Kenneth Rodriguez goes by the name of Spanish. He was one of the "community leaders," hosted by then sports minister Roger Boynes at Crowne Plaza Hotel in 2006, to discuss peace among gangs. Rodriguez said on Wednesday that he was not a gang leader, but in the true sense, a "community leader." Now, he is running scared because he says that someone wants to kill him. Rodriguez, 36, lives at Beetham Gardens. He said he had always been a willing partner to discuss peace in the Laventille, Morvant, Beetham and Sea Lots. He decided to go with other leaders to Crowne Plaza to discuss peace. He said most of the leaders who attended that meeting were dead. These included Kerwin "Fresh" Phillips, Sean "Bill" Francis, and Mervyn "Allamby" Cudjoe.
The father of two, Rodriguez said he knew them all. He is aware of what is happening, sometimes he assists the police in solving crimes, and he says he is not involved in criminal activities. Rodriguez admitted that he had cases pending in court, but he had not been convicted. "I am not involved in murder and kidnapping and robbery," he said. At age 17, Rodriguez said he was nearly killed. During the 1990 attempted coup, he said a policeman, using a shotgun, shot him in both legs from close range. He said he was unable to walk for two years because of the wounds. Rodriguez said he was one person from Beetham Gardens who wanted to see things put right. He said just recently, a policeman was shot on the Beetham Highway after visiting the nearby gas station. He said since that incident, life had been hell for him.
"I used to sit on my street and watch everybody go by...Not so since that incident," he said. "Since that incident, I have to run and hide because the police seem to be targeting me. I am scared, someone wants me dead." Rodriguez said just recently, a policeman was involved in an accident on the Priority Bus Route in Laventille and someone stole his service revolver. He said: "The place got hot. I made a few calls and I got the gun back. I am always willing and able to assist the police. Sometimes, I get the call and walk into the station to see the police." What prompted him to speak to the media?
Through his attorney, Wayne Sturge, Rodriguez quietly slipped into the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain, on Wednesday. He was not pleased that the main witness in the Samdaye Rampersad murder trial, called his name. He admitted knowing some of the men charged with that crime. He was also associated with Sean Francis, with whom he was working as a sub-contractor, building houses in Beetham Gardens for the Housing Development Corporation. He continues to be a sub-contractor, and says he has nothing to do with crime and drugs. Rodriguez said he was not fearful of criminals. "I do not get in their way, so there is no need to be fearful, but I am fearful of the police," he said.
