yet the opposition has seized the opportunity to twist facts, spread fear, and mislead the public for political gain.

Their chief spokesperson is a convicted pedophile. That alone should disqualify them from speaking about justice or public safety.

But it gets worse. One of their sitting Members of Parliament is a convicted killer. He took the life of a young woman. They forgave him. They endorsed him. They ran him as a candidate and proudly sent him to Parliament. So let us not pretend they are concerned about accountability. Their record proves they are not.

The HAPPI programme is not a free pass. It is built on structure, supervision, hard labour, discipline, and skills training. It gives offenders a real chance at redemption, not through handouts, but through meaningful work. These individuals are learning trades, giving back to society, and earning a future through effort.

To paint this as some reckless giveaway is both dishonest and irresponsible. But dishonesty is nothing new for those who are only interested in political survival. If they cared about protecting the public, they would not be fronted by a convicted child molester. If they cared about victims, they would not elevate a man who killed a young woman.

This is not about justice. It is about power. It is about denying others the opportunity to change so they can score cheap political points and stay relevant.

This government is offering a responsible, transparent, and disciplined path to reform. That is what true leadership looks like. The people of this country can see through the noise. They know who is building solutions and who is spreading fear. They know the difference between real progress and hollow rhetoric.

Minister of Social and Urban Transformation Rawdon Turner