The United National Congress (UNC) is demanding that Government increase patrols in crisis areas such as Harpe Place, East Port-of-Spain, after five people were gunned down in the housing development on Saturday morning.
Senator David Nakhid issued the call as he noted the heinous crime which saw a police sergeant among the five victims.
Speaking at the UNC’s media conference on Sunday morning, Nakhid said the Government must do more to protect all of its citizens, including those in lower-income communities.
“Again, we urge the Government to increase patrols, not only with the police but of the defence force, in those areas, those crisis areas, not for locking down those communities or brutalising those communities but protecting those communities. Those are our people. They enjoy their community life as much as we do!
“We ask the Government to insist upon it, that they protect those communities until they can sort out the social injustice that leads to those horrendous crimes,” he said.
The shooting in the capital city took place around 10.55 am. Inter-Agency Task Force officers responded to reports of explosions in the area. When they arrived, they found the bodies of Rudolph Donnie James, Randy Graves, 32, and Sgt Larry Phillip, 51. Two others, identified as 51-year-old Pete Noray and Devon Jack, 43, died at the hospital.
As he lamented the tragedy, the UNC senator warned residents of Harpe Place and other “crisis areas” that the Government will offer false promises of fixes during the upcoming election season. He said, however, that the administration has failed to address issues in these communities and believes this will not change in a year.