Crime situation causing emigration

The recent announcement by the Minister of National Security, Howard Chin Lee, of Government’s crime plan seems to have done very little to alleviate the fears of the local business community. Recent reports indicate that many businessmen have considered leaving TT for fear that they will become the next victim of the crime spree that is plaguing the country. Some have even sent their families away and are presently in the process of converting their funds in the hopes of migrating soon. In an interview with Newsday yesterday, Presi-dent of the TT Manufac-turers’ Association (TTMA), Anthony Hosang, reveal-ed personal knowledge of two businessmen who had already fled the country to escape the escalating crime situation. While he refused to comment on whether or not Government’s crime plan would help to alleviate the fears of the business community, Hosang did assert that the crime situation needed to be addressed to dissuade any one else from leaving TT.

In a previous interview with Newsday, Hosang stressed the importance of the immediate implementation of any anti-crime initiatives by Government since the removal and correction of crime was its responsibility. He also revealed that the business community was prepared to “stand up to the plate” if Government required additional funding for its anti-crime efforts. “We are not crime fighters,” he said. “There are pros to do that and they have to do their job. The only thing the business community and any citizen of this country should be satisfied with is results.” Hosang went on to disclose that although he could not pinpoint any major impact on foreign investment in TT, he had received reports that a number of investors involved in the non-oil sector had taken notice of the crime situation.

President of the Greater Chaguanas Chamber of Commerce, Rudy Maharaj, reiterated Hosang’s sentiment, going further to note that the situation presently facing the Central district was “very frightening and traumatic. The people have initiated their own curfew and are now afraid to be accessible to the public,” he said, adding, “They are not prepared to expand their businesses and many are even consolidating their businesses with the intention of migrating.” A recent release by the Chamber called for the implementation of a national curfew to ensure the safety of the public. It also called for the installation of tracking equipment in police stations which would be monitored around the clock. Maharaj revealed that he had met with businessmen in the area whose concern was evidenced by the hiring of private security officers to ac-company them on their daily business. “This is the first time we are experiencing this kind of problem,” he said, expressing his belief that Chaguanas was, to an extent, being targetted.