Chamber head: Tobago crime locally bred
The chairman of the Tobago Business Chamber has urged Tobagonians to confront the harsh reality that recent violent crimes are locally bred, dismissing the notion of blaming Trinidad-based gangs for the island’s escalating murder rate.
“Once again, we are seeing the scourge of crime and criminality touching our beautiful island of Tobago,” Martin George told Guardian Media yesterday after the quadruple murder in Black Rock.
He warned Tobagonians, “We have to stop making excuses that it’s gangs from Trinidad. We have to stop burying our heads in the sand and acknowledge that we are raising and breeding our own homegrown bandits in Tobago.”
George noted the need for community action, urging residents to use the Crime Stoppers hotline anonymously.
“Let us use that Crime Stoppers number 800 Tips as a means of giving information to the authorities.” He added that this method “can start to tackle this monster and menace of crime that is the devil on our beautiful island of Tobago.”
In response to the escalating violence, George called for legislative support and enhanced policing measures. “We have to ensure that Tobago remains a safe space for us all … Let there be at least one area in T&T where persons can feel safe. Let that be Tobago.”
He lamented the crime wave’s impact on the island’s economy and assured Tobago police that his members were ready to assist.
Williams: It’s scary for the business community
Meanwhile, Tobago chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Curtis Williams, described yesterday’s murders as scary for the business community.
He told Guardian Media, “These murders were a big shocker for us, especially with Tobago being a silent community and then seeing three murders in one night. It’s really mind-boggling for those of us in the business community.”
He hopes for a favourable outcome from today’s National Security Council meeting between Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Chief Secretary Farley Augustine.
“The prime minister, in his wisdom, called the meeting in Tobago with the chief secretary. I hope that something meaningful comes out of that meeting, and it isn’t just another meeting. Like what we saw before. We have had a lot of other meetings, but not much action came out of that meeting.
“It’s time the police service got the necessary resources to carry out their task properly. The need for manpower, which I hope becomes an agenda item in that meeting.”
In March, Williams, along with other stakeholders, hosted a six-hour emergency meeting with Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher following a spike in murders and other serious crimes in 2023 and in the first quarter of 2024. Soon after the meeting, the commissioner, in a release, committed to doing all in her power to restore safety and security throughout the island.
Morris saddened by killings
Meanwhile, Tobago House of Assembly Minority Leader Kelvon Morris is deeply saddened by recent murders involving gun violence. In a social media post this morning, he called on young men to leave crime behind.
He said, “I make a genuine plea to our young men, especially, to put down your guns and turn away from a life of crime and violence … I remain available to work with all well-meaning individuals and agencies to ensure a safer Tobago for all. Let us remember that we have the power to create change. By coming together, we can build a future where our children can live without fear, where our streets are safe, and where the cycle of gun violence is broken.”
He stressed the importance of community safety and urged Tobagonians to work together to stop violence.
Morris further promised to work with others to make Tobago safer, believing that unity could end the violence.
“Our communities’ safety is paramount. These acts of violence touch the lives of countless individuals and families, transcending the boundaries of race, class, and geography. It is a crisis that demands our immediate attention and action.”
Duke: Make it difficult to breed criminals
Progressive Democratic Patriots leader Watson Duke, commenting on the recent murders, called for the authorities to make it difficult to breed criminals and criminal activities on the island. He said, “Eliminate the environment; look at the kind of thinking that is creating crime, redirect the thinking, and let us build a better Tobago. Let us put people before politics. The time has come for Tobago to win. All of us must win. The time has come to win.”
BY: ELIZABETH GONZALES
Chamber head: Tobago crime locally bred
