Minister of National Security Carl Alfonso says he will sanction soldiers to go into Enterprise, Chaguanas, once a request is made by the police.Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, Alfonso made it clear that soldiers would not impose themselves but would wait until they were instructed to set up camp.
"It is possible for the soldiers to go into the area as it is now but a request will have to be made by the acting Commissioner of Police. This request will mean that the police need help to quell whatever is going down in Enterprise," Alfonso said."The commissioner will be the one to make the request and should it be made, yes, I will sanction it," he said.
On Tuesday evening, residents of Bhagaloo Street, Gittens Lane and Chris Terrace West came out in their numbers to meet with the Guardian Media Ltd team where they spoke about their experiences of gunmen coming into their area and shooting them and their homes. The residents also said they were being threatened if they did not yield to extortion demands.
They made a desperate plea for the intervention of soldiers to restore peace to their area.When asked about progress in the investigations into the upsurge of crime in Central, Alfonso replied, "There is no further development but the police are down there now doing what they are supposed to be doing at the end of the day to bring the situation under control."
Intelligence sources have identified one of the Muslim leaders involved in the Enterprise, Chaguanas, gang rivalry as an ex-US military personnel.Police said they received information that the man, along with his group of followers, has been banned from entering several mosques in Central and North Trinidad.
Over the past two days, videos have been posted on Facebook, talking about the upsurge of gang activities in the Central area.The man in the video alleged that senior officers in the Central Division were affiliated with gangs in the area. The man also alleged that these police officers gave the tip-off to gang members regarding the police exercise on Sunday led by the Central Division.
The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) said it was aware of allegations of serious police misconduct and corruption stemming from an exercise, and pursuant to Section 21(1) (b) of the PCA Act the PCA had initiated an independent investigation into the matter.