Now San Fernando businesses close

Two hundred motorists participated in a motorcade through the streets of San Fernando yesterday, while major businesses along Cipero Street came to a complete three-hour shutdown, in protest against the spiralling crime wave that has hit the country over the past months. The move by the San Fernando business community followed Mon-day’s closure of businesses in the Penal/Debe area, which resorted to protest action against increasing crime. President of the SBA, Daphne Bartlett, told Newsday the association had initially planned to have shops open during the motorcade against crime, but businessmen decided to shut down operations and take up protest action instead.

Scores of placards were seen stuck on the burglar proofings of tightly locked stores, some of which read, “Don’t let TT fall into the abyss of crime and lawlessness; act now! Save TT.” Bartlett said she was overwhelmed with the response from the business community in the fight against crime and hopes that the message goes a long way to ensuring that the crime situation subsides and eventually vanishes. She said that her association intends to meet with the Chambers of Commerce nationwide and other business organisations to collaborate with each other and decide what the next course of action will be pertaining to the fight against crime.