The frustration of Tabaquite residents turned to fury after crime in the area escalated on February 16, resulting in the death of 21-year-old Mathew Chancellor who was gunned down during an early morning crime spree.
Residents now threaten to march on the Ministry of National Security in Port of Spain if the Brasso Police Station is not reopened.
Emphasising the escalating crime, Tabaquite resident and Caratal/Tortuga councillor Sharen Badal-Ahyew said there were three other incidents overnight: a home was broken into, limers on the Tabaquite Bandstand were robbed and a white Nissan Tiida was stolen and later found abandoned on Todd's Road.
She said a farmer was also robbed while in his garden around 10 am on February 16.
"If nothing is done, we are taking this protest to Port of Spain. We are going in front the Ministry of National Security office, we are going to meet with the senior officer of the Central Division. We are taking this to the next level now. They must give us some answers. We are totally fed up at this point."
On February 5, a maxi-taxi driver and his wife were held at gunpoint in their Tabaquite home as bandits robbed them. A few weeks earlier, a 75-year-old man and his four wives were tied up and robbed during a home invasion.
Former Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo chairman Henry Awong said the crime spate is not only a direct result of the Brasso Police Station being closed but believes the ongoing state of emergency (SoE) plays a role.
"With the SoE in place, the focus is on the high-risk areas where they calling the Beetham, Port of Spain, Enterprise and so on. The bandits and murderers are now moving to quiet communities like Tabaquite and the people here are easy targets. So the focus has to be on communities like Tabaquite and small communities as well."
The Brasso Police Station was redesignated for the Child Protection Unit which did not last long. The officers of the station were merged with the Gran Couva Police Station.
[caption id="attachment_1139348" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Maxwelo Chancellor - Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption]
In a release, Tabaquite MP Anita Haynes said the concerns raised then were rearing its head now as the officers are unable to respond effectively to the Tabaquite and Brasso community.
"Despite the promise of increased patrols, police are simply unable to respond quickly enough due to the large geographic area the available patrols must cover. Moreover, the terrible road conditions slow response times even further. Unfortunately, members of the criminal element are capitalising on this gap.”
Apart from calling for the station to be operationalised, she called on Government to analyse crime data and develop robust solutions.
Acting Snr Supt of the Central Division Ian Carty told Newsday he spoke with acting Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin on the matter. While he did not want to give a timeline, he said the station will be reopened soon, describing it as "imminent."
Chancellor's murder
Based on accounts from relatives, com
