UNC deputy laments woman killed by stray bullet in highway shooting

UNC deputy leader Jearlean John said the brutal murder of businesswoman Lana Sahadeo on December 27 epitomises the state of lawlessness and anarchy which Trinidad and Tobago has descended into.

Sahadeo was one of four people killed in a shooting incident along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway in the vicinity of Spring Village in Valsayn.

She was struck in the head by a stray bullet while she looked out of her window and later died. Three men were also killed.

John blamed the Government for their deaths.

She said no apology or financial compensation from Government could ever take away the trauma of the people who were murdered over the last eight years.

John said the only appropriate response which the Government could give is to immediately leave office, the UNC will hold its own anti-crime talks early next year and similar talks with the Government are off.

She made these comments at the UNC's final news conference for the year on Thursday.

John claimed the PNM had a particular mentality when it came to crime.

That mentality, she continued, included saying crime was limited to certain hot spots and identifying certain people as a "gang man" or a "gang woman."

John asked, "Can you ascribe that to Lana Sahadeo?"

Holding up copies of all three daily newspapers, John said Wednesday's shooting has shocked many people locally and internationally.

She added that Sahadeo was nothing but an innocent bystander who made the mistake of looking out her window to see what was happening.

John said this level of brutality was something which was associated with hot spots in other parts of the world.

"This is Trinidad. This is not Gaza. This is what we are living in TT, our sweet TT."

She attributed the level of crime to a growing level of hatred within the population as well as a lack of caring for who lives and who dies.

With 2024 a few days away, John said this is a mentality that TT must free itself from.

"We cannot afford to tolerate another year of 'who live, live and who dead, dead.'"

John added that crime no longer happens in hot spots but everywhere.

She claimed that after Wednesday's incident, there was a voice note circulating on social media which said, "The thing now start."

John was concerned that this could be a warning of "some reprisal bloodbath."

Asked if the Government should apologise to the public for crime or offer financial compensation to the relatives of crime victims, John said neither was acceptable.

"The people need more than an apology. They (Government) need to go."

John reiterated that the Opposition will be holding anti-crime consultations with the public early next year.

She said that decision was reinforced by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar at a UNC parliamentary caucus on Tuesday.

John added that while Persad-Bissessar remained willing to meet with the Prime Minister to discuss a bipartisan approach towards dealing with crime, Dr Rowley does not seem willing to reciprocate.

She said the UNC does not share what appears to be an approach by Government to use legislation alone to fight crime.

"You can't just lock up people and throw away the key."

In an October 12 letter, Rowley wrote to Persad-Bissessar about scheduling bipartisan crime talks immediately after the budget debate in Parliament.

He proposed several pieces of anti-crime legislation for discussion.

Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC, was nominated as the leader of the Government's team to the talks.

Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds, Housing Minister Camille Robinson-Regis, Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales and Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister Randall Mitchell are the other members.

On November 3, Armour wrote to Persad-Bissessar asking she nominate her team for the talks.

Persad-Bissessar criticised Rowley for not attending the talks and no UNC team was nominated.

Rowley subsequently criticised the UNC for seeking to score political points and not being serious about addressing crime.

John said the UNC believes crime needs to be addressed from the ground up in all communities.

While she said many of the perpetrators of crimes are young African men, John said the UNC will not pay attention to any specific ethnic group or particular community when it holds its anti-crime talks.

Recalling her failed general election campaign in August 2020 in La Horquetta/Talparo, John said she was amazed at the level of interest that young people in that constituency had towards agriculture.

She added that these were the kinds of positive activities that were needed to turn people away from a life of crime.

John also criticised parents and guardians who leave their children unsupervised, a lack of care for children who age out of foster homes and children being the victims of crime.

She reiterated the UNC's claim that Government has done nothing to diversify the economy or create more sustainable jobs for people.

John said the only economic activity which Government seems to be focused on is the securing of the 30-year licence for the Dragon gas field in Venezuela.

"What happens when the dragon stops dancing?" John asked.