Customers, tenants more vigilant after double murder at mall

Customers and tenants of three of the largest shopping malls in San Fernando are not fazed by the recent double murder which took place recently at a mall's carpark but they are being more vigilant.

Sunday Newsday visited the malls last week and spoke with several people who said they were satisfied with mall security but called on police to be more proactive.

One tenant at South Park mall said regular police patrols would be a deterrent to anyone seeking to commit criminal activity.

The man, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “The murder here was shocking. I never thought I would experience something like that. I do not think the mall is unsafe though, but regular police patrols would give me an ease of mind.”

On January 27, Malik Straker, 31, also known as M1 and Molly and Joel Chambers, 29, were executed as they sat in a silver AD wagon in one of the car parks, located near the exit of the Solomon Hochoy Highway at the South Park. The daylight shooting sparked panic among shoppers and tenants.

On February 10, Sharon Kissoon, a customer at C3, who was with her three-year-old daughter getting lunch, said she felt relatively safe shopping at the malls in south Trinidad but wanted to see more security in the carpark.

“I feel comfortable shopping at the malls. A concern really is the parking areas, especially the covered parking spots in all the malls at night.

“Better lighting and more security patrols would make me feel safer. This would be my most urgent request to the mall owners,” she said.

In June 2018, a pregnant woman was robbed at gunpoint in the basement carpark of one of the malls.

Sunday Newsday attempted to reach out to the management of the three major malls – South Park, C3 and Gulf City – to get an idea about their security operations after the murders.

There was no response from South Park but Terrence Ramsamooj general manager at J T Allum and Co. Ltd, owners of C3, said, “All I can say is that we acknowledge that crime is a national issue.

“At C3 Centre we continue to provide a facility that is under 24-hour security surveillance, and we remain committed to working with TTPS.”

In an interview Gulf City mall’s public relations officer Sarah Ragoonath said while they were aware of the recent murders and other criminal activities in San Fernando and environs, their mall remained safe for both tenants and customers.

She said the security officers on the compound was not outsourced but were employees of the mall, and while they were not precepted officers, they ensured their security officers are properly trained.

She said, “The security at Gulf City is ours and they are on the compound 24 hours. We are better able to manage our security plans and we are also better able to take care of them and this is important.

“Our security knows the mall and its operations, and this was critical for us because with outsourcing officers would be rotated regularly and not as aware as they should be.”

Ragoonath added that Gulf City mall had a good relationship with the police and have regular paid patrols in and around the mall’s compound.

She said a new security and parking infrastructure for tenants and patrons as well as a $2 million upgrade to their surveillance system has allowed for better detection of unwanted activities in the mall.

“Parking for tenants is safe. Each of them has a card that they must swipe to access the designated parking at the back of the mall. They also have police escorts when they make their bank deposits.

“We are installing a new parking system for the customers and that too will ensure that at the entry and exit points vehicles are monitored on our systems and by the guards at the booths,” Ragoonath said.

She said that while they have sound security operations, criminal activities cannot be fully prevented, especially at a venue that has mass gatherings, and called on patrons to be vigilant.

In March 2019, pensioner Joseph Phillip was shot in the front seat of a taxi in front of the mall. Ragoonath said their surveillance system has a view of the area, but because the incident happened outside of their premises and any such activity would be under the remit of the police.

With CinemaOne scheduled to open by April and the rented space for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) south office to be occupied soon, she said other security mechanisms will be implemented.

Last week, the murder of Andy Alberto Macias Hosein, 33, a security guard at Ketan jewellery store, raised concerns about the level of safety in the city.

These incidents prompted the mayor of San Fernando Junia Regrello, along with the municipal police and acting CoP McDonald Jacob, to increase the manpower and anti-crime operations in the southern city.

Some shoppers on High Street said they feel much better that there were more officers on patrol but pointed out that people needed to continuously be vigilant.

Vendor Radha, who only gave her first name, said, “I do most of my shopping in San Fernando. I also sell on the side of the High Street. Crime is everywhere. It is unfortunate that a security (guard) was killed by people who are pests to society. It is good to see police patrols.”

Concerns were also raised by the president of the National Security Officers Union Gregory Walker about the unregulated private security sector which made it difficult for security officers to get the required training and to get firearms.

He said because of the high cost to train personnel, private security firms do not invest in their workers to give them the tools to function effectively on the job.

Walker said, “Under current legislation, only firms that have precepted officers (those that can carry firearms) are required to register with the Ministry of National Security. Unscrupulous employers hire non-precepted officers thereby avoiding the need to register and that is a big part of the reason why the industry is the way it is.”

According to Walker, there were about 500 private security firms operating in TT with the majority being unregulated.

Over the years there have been repeated calls for legislative reform as a critical first step in addressing the issues plaguing the private security industry.

Some of the issues, he said, were unfair wages, non-payment of overtime, other financial compensation, sick leave, vacation leave, national insurance payments and safety in the workplace.