Crime continues to be a serious deterrent to business activity and investor confidence, says president of the Greater San Fernando Area Chamber of Commerce Kiran Singh.
He was responding to questions about the impact of crime following the home invasion of past president of the Penal/Debe Business Chamber of Commerce Rampersad Sieuraj last week.
Sieuraj was assaulted, robbed and threatened with death.
Speaking on the incident, Singh, who has been in contact with Sieuraj, said: “This robbery is totally unacceptable for us in the business community, and we imagine the rest of the country. We feel very unsafe as no measures put in place were sufficient to avert this catastrophe. These bandits poisoned his dogs, broke through his burglar-proof and doors and ignored the security camera system.”
He added: “Sieuraj is a senior citizen who did not deserve this treatment. We understand that he is now seeking medical treatment abroad.”
In a phone interview yesterday, he stressed that crime was a serious deterrent to business activity and investor confidence but said, “We must not let criminality overpower civic-minded citizens.”
The business group continues to advocate for more police patrols, intelligence-driven crime detection strategies and utilising the resources of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF), he pointed out.
“We have all heard the stories—insufficient vehicles, lack of officers and a demoralised (police) force. The fear that is now being expressed is what are we to do when approached by individuals in what appears to be police uniform? The reports are quite bone-chilling about encounters with those pretending to be officers of the law,” Singh complained.
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