"State of Emergency" Thread

[wagonrunner]

Two Port-of-Spain residents who were arrested by police at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain, and charged under the Anti-Gang Act were yesterday freed. Cedric “Burkie” Burke, 36, a contractor from Pioneer Drive, Sea Lots, and his driver, Keon “Baine” Bain, 31, of Third Street, Maraval, walked out of the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates’ Court after the charges against them were dismissed by Senior Magistrate Cherril-Anne Blake. Burke was charged under the Anti-Gang Act which was passed in Parliament on May 3, as a gang leader, while Bain was charged as a gang member.

The duo, described by authorities as “big fish,” was arrested on August 26 by officers of the Port-of-Spain CID and Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU) led by Senior Supt Glenn Hackett and John Martinez while staying at the five-star hotel. They were charged by PC Noble Smith of the Port-of-Spain CID. After the charges were dropped against the two men, they both breathed an audible sigh of relief before exiting the court to a waiting vehicle. Their release came yesterday afternoon after police prosecutor Richard Taylor told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard came to the decision that there was insufficient evidence against the duo.

Taylor said: “After perusing the men’s files, the DPP said there was not enough evidence to mount criminal prosecutions against these men.” After the matter was dismissed, attorney Wayne Sturge thanked Taylor, Gaspard and the complainant, Smith, for expediting the matter to ensure the prompt release of his clients. The men were also represented by attorneys Kirk Hogan and Richard Clarke-Wills. Meanwhile, two groups of brothers were among seven men who were also freed of gang-related charges in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court.

Brothers Rodney, Marcus and Emmanuel Raymond, all of Port-of-Spain, were among five people charged with being members of a gang and were freed after Taylor expressed similar sentiments to Blake. Dave and Micky Babwah, of El Socorro Extension, San Juan, who were arrested and charged as members of a gang days after their father Basdeo “Dragon” Babwah was murdered, were also among those who were freed. Since the announcement of the ongoing state of emergency on August 21, 236 people have been charged under the Anti-Gang Act with 146 going free on the advice of the DPP due to a lack of evidence.

Last Friday, Gaspard expressed his intention to pursue prosecution against seven Sangre Grande residents who were charged as being members of the “Deportee Gang.” That matter has been the only one to be pursued by the DPP to date. That matter is currently before Senior Magistrate Anna Ryan in the Sangre Grande First Court and is expected to continue this Friday.

The number of civil suits our AG should be facing keeps growing.

[sMASH]

so, now, how much progress have been made due to this SoE/ curfew? and how much maintainable progress has been made?

they have infringed on the rights and freedoms of many, the lively hood of some, just to restrict a few people. yes, the actions of those few are heinous, and statistically speaking some lives have been saved. but all that has been achieved was preventing the movements of some criminals, and they are just biding their time to resurface.
u may say to extend the curfew, and SoE, but they would just modify their modus operandi and continue. they are only prevented in the short run

the aim should be to prevent, then detect then remove.

since those guys would figure out a way to work around the SoE/curfew, this method of prevention falls along the same ways as the others (if any).

so now, u have to detect the criminal activity and then remove them from society.


if we could do those, then this would become a better deterrent than and temporary SoE/curfew, as they are free to move where ever and do what ever, but any thing criminal would be detected and they would be removed from society.

if we had a properly functioning police system we would have no need for SoE/curfew.

[shogun]

TWO men who were arrested at the Hyatt Regency hotel in August and later charged with being gang leaders were among nine people freed of gang-related charges yesterday after the State said it could not proceed with the matters due to a lack of evidence.

The two—Cedric "Burkie" Burke, 36, and Keon "Baine" Bain, 31, had been described by police as "big fish" and leaders of the Pioneer and Production Drive gangs in Sea Lots, following their arrests.

Yesterday, however, during their third court appearance, the two were allowed to walk out of the Port of Spain Eighth Court as free men by Senior Magistrate Cherril-Anne Blake after attorneys attached to the Police Service legal unit, Sgts Wendell Lucas and Richard Taylor, said the State could not mount a successful prosecution against them due to insufficient evidence.

Lucas said Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard has perused the respective files against the men and had formed the opinion that there was not enough evidence to secure convictions.

Initially, the two were scheduled to be released yesterday morning, but because of a technical problem at the Office of the DPP, the preparation of the letters of discontinuance had been delayed.

Lucas and Taylor had asked that the matter be adjourned to this morning, but defence attorney Wayne Sturge, who represented Bain, asked that the prosecution be given until the afternoon period yesterday to have the letters prepared.

Following their release around 1.15 p.m., Sturge, who also held for attorneys Richard Clarke-Wills and Kirk Hogan, told the court he was satisfied that the prosecution had moved in such a swift manner in having the letters prepared and thus preventing the men from spending another night behind prison walls.

Sturge also said to reporters, following the release of the men, that he intended to file civil action against the State for wrongful arrest, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.

They both refused to speak with members of the media after their release. Burke quickly made his way into a waiting silver 4x4 van along St Vincent Street before being driven away.

On August 26, the two were arrested after officers of the Port of Spain CID and Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU), headed by Snr Supt Glen Hackett, stormed the Hyatt Regency hotel. They were held on the 16th and 22nd floors.

At the time of their arrest, Minister of National Security John Sandy was also in the hotel delivering the feature address at the Commonwealth Regulatory Workshop; Caribbean Countries and Global Financial Regulation.

Also released yesterday were Travis John, Keston Hamilton and brothers Rodney, Emmanuel and Marcus Raymond. All four were represented by attorney Patrick Godson-Phillip.

Dave and Mickey Babwah, also brothers, also had gang-related charges against them dismissed. They, however, remained in prison up to yesterday evening, jointly charged with a firearm-related offence.

Since the passing of the Anti-Gang Act on August 15, 236 people had been arrested and charged with being gang members and leaders. So far, 146 have had the charges dismissed due to a lack of evidence.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/_Bi ... 14843.html

I dunno nuh, this thing is just a phcukin' circus.
They're just letting these criminals see, how inept the justice system is.

[sMASH]

justice system doin what it have to do, the police system is the fault this rongs (as is usually the case).

deh tell police, ' if u feel deh is ah gyang membah, arres dem' ... they forgot to tell the magistrates 'if they look like gyang membah, jail dem'

i feel, if those persons who get arrested and get freed, get arrested again under the same laws, they could sue the state for harassment.

if u ain't have evidence, and strong evidence don't do nutten, except get it.

[wagonrunner]

exactly.
but as seen in this. Kam's and Anand preferred action to thought. Inconveniencing many, to be "seen" as if doing something.
Matter of fact, reminding me of this.........

[5onDfloor]

justice system doin what it have to do, the police system is the fault this rongs (as is usually the case).

deh tell police, ' if u feel deh is ah gyang membah, arres dem' ... they forgot to tell the magistrates 'if they look like gyang membah, jail dem'

i feel, if those persons who get arrested and get freed, get arrested again under the same laws, they could sue the state for harassment.

if u ain't have evidence, and strong evidence don't do nutten, except get it.

How is the Police to blame?

Who brought the Anti-gang bill to parliament and made it law?

Prior to Aug 21, 2011 where the police arresting anyone under the Anti-gang bill?

Who decided to call the SOE? was it the Police or Kamla & Anand?

Was this SOE part of a cohesive crime plan? and if yes, did the Police agree on how and when it should be implemented?

SOE was called and the Police service only found out about the SOE same time WE found out and your CoP was in Brazil.

The whole idea of a state of emergency is to allow the Police to be able to arrest with enhanced police powers........so its now obvious that this whole SOE was a knee jerk reaction that had no set deliverables or plan of actions.

Blaming the Police is a futile argument.....there were just following orders

Kamla, Sandy, Ag Commissioner Stephen Williams and the AG should all demit office.

[smooth39]

As a victim of crime.....2 armed robberies and 1 murder during a robbery , when I see the comments being made here regarding the pros and cons of the S.O.E. , I really wish someone from 5onthe floor or habit7 etc family is gunned down in order for them to feel what I , my mother , sister in law and uncle have to go through every single day.

[sMASH]

why were the detained persons freed? because there was not enough evidence to convict them.
who responsible for collecting evidence? kamla and annand.


jess because ur boss tell u that he install a new water cooler and u could jink any time, doesn't mean that u should only drink water from the cooler, all day. u can continue to do what u were doing before, and take a sip from the cooler every now and then.

[K74T]

As a victim of crime.....2 armed robberies and 1 murder during a robbery , when I see the comments being made here regarding the pros and cons of the S.O.E. , I really wish someone from 5onthe floor or habit7 etc family is gunned down in order for them to feel what I , my mother , sister in law and uncle have to go through every single day.

quoted before backpedal and/or removal

[wagonrunner]

why were the detained persons freed? because there was not enough evidence to convict them.
who responsible for collecting evidence? kamla and annand.


jess because ur boss tell u that he install a new water cooler and u could jink any time, doesn't mean that u should only drink water from the cooler, all day. u can continue to do what u were doing before, and take a sip from the cooler every now and then.

so when d paranoid boss say she quarantining the office because she believes all outside fluids to be dangerous. So she had the taps locked off, and yuh know have to stay in the office from 4a-11p. And the building maintenance supervisor says the A/C costs too much to run those hours. what happens to the cooler then?

[rollingstock]

^ To hell with that come out and say it, they told the police to make the arrests despite the lack of evidence because what evidence that was collected was by the Repeat Offenders Police Task Force that has since been disbanded and the evidence collected was before the proclamation of the Anti Gang Act.

Police just following instructions.

[Habit7]

As a victim of crime.....2 armed robberies and 1 murder during a robbery , when I see the comments being made here regarding the pros and cons of the S.O.E. , I really wish someone from 5onthe floor or habit7 etc family is gunned down in order for them to feel what I , my mother , sister in law and uncle have to go through every single day.

I have gone through something similar to what you have gone through but I know that two wrong don't make a right.

I am free to exercise my opinion over the SoE and I sought not to be bias and impartial. I have plainly admitted that this SoE would cause an abatement in crime and it might even be long-lasting, but the precedent of harsh restrictions would be felt later on in our society. Especially when no good long term measures are put in place.

[5onDfloor]

smooth39 u need to wake up and smell the coffee and stop allow piliticians to bamboozle yuh head..

An SOE cud never be an answer to crime moron.....especially the way this one was planned.

i wont waste time explaining what has been discussed many times over since aug 21st.

[Habit7]

Living in a State of Emergency
Posted 04 October 2011 by Arthur Snell

State of Emergency. Three words that might be designed to make your friends and family worry. Immediately, you imagine gun battles in the streets, barricades, ‘emergency powers’.

Since late August, Trinidad and Tobago has been under a state of emergency. This is not the place to go into the reasons for it being called, although the high murder rate in the country (which has been falling) was likely to have been a contributory factor. But it is a constitutionally-enacted state of emergency, granting specific powers to the police and military. On the night that it was called it was announced that there would be a curfew in various “crime hotspots” around the country. I was slightly surprised to learn that the High Commissioner’s Residence was situated in a crime hotspot. Another thing you might hesitate to tell your friends and family. It subsequently transpired that the hotspots were based on parliamentary constituencies and like most Western cities, these regions can contain good and bad areas.

So the first night of the curfew came: the army had been called onto the streets to support the police. I briefed all the High Commission staff, telling them in no uncertain terms not to risk getting caught out in curfew hours – from 9pm to 5am (subsequently adjusted to 11pm - 4am). Trinbagonians can sometimes be inclined to do things at the last minute. “Don’t take a chance on the curfew” I had said solemnly. Memories of living in the Green Zone in Baghdad in 2006 had flooded back. In Baghdad, being shot by nervous coalition soldiers during the hours of darkness was a genuine risk.

We had a dinner appointment. We agreed to go over early to ensure that we’d leave in time. But somehow, at ten minutes to nine I found myself hustling my wife and daughter into the car. On the very short drive home the streets were deserted. Port of Spain at 9pm is normally awash with congestion, traffic and noise. So, seeing the streets completely empty was eerie. My staff and everybody else in Trinidad had clearly taken seriously the advice not to get caught out. As the clock in the car read one minute to go to the start of the curfew I found myself asking how did this happen? Try explaining to London that you popped out with your pregnant wife and three-year-old daughter on the first night of the state of emergency and then failed to get home in time for the start of the curfew.

Happily, the police were not out in force in our particular corner of the crime hotspot and we made it through our gates at about 21:01 without being arrested.

Since that time we’ve been getting used to life in the state of emergency. Like all things, there are pluses and minuses. Certain industries, particularly restaurants and other entertainment venues, are of course suffering - although there has been public comment from various business leaders that it is worth it if the problem of violent crime is fixed. Many ordinary Trinidadians have a long commute to work (this may seem strange for a small island, but heavy congestion renders many journeys very slow). The need to get home in time means that staff must leave their place of work long before the curfew actually begins. For shift workers it has been effectively impossible for some shifts to run. And of course, there is a bigger downside: in any country, calling a State of Emergency suggests that the normal channels for dealing with crises and challenges have not delivered satisfactory results.

The upside (perhaps counter-intuitively) is the curfew. As a diplomat you get all manner of invitations to do things in the evening. Some of these things are enjoyable, some less so, but they are all work. So, the knowledge that all activities must finish by a certain fixed time in the evening is good for keeping proceedings moving forwards efficiently. The curfew has another upside, which I almost hesitate to state. It’s quiet. Deliciously quiet all night long. Trinis love to party and they dedicate significant energy and commitment to this endeavour. It’s a very attractive trait and one which makes this a wonderful place to spend a few years of your life. But sometimes, being kept awake on a Tuesday evening by the pounding beat of soca music echoing across the hillside, it gets harder to share the party spirit. Since the curfew has started I keep meeting people telling me how well they are now sleeping. “It’s so quiet. I’d forgotten what it was like,” is a common refrain. People are rediscovering the virtues of a quiet night in. The Trini party urge cannot entirely be defeated: some people are now holding curfew parties. But these have yet to spread to my neighbourhood.

The other upside, far more significant, is that there has been a huge fall in crime since the state of emergency began. On one level that should be pretty obvious. If you cancel police leave and bring the army onto the streets it’s going to make life hard for criminals. Understandably, various visitors and British-based business people have contacted me to ask whether it’s still safe to come to a country going through a state of emergency. My answer is unambiguous: it’s never been safer. There’s never been a better time to come here. Some people might find that a little hard to credit, but, think about it. If the government prioritises the fight against violent crime and that’s the main thing putting you off a visit, now is the time to come. The only people who might be put off are those who want to party the night away.

Such people do exist. An English rugby club came on a tour to Trinidad and Tobago recently. I think it would be fair to characterise their ethos as play hard and play hard. They acquitted themselves with honour on the playing field. But the second aspect of their tour was going to be slightly more difficult with nightclubs closing early, although it didn’t appear to dampen their enthusiasm. To help forge connections with the sporting authorities in Trinidad we held a reception in their honour, scheduled to avoid any curfew difficulties. My seasoned serving staff looked on in amazement as nearly fifty strapping young men polished off the beer, wine, spirits and everything else with athletic rapidity. As English pub landlords will be able to tell you, if there’s a closing time at the bar, the pressure to drink at speed is treated as a competitive sport in its own right, one at which my country excels.

Arthur Snell is the British High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago
http://blogs.fco.gov.uk/roller/snell/

[DSM_05]

Lovely read!

[hustla_ambition101]

Snell left out the most important factor of the SOE, the economic impact and how it has crippled both small and big business

[ilove3]

Hearing that it is ending tomorrow? Can anyone confirm? And remind me what the reason was again please....

[wagonrunner]

Jackassery. reason being some persons fail at math.

[S_2NR]

its not ending tomorrow.
more like a month from now.

[ilove3]

lol.... I didnt think it was true but yuh know de University of Triniscene is de best place fuh knowledge

Jackassery. reason being some persons fail at math.

[zorced]

[hustla_ambition101]

people still use triniscene? I forget I have an account there

[ruffrider27]

Hearing that it is ending tomorrow? Can anyone confirm? And remind me what the reason was again please....

only way to know go out after 11pm and come back and tell us after 2 or 3 days.

[eliteauto]

the source of that rumor is because the PM is meeting with the National Security Council @ 2:30PM today to review the SOE

[BlueIce]

hope they review it and end it one time!

[DrunkenMaster16]

hope they review it and end it one time!

Nah extend it till April 2012. I like the peace and quiet after 11 pm... men getting nuff sleep and feeling productive.

[Habit7]

Yeah keep it till after carnival, lets see if that was the problem

[S_2NR]

Yeah keep it till after carnival, lets see if that was the problem

cosigned

[redmanjp]

C News: MAJOR announcement about SoE at 5pm

[K74T]

so what did they say?