Violent Crimes - Trinidad

[Historian]

Trinidad orders additional police to fight violent crime

AP
Posted: 2008-06-12 21:21:20
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) - Trinidad and Tobago's security commanders have ordered additional police patrols to curb violent crime in trouble spots across this twin-island Caribbean country.

Security Minister Martin Joseph says roughly 580 police officers will join street patrols to win the battle against crime. Joseph spoke Thursday after meeting with top police commanders.

A dozen murders in the past week have pushed the number of homicides in Trinidad to 226 so far this year, about a hundred more for the same period in 2007. The crime wave is blamed largely on drug and extortion gangs.

Violent crime has been on the rise in oil- and gas-rich country despite more than a decade of economic growth.


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[Historian]

Violent Crimes - Bahamas

Christian Council speaks out on crime

By Stephen Gay, Guardian Staff Writer, stephen@nasguard.com


After a long period of silence, the Bahamas Christian Council is speaking out against the rising level of crime in the country. The Council is calling on the government to define how it intends to deal with the issue, and has requested a meeting with Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.

Newly-elected president of the Council, Patrick Paul made the appeal during a press conference yesterday, recommending that a review of the country's Bail Act is a good place to begin. According to Rev. Paul, the local Christian community is outraged over the continuous and unabated rise of murders, armed robberies and other criminal activities in the country, especially in the aftermath of Wednesday's brazen armed robbery of Scotiabank's, Soldier Road and East Street branch. That incident involved the shooting of a police officer and others, by felons who were out on bail charged with a series of serious crimes.

"The government must come to the public and give an outline of how they intend to reduce crime in the country and bring amendments to our Bail Act, to seek to keep known perpetrators of crime behind bars," Paul said. "We want (to encourage) the Judiciary to do what is necessary in keeping these persons behind bars who deserve to be behind bars, so that they cannot come out and commit the criminal acts that they are continuing to do."

Bank robber was on bail for murder

By KRYSTEL ROLLE, Guardian Staff Reporter, krystel@nasguard.com


One of the men who participated in the daring daytime robbery that left four people nursing gunshots wounds on Wednesday, was on bail for murder, Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest revealed yesterday morning -- highlighting the need for a more stringent bail act.

In fact, two of the three men involved in the midday heist have a criminal history, Turnquest said at a press briefing at police headquarters yesterday morning.

Suspected murderer, now suspected armed robber James Miller was on bail for the murder of Cecil Coakley, 28, who was gunned down on Christmas Day in 2006.

Yesterday, Mary Ferguson, Coakley's mother, said her son's suspected killer should have been remanded to Her Majesty's Prison.

"Even though I know our legal system doesn't work like it should work, he shouldn't have been on bail. It's terrible. It's hurts sometimes to see that our justice system isn't working how it should be working," she said. 'It isn't working. If he was in jail, he wouldn't have been able to shoot that officer, but he is out on bail."

The foiled robbery at Scotiabank, East Street and Soldier Road took place shortly after noon on Wednesday. The gunmen stormed the bank, shooting a female officer in the face and a bank customer in the foot in the process. Two of the suspects were later shot by police right before they were captured; however, no one was fatally wounded.

The female officer, identified as Corporal Black, was initially released on Wednesday after being treated but was re-admitted yesterday for observation, Turnquest revealed.

All three suspects are in police custody.

Meantime, Mary Ferguson said the entire situation might have been avoided if Smith was remanded to prison to await trial.

"When they do come out (of prison) they get worse and they do more damage. I don't know who the officer is who was shot, but it could have been her life. They need to do something with the bail system because it isn't working. They are freeing criminals to do more stuff to other people's family. It isn't right. I don't know why he was given bail, but it isn't right. You have a lot of hurting families in The Bahamas," she said.

Ferguson added that the situation brought back painful memories of her slain son.

When asked to comment on the fact that suspected murderers are able to get bail, Turnquest said, "We are concerned about that, but we are satisfied with the evidence in wrapping up this case and the stellar work of police. We believe that we have sufficient evidence and witnesses to deal with this."

Last year, the national security minister revealed that more that 100 suspected murderers were out on bail.

The suspects are expected to be charged by Monday, Assistant Commissioner of Crime Raymond Gibson reported.

Wednesday's heist is the second bank robbery in four weeks.

On June 9, business at the Golden Gates branch of the Commonwealth Bank came to a screeching halt when two unmasked gunmen were able to get away with an undetermined amount of cash. The men are still at large.

Minister Turnquest said he is also concerned with the seemingly increasing number of persons involved in brazen crimes.

"I am concerned that there are a small number of persons who are prepared to continue with criminal activity. We are a small country with under 400,000 people. Each of us know where criminal activity takes place in our country and where infractions in terms of law enforcement take place, and each of us have a responsibility to report to law enforcement officials to ensure that we restore law and order to our society. As long as persons continue to condone wrongdoing, as long as persons continue to purchase stolen goods, as long as persons continue to receive monies ill gotten, then we will continue to have this state of lawlessness," he said.

[Gamma]

this is being repeated in st vincent, st croix, BVI, antigua and perhaps more caribbean islands...increase in violent...or as HL would say "voilent" crimes.

[Peter R]

People too dyam lazy an cuvich... right now I can't get a skilled-labourer to give me an honest days work. Been renovating the homestead for the last year, July 23rd we started last year, and the job don done yet! And it's not like my house is big, just an average house.

If you want to work for a living you can find work in T&T, but man rada rob, rape and tief...

pr

[Hortical]

Jamaica would love to have 226 people murdered in a year.

[Peter R]

The problem Hortical is that T&T has gone from fewer than 100 per year ten years ago to what might be 500 per year (with a population of 1.2 million). And while there are poor people in TT, we can't use poverty as a reason... in spite of the govt's ineptitude, plenty opportunities exist in T&T, so why the increase? and so dramatic?

That is a worrisome increase. At leas JA seems to have "stabilised" at about 1500 or so a year for the last few years, if one can take any solace in such a statistic.

pr