Bomb blast prompts Girl Guides march

So said Feroz Khan, president of the Couva/Pt Lisas Chamber of Commerce who joined with the Greater Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce in appealing to Government "to really do something positive about solving the crime situation in the country which has definitely (gotten) out of control."

Khan said that the kidnapping of Chaguanas businessman Nigel Dindial on Friday and the explosion at St James on Friday night "are two incidents that are adding up to place our country among the worst in the world in respect to crime when one considers the population."

He is appealing to Government "to do anything, declare a limited State of Emergency, if necessary, but stop the old talk about having things under control, and develop some strategy to rid the country of thugs from the underworld."

"With every turn we have to be looking over our shoulders and behind every corner for kidnappers and this has become a most thriving industry and further than that we cannot even walk near a dustbin anymore for fear of explosive devices," he added.

Schools and uniformed groups in the area are also carrying out campaigns to "stop the crime in the country," as the 1st Couva Girl Guides did yesterday morning, marching from California to Couva.

Yvette Rollock-James, Couva Girl Guide Commissioner, said, "We could not help but take the decision to let the country know how we feel about the escalating crime situation, and the two incidents on Friday — the explosion at St James and the kidnapping of Nigel Dindial — are straws that are calculated to break the camel’s back."

"Crime must be controlled now," she added.