By Chantalé Fletcher
THE Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) are investing claims of brutality against the crew of a Grenadian cargo vessel – Raynair – on Wednesday by its officers.
In a release on Saturday, TTCG stated that an investigation was launched on the morning of March 2 to determine the facts and will involve all parties.
A report of the Grenada Broadcasting Network (GBN) gave an account of the by a crew member of Raynair. The eight-member crew accused officers of the TTCG of assault on arrival into T&T waters.
The video of the report has gone viral on social media.
Vessel operator Keith Joseph, accustomed to sailing between Trinidad and Grenada every week, said they were greeted with an unfamiliar hostility.
Joseph said a crew member told officers, “You better be careful where you point that gun because you had an incident where a kid was accidentally shot and killed,” which made it worse.
Venezuelan national Yaelvis Santoyo Sarabia was fatally shot by a coast guard officer when he was on a migrant boat trying to enter Trinidad illegally off the southeastern coast near Mayaro.
He added that the officer indicated that the crew would be going to the base. He said the officer shouted, “You’re not deaf, bring the so and so boat in there.”
Joseph added that one officer jumped on board and pulled the captain off and pushed him onto the docks when they were taken to the coast guard base.
He said a crew member slapped, kicked, punched and thrown to the ground.
Joseph said the officer pointed to another crew member who mentioned the shooting incident with the Venezuelan baby and demanded that he come off the boat.
However, when he proceeded, Joseph said, “Two of them jumped on him. Slap, kick, punch. He fell to the ground and they continued kicking him. I tried to shout to tell them to stop.”
Joseph said the crew were afraid for their lives, and it was only after a man in plain clothing spoke to officers, they were allowed to leave.
Later on, one of the crew members was sent to the Port of Spain General Hospital for multiple injuries, where surgery was required.
Joseph said, “This was not a simple nor cheap surgery, the Coast Guard, the Trinidad Government, somebody has to take responsibility for that.”
He added, “Look at what happened to us and we sail to Trinidad every week. What will happen to a foreign investor or someone who can’t speak English fall into their hands?”
The release said, “The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard holds itself and its membership to the highest standards of conduct and in no way supports any abuse of power and authority.”
