(Trinidad Guardian) St Helena residents yesterday expressed skepticism that Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher will be able to keep her promise to reduce killings by June.
Their doubt was cemented following the brazen daylight murder of Anderon “Crabby” Ross in his car along Madras Road, St Helena.
Ross, 47, of Cameron Road, Henry Trace, Petit Valley, was shot several times by gunmen around 11 am as his vehicle came to a stop in traffic.
The male passenger in his front seat ran off as the gunmen opened fire on Ross, whilst his young daughter remained seated in the back seat.
Officers yesterday said the passenger was grazed by a bullet, while Ross’ three-year-old daughter was unharmed but soaked in his blood.
When Guardian Media visited the scene, several residents had gathered at the scene.
Dismissing the CoP’s promise as unachievable, one man said, “It cyar happen how she say…I ain’t seeing that. Them just killing now in groups and the numbers just keep going up, she cyar stop them.”
Pointing to the area where Ross’ daughter had been, he continued, “Them have no respect for life or the police…how she gone do dat?”
A female relative at the scene yesterday confirmed, “The child is good. She was unharmed.”
Unable to say what Ross did for a living, she added, “What I can tell you is that he’s been in and out of stuff with the law. He lived a certain way. We grew him up God-fearing but he chose to go a certain way, so that’s where he end up.”
She acknowledged, “It’s a hard lesson but it’s the facts of life. Once that little child living, that’s all I care about.”
Police described Ross as a repeat offender with strong links to the underworld.
Caroni East MP, Dr Rishad Seecheran, issued a release shortly after the killing, in which he noted that the horrific murder illustrated that gang warfare had now extended into St Helena and was no longer confined to Kelly Village.
He said, “The brazen assassination occurred in broad daylight, at a crowded intersection, in full view of motorists and opposite a popular fast-food outlet.”
Seecheran said despite the increase in murders in Kelly Village and St Helena, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds had, “failed to implement the security measures that he has repeatedly promised.”
The MP claimed, “It has been over a year since I asked the Minister to place a police post in Kelly Village. Appeals have also been made for increased police patrols and the reinstallation of working CCTV Cameras along the Caroni South Bank Road.”
“Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds has on three occasions made pledges to curb crime in Caroni East in Parliament, none of which has been delivered.”
He said during the last parliamentary sitting, he pressed Hinds to initiate security measures in Caroni East due to a double murder that occurred less than 100 meters from the Cunupia Police Station.
Seecheran said he has also informed Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher of the worsening crime situation in Caroni East.
“We also hosted two TTPS Central Division town meetings, one at St David RC School, Kelly Village and the other at the St Helena Hindu School. Residents are yet to see any tangible differences in their security and well-being. Business owners are living in constant fear of who may be the next victim of crime.”
He again appealed to the authorities to assist with the worsening crime situation in these formerly safe and secure communities, noting economic activity in Caroni was also being severely affected by these serious crimes.
He also repeated UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to remove Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds before additional lives are lost to the criminals who continue to terrorise the nation.