By Sue-Ann Wayow
POLICE officers worked throughout Monday night in Port of Spain and environs to maintain peace in Beetham and Sea Lots following the fiery protest earlier in the day.
Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds said the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) and the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service (TTFS) manned the streets with a heavy law enforcement presence quelling the protest which was “effectively done within two hours.”
He was answering a question asked by Opposition Member of Parliament Dr Roodal Moonilal who inquired what urgent steps were being undertaken to ensure prevention of another such riot.
Hinds said protests were not new and therefore resolutions were not new.
The residents were protesting the deaths of Fabien Richards, 22, his nephew Isaiah Williams, 17, both from St Barb’s in Laventille and Niko Williams, 21, of Beetham Gardens, who were killed by police on Saturday.
Hinds said there was also enhanced deployment of intelligence resources to ensure that advanced information would be forthcoming to prevent “the kinds of flare-ups that are likely in those kinds of circumstances.”
While he said that citizens had a right to express themselves, it should be done in a lawful context and that those who broke the law on Monday were directed and urged towards the more civilized and lawful in expressing their emotions and grievances. He noted reports to the Police Complaints Authority (PCA).
“That process has worked many times and to assure the protestors that it will work again,” Hinds said.
Dr Moonilal further asked if Monday’s event suggested a collapse of the intelligence services.
Hinds responded, “Those who instigate and encourage and feel they could benefit from that kind of activity including criminality might want to think so but I give you the assurance Madam Speaker, that was not the case. The intelligence agencies were on top of it and will continue so to do.”
The traffic gridlocked in and around Port-of-Spain as some residents staged protests by burning tyres and throwing debris and bottles across roads caused the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) to issue a Citizen Emergency Alert Message and to advise persons to exercise caution when entering certain areas.
