Hinds testifies on Beetham water-kicking incident

LAVENTILLE West MP Fitzgerald Hinds said on Wednesday he felt “insulted, affronted, threatened by and annoyed with the obscenity and disrespect shown” to him by Beetham Gardens community activist Anderson Wilson on August 14, 2018, when he went into the area to assist residents affected by flooding.

Hinds, minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General, was testifying at Wilson’s trial at the Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court where he is before magistrate Sarah De Silva charged with using obscene language to the annoyance of the minister.

Hinds said he was in the community responding to calls from residents who complained of their homes being flooded out. He said when he got to a particular corner in Beetham Gardens, there were many people there, all talking, when Wilson came.

“Specifically, he was very irate. Shouting more loudly than the others,” Hinds said, adding that Wilson was inciting a noisy group which cheered him on.

He added that Wilson was hostile and aggressive, calling his name, and was using obscene language while flailing his hands. He also said Wilson was the only person wearing a yellow jersey, which bore the logo of the opposition United National Congress.

On that day, Hinds and local government councillor Akil Audain were touring areas of the Beetham community affected by heavy rain.

The two were speaking to residents on 16th Street when they were confronted by a group of men, who kicked water on them and after confronting the group, they had to flee as the men, who were armed with buckets, chased after them.

Wilson is alleged to have said, “For 56 years, the PNM did nothing for f---ing Beetham. Hinds is only promise you making, you doing nothing for the f---ing people.”

Hinds said he made a report to the police and also gave them a statement.

In cross-examination by Wilson’s attorney Darren Mitchell, Hinds said he had never experienced anyone throwing dirty water on him, and although it was not his first experience of someone using obscene language towards him, he considered himself a victim of assault.

Hinds was also shown television news broadcasts of the water-throwing incident and he identified both himself – by the light blue shirt he was wearing and his “long beautiful dreadlocks” – and Wilson in the footage.

He also said he knew Wilson going back to September 2015, as a “very communicative activist in the area.”

Hinds said as MP he frequented Beetham Gardens, parts of which fell in his constituency, and would have met Wilson on several occasions, particularly when he hosted meetings and interfaced with constituents.

Hinds will return to court next Monday complete his testimony.

Just before he took the witness stand, acting ASP Edmund Cumberbatch, who was initially in charge of the investigation, gave evidence.

He said Hinds first made a report by phone on August 14, 2008. Some two weeks after the incident, he had a conversation with Hinds, and that was the first time he learnt Wilson’s name.

Cumberbatch said he did not question why it was the first time he was hearing the name of the suspect, but at some point he was concerned. Cumberbatch, who was assigned to the Besson Street police station, was then relieved of the investigation, and said he handed it over to Insp Randall McGuirk and shared his concern with him.

After being shown a station diary extract of a record of Hinds’ telephone call, Cumberbatch said he was not concerned that Wilson’s name was not mentioned in it, since he was aware that the minister referred to “Quincy,” as Wilson is also known, and another man in his statement he gave the police.

Also charged in relation to the water-throwing incident was Beetham Gardens resident Richard “Snake” Marcelle, a worker with the Port of Spain City Corporation’s drainage department.

Marcelle pleaded guilty to using obscene language and assault ,for which he was fined $100 and $300 respectively.