A copycat prankster is being blamed for two explosions that shattered the peaceful district of Moriah in Tobago on Friday night.

Investigators said around 9.45 two explosions were heard near Moriah Police Station.

A villager said the explosion occurred at Broad Place, which—though sparsely- populated—is the centre of activity in the village in the hills.

The explosion, said a senior policeman, was relatively minor and there were no injuries.

Police recovered two plastic bottles, both filled with chemicals, at the scene of the explosion.

Police said a bomb expert from Trinidad arrived in Tobago yesterday and was carrying out investigations.

Foreign expertise, said investigators, had not been called in, as the probe was still in its initial stages.

“We are not sure how far this will go,” said a senior investigator.

Police said the explosion was similar to the one which occurred on Henry Street in Port-of-Spain, on September 27.

A plastic soft drink bottle filled with some unknown chemical, exploded in front of the building which formerly housed Spektakula Forum.

Investigators felt that the bombing was the work of someone trying to imitate the bombings in Port-of-Spain and St James during the last five months.

A resident of Moriah said, however, the Tobago bombers were just some young residents “playing the fool,” adding:

“Them boys were doing that last (Friday) night. It had a dance in the area,” explained the resident, who requested anonymity.

He said the “bombs” comprised foil paper, toilet bowl cleaner and other chemicals in plastic soft drink bottles.

“When you shake it, and pelt it, it will swell up and burst...but is no big thing,” the Moriah resident added.

Winston John, former Tobago Senator and a Moriah resident, said the incident was very unfortunate.

“People tend to follow the trend, and I don’t want to blame anyone, but it is a bad example.

“There has a been a great increase in local tourism, and it is expected some of the things happening in Trinidad will happen in Tobago.”

Restaurant owner Beverly Ramsey-Moore said the incident was an alarming one, which was reflective of “the restlessness in society. It is things like that we want to arrest.”

Ramsey-Moore is a team leader of Parenting for Resiliency in Youth Development and Empowerment (Project Pride).

The project targets young people, aged five to 19, and their families in an effort to facilitate behavioural change.

“Young people have so much idle time. Instead of playing pranks to destabilise the community, we can have these young people placed into different activities so they can make a meaningful contribution,” said Ramsey-Moore.

Up to press time police were questioning a Moriah teenager in connection with the incident. They said they expected to make two other arrests.

Sgt Spencer, of Moriah Police Station, is continuing enquiries.

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