Laventille MP intervenes in fracas

JUNIOR National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds risked personal safety yesterday morning when he physically intervened in a fracas between a man armed with a six-inch knife who had squared off with several youths brandishing shovels and a fork along Duke Street yesterday morning. Earlier, Hinds who was observing clean-up efforts carried out by a crew from the Solid Waste Management Company Limited (SWMCOL). Around 10 am, eyewitnesses reported, an argument broke out between the knife man who was standing near a NHA multi-storey building and a sanitation worker.

The quarrel intensified, as the eyewitness recounted, it seemed to stem from an old feud in which the sanitation worker had accused the knife man of owing him $35. As the oral exchange got even more intense, two youths jumped in the fray and started fighting. As the warring sides continued charging each other from all sides, Hinds — a former policeman —–  swung into action grabbing onto one of the combatants and in the process, almost being flung against the sidewalk by another enraged youth. Quickly regaining his composure, Hinds grabbed another youth and bodily blocked the advances of the knife man to prevent what would have certainly been bloodshed.

Several youths ran off into the direction of Nelson Street while a stern-faced Hinds barked orders for the SWMCOL clean-up crew which included SWMCOL executive chairman, Ray Brathwaite to vacate the area, since there was the possibility of gunplay breaking out. Hinds summoned Assistant Commissioner of Police Oswyn Allard who responded immediately and sent a convoy of heavily armed officers into the area where they met Hinds mediating between the groups. The officers allowed the peace process to continue as calm was restored. After hearing what the grouse was about, Hinds pulled out his wallet and gave $40 to the man who was armed with the knife — thereby settling the old debt. No arrests was made in the end.