With crime in Trinidad and Tobago continuing to seriously compromise normalcy in the business sector, the country’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry is stepping up its anxiety level, expressing “deep concern” over what would appear to be a continually escalating crime wave and the danger that it poses to the ability of the country’s business sector to benefit from a condition of normalcy.
One significant statement that reflects the extent of concern in the business sector over the crime wave has come from the country’s gas stations’ Owner Dealers Association (ODA) which is now warning that one of the consequences of the worsening violence may well be the end of the country’s 24-hour-service gas station operations. The wider business community, including the T&T Chamber, was quick to endorse the statement made by the ODA alluding to “the alarming rise in crime and its significant impact on the business community, particularly in relation to 24-hour service stations and the potential threat to night-time economic activities”. It added that the media statement issued by the ODA “underscores the crippling effects of crime on the operational safety and sustainability of service stations, which provides essential services to the public”.
Setting aside crimes that target the business community, the twin-island republic has also been plagued by a wider crime spree which, sections of the media in Port of Spain attribute to gang-related confrontations that frequently lead to episodes of gunplay that takes lives and create a wider national mood of fear and apprehension. While the perceived threat by owners to withdraw the night-time gas service appears not to have met with universal approval the gas station owners appears to be doubling down on their position asserting that “reduced customer foot traffic, rising operational costs due to increased security measures, and the general sense of insecurity are stifling the business environment and deterring both local and foreign investment.”
The Guardian report makes reference to calls by the Chaguaramas Chamber for “collaborative talks and efforts among stakeholders in the business community with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS)” but expressed “disappointment” with the ODA’s decision to restrict opening hours. As a move designed to reduce the extent to which gas stations have reportedly taken a notable shift towards cashless transactions, the recent Guardian report stated that such transactions are now “accounting for over 80% of sales” though it adds that “the growing fear of crime has led to self-imposed curfews among both staff and customers, reducing sales and increasing the threat of 24-hour-station closures.”
