Saint Terrence and selective policing

In 1993, while attending to patients at Dr Rupert Bobart’s office on Fifth Street, San Juan, two young men entered the office and robbed two patients and me. I remember the barrel of the gun on my right temple, thinking how cold it was. It seemed time started moving slowly but my thoughts were more for my patients than myself.

One hundred and 20 dollars; my Citizen wristwatch and a ring now belonged to the young men whose livelihood was dependent on their ability to pull a trigger. At the time, I whispered a silent prayer to Saint Terrence. Some may ask who is he?

My former principal at CIC, Father Anthony De Verteuil, had enlightened me about this soldier saint who fled to escape Christian persecution. He was martyred and his corpse was thrown into a gorge. He appears in times of crisis. During the Cisalpine Republic War of 1793, his apparition as a horseman terrified the French, who abandoned their siege.

But it seems this was not the week for Terrences. Social media was abuzz with creative memes concerning PC Terrance and four days ago, St Joseph MP Terrence Deyalsingh was robbed, which started a slew of others.

Two bandits, one of whom pointed a gun at Deyalsingh’s head, robbed him of his gold bera outside Nyabinghi Bar, Abercromby Street, in St Joseph.

A resident, Shane Modeste, said he hoped this would be a wake-up call to the Government on the state of crime in the country.

Umar Abdullah raised concerns about this bar being opposite the RC Church. In Parliament, I raised similar concerns about the proximity of bars and schools existing in Curepe and Couva.

The Liquor Licences Act, Section 21. (1), states- The owner of the premises in respect of which a new licence is applied for, and any owner or occupier of the property, or a minister in charge of a place of public worship, or the managing body or manager of a government school or assisted school, situated within 400 metres therefrom, and any Officer may object, in writing, to the grant or renewal of a licence or the transfer of any licence to any new premises or person, stating the grounds of the objection, and every such objector shall be heard by the licensing committee.

Well, the police; the licensing committee; and district magistrate may also need to wake up when the renewal of this bar licence is due. There is also a school nearby. Addressing crime is not just going after hardened criminals but ensuring that these simple laws are executed. Anything else sends a message to our youth that anything goes in this country.

DCP Suzette Martin must be congratulated for the quick apprehension of suspects, but is it a result of the ‘steady progress’ that CoP Erla Harewood-Christopher mentioned recently? Or is it because of who the victim is? The police should not be guilty of selective policing.

A grocery owner who was robbed in June, said, “Up to now, nobody come to help me,” whilst another business owner opined, “What made his life more valuable?”

In August, a pastor who lives in Mt D’Or was a victim of a burglary. He knows the criminal but despite many calls and visits to the police station, no one went to take fingerprints.

While the CoP recently launched a complaints form, I think an online platform with full public scrutiny may improve police performance and can highlight their lack of vehicles and basic amenities.

I previously wrote that if police can illegally jump on a plane to go after Brent Thomas but leave gang members who reside a short distance from the police headquarters untouched, then something is wrong.

Brazen crimes against public figures are not new. During the 2011 Borough Day celebrations, Arima Mayor Ghassan Youseph was robbed of his $3,000 gold chain.

What bothered me now was the lack of concern and acerbic comments that it was okay, as it happened to ‘a Minister who belonged to an administration that shows a lack of genuine concern to deal with the daily crimes against ordinary citizens.’

No one deserves to get a gun pointed at his head. One may not agree with the MP’s politics, his tenure as Minister of Health, or his Government’s inability to deal with crime, but we need to care for one another, even if we don’t like or actively oppose. We cannot forget our human decency. Either you care when anyone is a victim of crime or you never really care when anyone is hurt.

Probably this MP can now be the agent of change convincing his Government that they must do better.