Shastri Boodan
Eleven molotov cocktails were tossed by arsonists onto the compound of HSM Motors, Chase Village, Carapichaima on Thursday resulting in millions of dollars in damage.
Mikhail Hosein, CEO/Director of HSM said around 15 vehicles were burnt and two buildings were damaged. Hosein said the fire started around 3 am and the Fire Service arrived around 4 am and managed to save most of the cars and the infrastructure.
“There were three perpetrators on the compound and some (Molotov) cocktails were thrown on the vehicles.” Hosein said HSM employs 30 people and the company was in the process of “regrouping” to reopen in the shortest possible time. Hosein said he does not know what the cause of the attack was and would not want to speculate as to the reasons for the attack.
Visham Babwah, head of the T&T Automotive Dealers Association (TTADA) said attacks on car dealers have been going on for some time now. Babwah said, “This is not the first time that dealerships have been targeted. Other dealers have been targeted for other reasons in the past. Businesses were broken into and different issues.”
Babwah said he has no reports that TTADA members were being targeted for extortion by criminal elements. He added, “I have been seeing stories where other businesses have been targeted for extortion. Nobody has called and indicated that they have been targeted in that matter.”
He said dealers should be careful. Babwah said an increase in crime would also cause an increase in security costs and ultimately an increase in prices for the consumer.