Senior Reporter
jensen.lavende@guardian.co.tt
There was an increased police presence in and around the Piarco International Airport yesterday, as officers set up a security net a day after a Maraval man was gunned down moments after arriving home from Panama.
When Guardian Media visited the airport yesterday, two employees, who did not want to be identified, said apart from a police presence, there was an increase in both armed and unarmed security officers assigned to the Airport Authority of T&T.
One woman said she reported to work hours after the killing on Thursday and had been looking over her shoulder since. She said there was an air of unease but she chose to remain.
The other employee said he felt a bit more comfortable seeing the increased security despite his earlier reservations.
Returning national Paul Adjodha said he heard of the killing on Instagram. Asked how he felt about the killing, the 69-year-old said he was taking it in stride but had no feelings of discomfort being in the airport, although he admitted that could change.
“The airport is a sacred place. It is supposed to be a sanctuary. Airports are usually gun-free zones. It’s up to the authorities to enforce that kind of thing,” Adjodha said.
While there was a notable increase in security inside the airport, outside, police officers also conducted a roadblock exercise, adding to the security net around the airport.
Asked if they were able to detect any illegal guns or drugs, one officer at the scene said he could not answer that and advised that whatever information is needed would come from the police communications unit.
Fisherman Arkim Quashie, 33, was gunned down less than an hour after he arrived in T&T from Panama just before 2 am on Thursday. Police said Quashie was sitting in the front passenger-side seat of a blue Hyundai Tucson when gunmen in a silver Nissan Tiida drove near the vehicle and shot at it several times, hitting him. One of Quashie’s friends who was in the car at the time was also shot in both legs.
Investigators visited the scene and found a quantity of 5.56, 7.62 and 9 mm ammunition.
Police said Quashie was being investigated for criminal affiliations.
Meanwhile, speaking at a political meeting on Thursday night, United National Congress candidate for Tunapuna and former police officer Roger Alexander addressed the airport attack.
“How can you be thinking and not put proper legislation and policies in place to protect your domestic airport? How? It is the first place where terrorism might want to raise its ugly head, but it is exposed. I heard this morning people were running left, right and centre, hiding, hiding, hiding, and nobody was there to defend our nation.”
He said the killing left a blot on the country’s international reputation.
“At least let the international community see that even if they think of it and it started; it must be put down almost immediately. But I guess they (the government) have a softer side of dealing with things, so we wait. We wait,” Alexander said.
