“Fire coming!” a young man shouted and small groups of men hanging out on a corner at Bhagaloo Trace yesterday afternoon, some with walkie talkies, scattered. A police jeep with three officers, one a woman, cruised down the street and stopped to talk to some of the men.
During a T&T Guardian check of the area yesterday, there were none of the soldiers seen on Saturday. Asked if there were soldiers in the area, the police officer driving the vehicle, said after a pause: “Have a good day ma’am.” Residents said the police were patrolling the area regularly and about 12 officers were there earlier in the morning interviewing people.
Andre Phillip said the police presence was good: “The police doing their work. We have no judgment with the police doing their work.” A dreadlocked man sitting in front a tray of cigarettes, said “all the badness” was coming from Crown Trace.
“Some people coming and making here look bad but everybody here living with love,” he said. Asked if the residents showed more support for Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner last Saturday when his visit to the area clashed with that of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s, he said: “The media say that. We can’t recall giving no verdict on that.” Selwyn “Robocop” Alexis, at his supermarket on Freedom Street Junction, said he did not think soldiers were necessary in that part of the area.
“In Crown Trace and Bhagaloo maybe people would welcome it,” he said. Asked if the shootings in the area had stopped, he said: “I don’t know if it stopped. It ease up for now.” And what about Warner’s role in the matter, Robocop said he spoke to certain people and had held town meetings in the area.
During her visit to Enterprise last Saturday, Persad-Bissessar announced that a joint security exercise called Operation Restore 2 would be coming to the area. She said women and children must be protected and the Government will not tolerate the boldness of criminals. Persad-Bissessar said the effort comprising military and protective services officers will be concentrated in Bhagaloo Trace and Crown Trace and eventually fan out into the wider community. Chaguanas East MP Stephen Cadiz said it was the only way to stop the shootings in the area.
Residents to march against gangs
Enterprise grandmothers and mothers and their children are leading the way in a new effort to stop gang warfare in the area. Nyandy Ifill, 26, said a march is being planned for sometime soon. “It’s a march to stop the gang violence and to take back our community,” she said.
“People are telling the police and the prime minister enough is enough but I am not seeing people coming out openly and saying it themselves.” Ifill said they intend to approach people from the two warring sides at Crown and Bhagaloo Traces and invite them to the march, as well.
“We are letting them know we are not leaving them out and if they, too, feel enough is enough, they can join the march.”
Ifill said they already have the support of Selwyn “Robocop” Alexis, a businessman in the area, who promised to get Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner to sponsor jerseys and posters for the march. See Page A6