[UPDATED] Widow of murdered Chaguanas businessman: Something wrong with society

The widow of a murdered Chaguanas businessman lamented the spate of murders in Trinidad and Tobago after her husband was shot dead minutes before closing his restaurant on Saturday night.

Newsday understands Ramnarace Nandoo, 52, was about to close up his barbecue restaurant in Montrose, Chaguanas, when two gunmen entered the building and demanded the cash.

When Nandoo told the bandits he did not have any cash, one of the men shot him in the mouth through the door and ran away.

Police visited the scene with a district medical officer who declared him dead.

Speaking with Newsday at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, on Monday, Nandoo’s widow, Chanardhaye Nandoo, questioned the mindset of her husband’s killers and feared similar attacks may occur, given the economic situation.

“The way the country is going, especially with how the economy is going right now, and how people don’t have jobs, they (criminals) are looking for anywhere they can get money and they don’t care how they get it.

“To me, the mental state of people right now isn’t right. How can a person just run (up) to you and be so angry you can shoot someone who has a family and children? It isn’t right. Something is wrong with society right now.”

Nandoo said she and her husband had owned the restaurant for nine years and had never been robbed before.

She said the incident had shaken her and she was considering closing the business.

“I’m not going back there. I don’t even want to see that place again.”

Nandoo said she and Ramnarace had been married for 14 years and had three children, 14, 22 and 24.

She described her husband as a friendly, caring man who put his family first and became a staple in the Chaguanas community with his restaurant.

Nandoo was one of six people gunned down between Friday night and Sunday afternoon.

Most of the killings were in the Central Division and began with the murders of Ruben Ramsahoy, 21 and Mason Maynard, 30, in Margaret Cipriani Road, Kelly Village Caroni.

Two hours later Surendra Ragoobar, 36 and his nephew Jamal Absalom, 21, were shot dead at a parlour in Enterprise Street, Chaguanas.

On Sunday afternoon 28-year-old taxi driver Shaquille Maynard was shot dead while visiting a friend in Pomegranate Avenue, Malabar.

In a media release on Monday the Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CCIC) extended condolences to Nandoo’s family and described the current crime situation as “concerning.”

President of the chamber Richie Sookhai said the spate of murders were disheartening and reminded the public that all law-abiding citizens were within their rights to protect themselves and commended acting Police Commissioner Gary Griffith for his stance on issuing Firearms Users’ Licenses to businesspeople.

“These types of tragic events in our country sometimes give rise to the feeling that criminals have the upper hand over business owners and citizens who cannot protect themselves.”

“All taxpaying nationals of TT need to protect themselves and their enterprises from negative elements in the society.”

Sookhai said while he understood the budget constraints facing the authorities, he maintained that surveillance systems would go a long way towards tackling crime and would assist the police in their detection.

“This technology that is resident in TT can give our country the ability to implement predictive surveillance measures by pre-emptive policing software used in other countries like London.

“The ability to stop crime before it occurs would not only remove the already existing anxiety that citizens feel as it pertains to their safety and security. It would also instil confidence within prospective investors to invest in TT. Ultimately; this would have a positive multiplier effect on the economy.”

“Surveillance equipment that can be installed in strategic locations throughout the community can give non-arm-bearing citizens the assurance that mechanisms are in place to deter crime before it transpires and carry out swift justice in the unfortunate event that a crime does occur.”

He also said that the CCIC would continue to partner with the police and the Ministry of National Security in coming up with crime-fighting strategies.

Police said that the murder toll as of Monday afternoon was 262 compared to 294 for the same period last year.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

The widow of a murdered Chaguanas businessman lamented the spate of murders in TT after her husband was shot dead minutes before closing his restaurant on Saturday night.

Newsday understands Ramnarace Nandoo, 52, was about to close up his barbecue restaurant in Montrose, Chaguanas, when two gunmen entered the building and demanded the cash.

When Nandoo told the bandits he did not have any cash, one of the men shot him in the mouth through the door and ran away.

Police visited the scene with a district medical officer who declared him dead.

Speaking with Newsday at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, on Monday, Nandoo's widow, Chanardhaye Nandoo, questioned the mindset of her husband's killers and feared similar attacks may occur, given the economic situation.

"The way the country is going, especially with how the economy is going right now, and how people don't have jobs, they (criminals) are looking for anywhere they can get money and they don't care how they get it.

"To me, the mental state of people right now isn't right. How can a person just run (up) to you and be so angry you can shoot someone who has a family and children? It isn't right. Something is wrong with society right now."

Nandoo said she and her husband had owned the restaurant for nine years and had never been robbed before.

She said the incident had shaken her and she was considering closing the business.

"I'm not going back there. I don't even want to see that place again."

Nandoo said she and Ramnarace had been married for 14 years and had three children, 14, 22 and 24.

She described her husband as a friendly, caring man who put his family first and became a staple in the Chaguanas community with his restaurant.