Frustrated business owners of Sea Lots in Port-of-Spain are contemplating evacuation of the crime-infested community after brazen daylight gun attacks, thefts, damage to property and repeated demands for protection money. Some, however, said they had already invested too much into their businesses and therefore had little choice but to tackle the criminal element head on. Chief Executive Officer of Interior Harmony, Ingrid Simon said while she supported the efforts of her colleagues in their anti-crime battle, her business had already suffered tremendous financial losses.
She recounted an incident last Friday when two of her customers were robbed while waiting to collect tiles they had just purchased.
The increased attacks on customers, Simon lamented, have forced her to relocate her warehouse from Sea Lots. "Everyday truckloads are going. We need to get the goods out of the warehouse because they stole from us already. "It was about 16 people on a Sunday afternoon," Simon recalled during an interview at her office on Pioneer Drive yesterday. But for the Furness Trinidad Group of Companies relocation is not an option. Chairman William Ferreira said millions of dollars have been invested in his company rendering it almost impossible to leave Sea Lots.
The result, he said, was to fight criminals by constantly enhancing security measures. "We are spending thousands of dollars a month in having adequate security for the protection of not only our business, but for staff," Ferreira said. Citing that the area is also plagued by deplorable road conditions, Ferreira said this has excerbated the already troubling situation. "Trucks coming in have to manoeuvre the potholes and slow down. "We had one instance two weeks ago where an insurance person was slowing down and was held up at gunpoint," Ferreira said. "The thieves," he said, "made off with all the victim's valuables and cash."
Echoing Simon's concerns, Ferreira said potential customers have become afraid to enter Sea Lots. "This is causing a major concern to us because our clients don't want to come to Sea Lots for fear of being attacked. "Even job applicants have turned down interviews when they learn they have to come to Sea Lots," Ferreira said. The Furness Chemical plant, he added, has been broken into on numerous occasions, the most recent being two weeks ago. "The thieves came through the concrete walls, stole microwaves and products. "They tried to get into the vault, but couldn't. By the time they finished banging it up, not even we could get into it, " Ferreira added.
Criminals In charge
Bent on executing their dastardly schemes, "criminals", a spokesman from Caribbean Salvage Limited said, "were running things." According to him, demands have been made on businessmen to pay protection money. "They said if we hired them to guard the premises, the crime will stop. "Things are getting more and more terrifying," the frustrated businessman said. He described the situation in Sea Lots as a hell hole," saying it was "far worse" than the global economic slump. According to the spokesman, the company's port at Milling Avenue, has been rendered almost defunct because clients have been driven away.
"Trucks coming to the port had the windscreens smashed with big stones because residents keep complaining that drivers were going too fast or they were raising dust. "The customers had to appease them by bringing in water trucks, but it was no end to the hell and the clients just did not want to come back and who could blame them?" the spokesman asked. He said on the rare occasions the port would be in use, the police had to be brought in. "And you don't get the police unless you pay the police. When you call them for problems in this area they take a year and a day to come."
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Letter to the police
A letter from eight companies, detailing criminal activities in Sea Lots, was penned by worried businessmen and sent to Deputy Police Commissioner Gilbert Reyes on July 17. In the letter business owners demanded the immediate setting up of a police mobile unit and regular foot, mobile and bicycle patrols. "Should these violent robberies continue, our businesses shall be forced to close as no customers, suppliers or service providers would be willing to enter the area," the letter warned.
But crime-weary business owners expressed little faith in the protective services. "We have been meeting a lot of "khaki" people and promises like dirt, but they just don't follow up on any of them. "At one point we were thinking it was part of a plan for the businesspeople to leave because we are tired of begging for help," the spokesman said.
Police respond
Contacted yesterday Reyes assured that "systems were in place."
"We spoke to the business owners and have given the assurance that systems were in place to deal with the situation and they would see results very soon," Reyes said.
A child walks barefooted along a road at Sea Lots in Port-of-Spain yesterday.