From last Saturday to date there have been over a dozen murders, with the lives of the young to the elderly being violently snatched away.
Every area of the country, whether it be hotspot or quaint community, was not spared as the bloodletting continued.
Despite the violence not very much has been said or done by officials.
National Security Minister Stuart Young said the government was concerned by the murder rate but he was confident that he has been doing his best to tackle crime and that his efforts would “bear fruit.”
The Chamber of Commerce also expressed alarm at the crime situation.
In a statement, the Chamber said: “The time for talk is over and action is needed on the crime crisis.”
The Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith, when asked about the uptick in murders, spouted the usual rhetoric of measures being taken to restore security to citizens.
Griffith also emphasised that the current bloodshed was not related to Carnival and assured the ‘greatest show on earth’ would be safe.
“There is an operational plan for every single event, so probably the safest event to be is attending Carnival fetes.”
While ensuring such a large scale event is safe and secure for revellers and spectators alike to enjoy is a tremendous priority, so too should be the safety of all citizens. Especially all those not involved in Carnival at all.
Almost every year after the curtain falls on Carnival, law enforcement officials boast proudly about how little crime was recorded during the two days of revelry.
And on cue, the public would ask why similar measures can’t be employed to guarantee a reduction in the spate of violence.
On the heels of a week filled with so much bloodshed, it is not good enough for the Commissioner of Police to focus solely on Carnival security.
To echo the sentiments of the Chamber, the country is facing a crime crisis which is affecting every facet of society and there needs to be maximum use of all available resources to arrest the situation.
We can no longer afford to condone or accept the nine-day wonder Trini attitude of talking about an issue for a few days and then burying our heads in the sand soon after.
While it may be Carnival time with the welcomed distractions of fetes and music, life goes on after the merriment.
The security forces must also pay attention to what’s happening outside of fetes and more importantly after the feting ends.
It’s time to move away from the ‘jammin still’ culture when it comes to crime.