Agri Society laments biker's death: 'A life could have been saved'

President of the Tobago Agricultural Society Tyronne Moses said biker Stefano Dash would have been alive today if the sheep which Dash hit on Saturday, near Studley Park, was secured by its owner.

According to reports, Dash was riding his Yamaha R1 with a group of friends in the afternoon when two sheep darted across the road. The Glen Road, Scarborough resident hit one of the sheep, went airborne and slammed into a utility pole.

He was taken to the Scarborough General Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Moses told Newsday, “A life could have been saved. One of the challenges that we have in Tobago is that there are a lot of persons that are interested in agricultural activities, they’re interested in becoming farmers, but the resources that should be available is not available – which is the lands.”

Only recently, Deputy Chief Secretary Dr Faith BYisrael complained about farmers letting loose their animals to graze in the Belle Garden field. She said sporting clubs who had used the venue to train and play had to be abandon it and go elsewhere. She warned that if it continued they would be forced to impound the animals.

Moses acknowledged that many farmers occupy lands illegally because they can't afford to lease or purchase it. He said even if they can get access to land, it is difficult to secure it.

“It comes at a cost. For the average person, getting to make an investment of a couple hundred thousand dollars to fence a property is not feasible, but at the same time if you have livestock, it is important that you secure your livestock. That was irresponsible on the farmer’s end.”

However, he added: “Sometimes animals do get away when they are tethered, but it is not the first time that we have animals walking free in Tobago.”

He urged his fellow farmers: “Try to, at least, if you don’t have the fencing and adequate free range, tie them.”

One livestock farmer who did not want to be identified said drivers should proceed with caution on the road.

“I give the animal the right of way – most motorists don’t follow the speed limit; if they follow the speed limit they would not bounce down an animal.”

He added: “An animal is a living thing and it’s just like you (driving) down the road and a child runs across the road, you have time to stop for the child to pass – I give the animal the right of way.”

He said that people who are not shepherding their animals should be penalised but said at the same time, drivers must remain mindful.

“Tobago is a farming community...I don’t give the farmer the right just to let go his animals, but if that should happen, motorists should remember we have animals on the roadways.”

Several other livestock associations and farmers were contacted but they declined comment saying that they did not have the facts of the incident and preferred not to speculate.

In an interview with Tobago Channel 5, Sgt Joseph Jordan said the livestock owner can be found liable in the incident.

He said, “The crossing of animals in Trinidad and Tobago is not unlawful...Somebody who is carrying animals across the roadway from one field to another, once he or she is accompanying that animal, you have the authority to stop the vehicular traffic and allow your animals to cross.

"Unfortunately, if an animal is not being shepherded and they run across the road willy nilly, obviously it can cause accidents.”

He said most of the times when these accidents happen, the owner of the animal does not come forward.

“You can’t find the owner, suddenly the animals have no owner, but yes, that person could find themselves in some trouble where they would have to account for why they’re having their animals untied and these kinds of things.”

He said accidents are also caused by stray dogs and other wild animals.

“I know that there is probably some policies where stray dogs on the roadways and in the cities, to try and have them captured so that we can at least reduce the issue of unfortunate accidents and the unsightly deaths of these animals on the roadway – a life is a life.”

Jordan told Newsday the investigation is ongoing. He said a media report – not Newsday – claimed Dash had swerved to avoid hitting a child and collided with the sheep. However, Dash's nephew Elijah Cyrus told Newsday other people on the scene said there was no child.

Jordan said, “We’re still looking for the alleged aspect of the child running across the road. That child has not been found as yet.

"As it relates to the farmer, we know that two sheep or two goat are dead as a result of the accident but it is unclear at this point in time to say that the animals were the cause of the accident.”

He said he is unaware of the area having any CCTV cameras and police are relying on the information from eyewitnesses.

To the livestock farmers, he said: Comply with the no-tethering signs, it is something like trespassing and there are penalties for this.”

He said people rarely make reports of this unless it damages their crops or flowers, “but persons ought to be mindful because if animals are found on your property, impound them, bring them to the station. The station would take possession of them and try to get in contact with the owner. If the owner does not show up after a period of time, we auction the animals.”

He said if the owner shows up, he would be responsible for the impound and transport fees before collecting the animal.