Driver traumatised by George Street shooting

The driver of the maxi that was shot at on the corner of George and Prince Streets in Port of Spain on Tuesday afternoon said he is traumatised.

The man said he was struggling to cope with the aftermath of the incident, which ended with one person dead and eight others wounded.

Speaking with Newsday on Thursday, the man, who asked not to be named, said he was still trying to come to terms with the shooting.

He said three of his passengers were shot and wounded. One of them, Lystra Rodriguez, later died while being treated for her injuries.

The driver said he had worked at the Blanchisseuse taxi stand for the past 22 years and had never experienced such violence before.

"I'm depressed and kind of frustrated over what happened. I still can't catch myself. It was a really shocking experience. Right now I'm still shaken up from what happened. I'm having trouble sleeping, knowing what happened. It was so sudden and fast."

He said his maxi, which was hit several times, was taken to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, by police for testing. Since the incident he has been unable to work.

Despite his own challenges he is still willing to return as a maxi driver but only if the Blanchisseuse taxi stand is moved. Referring to a meeting with other drivers on Wednesday, he said drivers will now be picking up passengers at the corner of Henry and Prince Streets because of safety concerns.

"This was the first time we saw the violence directly affect us as drivers – but there was always concerns over safety on George Street. Just a few weeks before this shooting, there was another one, but it was at the apartment complex.

"We can't keep picking up passengers on that stand."

The driver said he and other drivers and members of the Blanchisseuse Village Council intended to write to Port of Spain mayor Joel Martinez on Thursday asking him to move the Blanchisseuse taxi stand.

"We don't have a registered taxi stand. We just use white buses. But we are trying to organise our taxi badges. As of today (Thursday) we won't be picking anyone up at that stand. We need to think about the safety of the passengers and the drivers."

Asked his thoughts on the shooting, the driver said he believed all his passengers were innocent bystanders and felt gunmen shot the wrong people.