标签： Trinidad and Tobago

In a tragic turn of events, 63-year-old Couva resident Vishnu Lalla was discovered dead in a bush area on November 9, just over 24 hours after being abducted from his home in Windsor Park, California. The incident unfolded on the evening of November 8 when Lalla’s wife noticed his grey Toyota Hilux speeding away from their property. Approximately 30 minutes later, she received a ransom call demanding $100,000 for his safe return by midnight. Despite the demand, Lalla’s fate was sealed when police found his pickup truck destroyed by fire on George Street in Esperanza, California. Following intelligence leads, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit conducted a search in a forested area near Brechin Castle Road, Couva, where they discovered Lalla’s body with his hands bound and a gunshot wound to his head. A nine-millimetre shell casing was found at the scene, and an autopsy has been ordered at the Forensic Science Centre in St James. The community has expressed shock and sorrow, with one resident describing the Lalla family as among the kindest in the area. Lalla’s wife has declined to comment on the incident.

In a series of coordinated operations across the Central Division, law enforcement officers have successfully apprehended four individuals and confiscated a cache of illegal firearms, ammunition, and narcotics. The operations, which spanned from November 7 to November 9, were conducted based on intelligence reports and targeted various locations within the division.

During the funeral of Sylvan Boodan, a 58-year-old businessman tragically murdered on November 3, the officiating imam delivered a heartfelt message to the mourners gathered at his home on Tabaquite Road in Rio Claro. The funeral, streamed live on social media on November 9, became a platform for the imam to reflect on the transient nature of life and the importance of living with purpose and compassion. He emphasized that life is a one-way journey, urging attendees to make amends and live harmoniously with others while they still have the opportunity. The imam also stressed the inevitability of death, reminding everyone to prepare for the afterlife and cherish their loved ones, particularly their parents. He encouraged mourners to express their love and gratitude to their parents, as memories are the only remnants left after their passing. The body of Boodan, who was gunned down near his car in Poole Village, was laid to rest at the New Grant Cemetery. The imam’s message resonated deeply, urging everyone to live without regrets and make the most of their time on earth.

On the evening of November 9, a modest yet diverse assembly gathered at Woodford Square in Port of Spain for a candlelight vigil advocating peace. This event coincided with Trinidad and Tobago’s annual Remembrance Day, traditionally a time to honor those who perished in World Wars I and II and other conflicts. However, this year’s vigil shifted focus to address the pressing need for peace and dialogue amidst escalating regional and political tensions. The gathering saw participation from at least ten civil society and religious organizations, including the Concerned Muslims of TT, the Emancipation Support Committee, and the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM), among others. Representatives from Muslim, Hindu, and Christian communities, as well as cultural and activist groups, were present. The event was set against the backdrop of increasing geopolitical strain between the United States and Venezuela, a situation that has drawn Trinidad and Tobago into diplomatic crossfire. Recent controversial remarks by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, urging the US to ‘kill them all’ in reference to alleged drug smugglers, and her accusation that Caricom was ‘siding with Venezuela,’ added to the tension. Despite these political undertones, organizers emphasized that their involvement was not political but a collective appeal for peace. Rauold Keith Simon, shaman of the Warao Community of San Fernando, stated, ‘This is not political; this is purely spiritual… We want peace.’ However, his message carried a warning: ‘We won’t take it any more. We will fight back.’ Cacica of the Warao Nation of TT, Anicia Benjamin, offered a somber reflection on the long-term consequences of conflict, drawing parallels to the prolonged recovery periods post-World War II. Religious leaders also used the occasion to emphasize moral responsibility and collective renewal. Pandit Lloyd Mukram Sirjoo, head of the Trinidad Academy of Hinduism, urged greater spiritual engagement from citizens, lamenting the neglect of moments of prayer and reflection. JTUM reaffirmed its support for the initiative, calling for the Caribbean to remain a ‘Zone of Peace’ and warning that military escalation ‘can only be to the detriment of Caribbean people.’ The union stressed that progress ‘requires stability and peace,’ pledging solidarity with all groups advocating for calm and unity.

President Christine Kangaloo presided over the annual Remembrance Day ceremony at Memorial Park in Port of Spain on November 9, honoring the soldiers of Trinidad and Tobago who perished in World Wars I and II, as well as other conflicts. The solemn event, which lasted approximately 20 minutes, featured the traditional laying of wreaths at the cenotaph, a monument dedicated to the nation’s fallen heroes. President Kangaloo was the first to place a wreath, followed by Attorney General John Jeremie, who represented an absent Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Other dignitaries, including Chief Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh, Minister of Defence Wayne Sturge, and Chief of Defence Staff Captain Don Polo, also paid their respects. Diplomats from Australia, Colombia, Germany, Jamaica, Korea, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Turkiye, Canada, China, Ghana, Argentina, and the European Union delegation participated in the ceremony, alongside Port of Spain Mayor Chinua Alleyne. The event, marked by a brief prayer and no formal speeches, was notably subdued, with fewer spectators than in previous years. The cenotaph, crafted from Portland stone and bronze, bears the names of TT nationals who died in both World Wars and features symbolic sculptures representing courage, sacrifice, and victory. Originally unveiled in the 1920s, the monument has been the centerpiece of TT’s Remembrance Day observances for nearly a century.