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DEADLIEST JOB IN T&T
15 taxi-drivers killed to date...
-Denyse Renne
Sunday, October 19th 2008
FLASHBACK SEPTEMBER 8: Dexter Cooper, centre,is consoled by relatives during the funeral service for his wife, Margaret Constantine, at Belgrove Funeral Chapel, Coffee Street, San Fernando. She was a 53-year-old taxi-driver who after being reported missing was found dead, bound and gagged in the forest. -Photo: TREVOR WATSON
As providers of an essential service to the public, T&T taxi-drivers are now finding themselves an endangered group. With 15 taxi-drivers murdered for the year so far, it would seem that this job is one of the most dangerous in T&T.
So much so that legitimate taxi drivers (drivers of H-registration number plates), realising they are clear targets of bandits and robbers, are taking measures to safeguard themselves from danger, and death.
Several tax-drivers told the Sunday Express that they have stopped taking private jobs to transport people and they try to ensure that their night-time passengers are not bandits.
4 more killings keep cops busy
Denyse Renne drenne@trinidadexpress.com
Sunday, October 19th 2008
Gang, drug-related killings and reprisal killings continue to push the murder figure upwards as the year rolls on to an end. The murder toll now stands at 436 murders for the year thus far.
Three murders which occurred late Friday night and into the wee hours of yesterday morning kept homicide detectives busy as they hunted for suspects into the shooting deaths.
One of the killings took place in South Trinidad, while the other two occurred within the Eastern Division.
An unidentified bullet-riddled body was also found in the Barataria area.
'Finding killers vital for Tobago tourism'
Sunday, October 19th 2008
President of the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association Carol Ann Birchwood James said the suspect, or suspects, involved in the double murder of Swede nationals Anna Sundsval and Ake Olsson must be caught soon.
"Once someone is held by police officials then we can move on to the next stage of restoring a level of confidence to the tourism sector," James said.
Noting the updated travel advisory on Tobago by the British government, she said this will have an impact in terms of the number of tourists visiting the island.
"While there would be a fallout in the arrivals of tourist to our shores, it will be a lot worse if no one is held, charged and brought before the courts in the shortest possible time. As well, the sketch of the suspect, which is now in circulation, should have been issued sooner," she said.
One senior police officer said that while many persons were being questioned at this time with respect to the murders of the Swedish couple, no main suspect was in police custody. Investigations were continuing, he said.
Sundsval and Olsson were murdered at their Anthony Charles Crescent Villa located at the Bon Accord Development on October 9. Sundsval was found on a bed in the upstairs of the house, chopped to death, lying crouched against a wall, while Alsson was found severely chopped about the body, lying on his back, in the downstairs part of the house. He was rushed to the Scarborough Regional Hospital where he later died.
15 taxi-drivers killed to date...
-Denyse Renne
Sunday, October 19th 2008
FLASHBACK SEPTEMBER 8: Dexter Cooper, centre,is consoled by relatives during the funeral service for his wife, Margaret Constantine, at Belgrove Funeral Chapel, Coffee Street, San Fernando. She was a 53-year-old taxi-driver who after being reported missing was found dead, bound and gagged in the forest. -Photo: TREVOR WATSONAs providers of an essential service to the public, T&T taxi-drivers are now finding themselves an endangered group. With 15 taxi-drivers murdered for the year so far, it would seem that this job is one of the most dangerous in T&T.
So much so that legitimate taxi drivers (drivers of H-registration number plates), realising they are clear targets of bandits and robbers, are taking measures to safeguard themselves from danger, and death.
Several tax-drivers told the Sunday Express that they have stopped taking private jobs to transport people and they try to ensure that their night-time passengers are not bandits.
4 more killings keep cops busy
Denyse Renne drenne@trinidadexpress.com
Sunday, October 19th 2008
Gang, drug-related killings and reprisal killings continue to push the murder figure upwards as the year rolls on to an end. The murder toll now stands at 436 murders for the year thus far.Three murders which occurred late Friday night and into the wee hours of yesterday morning kept homicide detectives busy as they hunted for suspects into the shooting deaths.
One of the killings took place in South Trinidad, while the other two occurred within the Eastern Division.
An unidentified bullet-riddled body was also found in the Barataria area.
'Finding killers vital for Tobago tourism'
Sunday, October 19th 2008
President of the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association Carol Ann Birchwood James said the suspect, or suspects, involved in the double murder of Swede nationals Anna Sundsval and Ake Olsson must be caught soon.
"Once someone is held by police officials then we can move on to the next stage of restoring a level of confidence to the tourism sector," James said.
Noting the updated travel advisory on Tobago by the British government, she said this will have an impact in terms of the number of tourists visiting the island.
"While there would be a fallout in the arrivals of tourist to our shores, it will be a lot worse if no one is held, charged and brought before the courts in the shortest possible time. As well, the sketch of the suspect, which is now in circulation, should have been issued sooner," she said.
One senior police officer said that while many persons were being questioned at this time with respect to the murders of the Swedish couple, no main suspect was in police custody. Investigations were continuing, he said.
Sundsval and Olsson were murdered at their Anthony Charles Crescent Villa located at the Bon Accord Development on October 9. Sundsval was found on a bed in the upstairs of the house, chopped to death, lying crouched against a wall, while Alsson was found severely chopped about the body, lying on his back, in the downstairs part of the house. He was rushed to the Scarborough Regional Hospital where he later died.
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