Thursday 2 January 2014

2 Jan 2014 and Seven Murders.......

Trinidad and Tobago Crime News: Latest.

2013 ends with 407 murders which is higher than the two previous years. 

2014 starts with terrible violence in Trinidad & Tobago. The first murder was a 
Pastor and in the past 48 hours there were 7 murders alrea
dy.  http://www.ttcrime.com/

So not yet quite 48 hours into 2014 and already seven murders have been committed. Oh yes, welcome to Trinidad and Tobago folks. It is difficult to determine who makes up the charts for world crime statistics s but last week according to one site, T & T ranks third in the world when it comes to Crime by Country. Venezuela heads the list, Guatemala second and South Africa fourth. The site is: 


http://www.numbeo.com/crime/rankings_by_country.jsp 


On another site, in December 2012 we ranked # 8 in the world for homicides which translates into 47 per 100,000.

The US has rated crime in T & T as critical and recently the British government put out yet another damning travel advisory.  The tourist industry is suffering.

Whether the Crime Index Country by Country (note crime and not murders) is a correct indication or not, we are perceived by the outside world to be a hot spot, a major hot spot. Trinidadians on the whole, pooh pooh these figures and question their authenticity yet are afraid to move out of their homes after dark and will not venture into certain parts of the country in daylight never mind after the sun has gone down.

A great many of the murders are drug and gang related, quite a few are domestic and some are committed against children by someone known to them.

My concern is that many of the crimes committed go unsolved.  There is talk of corruption within the police force, the military and the government.  Many of the murders are definite 'hits' .  We have a great deal of work to do in this country although many believe that we are far too gone to even think of being saved.

T T is a beautiful twin island Republic with a culture and beauty that is envied world wide.   How long before we become the Haiti of the Caribbean?

2 comments:

  1. so sorry to read this, bee. you've mentioned it before and i have to shake my head in wonder that such a small and beautiful place is so rife with violence. breaks my heart for ordinary people like you and your family and friends.

    Stockton is a city about 40 minutes north of us and had one of the highest murder rates in california. with a lot of hard work, the numbers for 2013 reduced the murder rate by 50%. don't know what will happen this year but the locales like the numbers. I'm wishing the same thing for T&T.

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    Replies
    1. It's pretty grim. It is now the 6 Jan and we are already up to thirteen.

      A couple of moths ago the Trinidad and Tobago government sought the 'advice of the ex Police Commissioner of LA and now Commissioner of New York, Bill Bratten. He was here for two days. We are yet to know the outcome but I know that the visit cost the tax payer alot of money!

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