标签： Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago (TT) has been plunged into a state of terror as a surge in violent crimes claimed the lives of at least 12 individuals over five days, from October 6 to October 10. The nation, already under a state of emergency, witnessed a series of brutal incidents, including home invasions, street shootings, and stabbings, leaving communities in shock and the murder toll rising sharply from 276 to 288. The most recent tragedy occurred in the early hours of October 10 in Friendship Village, San Fernando, where gunmen attacked a sleeping family. Gracelyn Ramberan, 48, her husband Vijai Rampersad, 58, and their son Randy Rampersad, 25, were all fatally shot. Randy’s wife, Kimberly Rampersad, sustained critical injuries and remained hospitalized. Earlier in the week, on October 7, multiple killings unfolded across the country. Darren Mohamdally, 50, a construction company manager, was ambushed and shot dead in his van near his home in Chaguanas. That same day, Andrew Morales, 37, was gunned down in Cunupia following a dispute involving his girlfriend and another man. Isaiah Akeem Richards, 27, was also shot dead in Malick, while brothers Jovel Paul, 15, and Rodney Slater, 23, were ambushed and killed in San Juan. A street dweller in Woodbrook was fatally chopped in a separate incident. On October 6, three more lives were lost in unrelated attacks. James Marine, 61, and Kevin Bocage, 36, were shot dead in San Juan, while Ikeisha “Freeda” Wildman, 43, was stabbed to death in her Marabella home. Her nine-year-old son narrowly escaped unharmed. The escalating violence has left the nation reeling, with authorities struggling to contain the crisis.

The body of Imraz “Clubs” Ali, a 60-year-old businessman from Charlieville who had been missing since September 4, was discovered on October 11 off a cliff along North Coast Road. According to sources, police have detained three suspects in connection with the case. One of the individuals reportedly confessed to the kidnapping and murder of Ali, leading investigators to the location where the body was discarded. Law enforcement officers are currently at the scene, working to recover the remains. Ali vanished after conducting a business transaction on the day of his disappearance. Further details are expected as the investigation progresses.

The Editor: Fireworks have long been a source of celebration, but their adverse effects on hospitals, doctors’ offices, elderly and children’s homes, businesses, residential communities, and zoos are increasingly alarming. The Emperor Valley Zoo has highlighted the detrimental impact of fireworks’ loud noise levels, which not only distress animals in the zoo but also pets and their families. Numerous accounts detail the difficulties faced by both animals and their owners. Within minutes of fireworks starting, smaller birds exhibit intense fluttering and often die, while other animals show visible signs of trauma. Dogs, with their superior hearing, become frantic due to the echoing noises. Imagine being unexpectedly subjected to such loud blasts—people are left scrambling to comfort their distressed pets. In 2019, the zoo reported the tragic death of a small male kangaroo from shock and trauma caused by fireworks in Queen’s Park Savannah. This incident underscores the urgent need for action. For years, there have been public calls for a complete ban on fireworks. However, if fireworks must continue, they should be strictly regulated. For instance, they should only be allowed on certain public holidays and at specified times, such as between 11:30 PM and 12:30 AM on Old Year’s Night. This would give animal owners time to prepare their pets for the inevitable noise. Additionally, fireworks celebrations should be relocated from social hubs to large, sparsely populated venues. The advent of silent fireworks in 2025, which only illuminate the sky, offers a promising alternative that would be welcomed by the majority of people—and undoubtedly by animals as well. Our animals and the families they are part of cannot continue to endure this suffering. Ishmael Tarouba via e-mail.

In a series of coordinated anti-crime operations across Trinidad, law enforcement agencies have successfully seized illegal firearms, ammunition, and narcotics, marking a significant step in curbing criminal activities. The operations, conducted under the banner of ‘Operation Steadfast,’ targeted high-risk areas and known offenders in the Southern Division, while highway patrol officers in the north-east also made critical arrests.

Trinidad and Tobago’s justice system is facing a profound crisis, marked by systemic inefficiencies and a loss of public trust. Citizens witness daily the consequences: prolonged case delays, unresolved high-profile murders, and a remand population that overcrowds prisons while victims’ families await justice. The root of the problem lies in structural deficiencies, exacerbated by the Privy Council’s Pratt ruling, which mandates a five-year limit on executions for death row inmates. This ruling, intended to prevent cruel and inhuman delays, has inadvertently led to the commutation of sentences for convicted killers due to the system’s inability to process appeals promptly. Notorious cases, such as the 2021 abduction and murder of Andrea Bharatt, the unresolved 1998 killing of 11-year-old Akiel Chambers, and the 2014 assassination of Dana Seetahal SC, have further exposed chronic weaknesses, including lost evidence, prolonged committals, and delayed prosecutions. These failures are well-documented in media reports, court proceedings, and official statements, highlighting under-resourced prosecutors, outdated case management, and poor evidence-handling practices. To address these issues, urgent reforms are needed: publishing transparent case-backlog data, strengthening the Office of the DPP, modernizing digital evidence systems, empowering oversight bodies, creating a special review unit for cold cases, and bolstering witness protection. Justice must not depend on wealth or influence; every delayed indictment and lost exhibit erodes confidence in the rule of law. If Trinidad and Tobago is serious about security, equality, and democracy, fixing the judiciary must be the highest priority. Parliament must act before more families are denied justice.