Resident calls for police patrols

Nicholas St Rose, owner of the St Rose Funeral Agency on Balthazar Street in Tunapuna, is calling on St Joseph police to investigate the chopping of his 12-year-old nephew Kerwin st rose on his right hand and shin by a 12-year-old girl at Brunton Trace, St Augustine. “This is just part of the rot that has sunk into Brunton Trace caused by drugs,” St Rose said. He further said the behaviour of the girl and others was due to a drug pusher who recently moved into the area close to “The Steps” where he has begun corrupting the minds of the youths in the once crime-free Brunton Trace. According to reports, the girl has a record of beating and taking advantage of the youths in the area.

Residents confirmed that prior to the stabbing of Kerwin St Rose, the girl had beaten another nine-year-old with a shovel and had threatened to kill yet another nine-year-old. They also told Newsday that they are in fear of her as she seems to care about no one and often carries out her threats. When Newsday visited the Paediatric Ward at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex where Kerwin, the St Joseph Government Primary student was a patient, he related his dilemma. “My friend and I  were sitting on the steps when some other boys claimed I was beaten by the girl. In defence, I said ‘no she can’t beat me.’” “The girl, who was standing nearby, heard my denial, walked up and slapped me. I slapped her back and we began to tussle.

Eventually we pulled apart and she began to curse me. I then went home and she also left. Some minutes later I went to the shop where she accosted me, cursing and threatening me. She then planassed me about the body with a cutlass before chopping me on my hands and shin and ran off.” The bleeding boy’s hand and shin were bandaged and he was taken to the EWMSC where, after waiting several hours, he received 15 stitches. The angry funeral home owner continued: “This girl does this all the time, beats and curses people, goes off for few days and returns as if nothing happened. And no one does anything. What we need is for the police to do more patrols in the area and deal with this girl and the drug-pusher who is destroying the area.

“I don’t care. I want these people out of my village. Drugs are destroying us. All I want to do is bring back peace to my area.” Several residents supported St Rose’s view and called for police patrols in addition to some programmes to harness the energies of the youths. “Member of Parliament for the area Eddie Hart has provided work for the young men in the area but they don’t want it. All they want to do is sit down and take drugs since this pusher came to the area. What we need is a Big-Brother programme, or a police youth club or some programme that will have the youths occupied,” St Rose said. “The police are not responding to our complaints and we want action.” St Joseph police confirmed the report but could not say anything about an investigation. However, a senior source promised to immediately launch an investigation into the allegations.