Diego — TT’s new crime hot spot

Residents, business owners, and taxi drivers within that crime-ravaged community told Sunday Newsday they are living in fear.

Investigations by Sunday Newsday revealed that there are ten drug blocks in the area. They are located at Four Roads (Saganga Road), Congo Village (Gocool Street), Factory Road, Lower and Upper Mercer Road, opposite Sierra Leone Road, Upper and Lower Belleview, Mercer Street (Bronx) near a gas station that has closed down, Covigne Road, and Bagatelle. This was confirmed by West End Division police.

The first murder took place on January 9, when Matthew "Pharaoh" Polo, 34, was fatally chopped in front of his wife and children at Factory Road. The murders of Attima Fredericks alias "Bow" and Bruno Arrindell also took place at Upper Factory Road. On May 12 Fredericks was walking along Upper Factory Road, when he was shot by a masked man. Arrindell, 33, a URP worker, was found dead in an eight-foot drain.

Two murders took place at St. Lucien Road in Diego Martin. Brent Bayne, a reputed gang leader, was killed on May 30 as he drove his Honda motor car along Superville Quarry Road off St. Lucien Road with friends. Antonio Michael Miquel, 32, was shot and killed at Temple Street

Kelmiss "Daddy O" McCarthy, Mark Marcano, and David Noel Thomas were shot in the vicinity of the Diego Martin Main Road. Michael Burnette, 33, was walking along Richplain Road when he was shot dead.

On May 30, at Blue Basin, Diego Martin, Kevin Cassie, 22, and Elena Cupid, 15, who were parked in a deserted area, were shot dead and their car set on fire. That same night Vandana Ali, of Diamond Vale, was also shot in the head, thrown over a cliff, and her car burnt. She is still hospitalised.

Arnold "Wolfy" Hamilton was gunned down on Covigne Road in broad daylight. He had just left the URP pay yard. The $4000 in his pocket and a $5000 gold chain around his neck were left intact.

In addition to the murders, other violent crimes are taking place in the community. In one recent incident, the La Puerta Avenue home of comedienne Rachel Price was shot at by gunmen. No one was hurt but the popular entertainer later admitted she was traumatised.

While there is an increased police presence throughout the district, some residents are claiming that the officers are adding to the violence rather than solving crimes. Some young men in Bagatelle claimed they had been brutalised by police officers

"One officer said that for crime to finish, he will kill us!" one youth said.

On May 19, officers from West End Police Station were attacked by villagers at Bagatelle, who accused them of brutality. A woman was arrested and charged with resisting arrest, using obscene language and assaulting an officer.

Senior Superintendent Roach told Sunday Newsday he never had received any complaints about police brutality: "I can’t say that is justified."

He said police patrols had been stepped up because the murders are happening at all hours, day and night. In addition, the police are trying to infiltrate criminal gangs operating throughout the community.

Some residents say they are working to improve the image of the community. Members of the Natural Artifacts Youth Organisation, from Mercer Road, are creating a mural in memory of murder victim Leandro Blackman.

Eric Mercer, who has been a resident of Covigne Road for the past 48 years, pointed out bloodstains left on the ground at the scene of the murder of Arnold ‘Wolfy Hamilton and observed: "If you are a bad boy things will happen to you. You have to be a good person."