Bamboo guard booth

VALSAYN

■ Gyasi Gonzales

gyasi.gonzales @trinidadexpress.com

WORKS Minister Rohan Sinanan says he will consult the Tunapuna- Piarco Regional Corporation on the erection of a security booth at the entrance of Bamboo #2, Valsayn. Activist/ businessman Inshan Ishmael claims the Works Ministry wants the booth gone in days.

In an interview at the site of the booth, which was under construction yesterday afternoon, Ishmael said that over 99 per cent of residents met four months ago amid on-going safety concerns.

'We had three cases of extortion attempts on businesses in the area. But not only that, we had an Imam and his family being robbed, we have had people held up and we have even had praedial larceny,' he said.

He added, however, that residents may have a built-in advantage as a community as there was only one way in and out.

'So, therefore, the only solution is a guard booth because in none of the extortion attempts was anyone held so therefore we don't want it to reach to the stage where there has been extortion number 15 and still nothing was done,' he said. 'So we all agreed that we need to do something and it was agreed that our guard booth will be installed at the entrance of Bamboo #2,' he said.

He claimed that the booth was approved by the area's village council and residents also spoke to officials at the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation and they were told that once 60 per cent of the village agreed there would be no objection to the plan.

He showed a petition which he claimed represented 96 per cent of the community and its businesses.

He said yesterday morning, however, representatives from the Ministry of Works showed up and told residents that a vending booth was being constructed. The officials then erected a No Vending sign near to the booth site.

'I was confused because nobody has any intentions of vending there,' Ishmael said.

He said that, minutes later, he got a call from one of his managers who told him that the Works Ministry advised him that the structure, while not intended for vending, was an illegal one and that beginning yesterday (Wednesday) they had seven days to remove it.

'Well, I just contacted my attorney and people know me. I am very familiar with court and I'm very familiar with jail so I am challenging the ministry now,' Ishmael said.

'Let them come and move one block...one block and is litigation like that,' he slammed.

He said that the police and the Works Ministry should be thanking the residents for their anti-crime initiative.

He also questioned that while other communities had erected guard booths and even security barriers, Bamboo residents were not being allowed to do the same.

'Why is that?' he asked. 'We now have to pay $30,000 a month to secure our village and that should be the responsibility of the National Security Ministry,' he added.

Contacted yesterday, Minister Sinanan said that he did not have much knowledge about the issue and had to speak to the regional corporation first before making any statements.

TENSION OVER CONSTRUCTION: Workmen from Daniel Construction Ltd carry out construction works on a guard booth at Bamboo #2 yesterday. Businesses and residents of the area signed a petition to allow the construction due to rising crime in the Bamboo area, it was said. Inset: Inshan Ishmael. -Photos: JERMAINE CRUICKSHANK