Elan it has been acknowledged that it have crime everywhere, not just in trinidad. And the thread is about "would youreturn home" not "wow another crime in the US" In spite of the recent bombing attempt (which could have been a disgruntled ex employee) I still going starbucks for my iced mocha latte. The population of the US is much larger than T&T so I expect a certain amount of crime to come out of many states in the US. I don't expect as much "reported crime as I see in the TT media" And you could say that the media is being sensationalist but at least we are hearing about the crimes taking place. I also expect a quick response when I call 911 for whatever reason, be it a drunk idiot singing in the street at 3am or a bunch of teenagers breaking into the abandoned house next to me. I know that T&T has changed in the past several years, but I remember when police couldn't come to "investigate" because the one car at the station shut down. They just close 2 schools in the county I live in and consolidating the student body between the remaining 10. Is a sign of the times, the states running out of money and you have to see belts tighten everywhere. GM file for bankrupcy. Obama take his lady out for movie night at the taxpayer's expense. Now you need a passport to go to canada and mexico. They kill an abortion doctor a few days ago. There is a missing french jet that probably went down somewhere over the atlantic, The taliban still kidnapping people left right and center. North Korea testing missiles.....
Oh yeah and here are some headlines from Today's Express.
Screams on cellphone
What happened to Kelly?
Gyasi Gonzales ggonzales@trinidadexpress.com
Monday, June 1st 2009
Kelly and her son
WHAT happened to Kelly Samaroo-Bradshaw between last Thursday night and Friday morning?
This is all her family would like to know now.
She died at the Port of Spain General Hospital's Intensive Care Unit on Friday at 4 p.m.
The 18-year-old lived with her parents at Persad Lane, which is off St Lucien Road in Diego Martin, and she was the mother of an eight-month-old baby. She was also self- employed.
According to Kit Samaroo, Kelly's Samaroo's father, his daughter had hired a car to take her to Beetham Gardens the last time they saw her alive.
He continued: "When she reach her destination (around 1.30 a.m. Friday morning)...I eh know if it's a gunshot they heard. She tell the driver, drop meh here but the driver reverse back and drag she".
He said they heard her screaming over the phone but were unsure exactly what was transpiring at that time.
"I don't know if the driver either put she out or kick she out," he said.
He said when he visited her at the hospital she had a number of severe bruises to her face.
He said some Beetham Gardens residents eventually found her unconscious, scrolled through her cell-phone, got the phone number of her parents and called them.
They also called the Emergency Medical Services, who took her to the hospital.
The dead woman's sister, Ashley Samaroo, said, "I want somebody come forward and really tell us what happened to my sister. This is something real devastating."
The young woman also explained that her sister had a "misunderstanding" with her husband sometime last week and decided that she would lime with her best friend (name called) at a nightclub in Curepe on Thursday night.
"The driver not coming forward to tell us what happened. He just hiding. We need to get some justice for this...I mean, you drop off a passenger and the girl was bawling," she said.
Officers from the Besson Street Police Station are continuing investigations into the teenager's death.
One officer said yesterday that they were working on theories but could not divulge more because of the sensitive nature of the case.
Maraval man gunned down
Monday, June 1st 2009
A Maraval man was shot dead on Saturday night and police believe his murder was either a case of mistaken identity or that someone wanted to send a message to the people he knew.
The victim was identified as Junior Sandyford, who lived with his relatives at Monticello Drive, Le Platte Village, Maraval.
According to the police, just after 8 p.m. Sandyford, 46, was sitting on a bridge near the corner of Maraval Road and Morne Coco Road, obliquely opposite a playing field, when a man walked up to him and opened fire. The killer then fled.
Someone saw Sandyford lying on the road and took him to the Port of Spain General Hospital, where he died on arrival.
The Express visited his relatives yesterday afternoon in Maraval. They were polite but firm in their refusal to be interviewed, with the exception of one relative. He described Sandyford as an easy-going fellow but said that he did not know why he was killed.
According to his step-father, who did not want his name mentioned, Sandyford returned from the United States just under two years ago.
He was about to tell reporters a little more about Sandyford when his relatives objected.
Homicide Bureau officers said he was known to them but only for minor crimes. Investigations are continuing. - GG
Body at old gas station: murder not ruled out
Monday, June 1st 2009
POLICE believe a man, who was found dead in a now defunct gas station off the Eastern Main Road in Petit Bourg, may have fallen, hit his head and died yesterday. Richard Wilson, 53, was found in a back room of the building around 7.30 a.m.
However, up to last night, the officers had not yet ruled out murder because of the amount of blood found at the scene. A postmortem to determine the cause of this death is scheduled for today.
From all reports, Wilson lived at the station, which is now being used as a car-wash centre. The building is also used as an office for the People's National Movement (PNM) during election time.
According to a good friend of his, Wilson began working at the car-wash about three months ago as a night watchman. He was last seen on Saturday evening, when he and some friends went with liming.
Yesterday morning, one of his friends/co-workers, who only wanted to be identified as "Panday", arrived at the station but did not see Wilson. Both he and another co-worker began checking the building and found his body in a back-room/office.
He was in a sitting position with his back against a wall. Blood was seen coming from his nose and there was also dried blood on the floor.
"He is a not a violent person," said Panday.
"It hurts my heart about what happened, he works with me. I hope that this is a case of sickness (death by natural causes) and not violence."
Wilson's sister was on the scene yesterday but offered no comment to the media. Homicide Bureau officers are continuing investigations. - GG
Passengers stranded
Frustration at port...
Rickie Ramdass rramdass@trinidadexpress.com
Monday, June 1st 2009
HIGH AND DRY: Stranded passenger Marjorie Phillip shows the ticket stub which was torn by officials of the T&T Spirit to go to Tobago. - Photo: ANISTO ALVES
FRUSTRATIONS were high and tempers flared at the Port of Port of Spain yesterday evening, as some 200 passengers who were to make their way onto the T&T Spirit to sail to Tobago were left stranded.
Six of those who were made to stand and watch their belongings sail away on the ship without the assurance of it being returned safely, were visitors from London, England.
Some passengers blamed the situation on bad management, while others said it was the Government that "rented space" on the T&T Spirit to transport passengers from Tobago to Trinidad to attend yesterday's PNM Sports and Family Day at the Eddie Hart Grounds in Tacarigua. -See Page 5. Those who attended the event were then given first preference to board the boat in order to return home, while normal "John Public passengers", many of whom had purchased their tickets months in advance, were denied access.
When the Express visited the port, the gates were locked and no one was allowed to enter the terminal.
Majorie Phillip, one of the affected passengers, said, "I have nowhere to stay. I gave up my hotel keys. I have no money, not even for dinner tonight.
"They tear my ticket and now I can't go on the boat? The problem is bad management. My question is why tear the ticket if they know we can't get on the boat?"
Jane Henderson, one of the visitors from London, said she came to Trinidad with five of her friends for a wedding, but the experience was a very displeasing one. Everything was just unorganised, she added.
"I saw our belongings go onto the boat, and a someone inside told me that it may be returned tomorrow morning but he is not certain," Henderson told the Express.
Aliicja Suska, also from London, said, "This is a critical mess. With a situation like this how are we going to recommend our families to visit Trinidad? Trinidad is losing tourism."
But officials at the port said the passengers were just blowing the entire situation out of proportion. They blamed the situation on a lack of life jackets on board the ship.
"There are not enough life jackets on the ship to accommodate the passengers," an official said.
They assured that those who were affected would be repaid their money. When asked about the accusation by some of the passengers about spots being bought for the PNM members, the official, who asked to not be identified, said she did not wish to commen