Police want borders and ports secured

THE Police Social and Welfare Association says it is angered by Saturday’s shooting in which hairdresser Natoya Christian, 36, and 50-year-old Sgt Roger Williams were killed at D’Style Mall, Charlotte Street, Port of Spain.

Williams, of Serraneau Road, Belmont, was moonlighting at a nearby casino and had his personal gun. He didn’t get a chance to use it when gunmen opened fire on a group of limers at around 7pm. The killers were after a man from Beetham Gardens. Christian, the mother of three of Mentor Alley, Laventille, was celebrating her birthday.

Members of the association, at a press conference on Sunday, also said they were alarmed at the number of illegal firearms on the streets and attributed the illegal firearms to TT’s “porous borders and ports by air, land and sea.”

Gideon Rayon Dixon, the association’s president and its secretary Ancil Shane Forde called on the government to address the issue along with the Coast Guard, Port Authority, Airports Authority and Customs and Excise.

Dixon said the association categorically condemns the fact that law enforcement officers are also coming under attack.

“Within the last week we had three officers who fell victim to gunshots,” Dixon said.

He described Williams’ shooting and death as “extremely alarming” as he was assigned to the firearms court.

“We cannot say at this point in time that the perpetrators were targeting the officer, however based on the sensitive place in which he worked, and the fact that we are the gatekeepers of the criminal justice system, we feel strongly about any attack on the police officers and anyone in law enforcement.”

Dixon said no resource will be spared to bring those responsible to justice.

“It is high time our actions speak louder than our words and we will be supporting all our brothers and sisters in the fight, and trust against the criminal elements. They cannot win. They will not win.

“We welcome all assistance from members of the public.”

Forde said police had recovered over 700 illegal firearms for the year so far. He added, for the last two years police recovered over 1000 illegal firearms for each year.

“Yet, we observe that more and more illegal firearms are being found on the streets.”

He said the government and its agencies responsible for the management of the borders and ports needed to do what it had to do to reduce the number of illegal firearms entering TT.

The police have been doing its part, Forde added.

Asked if the association did not consider the recent amendments to the Bail Act sufficient, Dixon said, “There has been a lot of talk in terms of border protection over time, and there has not been a lot of action.”

Dixon said the police was often blamed for “every single murder that takes place in TT and, really and truly, if 80 per cent of the murders take place with the firearm, and we are not a manufacturing country, it is very unfair for the police to take all that blame all the time.”

“We have several people before the court for firearm-related matters and the situation is that these persons come back out almost in the blink of an eye.”

A release from the police service on Sunday also condemned the “deadly and violent firearm attacks against the police.” It said, “The Commissioner of Police wishes to put on record his condemnation of these cowardly acts and that the police service will relentlessly pursue those responsible.”

The release said the police remained “resolute and united with its law enforcement counterparts to reduce this unacceptable level of violence, and ensure that all perpetrators will be prosecuted.”

Williams’ neighbours in Serraneau Road, Belmont – who wished not be named – described him as a loving person and social. Everyone was sad it happened, they said.

Christian’s aunt, Erica Christian, told Newsday at her Laventille home on Sunday, that crime was now “too dread.” She said all of TT was one. “I know you, you know me. Me and your mother went to school together. What is this Muslim and Rasta City? What is it about? This ain’t making no sense.”

Christian said a lot of people were crying and she was hurt over the death of her first niece.

“She and my son nurse on one breast each. I love she. I find this need to fix. The youths need to have a little more respect.”