Gangs, Guns, and Governance in Trinidad and Tobago

[TriP]

droppin' tis here.. a long read..

https://triniworldviews.wordpress.com/2 ... nd-tobago/

Trinidad and Tobago - Population: 1.3M - # of Criminal Gangs: Over 200 confirmed
# of suspected Gang Members: Over 2500 confirmed (suspected over 4500)
Murders per year: approx 500 (494 in 2017).
World Crime Index: 72.22 (#5 Worldwide)

Setting the stage for conquest.

There are many forms of conquering. The major ones usually deal with military domination, or social/cultural ascendancy. In the once sweet Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, those 2 methods have been combined in a manner that has seeped and creeper up to the point now where major and minor gangs alike are now in De facto control of the country. The culture of criminality , gradual (now brazen) stockpiling of arms and ammunition, and alliances with the right allies among themselves and higher up the food chain have granted them right of way throughout. Situations like this which are traditionally and loosely the model for organized crime usually produce somewhat a stable situation as far as allowing the powers that be to negotiate their way out of civil disorder and chaos (until better can be done).

Building criminal momentum

Sadly even this is not the case with the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the once Oil rich nation which has squandered its wealth through corruption, mismanagement of public services, and handout programs which have born no fruit other than a rotten attitude towards work and how to make a living. The society has developed a lawless attitude as a result of the ‘easy come, easy go’ mentality and the general lack of proper and continual law enforcement practices which we have grown accustomed to to the point where authorities are chastised and put on social parade for actually doing their job. What began as a plead for a “bligh” (local dialect meaning to give a second chance) for being in possession of marijuana, has developed into a sense of entitlement to rob and kill, which is now referred to in gang ridden communities as a “wuk (work).” The killing of known gang members by police officers, despite many times the gang members shooting at the police, and pictures circulating with them with drugs, automatic rifles, etc, and to top it off the long rap sheet that accompanies them (armed robbery, murder, rape among the most common charges), entire communities come together to violently protest the killing of one of ‘their own,.’ They do so mostly by burning debris on the nation’s roads and highways, and in some cases while barricading them use it as a chance to attack vehicles (big stones’ being the weapon of choice for windscreens), and rob commuters. Any response by the police is then demonized as them victimizing “poor people,” and the politicians in not only politics, but in the public service sit back and choose PR over the lives and trauma of law abiding citizens.

Understanding protection

There have always been gangs operating in Trinidad and Tobago, but the last decade has been unique in that the stage was set for what we are experiencing today, and they have capitalized completely on it. Criminal elements as a whole prod. They edge over a line and see if there is a response. If the response is either not there or the rewards outweigh the risk due to lack of severe enough response from the authorities, they step over that line and a new standard is set. Given political tensions and turmoil’s which were faced by the nation, and the desire to maintain their support for ‘ground services,’ especially during low PR ratings and election time, gangs received state money based on their strength. This is funded mainly through development projects and social initiatives in what were deemed underprivileged communities. Pair this with a massive wave of corruption that hit during the modern TnT era (when Oil prices spiked a few years ago), and you got hundred of million in gang leaders hands. This capital investment was their chance to break away from what was formerly organized crime whereby the suit and tie drug lords were the only ones with enough wealth and power to control the drug and illegal gun market. The took it and never looked back, stockpiling arms, ammunition, drugs, vehicles, etc. They sat in wait being paid off more and more, all while forming alliances and preparing for what we have today; total and utter chaos and fear. Their criminal organizations and well formed and equipped, with all the benefits of organized crime (weapons, vehicles, numbers, recruitment and logistics, to some degree training, connections), but with all the dangers of random outbursts. Gangs have set loose their members on the nation, where on a daily basis they rob, kill, rape, and terrorize. It is to the extent now that masked robbers are thing of the past, as bandits looking straight at cameras and not caring, all armed with guns, and exact violence in each robbery. Most robberies now include physical assaulting the victims or raping, reminiscent of the ugly side of history when it comes to pillaging.

Learning from history

Gangs have found the formula for the take over of Trinidad and Tobago and have used it. In 1990 there was an attempted coup d’etat whereby members of the Jamaat al Muslimeen organization stormed the Parliament building and held the Prime Minister and members of parliament hostage at gunpoint while well armed looters took to the streets and robbed/ destroyed the capital city’s businesses completely. Some businessmen from that time never recovered their livelihood. This of course was a classic coup, force of arms, and was eventually subdued and defeated due to negotiation out of the situation and military muscle in the back. (Note that the then Prime Minister was shot in his leg during this situation, a wound he would suffer with in his later years before passing).

The modern coup

T&T boosts the 2nd largest armed force in the Caribbean, and while it’s near 5000 troops is far from a massive number, it is more than enough as a formidable force in such a small country, especially with them being well trained and equipped on an ongoing basis. This is our Defence, however gangs have positioned themselves right before that threshold. They are free to terrorize Trinidadians, Tobagonians, and recently with much enthusiasm, foreign nationals (the Chinese population being a particular target) and tourists (Americans, Canadians, Europeans being their choice here). Once they don’t attack any commissioned (senior) police officers, military details, or certain politicians, they have their run of the place. What started as small favours and bribes to keep in line, has reached a stage of power now where those with the power to do something are more concerned with themselves personally. It is understandable that in a country where anyone could be killed at anytime (the systems of protection being not only inefficient buy near impossible given the size and geographic of the country paired with mismanaged security resources), that those with the means of dealing with the situation would want to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. However we’ve gotten to this stage partly because of this and just keep going further down the rabbit hole. This is the reality when you feed a crocodile, hoping that it will eat you last.

Gangland Inc.

Where they can, they act as militias to control the country, their areas being deemed impassable by police and having their own taxation, policing, and economic systems set up in their communities. Citizens are under constant siege at work, at home, and while commuting, as robberies and break ins with acts of violence happen statistically more in the day now than even night due to the share volume. A demoralized, under-trained, and under managed, and overall corrupt national police service is half of the reason law enforcement is in shambles, and the other half is from a disenchanted citizenry in a chicken and egg situation whereby bandits raid the barnyard and coupes daily. The country has reached to the point where gangs have rested control more akin to insurgent terror organizations, but with no outright military response being allowed. Unless the threat is seen for what it is, i.e. a threat on a national security level, and there is a realistic grasp of the position of the country, i.e. the gangs having societal control through force and fear, Trinidad and Tobago will remain owned by its Gangs.

[TheBoostLord]

THE Anti-Gang legislation will come into effect tomorrow.

The Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs said in a statement yesterday that Cabinet has given instructions to President Paula-Mae Weekes to proclaim the Anti-Gang Act, 2018.

The Ministry said the Act was one of several legislative measures that have been undertaken to “buttress the criminal justice system and assist law enforcement in its fight against crime”.

The Act was passed in the Parliament on May 4 and assented by the President on May 15.
But it did not come into force immediately as Section 2 of the Act stated it would come into force only upon proclamation.

https://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/lo ... 254c9.html

[zoom rader]

THE Anti-Gang legislation will come into effect tomorrow.

The Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs said in a statement yesterday that Cabinet has given instructions to President Paula-Mae Weekes to proclaim the Anti-Gang Act, 2018.

The Ministry said the Act was one of several legislative measures that have been undertaken to “buttress the criminal justice system and assist law enforcement in its fight against crime”.

The Act was passed in the Parliament on May 4 and assented by the President on May 15.
But it did not come into force immediately as Section 2 of the Act stated it would come into force only upon proclamation.

https://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/lo ... 254c9.html

Waste of time, they would probably target injun rum drinkers saying they in a gang

[fatboy slim]

THE Anti-Gang legislation will come into effect tomorrow.

The Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs said in a statement yesterday that Cabinet has given instructions to President Paula-Mae Weekes to proclaim the Anti-Gang Act, 2018.

The Ministry said the Act was one of several legislative measures that have been undertaken to “buttress the criminal justice system and assist law enforcement in its fight against crime”.

The Act was passed in the Parliament on May 4 and assented by the President on May 15.
But it did not come into force immediately as Section 2 of the Act stated it would come into force only upon proclamation.

https://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/lo ... 254c9.html

Waste of time, they would probably target injun rum drinkers saying they in a gang

that anti-gang legislation is a piece of crap. pnm will use it for their own agenda.

[zoom rader]

THE Anti-Gang legislation will come into effect tomorrow.

The Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs said in a statement yesterday that Cabinet has given instructions to President Paula-Mae Weekes to proclaim the Anti-Gang Act, 2018.

The Ministry said the Act was one of several legislative measures that have been undertaken to “buttress the criminal justice system and assist law enforcement in its fight against crime”.

The Act was passed in the Parliament on May 4 and assented by the President on May 15.
But it did not come into force immediately as Section 2 of the Act stated it would come into force only upon proclamation.

https://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/lo ... 254c9.html

Waste of time, they would probably target injun rum drinkers saying they in a gang

that anti-gang legislation is a piece of crap. pnm will use it for their own agenda.

Injuns playing all fours will be deemed as a gang.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Lets see if burkey would be arrested....because I remember a news report saying...once in effect all gang members would be hunted and arrested

[Gladiator]

Roget and Watson hide boys... They coming for you.

The real purpose of this law is to dismantle the trade unions...

[hong kong phooey]

Lets see if burkey would be arrested....because I remember a news report saying...once in effect all gang members would be hunted and arrested

first they will have to arrest half the police force

and it will be himself investigating himself

[pugboy]

hardly likely
them chaps are legitimate contractors getting urp etc
all above board, ask marlene

Lets see if burkey would be arrested....because I remember a news report saying...once in effect all gang members would be hunted and arrested

[shake d livin wake d dead]

So we expecting to see less murders, robberies etc etc?? Daz d hope right

[zoom rader]

So we expecting to see less murders, robberies etc etc?? Daz d hope right

Only when PNM is out of power

[K74T]

[RedVEVO]

" .... The Sunday Guardian was informed by a source in the Ministry of National Security that a “secret document” containing the names of gangs, gang members, and respective addresses/locations of the people and gangs in the country up to this time, is currently in the possession of Minister Edmund Dillon and acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams .. "


So if it secret how come everybody know ?

And Crime & Gangs rule


http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2018-06-10/‘covert-operations-dismantle-211-gangs’

[.:PROZAC:..]

They can have names, pictures and addresses and they still won't be able to find and prosecute.

[RedVEVO]

They can have names, pictures and addresses and they still won't be able to find and prosecute.

The T&T Gang Dilemma is becoming a joke.

Didn't Faris say he needed the " Gang Bill "

[airuma]

" .... The Sunday Guardian was informed by a source in the Ministry of National Security that a “secret document” containing the names of gangs, gang members, and respective addresses/locations of the people and gangs in the country up to this time, is currently in the possession of Minister Edmund Dillon and acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams .. "


So if it secret how come everybody know ?

And Crime & Gangs rule


http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2018-06-10/‘covert-operations-dismantle-211-gangs’

Is this a secret document created by the Ministry of National Security or one that was created by "gang members" and intercepted by the Ministry of National Security?

[Ben_spanna]

Good! go into their homes and kill them ALL and all of their families and associates! I honestly don't give ah flying f() ck !

[RedVEVO]

Good! go into their homes and kill them ALL and all of their families and associates! I honestly don't give ah flying f() ck !

Maybe this is the plan ..

Remember Manning & the " Community Leaders "

Rumor has it they all just "disappeared."

[TriP]

Three documents identifying men from East Port of Spain are being called gang lists.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

So if daz d "list" wah deh gonna do about the contents?? Just say deh know

[RedVEVO]

Anybody have the LIST without the censorship ?

When I driving, walking, malling etc., I wanna know whose around ..

[zoom rader]

We under a PMM gang and this is what they come up with

[fatboy slim]

We under a PMM gang and this is what they come up with

pnm don't know sheit

[shake d livin wake d dead]

all ah dem on that list should die...

[De Dragon]

Typical for the PNM. Always claim to "know" who in what, but cannot successfully prosecute or convict anyone for anything. Wasn't the Anti-Gang Bill supposed to bestow these rights-infringing freedoms to go after gangs and gang members?

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Awaits other excuses for the crime fight

[jahs0ldi3r]

Yes I do

Anybody have the LIST without the censorship ?

When I driving, walking, malling etc., I wanna know whose around ..

Tapatalk isn't allowing the uploads, so pm me and I'll email or whatsapp them to you

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Imagine these men are gangsters, gang leaders etc etc...and it have people who are concerned because they are "marked" for death...wdmc I really seeing here..

[RedVEVO]

Typical for the PNM. Always claim to "know" who in what, but cannot successfully prosecute or convict anyone for anything. Wasn't the Anti-Gang Bill supposed to bestow these rights-infringing freedoms to go after gangs and gang members?

PNM lied to T&T

[TriP]

Senior police in the Port of Spain Division yesterday confirmed that an 11-page document listing alleged gang members in East Port of Spain was released with the intention of alerting rival gangs to their whereabouts as potential targets for reprisal killings.

Speaking on condition of strict anonymity, the source disclosed that the list was connected to a reputed gang leader currently behind bars who released it to provide members with the names and photos of intended targets. The source also revealed that the listed individuals were expected to be targeted after the Eid ul-Fitr holiday on Friday.

The list, which contains the names, aliases, photographs and last known addresses of 45 alleged members of the Rasta City gang,