(Trinidad Guardian) The ex-wife of Coastguardsman Kester Williams, Janelle Yard-Blackman, is urging women to leave violent relationships immediately.
“I had one threat and I left,” she said yesterday. “I didn’t wait for the lash, I didn’t wait for the physical abuse. One threat and that was enough for me.
“You cannot be in your bed and they tell you if you go with anyone else, I would kill you. Understood? They (women) wait too long and they hope it would get right. It don’t get right, it don’t ever get right,” she said.
Yard-Blackman spoke to the media about her 47-year-old ex-husband hours after it was reported that he had shot and killed his girlfriend, Sharsa David, 48, before turning the weapon on himself at their home on Hibiscus Drive Extension, Edinburgh 500, Chaguanas, early yesterday
Yard-Blackman said she had to break the news to Williams’ only child, 20-year-old Jebarry Williams.
“He dropped Jebarry home last night, he looked very pleasant as usual,” she said.
Yard-Blackman said before she broke the news to her son, she asked him whether his father spoke of any challenges or issues he was having, trying to understand what led to this murder-suicide.
“There was nothing out of the ordinary. He was so respectful to me and to Jebarry that he was able to come to the home and pick him up,” she said.
Yard-Blackman said her relationship with Williams ended years ago but they were able to be cordial for the sake of their son. She said her marriage to Williams “started off very beautiful”.
“But when things went downhill, the marriage only lasted five years,” she said.
She said she was told about the murder-suicide by her brother, a police officer who called and asked about the whereabouts of her son.
“Well my heart fell to the ground because I thought something happened to my son, he is my only son,” she said.
She was then told Williams had died and that “his woman” was also dead.
“I called my son’s boss and asked him to just bring him home for me because I don’t want him getting this news while he was on the road,” Yard-Blackman said.
She even asked the boss to take the son’s cellphone.
“I met up with him and I brought him home and broke the news to him,” she said. She said her son showed no emotion upon learning the news but cried later.
The T&T Coast Guard said in a statement the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard it was aware of reports surrounding the deaths of one of its serving members and a female relative and assured its continued support with investigations.
“The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard wished to extend its sincerest condolences to the families and friends of those persons involved in this regrettable situation and assures the public of its continued dedication to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the rule of law and order through co-operation with agencies within the National Security framework.”
The Banking and Insurance General Workers’ Union extended condolences and prayers to the family of Alfonso-David was had been serving as Deputy General Secretary of the union at the time of her death.
“She was an excellent administrator and handled her duties in a very professional and dedicated manner. She was also very courteous and well-liked by her union comrades. Aside from her daily functions, Cde Alfonso-David also found the time to serve on the Women’s Committee of BIGWU, participate in activities of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) and JTUM Women’s Committees, even assisting in the drafting of a policy on addressing violence against women in the workplace and society at large,” the union said in a statement.