Schoolboys slaughtered

By Jensen La Vende
January 22, 2016 – guardian.co.tt

ViolenceSlaughter of the innocents. That was how Laventille residents yesterday described the double murder of two schoolboys, who were dragged from a taxi and shot dead while on their way home at Upper Picton Road.

The victims have been identified as Success Laventille Secondary School students Denelson Smith, 17, and Mark Richards, 16, by residents of Upper Picton Road, Laventille.

Mark Thomas, a member of Project Reason, who lives in the community, told the T&T Guardian that the killing of the two was a slaughter.

“If I could speak to the gangsters and them I will tell them that in all wars there are rules of engagement, please excuse the non-combatants. If you know there are people who not in this war, I can’t even call this a war that what happened was slaughter. They picking out the best fruits,” Thomas said.

He said Smith was an aspiring pilot, and had been attending aviation classes every July-August vacation. Thomas said crime was a disease and it should be treated as such, adding that one cure was for the people to unite against the wrongdoers and co-operate with the police.

“Maybe we could stop a retaliation, we as the people have the power but we keeping silent. We have to come together and take away the power from them (killers),” he added.

Police said the teens, both Form Four students, were on their way home with two other classmates when gunmen stopped the car they were in, ordered all the children out and shot the two teens.

Smith collapsed and died near Fatima Trace while Richards died a short distance away. The teens lived not from where they died. Smith lived at Mulrain Trace, Picton, and Richards at Sogren Trace. The killing police said happened around 3.15 pm.

At the murder scene yesterday Smith’s brother, Devin, called for a ceasefire among warring gangs.

He said his brother was always indoors and only ventured outside when it was time for school or when he was going out to lime with friends out of the area. He said his brother was a good person who got along well with all.

“I hear people laughing up the road, saying they get two and they laughing,” Devin said.

Smith’s mother screamed that her son’s death will become just another statistic and that no justice wil come out of her son’s killing. Overcome with grief she could not be interviewed when approached at the scene.

Both police and residents were wrestling with a plausible motive for the shooting as neither teens were said to be involved in anything illegal.

A woman, who lives not too far from where the boys were killed, said she has lived in the area for most of her 60-plus years and described the tragedy as “heart-rending.” The woman said the presence of police officers in the area could not be a deterrent until the minds of mankind change.

Her neighbour said he was just entering his home when he heard the gunshots and later saw Smith’s body a short distance from his car which was parked along Picton Road.

“I accustomed to this but this is the first time that it was so close. I living here all my life, 54 years, and we tired of this shooting,” he said, suggesting a police post in the area may be a deterrent.

Full Article : guardian.co.tt

26 thoughts on “Schoolboys slaughtered”

  1. “Thomas said crime was a disease and it should be treated as such, adding that one cure was for the people to unite against the wrongdoers and co-operate with the police.”….

    Mark Thomas has given the best description that I have ever heard in a long time for crime. Yes Mark Thomas ……. crime is a disease!…… That is an apt description that sociologists should take up and compile a study on. IN Trinidad and Tobago crime is a phenomenon that envelopes a wide spectrum of enablers and actors. When applied for conversation or reporting, it is generally taken for granted as a physical assault on the person.
    Whether it is the deprivation of life, property, goods or assets, crime has taken up many dimensions that entails and corrodes the human spirit. There is one thing that crime has in common when committed by a hardened criminal, a police officer, a judge, a businessman or politician – lack of respect (or tolerance) for process. How we treat with crime is important. We have grown to accept one way of dealing with it and that is to put the offenders in jail, turn our backs and then high five the prosecutors with a pat on the back. To many that is where the solution dies but the criminal lives on…..

    Too much emphasis is placed in the hands of the judiciary as the sole arbiter to end crime. When it ends there, many believe that it becomes the solution to our problems. But what about the habits that was developed over time, to encourage the act of criminal behavior? It is my belief that the disease of crime has as it origins, the modes by which society operates and sets the tone for the application of crime. The modes might be a high degree of greed, insensitivity, pilferage, immorality, wanton indiscretion, selfishness, grab for power, jealousy, dissatisfaction, lack of respect for law and order, impatience with process, hate, and a host of there maladies that degenerates rationality into acts of violence, whether physical or psychological.

    Since we became independent, we also became a people who want to be independent of each other. Community spirits has not grown into one of national aspirations, nor have we aspired to create communities to tolerate differences. We do not seek commonalities nor do we look for likeness of purpose in each other. The need for competition in ownership over the other person is high and dangerous. We seek empowerment over each other and as such create a higher sensitivity and will to be better than our neighbors. Politics have not helped either.
    It is as nasty as it can ever get. Politics has been described as the activities associated with the governance of a country. But here in Trinidad it has become more than that. It has become a major earner of assets, it has encouraged kleptocracy.
    It has discouraged natural entrepreneurship and encouraged the use of parliamentary participation as the means towards enrichment. IN the process, criminal behavior becomes a byproduct of the desires for political gains.

    What is needed for the criminal is a means by which the seasoned criminal minds is transformed to be in obedience with societal norms and practices. That means that there should be more correctional agencies that help the criminal reform and re-direct their energies towards building a better society. Half way houses should be a transformative means by which the criminal is re-introduced into society. We need more sociologists that are apolitical and can concentrate on the way society is leaning and what can be done or what avenues can be followed to lead us to or from a certain direction. Too many times the sociologists that appear on our networks are political hacks that analyses in favor of their kind alone and not in the best interest of society.

    The new emerging politics since the last election on September 7, is the politics of hate, vindictiveness, impatience and usurpation of authority. Take the Opposition for example, with every bill put forward that they don’t like, they are threatening to go to Court to find solution to their desires. The people did not elect the Courts or the judiciary to legislate for them.

    “The judiciary (also known as the judicial system or court system) is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the judiciary generally does not make law (that is, in a plenary fashion, which is the responsibility of the legislature) or enforce law (which is the responsibility of the executive), but rather interprets law and applies it to the facts of each case. This branch of the state is often tasked with ensuring equal justice under law.” ….says wikipedia

    If the Opposition is to be successful in all its threats and undertakings to take every dissatisfaction to the judiciary to adjudicate, we will most likely end up with a system of Kritarchy.

    Kritarchy is a system of rule by judges. If that practice is encouraged, it will negate the need for the people to elect legislators of our choices and the Judiciary will become an accommodation for the rich and powerful only. This needs to be discouraged. Politicians have got to learn to talk to each other in the best interest of the people who elected them, to make laws. How many times must we read of threats by the Opposition Leader to seek redress in the courts? If the Courts keep entertaining these accommodations, then we also have to be concerned about how judges are selected and what purposes they are serving in our interests.

    This to me is a development that needs to be watched and commentary should be encouraged on its development.

    As Mark Thomas said, crime is a disease – a disease is a disorder of structure or function in a human. Yes Mark Thomas said it best and we should all take note of that disorder and disfunction. Whether that disfunctionality is in the hardened criminal or the hardened politician, we are all affected by it.

    1. What a coincidence!…all the senators that were appointed by carmona…are UNC senators…what are the odds that David Small AND Dhanysar Hahabir, who large amounts of the population were wholly disgusted with after they and Rolph Balgobin voted FOR the Run-Off, which abandoned all the processes & evaded consultation…Now, imagine that same individual (Dhanysar Mahabir), is all of a sudden ranting & raving in parliament about THIS new, PNM government & according to him, lack of consultation & not following the proper processes…so Dhansar Mahabir, didn’t have a problem with voting FOR NO processes & consultation in the run-off bill but NOw, with the selection of commissioners, he has a problem…Thus is a test for Dr. Rowley & the PNM, if they choose to give in to the Casts Minded agenda…they want two Maha Sabha members as Asst. Commish & Commish…If either of those positions are given to Indians, they WILL use it to Impale the PNM…without shame…Just ONE of those 340,000 are plzced in that position…Crappeaud SMOKE African people pipe in T&T…notice Anand Ramesar, the same guy who Nizam Mohammed publicly alleged had written to him, as head of the psc, complaining about the ETHNIC COMPOSITION of the judging
      panel (Police Promotions)…THAT same Anand Ramesar is somehow saying to the press (strange) that HE wants that position…The fact is, T&T politics in the past Kamla term has passed the point of No return…in reality, while the UNCOPP & other clueless peoplemwill call for the PNM government to be ‘fair’ and divorce themselves from who is elected to those positions, the UNCOPP, the drug dealers, are all desperately trying to MAKE SURE that devotees are put there! Also, with the tax payers dollar$ that disappeared in the past 5 years, there is MORE THAN ENOUGH to pay whoever ends up in those positions, a second salary 10 TIMES what the official one, to do THEIR (not the nation’s) bidding…SO, the PNM must ensure that whoever goes in THOSE 2 positions are AFRICAN…games ARE OVER!…OR…be ‘fair’ and allow a fellow caste minded to get a hold of those positions…the next objective will be to use that position to influence the flooding of the ranks with likeminded persons AND Harrass the PNM & obstruct any investigations on Kamla-baba et al..

      1. Winnie you are indeed a study in “victimology” you promote more fear base thinking amongst the tribalist that anyone else. Despite over 37 years our of 50 years since independence of PNM rule it appears as though fear base tribalism continue to rule the minds of my standard 3 educated friends Winnie and Yoruba.

        When I was a child I was afraid of the “boogeyman”. The “boogeyman” is a creature invented in my mind that caused me to be afraid of the dark mostly. This is Winnie boogeyman “agenda…they want two Maha Sabha members as Asst. Commish & Commish…If either of those positions are given to Indians, they WILL use it to Impale the PNM…without shame…Just ONE of those 340,000 are plzced in that position…Crappeaud SMOKE African people pipe in T&T…notice Anand Ramesar, the same guy who Nizam Mohammed”
        Winnie I suppose under the victimology mindset have many boogeyman in her life. It is not surprising to evaluate everything based on race when you see through the dark stain glass and world where Winnie lives.

        The victimology mindset exist in Yoruba from Israel. His victimology is base on a real fear of a document put forward by that liar Asstin Warrner. So strong is Yoruba belief he has quoted from that document over 15 times making him a partaker of Warner sins. Yoruba keep yourself pure do not become a partaker of someone else sin.

        It is sad that even with a PNM government in charge and anyone who resemble a UNC member getting fired they being the real victims that tribalist continue to promote fear. Continue the theme of victimology started in the days of slavery. I bet Winnie cannot see anything positive in life, what a very very sad soul.

      2. Alyssa, a statement Mamoo made kept wringing in my head. The sentence I’m referring to is this (says Mamoo):
        “Inspector Sahadeo demonstrated a lot of courage and built trust in this community. Unfortunately he is no longer there to engage them. Hopefully another officer will arise to build that bridge.” The particular line is; “built trust in this community”. Somehow, gang, gangsters, crime, guns and drugs are not the things that “build trust”. Trust is not a word associated with that kind of activity. Most of the crime occurs between the rank and file members and not the enablers. Without the involvement of the enablers most members would be lost.

  2. Very sad these execution type killing. No one knows nor would anyone know the real reason for these murders. Living in a war zone means observing the code of silence because it is difference between life and death.

    That code is in effect in black communities across the world. Until there is enough trust between law enforcement and these communities nothing will change. Inspector Sahadeo demonstrated a lot of courage and built trust in this community. Unfortunately he is no longer there to engage them. Hopefully another officer will arise to build that bridge. Until then my condolences to the families. It is never easy losing a son…..

  3. To mask,the complex inherent “structure and processes” of criminal attitudes, associated with “socially distinguishable groups”, within “identifiable social spaces”,which plumbs and leverages “their tools of trade”,and understands the use of ” coercive power” to liquidate any countervailing social transactions of individuals or other groups, should not find cover under the undefined use of “Diseased” social transactions. There are attuned attitudes, for rationalizing and controlling their space and structure. The “disease argument dies” in the discourse of the criminal justice system.

  4. There is no panacea for crime. One of the things that all, regardless of politics, understand and wish for, is that crime must be abated. Around the world, in Europe, South America, Africa and the Middle East crime is probably hah number one subject on the minds of people in major communities everywhere.
    it is probably the one area of spending that cuts into the budgets of these governments also. No efforts should be spared in the fight against it also – period. Lately there have been sounds from the Opposition bench on the matter that not only amazes but amuses as well:

    “Gopeesingh to Garcia: Use police in schools” …….
    Gopeesingh advocates the use of force in the schools.


    PM must resign
    In a statement, the former prime minister declared that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley should resign immediately if he cannot “face reality and account to the nation”;
    Face reality and account to the nation???????? Is this the same woman who, with five years and three months as head of the government of Trinidad and Tobago destroyed every facet of life in the armed services, police, correctional and fire services of this country, now calling on the new Prime Minister of three months to resign????? What utter nonsense?????

    Let us examine this woman’s record on assuming office, with regards to her dealings with crime:
    1. The most previous of all behavior; CANCEL THE CONTRACT OF THE TWO OPERATION OPVs…. in effect destroying the professional training of over 300 personnel to man the patrol boats. The she[ps were PAID FOR BY THE MANNING GOVERNMENT.

    2. FIRED THE MOST DECORATED INTELLIGENCE EXPERT in the person of Brigadier Joseph …… sent back trainers from the British and American Intelligence services, from the assistance they offered to our local intelligence here.

    3. REPLACED BRIGADIER JOSEPH with RESHMI RAMNARINE, a non entity in the world of intelligent, a misfit and one lacking the educational, professional and skills needed for the JOB.

    4. Kamla Persad Bissessar is yet to show account for the remittances she received for the refunds of the OPVs.
    Some suggests that the funds might have been used to build the facility in Debe, known as the extension law school.

    5. SOLD THE BLIMP – A SOURCE OF DATA GATHERING and a mobile
    air monitor used to help in tracing movements of criminals and other intelligence gathering information.

    6. Replaced the head of the Defense Force with an Officer, who suddenly arrived as head of the Defense Force.

    7. Replaced the Head of Fraud Squad with her own political operative.

    8. Appointed the son of one of her lawyers to head the Corrections Department.

    9. Many, many acts of destabilization of the service, thereby making intelligence gathering, mobilizing and effective policing a weak and disorganized process.

    10. To add insult to injury, she called a state of emergency, in which her men-of-honor (security) found, rounded up and arrested 4,000 African people. She even concocted a story that her life was being threatened, arrested and jailed a few in this respect.

    This a part of the record of the woman, who is now calling on Dr. Keith Christoper Rowley to resign because in her (feebled) mind he cannot deal with crime. Ant that something folks???????

    With a record like that, I need not say anything more about that ex Prime Minister.

    Dr. Gopeesingh is now calling on the Minister of Education to man the schools with men in uniform. It is not an ideal that we should rush into for many reasons:
    1. School is a place of learning and we should continue
    to uphold that kind of environment as long as is
    necessary.
    2. Children must be made to feel as though they are in a
    learning environment and not an armed camp.
    3. Discipline should be left to the teaching service, to
    inculcate the need for learned behavior in life and
    in public places as well.
    4. Children’s memory must be filled with an environment
    of community and neighborliness and not barbed wires
    to enrich their cultural and physical surroundings.
    5. While security of the person and buildings are
    necessary, it should happen with their entry into
    the learning environment and also their exit from
    that environment.
    6. Recess and play is a part of that environment and
    students should not be made to feel as though they
    are somehow separated from the population outside of
    the learning centers.

    Results are best achieved when learning are left to the professional educators and not politicians, especially those who have in the past failed to deliver.

    I like to hear from the ex Prime Minister, two things that she has done to render faith and confidence in the people of Trinidad of Tobago. Being responsible for a erecting a building is NOT the same as enacting principles for those involved to operate with principles and dignity. So, lets not talk about building the children hospital of erecting buildings. Dr. Williamsn laid the foundations for educating the youths of Trinidad and Tobago. His history is replete with not just ideas but principles as well, that we follow till this day. Other than provide for her people (ethnic) what has Kamla Persad Bissessar done for the people of Trinidad and Tobago, to warrant her advice on the eradicating of crime?

    When one gives advice or mades profound statements, the first thing to look at is what is the record of who is giving that advice. If Kamla Persad Bisessar’s record, is to be used as an arbiter to her performance and ability to give advice, then I believe that we should unplug our listening devices and wait for
    sound advice of those who are more equipped to do so.

    1. You asked what KPB did for TNT Kian here is a short list.
      Settled 123 wage negotiations 34 of which was left outstanding by the PNM

      
• Turn around a recession economy from negative 3.5% to positive 1.7% growth
      
• Turn around the agriculture sector
      
• Created the Children life fund
      
• Reduced poverty by 4%
      
• Created the Single Electronic Window for ease of doing business
      
• Built the Couva Interchange
      
• Converted Chancery Lane office complex into a teaching hospital
      
• Replaced the Navet South Trunk Main which improved water supply to over 250,000 households
      
• Paid $1.5 billion owed to contractors by the PNM
• Completed the Aranguez Overpass
      
• Constructed the St. Helena Delta Bridge connecting Kelly Village to Piarco
•
      Completed the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway Extension
• Constructed a Third Lane to Uriah Butler Highway
• Rehabilitated the Tarouba Link Road.
      
• Construction of the Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension from Golconda to Debe
•
      Completion of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway/Uriah Butler Highway Interchange
•
      Built 72 new schools
•
      Built 8 new police stations
•
      Provided 500 new vehicles to the Police Service
• Created over 40 New Bus routes
•
      Processed more than 1,000 Certificates of Comfort (COCs)
      .
• Commissioned 12 community centres at Gulf View, Marac, Waterloo, Union Claxton Bay, Malabar Phase IV, La Gloria, Hindustan, Bon Air West, Ste. Madeleine, Sisters’ Road, Second Caledonia, Duranta 
•
      Built over 30 Bridges
•
      Ministry of Local Gov’t paved 1150 local roads in fiscal year 2012/13
•
      FOREIGN direct investment increased by over 400% since 2010 from $3.5 billion to almost $16.1 billion.
•
      Given out 95,000 Laptops to Form one Students
•
      Reduced Inflation from 16% in 2010 to 4% in 2014.
•
      Opened 17 MIC Technology Centre
•
      Increased 24/7 Water Supply from 18% in 2010 to 69% in
2014
• Installed lights at 157 Recreation Grounds
      Delivery for Tobago
•
      Completed the long awaited Tobago hospital improving health care in Tobago
•
      Completed the Magdalena Grand improving rooms for Tourism
• Opened a new gas station at Roxborough.
•
      Fixing the problem with obtaining land title
•
      IMPROVED BUS SERVICE
•
      $150 million upgrade for ANR Airport
•
      New Fire Station for Black Rock (In Progress, See Udecott site for status)
•
      New MET Office (In Progress, See Udecott site for status)
• Opened the Tobago Technology Centre at Bon Accord
•
      The establishment of an integrated campus for UTT
• 100% OF TOBAGO WILL HAVE 24/7 WATER SUPPLY BY JULY

    2. This is vintage Bro Kian here people. Hey Kain , ‘me think ,’ you have knocked dem out of the ball park with this one,mi patriotic Piazano.
      Excellent response indeed.
      Let’s continue to hold them accountable – the power brokers that is.
      Too much is at stake for us to do otherwise.

      1. Brother Neal, if we allow these people to use the media to redeem themselves, we would come up on they sh*tty end of the stick. Just imagine a woman like Kamla is advising
        Dr. Rowley to “face reality and account to the nation”. In keeping with Devon Seales’ calypso, “the voice of the people is the voice of god” (Kamla’s favorite saying), she has to realize that even though we do not carry the names like Ernst & Young; Price Waterhouse and BDO. It does not mean that we do not keep account of her failings and her devious acts of misconduct while in office. God has spoken and now she no longer loves the voice of god. The people has spoken and now she is saying she only loves what she thinks the people was saying at 6:00 pm on Election Day. As regards crime, whilst we cannot substantiate that she is responsible for every acts of crime, we definitely can substantiate that, due to her actions of cancelling the OPVs; firing the chief security officer; getting rid of the blimp, what she has in fact created by her actions is a porous border where smuggling was made easy for criminals. Guns, ammunitions, drugs and human trafficking was definitely made easy, because she destroyed all the mechanisms put in place by Patrick Manning. By her action, she weakened the intelligence gathering mechanisms. She fired the heads of all police and military strategies that were in place to form a concerted effort to identify the drug dealers and smugglers. Today in Trinidad and Tobago we have more guns on the street that we have NEVER experienced in the history of this country. There are more drugs, illegal immigrants, prostitution, places of ill repute, gambling, alcohol, squatting and immorality today than when she ascended to the rank of Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago in 2010. She herself has been accused with sexual immorality, drugs in her own home and lacking in judgement in choosing appropriate personnel to fill the positions of government. This is her record and it makes her an unfit person to make a moral judgement. It is only three months since we have a new government in place and she should be decent enough to allow them time to formulate their own policies to deal with the problems of governing.
        Brother Neal I am looking forward for yourself, Alyssa and brother Yoruba to keep informing the public of the real acts committed by sista Kamla and her goons.

        1. Kian said “She herself has been accused with sexual immorality, drugs in her own home and lacking in judgement in choosing appropriate personnel to fill the positions of government. This is her record and it makes her an unfit person to make a moral judgement. It is only three months since we have a new government in place and she should be decent enough to allow them time to formulate their own policies to deal with the problems of governing.”

          In my experience I find the Africana male to be the first to attack a woman’s character. A Tobagonian male said they see a woman who they were once with and immediately start saying things like look at she, she playing bright and they tell everyone what they did together. Kian is no diffrent he quickly engages in character assassination without any concern for the facts.

          We all know who was doing the accusation a man like Kian who made statements that today remains unproven. The current PM was accused of rape when he was a school teacher in Tobago, as a result he fled the island. The result was a son name Garth whom he never formally acknowledge. He was also pictured wining on an underage child and drinking Johnnie Walker. But you will never hear Kian and his buddy Neal speaking about this because they are racist to the core.

          1. “The current PM was accused of rape when he was a school teacher in Tobago, as a result he fled the island. The result was a son name Garth whom he never formally acknowledge….. But you will never hear Kian and his buddy Neal speaking about this because they are racist to the core.”
            Mamboo

            AHHHHH shucks, and how de hell did I miss this folks? I remember, it was my ‘born day.’

            Good grief , Mamboo, and occasionally, after a pretty half decent commentary or two on your part, I am willing to entertain the thought ,that you too were a college / Univ grad,like Trini Elite TM, and then you have to go an muck things up otra vez, with yet another comment , that would give no one with ah brain , any choice ,but to again conclude , that you are just another , simi literate , mental degenerate , who thanks to that good for nada Papa of yours , only visited the closed rickety , Mayaro village Primary school , during the August holidays.
            I cannot vouch for kian, but Neal afraid to call out Uncle Keith , about his secret illegitimate kid,who grew up in the Canadian suburbs?
            Here is the deal , mi amigo, when it comes to spouses ,kids , or even other extended families , of our respective leaders- either in, or out of power.
            As long as they are not a financial burden to the state -a la de wet behind de ears ,political neophyte / boorish Guardian columnist Milika Panday ,and her sister , whose elite, London education ,was paid for ,courtesy devastated , CLICO shareholders, via Basdeo back slapping deals , with crooked pal Dupree.
            Ain’t care , unless they find themselves thrust into the limelight/were forced upon our nation , by nepotistic leaders- again,like clueless Milika ,due to daddy’s efforts ,wherein she got the safe seat of Oroupuche East , over more qualified folks , and worst yet ,clueless Hazel Manning , earning top dollars ,as a glorified cabinet minister , even if she never faced the polls.
            Another sad case is that of Dr GOOPIESING , fat , ugly bastard son ,who engaged in ugly criminal activities, and never paid a price , since papa was able to pull a string , to halt proceedings, by our sly DDP , who almost obtained a Judgeship, by the grateful UNC/ PP head honchos , for his efforts.

            I’ll leave out the runny nose grandson of Kamla , who along with his Auntie-at huge cost to tax payers – was dragged about the globe , to help act as a decoy , for your Angel smile , and devil heart Siparia Queen , so as to cover up , her well documented ….. ummmm activities.
            Since I am not certain if UNC one time hero Gypsy , criminal son , is finally doing time , or if Patrick Manning accounted for the fake German Scholarships , he acquired , only to then use Papas influence , to help ruin T&T youth Basketball, we’ll leave dem both alone.
            Let me state for de record , otra vez , for perhaps many still , even after all these years of cyber joisting by yours truly/ driving on dis here Trini Center Information Highway, can’t figure out what I am about.
            I do not care what’s your race, age , ethnicity ,class, tribe , party affiliation is ,or geographic location you emerged from- same difference.
            I will swing my symbolic sledgehammer at your knees if I see it fit, and why?
            Simple.a. Those 1.3 million plus folks , that are referred to as citizens , along with the 125 000 illegals that made T&T there home over the past 5 years , are all I care about – as a collective.
            b. My credibility demands such, and so Trini Center -cyber Handsard ,would back me up on that.
            Translation :-Pappa deffy Eric , Ahhh weee Bouy ANR , Rennie Bishop Father in law Chambers, Patrick , Basdeo, Kamla , our Islamist Prez Noor , Dancing Prez , Sir Ellis, Carnival jump up Prez ,Dr Richie, El Presidente Cameo,is licks where warranted .
            c. I have no allegiance to anyone, dead or alive .

            The gall of the Mayaro Drunkard , folks, to insinuate that because both the Mason Hall Kid , and yours truly, had Tobago Grannies , I would be reticent , in taking a swing at our geologist in Chief PM knees.
            I’ll take all of the above back , if you publicly admit Mamboo, that a mistake was made by you this time around, and so you really wanted to place another name next to Cuz Kian.
            Neal afraid to commet on the PM outside kid , and so therefore he must be a racist?
            Well I’ll be …. or put differently , in de words of my extremely wise , late , Tobago Granny , who would often say when confronted with some shocking / astonishing news, or situation —– ‘Well wonders never cease!’
            PS. Hey Mamboo, I purposely left out the nonsensical part of your comment ,about the poxy face , 17 year old Indo Trini chick -who from all appearence ala la photos , looked more like she was 38 ,going on 40- that was obviously paid ,to gyrate on the PM ,with cameras flashing , while both were jumping up in ah Indian band – if such truly exist in T&T.
            In case , you and the party political clowns forgot , de man popularity jumped in the polls , after both stupid stunts were dragged out, in efforts to embarrass him.
            The real crime should be against band leader for having alleged underage kid , jumping up half naked in adult bands , while consuming alcohol, and ain’t that so ?
            ‘Wait a cotton picking moment ,’ I did not know that you ,and members of the tribe, were that concern about underage relationships, when religious leaders from both camps ,were known to breach our national laws ,in marrying 12 , 13 , 15 ,and 16 year olds, as a practice ,from 1962 to present? Just checking.

            http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,217458.html

            I get it, you country hating comedians ,can hide behind opaque religion, but if a 19 years old , Afro Kinky Head teacher, has a fling ,with a 17/ 18 year old ,4 decades ago , that is a crime for life, and so he should be halted from ever becoming our country;s Prime Minister, correct?
            The neglected folks of de Island Ward of Tobago, will take that into consideration , down the road.

            http://newsday.co.tt/news/0,207940.html

            Long live de Republic of Tobag….. oooops , lo siento … T&T!

  5. Outrage, joy on social media
    THE slaughter of schoolboys Denilson Smith and Mark Richards took social media by storm with some users openly and unashamedly rejoicing at the death of “dem two” while many more condemned the murders and roundly chastised those who found joy and merriment in the loss of two teenagers lives. A teacher of Success Laventille Secondary School, which the schoolboys attended, yesterday defended them in the face of callous “rejoicing”. Reacting to the “joy”, the teacher posted on her Facebook account that people should talk about something they know. “You know not one thing about them except for their race and where they come from. Not everyone and everything out of Laventille is a criminal…that level of ignorance you have displayed cannot be justified,” the teacher wrote. Many others came to their defence, with one woman sharing a picture of Smith surrounded by several trophies and medals. “Many folks love to label a person because of the area they live in without knowing their story.

    Loss of two model students
    T&T has lost two potential “bright stars” with the slaying of Laventille teens Deneilson Smith and Mark Richards who were well-adjusted young men, acting Education Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said yesterday.

    Murder victims hailed as model pupils*
    Slain schoolboys De-neilson Smith, 17 and Mark Richards, 16, were yesterday described as model pupils and citizens by their classmates and relatives, respectively.
    The two pupils, Smith, of Mulrain Trace, off Picton Road, Laventille, and Richards, of Sogren Trace, Laventille, were both gunned down less than an hour after leaving their Success Laventille Secondary School on Thursday afternoon.
    When the Express visited the school yesterday, while most pupils shied away from the press, the ones who did speak described Smith and Richards as “cool-going persons” and said they could not believe anyone would want either teenager dead.

  6. Gang warfare is one of the identifiers of the black experience globally. This was spawn out of the nature of tribalism. Tribalism manifest itself strongly in the PNM context. All state run agencies managed by the tribalist are now getting rid of anyone who does not have the tribal markers. Their theme has always been “we in charge to hell with the rest”. Nationhood is a foreign word for the tribalist. Members of the tribe can do no wrong and so state agencies are used to protect them. Laws are twisted, ignored and enforcement becomes a matter of unrestrained excesses. That is why there are so many failed state in Africa.

    It was Jack Warner a man often embrace by religious nut Yoruba who once said “they can come together and form gangs, why don’t they start a business instead”. That makes perfect sense but to the tribalist who have at their disposal thousands of illiterate Africana boys it is easier to use them to perform executions for a few dollars.
    This gang support is liken to the family these boys never had. In the gang family they find love, support and an easy existence. Outside of that they cannot live… My good friend who own a business in Trincity mall told me that during the week the gang leaders would come looking for wuk asking if he had anyone he wanted to liquidate.

    The figure for gangs in TnT according to the previous Manning administration was around 500 in TNT. In the US due to a mix bag of ethnicities they average according to the FBI “Some 33,000 violent street gangs, motorcycle gangs, and prison gangs with about 1.4 million members are criminally active in the U.S. today. Many are sophisticated and well organized; all use violence to control neighborhoods and boost their illegal money-making activities, which include robbery, drug and gun trafficking, fraud, extortion, and prostitution rings. According to the 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment report, gangs are responsible for an average of 48 percent of violent crime in most jurisdictions, and up to 90 percent in others. We’re redoubling our efforts to disrupt and dismantle gangs through intelligence-driven investigations and new initiatives and partnerships.”
    Each gang specializing in various field example the Russian gangs focus on monetary extortion, Africana more on robbery and contract killing…

    How do you deal with gangs? The Manning administration was known for wining and dining gang leaders and giving them million dollar URP contracts. The result was gang warfare of the worst kind with URP workers dying like flies. This experiment was the brain child of the US black caucus approach to gangs in inner city USA. There they converted them to “community leaders” and sought to channel their energies for the good of the community.

    Dr Williams adopted a no nonsense approach to gangs and I still remember Burroughs taking out the 21 guerrillas. It was the safest time in TNT history.

    Dr. Rowley have a great opportunity to set the right tone for his administration. He can speak their language and use of police/army patrols which he strongly opposed while in Opposition is the most effective means of containment. He must set the tone within the first six months of his administration. With 22 dead for January he cannot use the Manning approach, he must use the Williams approach “walk with a big stick and use it when necessary”.

  7. Why were boys targeted?

    By Sampson Nanton
    January 23, 2016 – guardian.co.tt

    As one of four gangsters was murdering the two Success Laventille students on Thursday, he shouted, “Five for Five”.

    It was specific and calculated—each of the boys was shot five times. But why?

    Just weeks ago, a gang member operating out of a territory warring against a gang from the area where the boys lived was shot five times as well and, although he did not die, “five for five” was pronounced upon the two teenaged students in retaliation, to inflict pain and fear on their community.

    This account comes from one of the men on the ground, working with a team of 12 community activists called “interrupters,” desperately trying to stop gang activity and murders in Laventille.

    Hal Greaves spoke openly on the CNC3 Morning Brew yesterday, hours after beating the ground trying to ensure that these murders do not escalate into something worse.

    Members of his team had spent time with family of the murdered teens and with the youth most likely to retaliate, urging them not to do so.

    But there is already a chilling indication that their work this time will have to be more than the usual.

    While one team was working to ease the pain of the killings, Greaves got a call from another team member who was in the territory of the gang that’s believed to have committed the crime.

    “Last night one of my interrupters calls me and tells me another community is celebrating. So while I’m getting calls for help, an interrupter is telling me that the boys by him are celebrating that two youths are down and that they have more to put down,” he said.

    “I got so angry…angry at the senselessness of it. You have to send people to let them know that we are aware and that cannot continue. The police have their work to do. We use community mediation, conflict resolution to try to bring an end.”

    No Laventille Road taxis were going up to Picton Friday morning as a result of the murders. No one wanted to take that chance.

    “They are not going to leave the Picton area to go further up into a Rasta City area because they fear that they too might be pulled out of the car and executed,” Greaves said.

    The war is between the Rasta City and Muslim gangs. It explodes and dies down from time to time based on factors only the gangsters themselves seem to know.

    A murder is always a sure sign that it has started up again.

    “Earlier this year the gangs in the area started going through the Lady of Fatima churchyard and schoolyard to go into the cemetery to shoot at each other,” Greaves recalled.

    “It’s just erupting at different points. Men on Nelson Street are trying to keep it quiet because we had a murder the day before, an unidentified man down in the river.

    “We (the community activists) still have to be on the Beetham, Sea Lots, Eastern Quarry…we still have to be in Belmont after the double-murder.

    “We’ve had 11 people murdered in Laventille and the Port-of-Spain area but I only have 12 people who have to respond and keep gangs away from each other.

    “Panmen are calling and asking if it is safe for them to have practice,” he said.

    While the Success Laventille Secondary School often had a negative stigma because of where it is located, Greaves was certain that events at the school had nothing to do with the murders.

    “They’re (the murderers) not interested in the school. They’re interested in hurting a community. That community which the people of Laventille call ‘Brooklyn’, they’re under fire right now. They’re under the gun. They’re being attacked,” he said.

    “It doesn’t matter whether you were a gang member or not. You’re from the area and our pain must become your pain. It’s a mindless war.”

    The mindless war has left the Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi a hurt man.

    Speaking in Parliament yesterday, he lamented young schoolboys being made victims of such a heinous crime.

    “Who in their right mind with a conscience and soul could take two young men out of car in uniform, tell the young lady and driver that they could go, and shoot them five times. This has nothing to do with the PNM or the UNC,” he says.

    Greaves would agree. As far as his experiences go, this is a war that comes to the most innocent individuals because of one factor—where they live.

    “People are believing that they will be killed at some point because of where they are growing up.

    “I know of a young person coming to his mother and saying, ‘Mommy when is my time to join the war?’ They grow up believing that they have to join at some time.

    “You die in this war because of where you’re from,” he said.

    Source: http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2016-01-23/why-were-boys-targeted

  8. I applaud the Prime Minister for employing the services of the Army and Police in the affected areas of those crime ridden communities. The Armed Services are not there to be pinned as
    pictures on the wall. The training we receive is to combat crime in whatever form it is presented to us. Laventille and other such communities can become model communities if there is concerted effort to rid them of the most dangerous people amongst them. The Police must target the most vicious and insidious criminals and apprehend them for simple acts of gatherings and public nuisance. It is the right thing to do and the criminals must be aware that the public has had enough of their evil ways.

    1. With this heavy presence of army and police soon we will seeing extra judicial killings committed in the name of law and order.

      Burroughs demonstrated what was necessary to control crime, he took out the criminal elements. Criminals are not afraid to shoot police or army personnel. That fear was lost a long time ago.

      The current Prime Minister said in a recent address to the nation that the police usually know the criminals, then why are they not enforcing the anti gang laws. He asked a very important question to the nation’s police officers. Simply put if you know who the gang leaders are and who are harboring them then why aren’t they behind bars???
      I think the PM sent the right message to those who are committing such criminal activities. Shape up or the SOE will return in a diffrent way to bite you on the butt.

      It was Panday who started rapid response. Through rapid response criminals were put on notice, it was effective but over time like everthing else it depreciated in value. Police were told not to police from the police station but get on the beat and make your presence known. That type of policing need to be encouraged. If you are nearer to the crime scene it is easy to get the criminals.

  9. An item of obvious note, is the way we are informed of political and national news by the media. Issues where the government and or government representatives are the valid source of information, the media chooses to go to the Opposition, to articulate it’s flavor of the subject matters. On I955fm radio station, the host Ralph Maraj uses Opposition politicians as his regular guests on his daily show. On health matters, he chose
    ex-minister Fuad Khan to discuss health matters. He used Hamid Ghany and Bhoe Tewarie to talk of matters dealing with government’s intention. Recently, he replaced Wayne Sturge with Wade Mark to talk about serious matter of governance. Very seldom does he use government ministers or government personnel as his primary guests on the show. The effect of this is that
    news CANNOT BE BALANCED if only one side of the story is heard.
    We need to hear both sides or the arguments in order to decide truth. How do we know that the Opposition has our best interests at heart? We can only know when the reporting is BALANCED.

    1. Ralph is a PNM who is getting a diffrent perspective. The Prime Minister Office currently have tight control over government ministers. Maxie Cuffie answers the questions he sets the tone. He even told reporters he not answering Opposition questions. What it means is that government ministers with the exception of the more seasoned ones must keep their mouth shut.

      Controlling the flow of information in an Information Age means limiting the talking heads. Cuffie a secret PNM scholarship educated man knows the media and their preponderance for bacchanal. It usually takes about a year before a government is fully functional. Until then they are working behind the scene to formulate their programs and plans for the nation. Cuffie will continue his song and dance until there is a clear framework that the public can see.

      When new ministers answer question or be too much in the public eyes they slip up example the member for La Brea.

  10. O ne of the things I am not going to be engaging in is tit for tat. This country has a lot of problems. For the past five years we have run very high deficits, crime runs unabated, we have lost important revenues by reason of the lack of enforcement of the property tax, an irresponsible government that rid itself of a skilled work force and replaced with people ‘who like them’.
    Not a single new idea was deposited into the system to bring in new revenues, communities like Laventille were not deprived of material facilities but was bashed for what appears to the then government as ‘backwardness’. Today, we read where the past Prime Minister expresses her feelings for ‘the children’ of these communities. What a joke! I was reading some reports lately on the conditions of the hindus in Fiji. What I read of their behavior there is no different than what is taking place in Trinidad. Everywhere they inhabit with a population of people of color, they want to fight them and take it all for themselves.
    Survival for them is a matter of them taking all or nothing. When they take all, they boast and beat their chests on how wealthy they are. When they see themselves as not getting what they want, then their hosts become “racists”. Isn’t that what we are seeing now? Within five years, the budget of the country increased from $45B to $63B. Two structures were erected. One, the ‘Children’s Hospital’ in Couva – that was said to be erected by the Chinese Government with their money. Two, the law school in Debe. However, that one was not in the proposed budget. The question to ask here is, how was it financed? Since the Kamla Persad Bissessar’s administration has never given an account on how it was financed, can we then assume that accommodation was made through the sale of public entities or maybe the recovery of monies from the re-sale of the OPVs, to fund it;’s erection? We don’t know because the genius Howai was never honest with the public about his whimsical ways of funding projects. There is still an unfinished highway after spending $5B plus of a projected ‘highway’. Only thing is, the highway ceases to be a highway at the point where they changed the design with the introduction of roundabouts. Roundabouts actually cheapens and changes the use of what would be termed a ‘highway’. It changes its use to ‘local’, or ‘city’ or ‘municipal’ uses. Definitely not ‘highway’. Then there is the question of CRIME.
    Every three to six months we are inundated with statistics of crime. The political intent is always to show that they are dealing with crime. Police statistics almost always show that they are getting a handle on crime and it is ‘not as bad as the PNM’. I have always maintained that crime is not a matter to be politicized. It affects every single one of us. Crime takes no comfort in knowing that you are UNC, PNM or Other. It is the one issue that we all should agree on but, our goodly-Prime Minister called a state of emergency. Rounded 4000 African males, arrested and imprisoned them to show that she is dealing with crime. She went so far as to suggest that her life was a danger and arrested more of them. Of course, absolutely nothing came out of that. Are there criminals out there? the answer is YES! What do these criminals look like? Ah! this is where we will differ. If you ask the likes of Mamoos and Intricate, your answer will definitely get the answer – the Africans (that is easy). However, when the questions of the Enablers of crime is asked, they either ignore; pretend they did not hear it; or mumble something like the Venezuelans, Columbians our Guyanese.
    Tough chance! There are lots of waterways in places like Debe and Orupouche and whereas they used to be used by the buffaloes that is no longer the case. But we see mansions being erected along the paths. And I suppose that that is the result of ‘the handwork’. Let us not kid ourselves here. Indian Policy, hindutva and other forms of nation building is at work, and the nation building “where every creed and race find an equal place” is not part of that vision. There is a government in place where it is hoped that they will re-build the nation. There is also an Opposition – a disloyal and one that shows no commitment to nation building as we know it. That is the reality. Of course there are those who will deny this but all one has to do is read the Press. Good at the media. Read the blogs (the so-called social media). Look around the communities of this country. Everything is right before our eyes, all we have to do is open our eyes, accept it for what is is and connect each aspect off its manifestations.

    1. ’. Let us not kid ourselves here. Indian Policy, hindutva and other forms of nation building is at work, and the nation building “where every creed and race find an equal place” is not part of that vision.” Kian

      I don’t know if you, Winnie and Yoruba believe that TNT is India, not getting beyond your Standard 3 have its disadvantages. The PP worked very hard throughout the country even in the ungrateful PNM areas.
      East west Corridor.
      The following major projects have been done under the PP Government in The East West Corridor:

      1. UWI Costatt Campus – SANGRE GRANDE
      2. New Arima Hospital (under construction) – ARIMA
      3. Completed the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway Extension – ARIMA
      4. New Arima Police Station – ARIMA
      5. Valencia bypass Road (under construction) VALENCIA
      6. New Walkover – OROPUNE
      7. New Walkover – MALONEY
      8. St. Barbara’s Spiritual Shouter Baptist Primary School – MALABAR
      9. Nursing Academy – EL DORADO
      10. Tunapuna Promenade – TUNAPUNA
      11. Upgraded Tunapuna Market – TUNAPUNA
      12. National Tennis Complex (under construction) – TACARIGUA
      13. Churchill Roosevelt Highway/Uriah Butler Highway Interchange – GRAND BAZAAR
      14. Completion of the Aranguez Overpass – ARANGUEZ
      15. National Oncology Centre (under construction) – MT. HOPE
      16. Mango Rose Homework Centre – EAST PORT OF SPAIN
      17. Nelson Street Police Post – PORT OF SPAIN
      18. Diego Martin Highway Extension – DIEGO MARTIN
      19. Diego Martin Technology Centre – DIEGO MARTIN
      20. Chaguaramas Boardwalk and Recreation Facility – CHAGUARAMAS
      21. New D’Abadie Bridge (B1/23) – D’ABADIE
      22. New bridge B1/14 Churchill Roosevelt Highway – TRINCITY
      23. Creation of three lanes out of Port of Spain by building a third lane on Bridge at Sea Lots
      24. Creation of Roundabout at Lok Jack School of Business
      25. Repairs to the Blanchicheuese Road improving connection to Asa Wright Nature Center
      26. St Joseph River Bridge being reconstructed
      27. Valencia Stretch repaved along with several sections of Eastern Main Road as well as widening of CR HIghway into three lanes going East
      28. Upgrades to Hollis Main for an improved water supply along corridor
      29. Water projects to expand pipe borne supply 24/7 for all.
      30. Wastewater treatment plants in Matura, Arima, POS
      31. The reconstructed bridge 2/10 Toco Main Road

  11. http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2016-01-25/privy-council-rules-section-34-repeal-legal

    Finally some good news guys , Basdeo Panday two UNC -high flying ultra corrupt- party financing cronies , Ish / Steve , might now be forced to do jail time ,for their well chronicled ,criminal misdeeds, and thereby become well deserved , subservient , sex slaves , for hopefully a few 7ft Mandigo monsters , in some US Federal Prisons.
    The other good news is , that due to this ruling by our much adored final court of Appeal, members of the tribe ,would finally get so fed up with that anachronistic British Privy Council, and so Kamla together with her misguided Opposition ,bunch , will support it’s eradication, and support a push to have T&T, become a full member of the CCJ.
    Things do have a way of working out , don’t they?
    Then again , maybe I am too much of an optimist .

    1. Neal, it has gotten so bad, especially in the past 5 years 3 months…the ccj may not be (IMHO) the holy grail it was whe originally envisioned…all those Billion$ of T&T money stolen or in bribe$ can go towards a boat brahmin “CCJ Fund” if you get my drift.It was Queen K herself, who stood up in parliament in 2005-2006, and stated no support for CCJ, because no INDIANS were present on a 6 member panel!…is the indian population in the entire caribbean even 1/6 th the population (lol…before 2010-2015)?? Interestingly, either last year or this year an indian trinidadian judge was put on the ccj panel…coincidence,?? I was also disheartened to see the Maha Sabha & its “Grand Wizard” himself ‘courting’ the Jefe at the CCJ…inviting him to T&T earlier this year, and allowing him to give speeches to Maha Sabha schools…i wonder if that guy knows or cares how people like him are referred to by them?? Or How their children are trained to view him?

      Kian, please provide a link about the fiji hindus issue….did you kniw that devant et al had a conference in 2000 about the Fiji impasse? Yessss… (of course the Fiji Indians are the victims in their eyes)

    1. Actually Kian, i am very aware of the situation i fiji, i you recall i gave quite alot of info regading it…kenya,mauritius, south africa….everywhere the colonists/slavemasters delibrately planted their new replacements…do you not recall my reference of the canadian professor who is marriwd to the ethnic fijian….he poi ted out that INDIAN RACISM & TRIUMPHANTILISM is the root causes of Fiji’s ethno-political problem….he’s been married to her for over two decades….
      I just wanted to see which specific incident you were referring to…

  12. Actually, George Speight is still an activist for the cause of the native Fijians and still seeking to maintain their rights undertake agreements with the white colonialists. The present Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, a coup leader himself is trying to resolve the race issue by providing an option to the hindu community to recognize themselves and Fijians and not Indians (or something to that effect). What is interesting though is his Justice Minister, is the same as his finance Minister and his Social Services minister, an Indian who formulates the new policies. While the racial issue is the main problem, there is also problems with tribal and and class issues as well. In viewing most of these stories, I can’t help but notice the complicity of the British, Australians and New Zealanders in controlling Bainimarama. They appear to be pulling the strings behind the scenes, in wanting to settle the problems, allowing the Indian businessmen to control the economy while placating the ethnic Fijians to continue ownership of their lands and leasing at a more favorable agreement towards the Indians. At the same time (and in the future), with the new laws being promulgated by the Indian Attorney General, it would appear that land ownership might be more amenable to the hindus (those who opt for Fijian citizenship). This too can be a huge problem for the future of Fiji depending on how Indians use this new offering. Based on our experience, there is no doubt that boasting, gloating and triumphalism will result when the dust is settled on this new arrangement. There is quite a lot to be learned from what is happening in Fiji and some of the similarities with the situation in Trinidad. Alyssa, we can draw some case similarities from Kamla’s drive to put lands in the hands of hindus at all costs. While the Opposition UNC was against the Chaguaramas Agreement between Dr. Eric Williams and the Americans, it was Bhoe Tewarie, the past Minister of Planning and Development who sought to transfer some of that same lands to his ethnic brothers. Incidentally, many Africans who still hold deed to Chaguaramas lands are still on the sideline waiting to regain their lands, as a result of that Agreement. In that respect Alyssa, it shows that Africans are not as committed to their right of ownership as the Indians are. It also means that the Africans are likely to become the lease holders and Indians the Landlordsin the not too distant future. Could this be what Kamla is really trying to accomplish in Trinidad? It could be but we must be astute enough to read the plays that are played out in the form of politics and nationalism. Those deeds areaways clouded in ways that are different from their real intentions. We must first sight it, know it and be aware of the intent. One of the things I see (as we are in the Carnival Season), is the triumph and growth of the Chutney phenomenon. For hundreds of years, the Africans fought for the right to comment on social issues. Under the Kamla regime, no effort was spared to KILL calypso. At there same time, Chutney was rising at a phenomenal pace, even trumping calypso as the cultural imperative. If I remember, the new prize for the Chutney monarch is one million dollars. How long did it take calypso to get to that amount of money? Culture is part of that fight for racial superiority and to ignore it, is the same as giving power to the replacement of it. Unlike my friend James, who thinks that their is too much talk about race. I believe that Trinidadians should become mature enough, to learn to talk about race in an inhibited way, so as to recognize the dangers that lie ahead. I see the future fraught with pit falls because there are issues that this and past generations have failed to deal with. RACE has the potential to be explosive (and likely to cause harm) to the ultimate development of this country.

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