UNC Women's Arm: Where are the cameras, streetlights in Aripo

The United National Congress Women’s Arm is calling on the Government to ensure safer public transport for women, pepper spray legislation is passed, CCTV cameras to be installed at the Heights of Aripo, and for a police post and streetlights to be installed in the area.

The Women’s Arm requested those items during a candlelight vigil and prayer on Saturday at the entrance to the Heights of Aripo, off the Eastern Main Road. This after the body of 21-year-old Keithisha Cudjoe was found on February 4, in the same area where the body of 23-year-old Andrea Bharatt was dumped a year ago.

Bharatt, a court clerk, was abducted after she boarded a taxi in Arima. Her murder sparked a national outrage.

Cudjoe, of Cocorite, was reported missing on January 29, the day before her body was found at the Heights of Aripo. She was last seen alive on January 24.

At the vigil people held signs saying, “Justice for Keithisha Cudjoe; government needs to prioritise safety of women; We want to take a taxi and reach home safely; and We are fed up, we are angry, we are tired, female bodies are not disposable.”

Kenya Charles, chair the UNC women's arm, recalled that they held a candle light vigil one year ago for Bharatt.

“We are here to stand up. We are acting for justice for the numerous women that have lost their lives by monsters...

“We are asking the government to do what is needed to secure the women of TT. And we are asking men to also come out and give women the support because with you all we can not do this. We need you all to fight with us and fight against these monsters out here, to work with us to bring safety to women and children of TT.”

Bharatt’s relatives were also present at the vigil. At one point they separated from the group to visit the site where Bharatt was found to place a wreath and light some candles.

Geraldine Williams, a cousin of Bharatt, said it broke her heart to place the “flower arrangements” at the site knowing the body of another young woman was found nearby.

With tears in her eyes she asked the people of TT to look out for each other.

“I want to say we need to look out for one another. We are all someone at the end of the day and this is someone's life being taken and brutally murdered. This is not a time to be quiet. Say something if you see something and just help someone. Help us as women.”

St Augustine MP Khadijah Ameen said she and the women’s arm were there to pray for the soul of Cudjoe.

“We pray for the families of other women who have lost their lives. We also pray for the protection of our women and girls in this country from the bloody murderers. But we also pray for our country’s protection from the failure of the PNM government. They have failed at every round.”

She questioned the status the streetlights and security cameras at the Heights of Aripo which were promised by Arima MP Pennelope Beckles and National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds.

"We are calling out the AG on his failure because when the Leader of Opposition Kamla Persad-Bissessar asked for pepper spray legislation, they made fun of it, they laughed at it. But the truth is that he bowed to public pressure and put the pepper spray legislation but up to today it is not a reality.”

She said justice took too long in TT and asked the government to be accountable for their failure to protect the country's women and girls.

Last July, Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales and Arima MP Pennelope Beckles oversaw the installation of seven LED streetlights in area, as part of a 27-LED installation project along Aripo Road.