Given there have been 20 murders in Tobago, in a population of roughly 60,000 people, the island at this point is actually more murderous than Trinidad on a per capita basis.
So said chairman of the Tobago Business Chamber Martin George yesterday as he called for more action by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) to deal with the crime situation in Tobago.
The 2024 murder toll in Tobago was pushed to a whopping 20 on Wednesday following the murder of 21-year-old Kerlon Thomas and the shooting of five others in the vicinity of Friendsfield Road in Scarborough .
George said in a WhatsApp video he sent to the Express that the chamber is calling on the TTPS to get the job done. “We are tired of the old talk and all the rumblings about—oh yes, they are on top of it. No, you are not on top of it,” he said.
He added, “The criminals are on top; let’s be real, we need some real and decisive action to put a stop to the criminal activity that is taking place in Tobago and to bring Tobago back to some sense of peace, calm and tranquillity, safety, security and sanctity.”
Expressing the chamber’s outrage with the number of murders in Tobago, he said, “We are not safe, our blood is being spilled on the streets, in the cafeterias, in the bars, in the rum shops. I mean doctors are being hit by stray bullets and it’s just murder and mayhem.
“We of the Tobago Business Chamber, we call upon our business leaders, we call upon all leaders of civic society, religious leaders, social activists to join with us as we put pressure on the authorities and we say enough is enough.”
Please cooperate
with police
Meanwhile, president of Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce Curtis Williams told the Express that following the chamber’s recent meeting in Tobago with Minister in the Ministry of National Security Keith Scotland, he expects swift action from the TTPS in dealing with crime on the island.
According to Williams, following that meeting and other meetings with senior TTPS officers, the chamber is still unclear as to what the plans to mitigate crime on the island were.
He said: “From the 19th murder, we heard that there were a couple of voices in the space (TTPS officers) echoing that they had an approach in the way they look at criminal elements. To date, that hasn’t borne fruit as yet. So we want to get some feedback as to where you are in making this simple plan that you have in place effective. We are calling on the police to do what they have to do and do it fast; we can’t wait.”
He also called on residents to cooperate with the police in their fight against crime.
“A lot of things are happening in the spaces and the residents are not giving the support that they ought to, in terms of reporting the information. So we are appealing to residents of these areas to reach out to law enforcement through various lines, such as 800-TIPS, and pass information on to the police,” he said.
“It seems like these things (criminal activities) were happening and they were all covered, and no one was saying anything until now where we have shootings in the various areas,” he said.
Young men
misbehaviour
Meanwhile, Minority Leader of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Kelvon Morris said via WhatsApp that he was “extremely saddened and disappointed by the conduct of some of our young men in Tobago”.
He said, “Despite the best efforts of law enforcement, the blood-letting continues, signalling that the problem of crime and criminality is even more severe than any of us could have imagined. Now, more than ever, those efforts must be redoubled.”
He urged fellow residents of Tobago, “If we see something, we must add our voices and hands to the fight against crime. To give up is to hand over our beautiful paradise to those intent on destroying it.”
Morris also said that “now is the time for all arms of the state: Central government, the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), and law enforcement to work together, side by side, to restore peace and security to our island”.
He said that rooting out the criminal elements in various areas of Tobago is a collaborative effort, adding that, “At this point, we must all remain vigilant, hopeful, and united in this fight to protect Tobago. This is a fight we must face together, and it is a fight we must win.”
Attempts to contact Chief Secretary Farley Augustine for comment on the murder rate in Tobago were made, but five calls and one WhatsApp message went unanswered.