Dear Editor:
The increase in violent criminal activities in our communities is directly related to the reluctance/failure/refusal within communities to 'face down' the criminals. There seems to be the growing belief that only the rich are targets of criminals. Residents need to rethink that position, because the 'non-rich' have been victims of rape, injury and even killings – for no sane reason – at the hands of criminals.
Sadly, however, most communities feel that the police will be everywhere and are sufficient and capable of protecting them. We could not be more stupid. And when the police respond late to a crime report, as they mostly do, the wrath of the community bears down on them; some justified, some not.
In communities where there are policing groups, victims of robberies, etc. have asked: Where was the policing group? I have a few questions for those people:
* Do you pay the members of the policing group?
* Are you a member of your community's policing group, if not, why?
* Are you conscious that those active members of CPG's who patrol or keep watch in your community, do so on a voluntary basis and place themselves at risk while you sleep? * Shouldn't you be assisting to ensure that your family and your community are safe from criminals, from both within and without?
I am very confident that 99% of a community depend on 1% of that community to do the 'dog work' while they do nothing but criticise. I attribute that to stupidity or cowardice, or both. Most rural communities have at most about 15 miscreants. How can a community of 5,000 allow 15 persons to terrorise a whole community? That community has to be sick.
Identify the criminal elements in your midst to the police (at least to those ranks you can trust); become part of a broad-based, united group and let the criminals know that they are under surveillance and that the community will challenge their bullyism.
But why is this not happening, notwithstanding that the Ministry of Home Affairs have made available resources: vehicles, weapons, etc. and related agencies have assured support for CPGs? And it is here that I want to concede that there exist reasons for the apprehensiveness in the larger community to be more active:
* While the Minister of Home Affairs provides considerable resource support to CPGs, some of these resources are being misused;
* There is lukewarm support for CPGs by certain members of the Guyana Police Force. Many Station SOs treat RCs with disdain and some RCs have even been charged without recourse to the requirements of the Guyana Police Force orders. RCs are therefore afraid to confront situations on the ground. Very often the police believe the arrested person instead of those making the arrest.
* Fund-raising in communities notwithstanding, the cost of maintenance of and fuel for CPG vehicles should be subsidized. Currently these are being borne by those who are active in CPGs and who are already contributing enough. This is a terrible disincentive.
* Leadership of some CPGs is lacking. Many CPGs are inactive and greater effort must be made centrally to resuscitate dormant groups and to ensure that active groups are receiving needed support.
* Criminals receive clandestine support and protection from some members of communities. In fact some residents live off the 'blood booty' of their criminal relatives/friends.
I have journeyed through the foregoing because I consider it necessary to put the caption in some perspective. However, I still fee very strongly that every resident or household in a community needs to accept that they are as safe as they help to make themselves safe. As individuals we will be targeted one by one. As a collective we can target all of the criminal elements in our community.
I truly hope we have the fortitude to do so.
T. Jadunauth via email
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Dear Editor:
It is very amusing to learn about the furore from so many quarters (including political) about the few developments taking place in central Trinidad. It seems to me that there are certain local individuals who think only Port-of-Spain and environs when they think of Trinidad let alone Trinidad and Tobago.
Recent remarks like "you can find the money to splurge in Central" and "there is no need to build another airport in Central because the present one is only eight miles away and is underused". Perhaps Dr Rowley, Opposition leader in the House, the owner of the second comment needs to retake Form One Geography lessons because his concept of distance is way off. All of these comments and more have surfaced since the Government announced that they are looking into the feasibility of building an airport in the present site of the Camden heliport.
Let's look at the facts. In Port-of-Spain we find two very large sporting venues: the Hasely Crawford Stadium and the Jean Pierre Sporting Complex. Both these sporting venues are underused. So, we should have said a long time ago, "Don't build another monstrosity in Tarouba?" I didn't hear Dr Rowley then. We also find in the North recently built NAPA (hardly used too), Queen's Hall, the museum, the zoo, all Government Ministry headquarters, main hospital and now that space has run out the Waterfront Complex comprised of a number of high-rise buildings. In north Trinidad, all of Trinidad?
It is rather unfair to say the least that "money is being splurged in Central" just because a few roads are being paved (some not touched for over 20 years), water systems are being upgraded and the thought of an airport is being considered. Many Central residents have never had the luxury of pipeborne water for decades and others have had to tackle bad dusty roads in the dry season and muddy terrain during the rainy season. The proposed airport will be a big plus for all of Central and South Trinidad. Long distances will be cut in half leaving home at 2 am in the morning to catch a 5 am flight will be a thing of the past. Elderly citizens who cannot endure long drives will be more than grateful.
At least someone has come along with the idea that Trinidad and Tobago means all of the beautiful twin-islands in which we live and not just the capital. All the people have needs, we must not be selfish.
WKS Hosein, Chaguanas, Trinidad
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