Princes Town cops offer safety tips for Xmas season

Princes Town police want the public to be safe and vigilant on the streets and shopping centres throughout this yuletide season.

On Thursday, municipal and regular police held a meeting with the Princes Town Regional Corporation chairman, Gowrie Roopnarine, and other council members, business owners, and traffic wardens to discuss safety, including traffic measures.

Stakeholders vowed to work together to make their Christmas plan a success.

At the meeting, Roopnarine asked for an extended police presence in and around the town during business hours and for traffic to be at a minimum. He said such measures would allow business owners and burgesses to carry out their transactions safely and conveniently.

Police promised an increased presence to minimise attacks from criminals.

For the past weeks, municipal cops and PTRC members have been patrolling the streets and malls, offering safety tips to the public.

On Tuesday at C3 Mall, in Corinth, on the outskirts of San Fernando, ASP Wendell Guzman, together with Insp Lewis, Sgt Morris-Garcia, WPC Hosein, PC Harracksingh and other officers, gave out flyers with safety tips and interacted with shoppers. The mall falls under the Princes Town municipality.

Guzman said officers wanted to remind people to take the necessary precautions for covid19 and the Christmas season.

"We want people to enjoy their shopping," Guzman said on Tuesday afternoon.

The officers later joined Roopnarine, councillors Deryck Mathura (PTRC chairman of security) and Latchmi Ramdhan, acting Supt Rampath and Insp Vector in the streets of Princes Town.

The police are reminding people to follow all the covid19 regulations such as wearing masks in public and physically distancing themselves.

"People should avoid going into crowded stores as well. They must pay attention to their surroundings when shopping and going to their vehicles whether in the day or at night," Guzman said.

"People should not leave any valuables in their vehicles. If shoppers feel uncomfortable, they can speak to mall security. Parents and guardians must keep their children in sight at all times when shopping."

In an emergency, people can contact the municipal police at 298-8988.