Gangs, Guns, and Governance in Trinidad and Tobago

[Greypatch]

what is the benefit of being in a gang? in Laventille/Morvant ?

Being a country tuner, I am not aware of the benefits and their activities.

Also gang members real or percieved seem to be killed on a daily basis

can the more informed please educate and inform.


no spamming please let us have a adult discussion

[Mr. Cheese]

Protection from repraisal killings

[NST]

My guess is a sense of belonging??....not being sarcastic..but i guessing its a way to fill the need to be "wanted" in a "macho/cool" way??....

[buzz]

My guess is a sense of belonging??....not being sarcastic..but i guessing its a way to fill the need to be "wanted" in a "macho/cool" way??....

my guess as well

when children are left to grow up on the 'street' this is the end ruslt

as well as if everyone in the 'house hold' condones this type of behavior well

u live as u learn

[Greypatch]

Protection from repraisal killings

But they are killed on a daily basis...

I kill u because you killed meh dwag...(or other gang member)

[snypaz]

Being in a gang to them is basically being in a extended family. Apparently there is some kinda love in between all the guns and drugs. But this also comes with a huge price. You have other gangs gunning for you plus the police. I doh see the sense... But then, I'm not in a gang so i wouldn't know.

[Greypatch]

My guess is a sense of belonging??....not being sarcastic..but i guessing its a way to fill the need to be "wanted" in a "macho/cool" way??....

my guess as well

when children are left to grow up on the 'street' this is the end result

as well as if everyone in the 'house hold' condones this type of behavior well

u live as u learn

Surely there is family else where in the neighbourhood....

also how can they NOT see that by joining a gang and "belonging" is basically signing a death warrant.

not to mention the activities associated with same are illegal

[Greypatch]

Being in a gang to them is basically being in a extended family.

does family make/encourage you to kill.


seems with the need of belonging there is a basic sense of right and wrong missing

[NST]

When yuh dunno any better patch...I understand where you coming from..but the majority of these kids have no one...they maybe have the intelligence of a 10 year old...the life seems glamorous..it have no sense in this at all patch

[plex]

Sense of belonging..But with killing as an objective what kind of morals is that?

[AllTrac]

collecting tax.

[ronsin1]

basicly i think it is pressure amongts their own to join as well as low self esteem

[Greypatch]

When yuh dunno any better patch...I understand where you coming from..but the majority of these kids have no one...they maybe have the intelligence of a 10 year old...the life seems glamorous..it have no sense in this at all patch

you really think so horse ?

dem know what is the good life

a sense of family

and don't know right and wrong.

[snypaz]

Most of the killing are forms of intiation. If you are of strong will and mind, you wouldn't even consider joing or conforming to these arsehole mentalities

[NST]

I trying to give pple the benefit of the doubt...to us that gang life makes absolutely no sense...and honestly i don think we can get a sensible answer to the question...

[buzz]

there is a basic sense of right and wrong missing

i don't see it possible for any man to evade/elude his conscience (sp) they simply make excuses to justify their wrong doings...

sad enough to say i guess your also forced into it....

i mean without the 'protection' of a gang how are you to walk the street without being robbed/beaten on a daily basis?

also 'women' or as i rather call them 'ghetto rats' prefer the 'bad man' of the area, think about it, jus the way they dress, attitude, breath etc would hardly land them a oman anywhere outside these types of areas... that attitude/way of life was embeded from young its the only way they know....

quite primitive IMHO....

and another thing these ppl don't want to work and thought it was 'cool' to be a cnut in school hence you rob in packs i mean gangs and i'm assuming 'distribute the wealth' (no political pun intended) they feel the contry now owes them something.

but then again i may be thinking about them to highly in that last bit ^

and well with all the influence of this '50 cent' and 'G-unit' gang i guess they just think its 'cool'

you wouldn't believe how i crack up whenever i hear something about this infamous 'G-unit' gang like a bunch of primary school children emulating their favorite make belief hero............

[RBphoto]

I swear off from the gangs a long time now (lucklin & D gangs that is)

But seriously, I used to move with my bicycle clique in UWI. Just being idle, you find time to roam the streets in Curepe/ Tunapuna at night without fear (every man toting a cutlass eh) ride on the pbr, make a doubles run at ungodly hours, break into lockers, steal furniture, lighting fixtures from campus, hike up mt. St. benedict twice a week. All was going good until i beat up one ah de fellaz brother in nuts a night (mistaken identity), then everyone ganged up on me and cut my arse and expell me from the gang.

For me it was just a diversion for my idleness. For them fawkers on the hill, it is a way of life.

[RBphoto]

buzz, is the heard mentality, the concience of the individual is diluted by sharing the responsibility fo rthe crimes with the pack.

[AllTrac]

I swear off from the gangs a long time now (lucklin & D gangs that is)

But seriously, I used to move with my bicycle clique in UWI. Just being idle, you find time to roam the streets in Curepe/ Tunapuna at night without fear (every man toting a cutlass eh) ride on the pbr, make a doubles run at ungodly hours, break into lockers, steal furniture, lighting fixtures from campus, hike up mt. St. benedict twice a week. All was going good until i beat up one ah de fellaz brother in nuts a night (mistaken identity), then everyone ganged up on me and cut my arse and expell me from the gang.

For me it was just a diversion for my idleness. For them fawkers on the hill, it is a way of life.

[evo-STI-k]

patchie- its just their way of life.

they dont know any better and they are usually brain washed before they can be helped.

The youth need to be trained differently from young!

[Greypatch]

they dont know any better

please expand this

[solo]

steups, allyuh sounding like some UWI prof who talking from behind he 20 ft wall sipping tea...

It is and was never about any love or family life....it's all about money and underworld power.
You'd be suprised to see the worth of some of the ganglords in this country; apartment buildings, maxi taxis etc. Guns are for muscle, renting out and taxing, drugs just supliment legit income. URP/CEPEP and other government contracts is where the real money is. If my contracts are in jeopardy because of some new unknown contractor it's usually easier to elliminate the competion and this sends a message to other wannabe contractors.....Youth men seeing the money, profit and power that can be had from someone who doesnt have to face a demanding job or boss for chump change daily are easily attracted to that way of life.

And this is from an assistant URP Area Foreman who used to roll with Black Roger (Area Foreman), Scars and Mulzac for more than 2 years daily....

[Greypatch]

ahh so it is all about the money...

easy money...why work hard when you can take it from those who do

[Sky]

They got serious dental benefits y0



But seriously, a gang gives you a sense of belong and comradery. It also gives you a sense of protection in that concrete jungle. Imagine livin in that area and you're alone. You can easily be victim to the wolves. Alot of younger teens join for that reason. And no they're not stupid or think like 10 year olds. They make that choice with a level head, and Those of us outside won't understand. it hard out there and according to the media, you're nobody unless you have money. Gone are the days when a bike rim and a stick was a bess toy. And bein able to fish or catch some animal or kick a ball good made you attractive tot he opposite sex.
Some of the smarter persistent ones take the long route and hope they survive. Others just take the short cut to get paid and adopt that life. And growing up in those kinda areas does something to you. Your value for human life decreases and you become desensitized. By the media, witnessing stuff, hearing things, carrying on conversations, drugs.

The media has alot to do with it. 10-15 years ago, rappers spoke about the dark side of having that life. These days rappers glorify the glamour in iit only, and not the hardships and crappy parts. And they think they NEED to listen to people from their own race. Know how much talks I does get in work etc for bein a dougla and listening to rock, "devil music". But I stay away from that mentality.

[urabus]

they join these gangs becuz they have no better knowledge of what's considered right and what's not.

many must have come out of poor homes, broken families and misses that sense of belongingness, social acceptance and being part of a close knit family, somethings that's possibly offered in this gang-type setting.

i'm wondering though, did they ever stop to consider how easy it is to join the gang, but how hard it is to leave the gang?

[buzz]

they join these gangs becuz they have no better knowledge of what's considered right and what's not.

i strongly disagree

[Greypatch]

sky you are conteadicting yourself

if it is wellt thought out and they are not stupid how can you blame the media..



but the benefits are (correct me if i am wrong)

1 Easy money (and all that comes with it)
2 Protection (by continuing the process)
3 A sense of belonging

[urabus]

they join these gangs becuz they have no better knowledge of what's considered right and what's not.

i strongly disagree

i think they just need the proper and correct guidance (@ school , @ home, @ religious organizations etc) that's all

[RBphoto]

Nutting funny about that cutarse hoss.

If I tell you ah night I did rob a rastaman a 5 dollars in tunapuna, nearly get an icepick in meh neck for that assness yes.

[mitsu_crazy]

they join these gangs becuz they have no better knowledge of what's considered right and what's not.

many must have come out of poor homes, broken families and misses that sense of belongingness, social acceptance and being part of a close knit family, somethings that's possibly offered in this gang-type setting.

i'm wondering though, did they ever stop to consider how easy it is to join the gang, but how hard it is to leave the gang?

Put it this way....grow up somewhere without food or clothes.....steal to survive..and then some drug pusher 'handles' you with some change some clothes and a 'package' and tell yuh sell dat...

you can't say no at that point....actually you don't want too....thas the man that just feed you....

another view.....

everyone you grew up with sells and rolls together.....being with the 'crew' gives a sense of power and safety...as well as some good 'kicks'

better yet most who look down on you can't even look hard at you anymore for fear of being roughed up...

bottom line....it's survival for most....

for some it's just to be cool....to be bad, to have power....'ranks' per say..

it's a means to an end when the world is against you and you never stop to take the time to realize that knowledge is power and they dump on you because you know little or know better...

what they fail to realize...is that the 'crew' does the same to them too...