​Contractors want soldiers at construction sites

The president of the Joint Consultative Council (JCC) for the construction industry Fazir Khan is urging National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds to look into different methods of increasing his ministry's capacity to tackle crime, particularly at construction sites.

Referring to the limited resources of the police to investigate and solve murders and ongoing extortion schemes on construction sites, Khan proposed the minister have TT Defence Force (TTDF) members posted at construction sites to deter criminals.

A statement on Saturday from Khan said the council understands that the TTDF does not have the same powers as the police to arrest and prosecute offenders "but our country is in a dire crisis, requiring us to think creatively beyond our post-colonial systems to find and implement solutions to the pervasive criminality threatening potential anarchy," he said.

There have been reports of an alleged gang leader based in east Trinidad allegedly trying to extort $30,000 a month from a local contractor to “protect” workers on the job site.

The leader is also said to demand the contractor hire his gang members on the site. The police were alerted, and officers now provide security for the work crew.

The issue of extortion of businesses has been a hot topic item even in Parliament as Opposition MPs have raised the matter which is threatening the business community in several parts of the country. The police have been urging victims to reports act of intimidation and extortion so that offenders can be arrested and charged.

Khan said the council was deeply concerned about the alarming increase in crime and its serious negative impact on construction projects across the country.

He said criminal gangs are targeting contractors on both government and private construction sites, extorting money from them under the pretence of providing protection.

"Over the last two years, reported incidents have surged, particularly in Trinidad, with Tobago experiencing a lesser extent of this issue. This problem has a history," Khan said.

"Contractors have learned the hard way that when they venture into new areas to work, they must often employ individuals from the community who may lack the necessary skills, inclination, or work ethic required for a construction site."

He charged that the "normalisation" of "community leaders" by successive governments over the last 30 years has contributed to the security problems being faced today.

"Unfortunately, many contractors have been forced to incorporate a protection tax into their project costs over the same period. This illegal activity has become the norm, worsening the long-term crime situation in the country, with the construction industry bearing the brunt of the consequences," Khan said.

"Specifically, criminal gangs now view most construction sites as easy targets, leading to turf wars and resulting in mayhem, including targeted and collateral damage. Contractors, their representatives, and supervising engineering site staff face threats, violence, and extortion, while construction sites become hotspots for crime."

Khan said to combat this, security cameras have been installed at all large and medium-sized construction sites, increasing overhead costs for contracts.

JCC comprises four organisations: the Association of Professional Engineers of TT, TT Contractors Association, TT Institute of Architects and TT Society of Planners.

Khan said the cumulative cost of crime invading construction sites is estimated to cost the country millions of dollars per day, contributing to approximately a 10 per cent increase in construction costs over recent years.

"While costs are a significant concern, we cannot place a value on the lives at stake or the physical and mental trauma experienced by those simply trying to do their jobs."

Calls to president of the TT Contractors Association, Glen Mahabirsingh, for comments went unanswered and calls to get a response from the minister also proved futile.