(Trinidad Guardian)
“What a desperately bad place we’re in in Trinidad and Tobago.” These were the words of the former principal of the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Prof Clement K Sankat, who was robbed yesterday morning.
Recalling what happened, Sankat said he went to the Tunapuna Market to get the battery of his watch replaced at one of the stalls. While waiting, a man wearing red construction clothing and a helmet snatched his gold bracelet, which Sankat noted for its value having been bought in Guyana many years ago. The man then ran away.
In shock, Sankat asked for help from another man, who was wearing green construction clothing. But unbeknownst to Sankat, the man was an accomplice in the crime.
After the robbery, Sankat followed the men until they disappeared along a side street on Tunapuna Road. Reflecting on the course of action that he took, he realised it could have possibly cost him his life.
“When I told this to my friends, they said, ‘Clem, you did something very stupid to run behind them, because they could’ve pulled a gun on you,’” Sankat said.
He then made a report to the Tunapuna Police Station, where he was “pleasantly surprised” by the level of “courtesy” he was met with by police officers. Sankat was also taken into a room where he got a bird’s-eye view of the town of Tunapuna via their cameras.
The police were able to identify the robbers via their cameras.
Sankat praised the Tunapuna Chamber of Industry and Commerce for joining with the police in the fight against crime.
“I was told that camera was put up by the Tunapuna Chamber of Industry and Commerce. My hat’s off for them! You’ve done great work, and it shows a lot of community support. Based upon this experience, it could also be a good example for all the chambers in various parts of the country; they should assist the police with those cameras. Technology can help us deter and detect crime,” Sankat said.
“I grieve for the families who would’ve lost loved ones. There was a time when the leadership of this country was talking about people getting killed and using the words ‘collateral damage”—completely unacceptable! Years ago, they were saying people who got shot, this was ‘collateral damage,” but let me tell them this is not collateral damage anymore.
“People are being deliberately killed and targeted in this country. What is the leadership doing about it? They seem almost uncaring,” Sankat said.
Reflecting on the incident, Sankat is grateful to God that he was unharmed.
