[UPDATED] Police disperse large crowd at South Park hamper giveaway

The hamper drive hosted by the management of South Park Plaza in San Fernando on Friday ended before its scheduled start, because so many people turned out for it.

By 10 am, the time the distribution had been advertised to start, police had already dispersed the crowd of an estimated 2,000 people. The lines reached as far as the San Fernando By-Pass.Police diverted traffic, but some people were still trickling in, unaware the event had ended prematurely.

Newsday spoke with South Park’s chairman Anthony Rahael and his son Anthony Rahael Jr, an intern at the shopping mall at Michael Rahael Boulevard.

Rahael said, from 6 am people were already lined up outside. Owing to the growing crowd, the distribution started at 8am and was shut down within an hour.

“We had a registration process on the compound with areas marked out to ensure physical distancing.

"But outside, where the people were gathering, they were not practising it,” Rahael said. “We begged them to social distance.

"It was overwhelming. It was a big crowd, a few hundred people. We did not want an outbreak (of the coronavirus), and we (management) and the police decided it was better to shut it down before it got worse.”

Workers distributed 100 of 600 hampers.

The distribution was scheduled to run from 10 am-2 pm. A similar event was also planned for Tuesday at the same time and same place. That has been postponed.

Rahael and his team are working with Snr Supt Lucia Winchester and other police to develop a better distribution system.

“One of the systems she recommended is for us to do one similar to a Christmas hamper distribution. We will co-ordinate with the police and go to the communities, instead of having people come to us.

“We have the hampers, and we want to get them out. Hopefully, as early as Tuesday next week, we will be out with the police in communities to hand out the hampers.”

The initiative, Rahael said, was part of the plaza’s corporate social responsibility.

“When I was young, the family did not have much in those days. My father always taught us to appreciate what we have and always give back as much as possible. We, the Rahael family, have carried that mantra throughout our history.”

Most businesses on the compound have been closed owing to the tightened restrictions rising from the pandemic.

“We, too, are suffering right now. We are not collecting rent from our tenants whose businesses are closed. At the start of the pandemic last year, we had to give tenants discounts, even though they were allowed to open.

“We are hoping that by the end of June, some of the shops would be allowed to reopen.”

Winchester, Supt Carty, ASP Jaikaran, Sgts Boodoo and Maharaj, and other police from the Southern Division were at the plaza. Cpl Lewis and other officers from the San Fernando Municipal Police station also helped disperse the crowd.

At least three NGO’s involved in the distribution of food hampers said people are desperate and need help.

"The requests for hampers are overwhelming, and we have volunteers in about 15 to 20 areas in the country,” Revan Teelucksingh told Newsday by phone.

“If given the opportunity now, we can give out 1,000 hampers tomorrow."

Teelucksingh is the president of Sewa International TT (Sewa TT), a not-for-profit service organisation.

"There are many desperate people out there. Some do not have money to pay to travel to for hampers. That is why we get volunteers to go out and reach people in the far areas.

"Sometimes, we distribute in small numbers. We get sad, but real stories."

Teelucksingh said the organisation has a list of names of people in need on its database.

Before the pandemic, he said, a family with an $8,000 monthly income with three children would have been sufficient. Now, with the tightened restrictions, most people’s money is used to pay rent and bills.

He said a significant group that is often overlooked is the differently abled community.

Spread the Love, a community organisation, was created this month initially with the intention to help five families. Freeport resident Kelly Boodoo-Ali and relatives and friends took to social media asking for help to help families.

"We started to get requests from all over TT. Most came from the Penal and Barrackpore area. There are a few other members from different parts of TT. We help one another because we are not funded by any company," Boodoo-Ali said.

"Whatever little we get from people, we make hampers and distribute them. Already we distributed over 60 hampers."

Boodoo-Ali said she does voluntary work with different groups from time to time.

"There are many people in need like single parents, pregnant women, and people who lost their jobs. One pregnant woman lost her husband recently and later got put out of her rented apartment. She is expected to deliver her baby next month."

Anil Singh, of NAYEK Foundation, at Indian Walk in Moruga, said his organisation continues to help people in need.

He said, of late, scores of Venezuelans have been visiting the organisation for food hampers. He also gets requests from people in the Barrackpore and Penal area.

"Recently, a maxi filled with Venezuelans came. Some were crying but left happy after getting the hampers. I couldn’t understand what they were saying but we felt the joy," Singh said.

His sister Nadia and other relatives help distribute the items.

This story was originally published with the title "Crowd too big for South Park hamper giveaway" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

The hamper drive hosted by the management of South Park Plaza in San Fernando on Friday ended before its scheduled start, because so many people turned out for it.

By 10 am, the time the distribution had been advertised to start, police had already dispersed the crowd of an estimated 2,000 people. The lines reached as far as the San Fernando By-Pass. Police diverted traffic, but some people were still trickling in, unaware the event had ended prematurely.

Newsday spoke with South Park’s chairman Anthony Rahael and his son Anthony Rahael Jr, an intern at the shopping mall at Michael Rahael Boulevard.

Rahael said from 6 am, people were already lined up outside. Owing to the growing crowd, the distribution started at 8am and was shut down within an hour.

“We had a registration process on the compound with areas marked out to ensure physical distancing.

"But outside, where the people were gathering, they were not practising it,” Rahael said. “We begged them to social distance.

"It was overwhelming. It was a big crowd, a few hundred people. We did not want an outbreak (of the coronavirus), and we (management) and the police decided it was better to shut it down before it got worse.”

Workers distributed 100 of 600 hampers.

The distribution was scheduled to run from 10 am-2 pm. A similar event was also planned for Tuesday at the same time and same place. That has been postponed.

Rahael and his team are working with Snr Supt Lucia Winchester and other police to develop a better distribution system.

“One of the systems she recommended is for us to do one similar to a Christmas hamper distribution. We will co-ordinate with the police and go to the communities, instead of having people come to us,” he said.

“We have the hampers, and we want to get them out. Hopefully, as early as Tuesday next week, we will be out with the police in communities to hand out the hampers.”

The initiative, Rahael said, was part of the plaza’s corporate social responsibility.

“When I was young, the family did not have much in those days. My father always taught us to appreciate what we have and always give back as much as possible. We, the Rahael family, have carried that mantra throughout our history.”

Most businesses on the compound have been closed owing to the tightened restrictions rising from the pandemic.

“We, too, are suffering right now. We are not collecting rent from our tenants whose businesses are closed. At the start of the pandemic last year, we had to give tenants discounts, even though they were allowed to open,” Rahael said. “We are hoping that by the end of June, some of the shops would be allowed to reopen.”

Snr Supt Winchester, Supt Carty, ASP Jaikaran, Sgts Boodoo and Maharaj, and other police from the Southern Division were at the plaza. Cpl Lewis and other officers from the San Fernando Municipal Police station also helped disperse the crowd.