Police as bad as robbers

THE EDITOR: I wish to take this opportunity to address this open letter to the Prime Minister, the Minister of National Security, the Police Commissioner and the Officer-in-Charge of the Belmont Police Station. On Saturday November 5 at approximately 12.30 pm, I had cause to visit a friend in the Quarry, Upper Gonzales and whilst talking with same with four adults plus three little children around, I was shot four times at close range in my head, chest, back and thigh. I was hospitalised for almost 20 days; lost three pints of blood, lost 30 pounds, and my lungs had collapsed. I had two tubes in my side drawing out blood as I was bleeding on the inside. A third tube was placed in my chest to help with my lungs. I passed out three bags of green stuff through a fourth tube that was inserted in my nostril. I’m still in pain and a bullet is still lodged in my body.

And yet Mr Prime Minister, two months have gone and I’m yet to be interviewed by the police to give a statement. I visited the Belmont Police Station on two occasions on my release from hospital inquiring about same and I was treated like the villain. “What you doing up they” “you alive ain’t you” “thank God for that”. I was told on two of those visits the incident is in the police diary — the police will get on to you. No wonder why so many murders and serious crimes are unsolved. The police are just not acting on reports of crimes committed against the ordinary citizens. When however it’s a well-to-do family, the minister, CoP, councillor and the police and regiment give same urgent attention. Can you imagine how many crimes and murders that same gun might have been involved in since 5/11/05? I’ve in my possession over 100 pages of calls made by the shooter and his accomplices which the police can make some headway with.

I distinctly remember a police officer in plain clothes informing me on 5/11/05 that two suspects were held for the attempted murder/robbery — yet they were released without I being given the opportunity to ID same. On what grounds were these two suspects released? The two young women who gave statements to the police told me on my hospital bed that they will not be pointing out anyone or attending any court as these people will kill them. The two robbers wore no masks, but only covered their faces when they were running up the hill — with my cellphone, wallet and a gold watch band.

The shooter went in my car and attempted to start it without success and immediately came out and left with my original keys in his hand. Nothing was taken from my vehicle by these two robbers. Yet when the police visited me at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital on 5/11/05 and inquired what I had of value in the car, I foolishly told them a portable DVD. There’s no DVD in the car was his reply. I then told him where it was stored, it was not visible. You have to know it’s there.

I then gave him my spare key to remove the car from Upper Gonzales. When I got same back the DVD was gone and so was a small gold link that was stored in the glove compartment and my documents were scattered all over the inside of my vehicle. This was not done by the two robbers because although I was shot four times and left for dead I was conscious throughout the whole incident. So Mr Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, all the eyes in the sky, blimps and attack helicopters don’t solve crime. Hard and honest working police do. Get serious with the hogs, slackers and corrupt officers and things should improve.

B DOUGLAS
Diego Martin