‘Haiti tactics’

MOMENTS after seven construction workers at Atlantic LNG’s Train IV site were freed by a Pt Fortin magistrate on charges of obstructing the free passageway, leader of the protesting workers Ernest Thompson threatened “Haitian-like” tactics if Prime Minister Patrick Manning continued to allow police to “harass and intimidate” the protesting workers. Thompson fired off the warning at a press conference held after ALNG workers Angus Prince, Leonard Renee, David Williams, Kerwin Williams, Milton Quami, Ronald Caton and Rucil Sylvester were freed by Pt Fortin Magistrate Herbert Charles, after they pleaded guilty.  The seven were represented by attorney Garnet Mungalsingh.

In issuing his warning to Government, Thompson claimed police brutalised the seven men. “The men were going home to bathe, change and return to the camp when they were brutally beaten by police officers. The police beat them like if they (the ALNG workers) weren’t Trinidadians,” Thompson charged. “The action taken by the police was one of sheer brutality and one that should not have taken place,” Thompson said, as he made a call for Police Commissioner Everald Snaggs and ACP Oswyn Allard to investigate the beatings. “I am calling on Snaggs and Allard to address the situation and inform the police officers of Trinidad and Tobago of how to conduct themselves against the citizens of the country,” he added. Thompson then said Prime Minister Patrick Manning was allowing the situation to become like Haiti and in order to avoid this, Manning must prevent police officers from approaching the protesting workers’ campsite to “harass and intimidate” them.

“If this doesn’t take place and police are not warned about their intimidatory tactics, then we the workers would be forced to engage in Haitian-like activities,” Thompson threatened, as he made direct references to violent protests and rioting which descended on that beleaguered Caribbean nation. The seven workers were arrested around 2.30 am yesterday at Cap-De-Ville Main Road, near Hollywood Junction, by  Pt Fortin police who were on patrol and observed the seven placing vehicle body parts and other debris on the main road.