Alcohol sold to schoolchildren under 18

Four persons were stabbed during the sixth annual Coca-Cola Youth Fest, held at the Queen’s Park Savannah on Saturday night. The police were aware of the stabbings only late Sunday, when relatives of the victims made reports at the St Clair Police Station. The four victims were being treated yesterday at Ward 21 of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Reports revealed that the first stabbing took place at 11.40 pm.

Kwasi Otinay, 20, of Upper Belle Eau Road in Belmont was confronted by a group of men who stabbed him on the left hand and left shoulder. He was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he was treated and warded. The second stabbing took place at 11.45 pm when Sheldon Augustine, 16, of Piarco Branch Road, Piarco, was accosted by a group of 12 men. He was stabbed in the left hand, face, neck and ears. At 11.57 pm, Bevan Alexander, 20, of Millette Street Port-of-Spain was stabbed once in the chest. He was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital and remained warded in critical condition. The last stabbing took place at 12.05 am, when Roland Griffith, 18, was pounced on by a group of 17 teenagers.

He was stabbed in the back and shoulder. Sources told Newsday that four bars at the Youth Fest sold alcohol to persons under 18 years of age. There were 85 police officers on duty. Officers told Newsday that they had instructed the bar employees to desist from selling alcohol to children under 18, but the sales continued. The officers said they were only carrying out extra duties at Youth Fest. Youth Fest Promoter Randy Glasgow told Newsday that police officers were placed close to the bars to ensure that alcoholic beverages were not sold to persons under 18.

He said what he discovered was that persons over 18 years purchased the alcoholic beverages, and then gave it to persons under 18. He added that when this was discovered, a decision was taken to restrict sales to one alcoholic drink to one person. Glasgow pointed out that the sales personnel at the bars who sold the alcoholic beverages at Youth Fest were given strict orders to desist from selling alcohol to persons under 18. He said that based on the four stabbings and the illegal distribution of the alcoholic beverages, a new system will be put in place next year. Glasgow pointed out that more than 40 security guards were hired to do searches to ensure that patrons had no weapons. He said that some persons managed to sneak in knives.