Saturday, April 5, 2008

Commentary: Looting, assualt and robbery a routine affair in TT

When a government minister calls the looting of foodstuff and the brutal attack on a citizen a “normal and habitual” thing it is time to be very worried about the state of affairs in Trinidad and Tobago.

The comment came from Consumer Affairs Minister Peter Taylor Friday about an incident on the Beetham Highway Thursday, a day after he accused supermarkets of gouging consumers and advised people to boycott the groceries and buy directly from suppliers.

Read the story: TT minister blames grocers for high food prices, calls for supermarket boycott

Minister Taylor was talking about an attack by bandits on two vehicles transporting flour, milk and juice to supermarkets. These are high-priced commodities that are in short supply.

The driver of one of the delivery vehicles was savagely beaten before looters relieved the truck of most of its cargo. While police were trying to deal with that case bandits were looting another vehicle.

All this was happening in broad daylight in full view of people driving along the Beetham stretch just outside Port of Spain.

Taylor told the Trinidad Express he "would not read anything" into the incident, calling it “an isolated incident," and then added this gem: "I am sure that you have experienced, on many occasions, that in times of heavy traffic, persons would routinely get looted on that Beetham Stretch."

"Yes, of course it has happened before...Persons have had their jewelry snatched…So I would not attribute that to any trend."

In other words, business as usual. Taylor advised the nation not to panic.

Not to panic?

These community members come out of their urban ghettos, attack people routinely, steal their personal belongings, brutally attack citizens and go about their merry way. And you tell people there’s no reason to panic?

It is no wonder that the nation is under siege by criminals and gangs roam freely knowing that their activities would be considered “routine and habitual.”

Peter Taylor’s casual dismissal of a serious criminal matter is consistent with the way the authorities treat crime.

His ministerial colleague responsible for national security has repeatedly said outside of gang activity, there is no real crime problem.

And their boss, Prime Minister Patrick Manning, while admitting that crime is an “unacceptable” level, is content to see it as being influenced by drugs.

Manning is content to breed criminal activity through his pandering to "community leaders" and appeasing of criminals by offering them jobs and government contracts.

When a Cabinet minister calmly dismisses the looting of vehicles and the assault of honest, hardworking people there is indeed every reason for law-abiding citizens to be very concerned.

Sorry Mr. Minister, there is reason to panic, especially because of your disturbing acknowledgement that criminal behaviour is part of the normal lifestyle in Trinidad and Tobago and that we should just accept it and not "read anything" into it.

Jai Parasram | Toronto

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Jai & Sero

Jai & Sero

Our family at home in Toronto 2008

Our family at home in Toronto 2008
Amit, Heather, Fuzz, Aj, Jiv, Shiva, Rampa, Sero, Jai