March... busiest month for kidnappings

Out of a possible 17 reported kidnappings for 2005, March was the busiest month with a total of nine abductions. January saw three while in February there were two. Three kidnappings have been reported for the month of April. The following is a list of kidnappings reported to date.

April 6: Retired Trinidad-born US soldier, Baliram “Balo: Maharaj, 62, snatched from Savannah Cafe near his relatives’ home in El Socorro. Was due to return to the US next Wednesday. No demands to date. Outstanding.
April 3: Central businessman Terrence Dick, 25, grabbed close to his Longdenville home. No demands. Outstanding
April 2: Chaguanas businessman Davan Bharrathsingh, 34, grabbed at the family’s McBean Village hardware in Couva.$3M demanded. Small ransom paid. Victim escapes.
March 30: Central businessman Brian Bachan grabbed at his Thompson Trace, Palmiste, Londenville home. $3M demanded for his release. $300,000 paid. Released in Carlsen Field.
March 28: Terrence Darbreau, 17, of Vega de Oropouche, Sangre Grande beaten behind church and Escaped. Three arrested, two male and one female.
March 18: Farmer’s son Vashan Singh, 17, kidnapped on El Socorro Main Road. $1M ransom demanded. Rescued on March 20 No ranson paid.
March 17: Central businessman Ravi Kallipersad Maharaj, 43, grabbed at his Plover Road home in Lange Park, Chaguanas. No ransom demanded. Still outstanding. Believed dead.
March 12: Nicholas Sebro,15, son of La Horquetta businessman kidnapped at corner of Ray Apollo Drive and Winston Mulligan Street, La Horquetta. $1M ransom demanded. Escaped custody at Heights of Aripo, Arima on March 15: No ransom paid.
March 9: Nadie Harripersad grabbed on her way to school near her Caroni Savannah Road,Chaguanas home. $2 ransom demanded. Released March 12.No ransom paid.
March 4: Tamen Abraham, 60, housewife of Strathavon Road, Glencoe snatched while jogging in Westmoorings. Released in Morvant on March 10. $200,000 ransom paid.
March 4: Central TT dry-goods store businessman, Robin Ramadhar,42 of Valsayn kidnapped while liming at Curry House Bar and Restaurant on Aranjuez Main Road. No ransom demanded. Released March 11.
March 1: Maraval veterinarian Azizul Rahaman, 60, of Flagstaff Hill, Long Circular, kidnapped by three men with a dog pretending to be customers. No ransom demanded. Released on March 4 at Lady Young Road, Morvant.
February 21: Imam Azizool Baksh, 35, hardware owner of Charuma Village, Biche, snatched at gunpoint in Coalmine, Sangre Grande while heading to Sangre Grande. $1M demanded for release. $450,000 paid. Released March 4 at Cumuto.
February 10: Chris Elves, 42, Spring Village Valsayn businessman. Grabbed while liming with his friends outside his home. $2M, drugs, and  guns ransom demanded. Still outstanding. Believed dead.
January 25: Ramkanth Perry, Central businessman, 43, snatched by three men at his business place. Chopped and beaten when he fought back. Dumped one hour later at Brasso village.
January 17: Whe Whe banker/Princes Town health inspector Rupert Ramjattan, 51, alias “Muslim” and “Frankie” snatched outside Grand Central Recreation Club, Southern Main Road, Curepe by two armed men. Released January 19 in Champs Fleurs.
January 11: Robert Maharaj, 35, southern businessman of Chase Village,Chaguanas snatched by three men. No ransom demanded. Released on January 15.

At press time three of the kidnap victims were still missing. Two of them are feared dead.

AKS resignation worries business community

By Clint Chan Tack

MEMBERS of the local business community yesterday expressed concern about the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS) chief Adam Joseph, but praised the Ministry of National Security for deploying resources to deal with the crime problem in Central Trinidad. TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce president Christian Mouttet, and San Juan Business Association (SBJA) president Gail Merhair said they were very disturbed about reports claiming that Joseph resigned because of insufficient resources being given to the AKS. While indicating that all the facts about Joseph’s resignation were not known, Mouttet said the Chamber was aware that Government is providing resources to the Police Service to boost their crime-fighting capacity.

Kidnapping being one of the more serious crimes affecting Trinidad and Tobago today, the AKS must receive all the necessary equipment and personnel which it requires to combat this scourge. Merhair said Joseph’s resignation appears to point towards a deeper problem in the Police Service, and it was worrying that such a senior officer could have resigned in the circumstances in which it was alleged that he did. TT Manufacturers Association (TTMA) president Anthony Aboud said it was incumbent that the police be provided with all the necessary resources they need to fight crime. Reiterating that the provision of resources must be balanced off by the development of proper management systems within the Police Service, Aboud disclosed that the business community has received feedback on the necessary amendments to the Police Reform Bills and would soon meet to discuss them.

He said once those discussions are complete, the business community would hold talks with the Government and the Opposition about passing the amended Bills in Parliament. Aboud, Mouttet and Merhair have all agreed that the Bills should be brought back to Parliament and passed with the necessary amendments. The TTMA president praised National Security Minister Martin Joseph and Junior National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds for taking steps to improve the security resources in Central Trinidad. On Tuesday, Hinds said different crimes require different police tactics and those tactics are being employed wherever necessary.

Mouttet agreed with this crime-fighting strategy, but said the population does not want to hear more excuses from law enforcement agencies about crime. He said the police must be judged on their performance in fighting crime and the population should voice its concerns if feels if the police are not doing their job effectively. Mouttet added that many persons within the society regard the police’s performance to date as “absymal.” Merhair reiterated that regardless of whatever shortcomings the authorities have with respect to fighting crime, Government must do its utmost to ensure that those shortcomings are addressed.