By Sue-Ann Wayow
AS 2022 ends with 600 murders, the Supermarket Association of Trinidad and Tobago (SATT) is asking that more stringent measures be put in place to deal with crime and theft at their retail locations.
SATT said in a media release on Friday, “The perception lingers that there are no consequences for these actions of deliberate theft.”
It added that legislation somewhat allowed for offenders to repeat the same crimes time and time again.
The murder statistics not only shock the shopping public but also embolden criminals while retailers live in fear, the association said.
Regarding the granting of Firearm User’s Licence (FUL), SATT stated while there was debate about the acquisition of it, they are hoping that the legitimate business community received empathy by the office of the Commissioner of Police in the granting of those licenses.
There is also concern with the increasing cost of security and security measures.
“This is a cost that can be decreased if there are serious and sustainable actions taken by the authorities to control and reduce crime levels in dealing with criminal elements,” the association said.
When supermarkets have to put certain items such as cheese and luxury meat products under lock and key, that becomes a serious issue, SATT said.
Meaningful policing and joint patrols should be increased to offer comfort to shoppers providing a safe and secure shopping environment.
SATT stated, “We now seek the same comfort from those entrusted with the administration of planning those measures aimed at combating this dire situation from which has severely impacted the business community and greatly shrunken the appetite from SMEs for commercial risk. We look forward to meaningfully supporting national efforts in this regard.”
