Akile Simon

There is enough material from a wide variety of views here to present a useful article that can be incisive and has insight, an article that will be better than one from the sociologists of the day.

Many of the people writing appear to have first hand experience and have made it out of the ghetto.

Ricky

When a people is threatened, feel cornered, hopeless and labeled eventually they will fight back. This has been enshrined in history since the beginning of time Laventille did not invent this type of behavior. Look at the actions following the Rodney King incident, the immigrant riots in France last year, Nelson Mandela and the ANC, the Tamil tigers, IRA…. On and on race and color does not matter. Craig Allen you said it all, but I don’t think most People could understand at that level, or they don’t want to. A person should not be guilty based on their address and the police services should lead in changing that mentality. Everybody cannot live in an innocent area like Westmoorings.

I am a product of Laventille and it is ashame to hear and see the behavior and conduct of some of the youths that live in the area. Now, I am now condoning what the police did, but it is all allegation and speculation, therefore I see no need for the residents of Laventille to behave in such an outrageous and disrespectful manner. It now seems as though the police have absolutely no control and authority in upholding the law. If threats were made to the officers, they should be taken very seriously and dealt with appropriately. Most of the youths today have absolutely no respect, lack integrity and moral values and at times you have to question their upbringing. Where are the parents when all of this pandemonium is occuring in Laventille? As a young man growing up in the "ghetto" I remember I was not fearful of the police, but I had a great deal of respect for them. It's quite apparent it has now all changed and it does not take much for a young man to challenge the authority. In order to bring about some degree of responsibility, I honestly there should be a curfew on the youths. It happens in Chicago so why not Trinidad. When a child is not in by a certain time, he should be questioned and taken into the station where he can make a call to his guardian and have them pick him up by showing and ID. Trinidad is such a sweet country, but those in charge along with the caring and concerned residents need to take initiative to bring back some form of respect and stability to the country.

Shabbaz, if you pick a war with law enforcement I'm betting that you will loose. I always wonder of the mentality of Laventillians. They have been warring ever since my father was a youth, now he is a senior and people of laventille remained the same.

Why is it that three generations from my father, the decendants of Laventille hills remained with the same mentality from their parents three generations before. And I came up with this observation.

Which is; when a people from an area is branded as hoodlums and no goods then the people seem to live up to that reputation. If the reputation of Laventille hills was that of a positive one then the people would strive toward a positive outcome. Hence, we see generations after generations behave the same "igne'nt"(ebonics for ignorant) way as their forefathers.

These people require some type of intervention to set them on the right path. That would make them stop acting like Neanderthals. Seems like the only thing good from Laventille hills is David Rudder.

As for Harry, how far did he expect to get with a pair of handcuffs on? Makes no sense at all.

And for those people who wanted to attack the Police that is the wrong way to go. An attack on the Police is an attack of the State itself. Unless, these individuals wants to be shot down like dogs. Imagine an 89 yr old acting like a hooligan. That should tell you the mind set of Laventillians.

My grandmother had a saying that goes like this; "There was a young adult male who was sentence to a crime he comitted. And as the judge handed down the sentence the prisoner asked the court permission to speak with his mother. As his mother approached him, he told her he wants to whisper something in her ear. And as she tilted her head to listen to him, he bit her ear off and told her, why didn't you corrected me when I was going wrong." That was her reward for lack of discipline and structure.

It doesn't seem that Laventillians wish or desire to take another path. Can't they see that the path they are on is not working?

Do the citizens of this country a favor Laventille and use your birth controls. Don't give this nation anymore of your damn offsprings.

The devious reality! I want to first dislose that I am a child of Morvant. I am also a VERY lucky person in that my family made sacrifices for my siblings and I to improve our situation through education and faith (which one is irrelevant!).

The crux of the matter has been missed completely, and I mean no disrespect to anyone, but the issue here is more than the fiasco witnessed yesterday. The corruption in the Police Service is accurate but I dare say it isn't as pandemic as some would like to belive. The collusion of Police officers with the criminal element is also valid but not rampant. And to be brutally honest with you, every Police force on the planet is subject to corruption and criminal collusion, as these allegations have been hurled at the Mutaween (Saudi religious police), fact is fact.

The real issue here is that for decades the crime situation has been allowed to ferment to now rise to this level without ANY sustained effort to curb and quell the voilence. And in my humble opinion there can be onl one reason, land!

The hills of Laventille, Morvant, East POS, Belmont and environs are PRIME REAL ESTATE and because land laws are as antiquated as they are in T&T there is no such caveat such as Imminent Domain, wherein the authorities can sieze a parcel of land from its owners and develop it for the 'greater good'. So in the absence of a legal recourse, the tacit philosophy is to exact violent gentrification to said areas. If the violence spirals out of control the residents will eventually leave in fear of their lives instead seeking a safe refuge. When the area is vacated, or only the entrenched criminals remain, then the mighty authorities will sweep in and make a grand showing and reclaim the land, and trust me the next mega project will be luxury condos spotted on the lush hillside with panoramic views overlooking the capital city.

This my good people is the end-game strategy. The crime is facilitated with the goal of land development. If west of the city were not as developped as it is, the phenomenon would be the same... Please see through the smoke and mirrors especially my people in Sealots and East POS, that harbor-front facade is coming knocking on your door!
Inspired...Selah!

Can’t you people see that the conspiracy continues, its part of the “New Crime Plan”
It is cheaper to have an escalation of black on black crime and violence, than to spend and invest in a people that have become rejects and illiterates.
The environment in which these people have functioned for so many years cannot be fixed today or in six months, hence, the Government has already decided that they do not give a damn about areas as such.

Why the Government should cut their pockets or take money out of the budget to help these people when it is just as easy to have them diminish their own race?
A better solution: import more submissive people of different cultures, and make their dictatorship and their responsibilities easier for them.

Can’t you people see that the culture of Trinidad and Tobago is dying, no one cares anymore? All the Government cares about is how many more “The Falls and the Malls” they can build, when is “Vacation time” which “Countries are Investing” and
making Port- of-Spain “nice” for the “Summit” and finally “When is Carnival time”.

“All over Trinidad is in a State of Emergency”
So as we sweat this one out, blogging and commenting, remember, there is always a bigger plan in action “The Prince” by Nicolò Machiavelli, “Animal Farm” by George Orwell and Ivan the Terrible, Adolf Hitler and many more of that Nature… someone read the book!

Fact is most of us are looking in from the outside, unable to contribute to any “Real Change”. All we can do is hope that it is decent enough for habitation when we are ready for retirement.

I still continue to wonder, why Patrick Manning does not resign his office as Prime Minister.
It is quite obvious that he is neither capable nor equipped with the morals, scruples and conscience of a good man in charge of a Country.

In conclusion: “There is something rotten in the state of Denmark” the fish is rotting from the head down — all is not well at the top of the political hierarchy.
What a true tragedy our tiny Trinidad and Tobago unravels.

Ontario

bidna

Open Discussions.

I was glad that a lot of persons got involved in the discussion,good very good. So where do we go from here. Are we still going to call people fools, etc, etc etc. So we need the children of this country to educate themselves, to effectively function in the First World eh. Someone spoke of the old days and growing up in the rural area and doing well, fine. In the old days, the majority of teachers were about teaching and ensuring that their students grasp what was being taught. There were teachers who would reach out to the weaker students and ensure they come up to par. The preconceived idea that these set of children will not learn because of where they live was of lesser importance. Probably if we tie teacher increments to high performance in the Class rooms we may be able to produce better citizens. Oh did I get the teachers angry about their pay and not the quality of education? Sorry guys, but wait look at the pass rates in comparison to years ago. Probably if some of the teachers drop their biases and do their jobs and teach ALL the children and not some of the children, we would be producing better citizens.
For those of us who think the only way to change or effect change is to call people names and make negative comments, we are all lost as a people. So who is able to bring the drugs into the country in their yatchs and effect the transhipment to Europe in the ships from Point Lisas? Is it the guys in Couva, California, Dow Village, Laventille, River Estate, Princes Town etc, etc? Probably they live in our neighbourhoods of Blue Range, Valsyn, Gulf City, Goodward Park, Maraval etc, etc. What we see playing out in Maloney, Laventille, Enterprise, Felicity, Marabella, Gasparillo are just the tip of the iceberg. Negative comments without trying to effect some form of positive change will not help our country. I bear no brief for the criminals, corrupt Police Officers, corrupt Bank Officials, corrupt Politicians, be they the Government or the Opposition.

Some people complain that the only jobs they get is 10 days,they are lucky to get ten days, then they sit on the job site and do nothing, but come payday they are first in line making noise if they have to wait in line, if they did not want to do ten days they should have made use of the free education they were offered but now they want to blame the Gov. for everything,put the blame where it belongs, the parents, some of them are here in the US ILLEGAL and would do anything to make a dollar and that same work they would turn their nose down if offered in TnT, no work is a disgrace once its honest and legal, the youths would not take heed if eyerytime the adult open their mouth they blame the Gov, the Gov did not make your children and they can do so much come on guys you all have FREE EDUCATION, over there when you get out of college, your college loan is the price of a house, and you would not use it,a close family member of mine just left Howard Univ and went back to Trini to attend UWI free. appreciate all that you have, they give you food, now you want them to put the food in your mouth and chew it for you also, get up your lazy butts, and stop taking innocent people lives who worked hard for what they have.look at who is robbing, killing,raping,selling drugs and kidnapping people, look at the picture people and wake up, rise up.

It is shameful and heartbreaking to hear and see some of the things that are taking place on picton, take that from someone who was born and raised there,I moved to NY back in 1987 that was a peaceful and neighborly place back then and my grandparents were some of the first people to settle in that area,and my family is wellknown an was well respected in that area and alot of them still live there every day I pray for there safty,I say was well respected because one night after one of my uncles and his wife closed there business and was heading home a 16 year old PUNK A## THUG decided to rob them at gunpoint,after robing them my uncle tried calling for hlep tihis PUNK MOTHERF##### walked up to and shot him in the head at point blank range,in the street right infront of his place of buisness that was one day after my mother got there from NY,But that he had to have been wearing the armor of god because after being rushed to the hospital 3days later I got a phone call from him still in the hospital leting me know he was doing fine,no memory loss no brain damage,the doctors say it's a miracel, The government should find a way to get all the good decent people off that hill and there is still alot of them and dorp a bomb onte the rest after the dust settles move the people back.OH as for that 16 year old 2 weeks after he found dead in a canal I gess YOU LIVE BY THE GUN AND YOU DIE BY IT>

Education is of little practical use when there are insufficient jobs that pay a living wage and not a minimum wage.

And not everyone can be an entrepreneur.

It is amaizing how the same people who complain that the police not doing anything are the ones fighting the police, no one may agree with me but the police need to leave those people alone let them fend for themselves, but all in all a few innocent ones may suffer,the ones who hide the criminals are the ones that enjoy the blood money they bring how can your son who never finished school, no education and you can tell as soon as they open their mouth to speak that they are as dumb as a nail, they have cars, jewelry and wads of money and they work no where, their parents know fully well that they are living a life of crime, but they get some of that money not thinking that their son may have taken someone life to get the money, trust me they all have to pay in the end because they are just as guilty, the police have families and they have to protect themselves, are they trying to make Trinidad like Somalia.trinis need to stop trying to imitate life of other countries, and go back to the good old days, when everyone looked out for everyone and you could leave your door open when I came to Trini it was so-real to seel everyone living behind bars what a life. SAD

What the hell is wrong with these bunch of idiots shouting "Allah U Ackbar".. Like the reader above I too am inclined to believe these people have nothing to do with the Muslim faith, nor do they know anything about 'Allah'. They all just want to copy what they see on TV going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. Don't take the piss out of something you know nothing about. You common thugs think you have it so bad in your little world. It pales in comparison to the many injustices the people in the middle east have to suffer. How about you educate yourselves and get a job you fools. It's free to get a higher education in Trinidad & Tobago now. You have the opportunity, so take advantage of it and stop blaming the Gov't, the the police and everyone else for your problems. I'm disgusted by your behaviour. Get real, Wake up, pull you finger out of your rear and do something positive to help your situation and those around you.

Shut your mouths

Just who is this class of people who condemn the youth of Laventille and other depressed areas?

This class who will not express their civic rage against a succession of governments and business cliques that have delivered corruption and a culture of 10 days for so many. And that refuse to recognise the difference between a minimum wage and a living wage that condemn many to remain in the "working poor" class of society.

These people who forgive plagarism so easily, accept integrity appointments knowing that a conflict of interest exists and refuse to take reasonable steps to verfiy their eligibility for an integrity appointment.

These people who practice a culture of social and economic apartheid in Trinidad and Tobage because of their lack of ability to grow the economy thus increasing the size of the pie. And thus kill the belief of many that school time is valuable time.

When youth looks back over generations of inequality and forward at a culture where power does not act on values and principles, then it is an easy choice to repeat 1970 to 1990 to 2010.

If this class of people were to do their part as citizens, the economic and social situation in Laventille and other depressed would not exist.

So continue the good life if you are there, but do not point fingers, and do not critize the behaviour of those who are locked out of what is a small economic system, whatever the many reasons.

Look to your own behaviour first and your failure to express and act on your civic rage over generations of corruption and economic mis-management.

bidna

I have been reading the comments on this forum for awhile and it is interesting to see that some or most of the persons who are making these comments seem to all have criminal minds themselves. Aren't you the same persons who drive on the road shoulders to get to work on time? Aren't you the same person who use the PBR illegally and beg the Police Officers or pass money to go along your merry way? You are so disgusted with yourself and life that you are suggesting that the Police fire live bullets in the crowd? He who lives it feels it. Aren't you are aware that there are documented evidence by both the Scotland Yard and the FBI that elements of the Police Service is corrupt and in fact control some of the Gangs? Why would they take a citizen from one gangland and place him in another gangland and allow him to be severely beaten. Moreover, the people never portrayed themselves as model citizens, they are far from that, but we the model citizens must guard against Police brutality. Okay so we want to deal with the crime situation, why not present solutions rather than make sarcastic statements? How do the Police Service deal with an Officer who shoots a civilian? Is that officer tested for drug or alcohol use? Is he given some form of counselling? Is he placed on administrative until a full investigation is done? How come there are no evidence of the bullets that the the Criminal elements fires at the Police Officers? As for the photographer who took the pix of the handcuffed prisoner, he should be commended. How is it that he escaped Police custody? We need some form of explanation from the Squad leader, don't you think?

The people of Laventille have no shame whatsoever. I hope the government builds that wall a little higher now. It's sickening to read the reports out of that cesspool.

"With chants of “Allah-U-Ackbar,”..."

I'm certain that most of those fools aren't part of the Islamic faith and they have no idea what that means. The only reason they were chanting it is because they wanted to portray themselves as terrorists even more. Mission accomplished!

And why was that resident claiming this was a peaceful protest? Burning tyres and garbage and then stoning law enforcement is nowhere near peaceful. The police and the soldiers should have shot live bullets into the crowd when they started that nonsense. Treat them like the animals they want to be treated as.

And I hope that I'm not right, but is Trevlon Harry posing with those cuffs on? This isn't a photo op! The beating the police put on him wasn't good enough to knock some sense into him?

www.Nkosi868.com *coming soon*

The police must not allow the criminals and those who benefit from criminal activities , to intimidate them . That crowd should have been instructed to disperse 3 times and if they did not , call for the joint-forces and arrest them . The police must be able to maintain order in Trinidad & Tobago . Laventile needs locking down by the joint-forces made up of 300 soldiers and police and search warrants and spend a week sanitising the area . They believe that they can go to war with the police so the police should take them on . All of the comfort zones of the criminals must be sanitised by the joint-forces . ATW - Barbados .

It's amazing how these people attempt to portray themselves as upstanding members of society. Strangely enough nowhere is this report has the fact that police officers were pelted with stones by those animals.