The President of the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association Gregory Aboud yesterday condemanded the decision by the police to  carry out a “Baghdad” invasion of the Laventille area to deal with gang-related murders.

Aboud told Newsday that while the spate of gang killings is a cause for concern, he believes that the police can adopt a different approach to the problem. He said that there are lots of law abiding citizens living in and around Laventille and they could be affected by any police/army invasion. But residents of Laventille yesterday welcomed the planned move stating that they were fed up of not being able to leave their homes at night, leave their windows open or even sleep without fear. They added that the police had to maintain a continuous presence in Laventille to flush out the criminal elements. Residents said that the police come to the area, carry out raids and then leave. They described Fort Picton as a base for the criminals who use the fort to carry out illegal activtities.

They claimed that the Fort served as a lookout for the criminals who could see whenever a police vehicle is approaching. They are calling for a police post to be built at the Fort and that police officers patrol Laventille round the clock. Residents said that an empty building located next to the Desperadoes Panyard can also be used by the police to set up a base. Aboud said that Minister of National Security Howard Chin Lee should seek dialogue with all the parties which could assist in dealing with the escalating crime situation. However, ACP Crime Oswyn Allard said that the planned police/army action will take place and the police will ensure that the criminal elements are weeded out. He added that “enough is enough” and the police will return Laventille to a peaceful community. He again issued his call for the lawbreakers to surrender all their arms and ammunition, or face the consequences.

A base has already been identified along the East/West Corridor from where the police action will be launched. For the year 75 murders have been recorded, compared with 49 for the same period last year. More than 50 percent of the gang-related killings took place in the east Port-of-Spain/ Laventille area. Last year, 172 persons were murdered. Homicide sources said yesterday that they do not expect the killings to stop since most of the Laventille areas are filled with tracks which killers use to escape after a murder takes place. On Sunday night Kevin Alexander, 26, was shot dead near his Rudolph Charles Link Road home. Then around 6 pm on Monday gunmen opened fire on a family, shooting three including a one and half year old baby. An eyewitness claimed that around 6 pm, five gunmen went to the Picton Road, Laventille home of Garvin Alexander, 24, where they met Callender’s common law wife Arlene and Garvin’s cousin Shanice. The gunmen then began firing. Arlene was shot on the foot, while Shanice was shot in the right hand. They were rushed to hospital where they were warded in serious condition.

Police officers attached to the Besson Street Police Station told Newsday that all the shootings and killing are gang-related. They also claimed that almost daily and nightly they investigate several shootings, robberies, break-ins, sexual offences and other crimes. Residents of Laventille yesterday were critical of Prime Minister Patrick Manning and Members of Parliament for failing to deal with the crime situation in the area. Newsday learned that a government Minister is expected to meet with residents shortly to discuss the problems and to find out from them what could be done to alleviate the problem.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Oswyn Allard, has again sounded a warning to criminal elements in the Laventille area that their days are numbered. He made the point yesterday while speaking to the media in Point Fortin, after making presentations to the Egypt Government Primary School.

ACP Allard said that he and his troops are going to be “executing programmes” shortly in order to “bring back safety to our communities”. He however declined to say when these exercises would be undertaken. Later on in the day, at a luncheon hosted by Mayor Francis Bertrand at the Ocean View Restaurant, ASP Allard again made his point forcefully, while commending his troops for their services during the recently concluded crime-free Borough celebrations. Allard told his men they would be “called to action again soon”. Referring to yesterday’s Newsday article which quoted Allard as saying he and his officers would swarm Laventille “like Baghdad”, he adamantly admitted, “I can  confirm that statement.” He  declined to say when these exercises would take place but hinted that there would be  similar exercises in other areas. He however, claimed to have had “no idea” of any curfew being imposed in the Laventille area.

EDUCATION Minister Hazel Manning has ordered a probe into a gun-pulling incident at the Daniell Educational Institute on Pembroke Street, Port-of-Spain.

“The matter is under investigation, and I absolutely do not condone such acts, or incidents in and around a learning institution,” Mrs Manning said. The Education Minister was speaking to Newsday prior to the start of yesterday’s sitting of the Senate. Senator Manning told Newsday that her Ministry was actively pursuing conflict resolution training for teachers, principals and even MTS security guards detailed to patrol the nation’s schools. “We are talking about promoting peace in the classroom and now I am hearing about this incident. So obviously we are concerned about it and have launched an investigation, which is being carried out by the School Supervisor in charge of the area where that school is located,” Manning said. She said she did not support teachers or principals walking around with firearms especially on school compounds, but pointed out that Mr Daniell was not the principal of the school, but the proprietor.

The Education Minister said she expected a report on the incident to reach her desk by Friday. A report yesterday stated that owner of the school, Adolphus Daniell, reportedly brandished what appeared to be a firearm in an encounter with the parents of 14-year-old Mark Dass, a student of Daniell’s who had been suspended. According to Dass’ mother, Virginia Pitilal, her son was blamed for an incident which occurred at the school and was sent home by the school’s principal, with a letter asking his parents to meet with the principal. Pitilal said when she and her husband went to the school last Wednesday, they were told that no appointment had been scheduled. There was an exchange of words between Dass’ parents and the secretary which led to the owner of the school Adolphus Daniell becoming involved. The school was subsequently closed with Daniell making an official request to the Education Ministry for increased security for the school.

Mervyn Crichlow, PRO for the Education Ministry, told Newsday yesterday that the school is expected to be re-opened today and that classes would resume as normal. Crichlow also confirmed that Daniell met late last week with the Director of Schools Supervision, Janice Blackman, to discuss the incident. When Newsday visited the school yesterday, the receptionist said that Daniell was out. A subsequent telephone call got the response that Daniell was at a meeting.

Local Government Minister yesterday accused some local government corporations of distributing water to their friends and family. They were also selling water.

“This was why people have to go and block the roads because of the lack of water,” Narine told the Senate yesterday. He said according to a report prepared by officers of the Ministry of Local Government it was a “habit” of the people of the corporation to sell the water. “That is a fact,” he said, shortly after the Senate President warned him to be careful. Narine said that where there were no water lines, the local government bodies were responsible for providing water. But many were being derelict in their duties, he lamented. Narine said the UNC and their representatives used and continue to use official vehicles for private purposes. “We have people driving around in government vehicles. They going to the market, picking their children up and going to party group meetings. The only thing they not doing with the vehicles is running PH,” he said.

Narine also brought to the attention of the Senate the fact that the Mayor of Chaguanas “took Government and taxpayers money” and brought a gun “which is illegal to do”. He showed the cheque and invoice order which paid for the gun. Narine said he had instructed the Municipal Police — because it is the corporation’s property — to ensure that the Mayor did not go away with it. “He could wear it in his office,” he said, adding that the Mayor had been all over the country with it. The pistol was purchased two years ago. Narine said a quotation of $3,800 was given then  for a SW pistol. He said a SW.385 was brought and the price paid was $7,500. The Minister said two years after — the quotation which he has received as the current price of the gun is $7,000. He said the same kinds of price/quotation differentials applied to the gun holder and the rounds of ammunition.

Narine said Wade Mark who raised some fundamental points about Local Government obviously didn’t follow the career of “the Sheriff” (Dhanraj Singh). Noting that last Friday was the deadline for the corporations to submit their funding for the draft estimates of expenditure for the next budget, Narine said in 2001, the UNC in its Budget gave $6.5 million for development funding for the 14 corporations. And, he added, while corporations like  San Fernando got none and Tunapuna/Piarco got none, Debe/ Penal got $943,000. He said last year with a PNM Budget, local government was given $28.7 million for development. And the distribution was even and maybe in the favour of the UNC-controlled corporation. He said while PoS got $2.265 million; Arima $1.5 million; San Fernando $1.9 million, Chaguanas which is UNC-controlled was given $2.9 million.