Stabbings, stolen cars mar carnival celebrations

Despite claims by Police Commissioner Trevor Paul that only one shooting and two stabbings related to Carnival took place, official records from the Casualty Department at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital revealed that 37 persons were stabbed, slashed and wounded between Carnival Monday and Tuesday. Four stabbings took place in the Southern Division.

All the incidents took place while the victims were involved in Carnival activities. A breakdown of the figures revealed reports of four stabbings, slashings and woundings in the Arouca district, three at Besson Street, ten in Central, one in Woodbrook, three in St James, three in Morvant, two in San Juan and ten in St Clair. Four cars were reported stolen and more than 22 cars parked near the Queen’s Park Savannah were broken into and valuables, foodstuff, drinks, cash and ornaments stolen.

UNC Senator Roy Augustus’ car was stolen from King George V Park. Geisha Bridgewater, stepdaughter of Augustus, secured the vehicle at King George V Park on Tuesday morning, but when she returned around 7.30 pm, the car was missing. In the same area, a car belonging to Keith Ward was also stolen Tuesday. In Arouca, Natalie Celestine, 19, was shot in the mouth during Jouvert celebrations, while Alexander Straker was shot in the shoulder. Celestine is warded in critical condition at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex.

Roderick Morrain, 21, of Upper Belmont Valley Road, was at the Queen’s Park Savannah with friends when he had an altercation with some men. He was subsequently stabbed in the neck. Up to late yesterday, Morrain was in critical condition at the Intensive Care Unit of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. In another report, Darryl Jackman of  Scott Street, Tunapuna, a soldier attached to the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force, based at the Knox Street headquarters, was at the Savannah around 9.30 am on Monday, when he had an altercation with some men. He was  struck on the head with several bottles and was cut on the head.

He was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he was treated and warded. Around 5.15 am on Monday, Jamie Ramanan, 25, was walking along Alexandra Street in St Clair with her husband, when she was approached by a group of men who attempted to dance with her. She resisted and was beaten and robbed of a gold bracelet valued at $5,000. Rene McMillan of King Bird Avenue, Maloney, was robbed of a cellphone while walking on Tragarete Road in Port-of-Spain Tuesday night. Christine Campbell of Chaguanas was at Jouvert celebrations in Port-of-Spain around 2.30 am on Monday, when she was also robbed of her cellphone.

Tonia Mason of Maracas-St Joseph parked and secured her car around 3 pm at King George V Park. She returned later to find the car broken into and valuables stolen. On Tuesday, Police Commissioner Trevor Paul boasted, “So far, we have done well in curbing crime and maintaining law and order. “There was just one shooting and two instances of stabbings and I would not say that is mas’ violence.” He slammed the media, stating that crime reports were being sensationalised and misrepresented. Last year’s Carnival was described as incident-free by then Police Commissioner Everald Snaggs. Thirty-three persons were arrested for possession of weapons in Port-of-Spain. No murders, stabbings, woundings or slashings were reported in the city of Port-of-Spain.