Trinidad life -Almost losing my dad because of crime… June 16
Current Mood:
mad
My father was held up and gunpoint yesterday in our family business, and if not for the chance occurrence of the shell/cartridge falling out of the shotgun held by one of the robbers while he struggled with them, my father would have been murdered yesterday.
My dad still didn’t come through totally unscatched. In the course of struggling with the robbers he fell and broke his ankle, and now has to walk with crutches for the next several weeks.
This is a man who I love so much that I can never express in words how much sorrow it would have caused me to have lost him.
I hope my little brother doesn’t read this before we speak of this to him, because this is definitely not how I want him finding out about it. Lord knows he already has enough struggles having to excel in his U.S. Naval AcademyNaval Hospital Corps. School exams while being so far away from all he knew.
This isn’t the first time one of my family has been held up at our business.
This time though it came closer that it ever has before to being the last time for my father.
And for what?
Money.
Human life is now so insignificant to some that the chance of acquiring a few hundred dollars is all the motivation some need to take one.
Is life really that hopeless for these people?
Or is this because they realise more and more daily that there are no consequences for those actions, not in Trinidad anyway. Trinidad life over the last few years has consistently reinforced my thinking that we just have the facade of a civilised country.
Criminals could have stolen from me one of the few precious gems I keep in my life. Our family business still runs, it needs to so that we all can eat tomorrow, so what happened yesterday could (knock on wood) happen again today, or tomorrow, or anytime again, with worse consequences. Criminals continue to have more motiviation to commit crimes and less disincentives to find honest means of livings. This is the reality of living in Trinidad today for me.
And I find that so disgusting.
Marc Bejai Jun 16
REEEEEEEEAAAAAAALLLLL sorry to hear that man
trust me i know EXACTLY how your family feeling right now
i went thru that about 5 times
Anthony Jun 16
I know how you feel man…my dad was mugged outside our house in Trinidad by three armed men. His face was smashed in by the butt of the pistol. That is the main reason that we moved out of Trinidad.
Baidawi Jun 17
Dread, this place has gotten to the point where there is little or no regard for human life. Sad as it is, we reach the point where we have to fight fire with fire, us law abiding citizens need to strap up and eb ready for when those fuckers come thru.
Glad nothing severe happened though. Bless
PNM Jun 17
This is not the PNM or Patrick Manning’s fault,
it is just a global trend.
No government can stop it.
Paivi Jun 17
Nissan, I am terrified to hear what happened. I hope your father will get better soon, and hope you can all go on with your daily lives. God bless you all.
Redditech Jun 17
Someone representing the PNM writes a comment on my blog and tries to justify what is happening with crime in Trinidad as a global trend.
I never blamed the PNM, or Patrick Manning. I made it a point to write my post on this as politically neutral as possible.
Yet this comment is so politically charged by the simple fact that you seek to abdicate your party’s responsibilities, as the party in government, in controlling violent crimes like these.
Your words are the words of the complacent. You bring no words of comfort for me, my father, or anyone else in my family affected by these events. You bring no words of hope that what has happened will not happen again to us or others.
What was and is still needed is the reassurance and action of leaders. Your comment on my blog only reminds me sadly that there are none from where you come.
Johnathan Jun 21
Dude I feel you on this one.. just a coupla weeks ago (2 weeks exactly today) I was stabbed by a coupla guys who tried to rob me. For what you might ask? My Ipod, gone are the days when one could walk the streets safely.Now my personal view is that things can change and get better but it’ll take all of us Trini’s and non Trinidadian residents alike. We have to stand up and make sure our voices are heard when we say “NO” to Crime in T&T. I hope your dad gets makes a speedy recovery.
Kim M Jun 21
So sorry to hear what happened to your father, and now what your family and you must be going through as a consequence of it. My sympathy/empathy is with you. I’m glad you are expressing it- your pain/shock/disillusionment because it is a traumatic experience to have come that close to losing someone you love.
Also, you were very apolitical in your message and the PNM person is wrong. It can be stopped, by doing exactly what you are doing, talking about it, addressing the problem, opening dialogue…it’s a first step, but it’s better than just blaming it on ‘a global trend’ and leaving it, and discouraging others in the process.
Keep the faith!
Kamil Sep 23
Global Trend? good lord!Such poor excuses.Check Singapore .only to name one amongst so many more populated nations. with clean records(Where is that?)
I think it is the general thinking of the masses who commit such acts,Cannot have then snatch it by crime.Trinidads a lovely place we need to work together to rebuild the nation not look to lay blame.There is still time .Drop the divide and rule metality , the British left us a long time ago.
Trinidad. Advetist. Gay?! May 23
If the citizenry cannot arm themselves then crime will never be reduced.