Disabled citizens angry at ‘roughing up’

George Daniel, Chair-man of the Disabled People Internation-al/TT told Newsday yesterday that he was still in pain after he claimed that he had been thrown to the ground on Monday night outside the National Flour Mills Plant on Wrightson Road.

Daniel claimed that about 9.30 pm on Monday, a police vehicle  pulled up and a corporal stepped out and told the group of disabled people who have been protesting there that they were about bringing down the government, making business bad for National Flour Mills and that they and their tent would be removed. Daniel and other disabled persons have been camping outside the NFM for the past few weeks to highlight their inability to obtain employment. Daniel said he saw a silver Suzuki jeep out of which came personnel from a security service who were directed to move the protesters and their tent. 

Daniel said they held on to the tent in protest and he claimed that one of the security men lifted his chair and moved him. He added that he was still holding on to a pole when the person who was in charge of the security firm pulled his hand from the pole and he fell to the ground, injuring his hand and foot. Daniel said that two constables who were with the Corporal stood by and did nothing, while the others from the jeep lifted the tent and moved it away from the entrance of NFM. They then left. Daniel said an ambulance came and took Devon Garraway and himself  to the hospital where they were treated and discharged. Daniel returned to the site and met policeman Sgt Massiah and two other officers who took statements from him. The tent was returned to the site.

A police officer who was present denied that any bodily harm was done to Daniel. He said that their first priority was the safety of the disabled and that they simply went to relocate the tent from in front of the NFM entrance. The disabled, he said, were allowed to remain where they were. He said the order for the tent relocation came from NFM itself as there have been numerous near accidents where the tent is currently placed.

Yesterday, Inspector Beckles of the Central Police Station said that there was no record of Monday night's action and as such he was not in a position to comment on the matter. But Sheldon Cyrus, General Manager of Legal & Corporate Services at NFM confirmed that there had been near accidents at NFM's entrance and that he'd written to the police to bring to their attention, the obstruction being caused by the tent. He said he'd even personally spoken to Daniel and his people who did nothing about it. He added that his company had ordered the tent removed. A check with the Port of Spain General Hospital indicated that Daniel and Garraway had been treated at the institution at 11.05 pm on Monday night.