Extortion is serious business

THE EDITOR: Extortion is continuing in TT and seems to be a multi-million-dollar criminal enterprise. It’s not widely reported due to fear of repercussions, threats on the lives of business owners, their families and their property, and it has become a major blight to the brand sector.

Small and medium-sized businesses, neighbourhood parlours and contractors are all scared and face this reality now. They face even more threats in the construction industry, both private and state contracts being at risk if they don’t pay hefty extortion charges.

The construction sector is constantly being taxed millions of dollars per day, forcing the business owners’ costs to go up by 20 per cent or more. Extortion, or “tax” as the extortioners like to call it, has been targeting business owners for some time now.

The matter is rarely reported and businessmen usually pay the extortion money because of fear. Some businessmen just have no choice but to close down their businesses and move out of TT, while others have to face these criminals with no help from the authorities.

It’s widely known that businesses in St Joseph, St Helena, Diego Martin and Piarco are being targeted by criminals who make a living off extortion. Look at the recent fire-bombing of a car dealer’s business, in which where suffered millions of dollars in damage. Luckily no life was lost.

Some business owners claim that gangsters from various areas, and corrupt police officers as well, come knocking to extort money from them. The business owners are afraid that if they go to the police, rogue officers would inform the criminals.

Social media clips have come to light allegedly showing extortioners demanding money from a businessman. In a particular clip, a businessman is pleading with a criminal not to hurt his family or target his life.

We have heard that contractors with state contracts seek to hire police officers to safeguard a job site, but the money to pay the officers are also a high cost to them and hurts the business owners.

The issue of extortion has been growing exponentially among the business community and the matter should be treated seriously now by the Minister of National Security and the Commissioner of Police. Their lack of action and accountability cannot be tolerated any more. Setting up a special unit to target this crime against businesses would go a long way in reducing the crime of extortion.

It is important for us to say what is going on and get the police and the Government to take this matter seriously and to recognise that it’s a serious problem. It’s important for businesses to speak up. If we had a proactive CoP and a competent Minister of National Security we would not be in this predicament.

Elections can’t come too soon for the business sector.

DR NEIL GOSINE

UNC treasurer