‘Police jes’ cyar come here’

The Laventille Elders, a group of community leaders yesterday stated that they were in charge of Laventille and the police could not carry out the planned “Baghdad invasion” to deal with crime without consulting them.

Thomas William, alias “Thunderbolt Williams”, a former heavyweight wrestler and leader of the Elders told Newsday that  such an operation was not necessary and it would cause undue hardships on law abiding citizens. But Minister of National Security, Howard Chin Lee said yesterday that every effort will be made to protect law abiding citizens and called for the full co-operation of Laventille residents in the police/army efforts to halt the wave of crime that overwhelms the area. But William argued that the police are aware of who the gang leaders and their members are. He said there were no more than 20 or 30 such people, and pointed out that a different approach to the situation could be put in place. He said these people all lived in Laventille and could be “flushed out” by police at any time.

According to William, the police and army need to maintain a presence in the area round the clock, to send a message to the criminals. He accused officers of the St Barb’s Police Post of turning a blind eye to the crime in Laventille, and said that the killings and shootings are linked to the handling of the distribution of URP jobs, the distribution of houses by the National Housing Authority, and the fight for control over drug blocks. “The URP is not running right, people are not getting work, and the programme is in the wrong hands. “This talk about curfew in Laventille is stupidness. “The police and everybody know who the criminals are and they know who to pick up,” said William. He said that police officers need to carry out foot patrols and maintain a presence. “Invading Laventille is wrong, curfew is wrong, and the elders will oppose it. He said that there are thousands of people in Laventille who are law abiding citizens and they should not be made to suffer because of a few “bad boys”. “The bad boys will cool it if the police are here around the clock,” insisted William. He also accused some “so called” elders of encouraging the rampant crime situation in Laventille, but added that he was head of a group of respected elders whose concern is for the welfare of Laventille.

Laventille East/Morvant MP Fitzgerald Hinds who has had several meetings with the elders to discuss the crime situation and gang related killings and shootings said yesterday, “For my part, I am not an expert on crime fighting and I am prepared to be guided by the experts on this issue. “If the ACP Crime Oswyn Allard has come to the conclusion that a certain type of police/army intervention is necessary then I am obliged to support that. “The government recognises that there are a few persons who discharge firearms to murder and maim people, and it requires the attention of the government who knows that social intervention is necessary, and a number of programmes have been put in place. “Every school, church, mandir, mosque, and every citizens can assist in the attack against crime. “I support the police action,” said Hinds. He admitted that the streets of Laventille, Gonzales and surrounding areas are like virtual ghostowns after 6.30 pm, and it is time that the communities are returned to the law abiding citizens. “If the Cabinet imposes a selective or limited state of emergency to deal with the problem then I support it,” said Hinds.

Newsday learned that community leaders of Laventille will meet on Saturday to discuss the proposed police action and despite the opposition by the Laventille Elders, community leaders in Laventille and the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association to the anti-crime initiative, the police are going ahead with plans to flush out the criminal elements in Laventille. Newsday also learned that newly purchased jeeps will be used by officers involved in the massive clean up exercise. Father Michael Cockburn who is the parish priest for Laventille was unavailable for comment on the issue. Newsday was informed that a base along the East/West Corridor has already been identified for the operation which will be launched any day now. It will involve a massive contingent of police and army officers. Government has been asked to consider imposing a limited state of emergency in Laventille during the start of the exercise.