Over the next few days, activity at shopping areas across Trinidad and Tobago will intensify as members of the public get in last-minute business ahead of this weekend’s celebration of Christmas and Boxing Days.
The period is always a busy time but may be magnified this season, it being the first time in two years that the country will be fully reopened following suffocating lockdown measures in place to control the COVID-19 pandemic.
With Carnival to follow, again with the promise of restriction-free merriment and a “Mother of all Carnivals,” the next few weeks will undoubtedly present a very hectic period.
With this increased activity, however, comes the responsibility for ensuring the citizenry is able to conduct these activities in safe environments.
The bulk of this work falls on members of the T&T Police Service, who must ensure they keep the criminal element desirous of relieving persons of their possessions out of city hubs and away from private properties.
We have seen the launch of several seasonal crime initiatives in recent weeks and we genuinely hope they will bring the desired results during the period.
This will be no easy task, since the Christmas season represents a unique scenario in terms of the overall security of the country due to the share volume of activity generated by the season.
Outside of this, however, citizens must also take personal responsibility for their safety by not making themselves soft targets for the criminals. This includes not leaving valuables in the open in vehicles; not walking around with excessive jewelry and money and paying attention to surroundings while conducting business activity.
Also, with children home on vacation, a major responsibility of adults is ensuring that they are always under watchful eyes. While we know some parents/guardians may be unable to afford daycare or find close relatives to watch children, we implore them to make safe alternative arrangements to ensure children are always properly monitored in their absence.
Another aspect people seem not to pay much attention to is safety while conducting activities associated with preparing homes and even businesses for the seasonal activity. Last weekend, one citizen, unfortunately, lost his life while conducting the usually simple task of cleaning windows. However, issues like scaffolding and safety harnesses must become part of such scenarios when one factors in the height of some properties. Even the hazards of lighting up Christmas trees in homes must be weighed carefully due to the risk it poses with overloaded circuits and the possibility of electrical fires.
The country has already been besieged by a record number of murders for the year—a figure that continues to grow with just a few days remaining in 2022.
We do not, therefore, need to add any other unfortunate statistics to this list. Let us all, therefore, do the best that we can to have a safe Christmas season.