The capital city of the twin islands has seen a spike in crime. The problem was brought to light when, on October 6, 62-year-old Maralyn Callender-Morrison, a dual citizen of T&T and the United States, was battered by thieves before being robbed of $170,000 in cash on Queen Janelle Commissiong Street in Port-of-Spain. She had taken out $65,000 (T&T) from a bank on Independence Square and had an extra $15,000 with her to fix her Toco house. A video of the event quickly gained popularity on social media.
A woman police officer in Tobago who was a part of the victim support unit had a $8,000 gold chain robbed from her neck hours before the Callender-Morrison heist. Morrison was strolling through Independence Square at the time the incident took place.
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Businesses in T&T are being crippled by the rise in criminal activity, with owners having to spend millions of dollars on security just to stay open.
To defend their lives, incomes, commodities, and properties, the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA), which represents business owners in Port-of-Spain and nearby areas, spends $10 million yearly. Gregory Aboud, the president of DOMA, told the media that a large number of city-based company owners provide the funding.
He claimed that a well-organized gang of criminals operating in the capital city has been spreading terror in the populace, and he has been appealing for months for the safety and security of enterprises in Port-of-Spain to be given priority. The thieves have been networking to escape being apprehended by the authorities and are well-known to several company owners and vendors. Some of these perpetrators employ youngsters as well.
His remarks follow a spike in blatant daylight thefts in the city that have made customers, suppliers, and business owners uncomfortable as they go about their regular business.
The business owners have been investing their money because they place a high importance on keeping themselves protected.
According to Aboud, who broke down the cost of security, a significant amount of the money is spent on guard response services, alarm systems, and daytime guard services.
He noted, “A major component of security turned out to be cash-in-transit services which is an armed courier that will come to your premises to collect sales and take it and deposit it to the bank.”
“It is our estimate that the annual additional cost of security in the city of Port-of-Spain is in excess of $10 million per annum. It becomes very important to understand that most of this is focused on protection of the premises of the business people and protection during the night-time hours,” Aboud revealed, in light of the data gathered in previously mentioned categories.
He also noted that “There is no budget in there for protection of the daytime shoppers and persons using the streets of Port-of-Spain.”
When asked if the expense of protecting their companies has increased, Aboud responded that the whole cost of security should also be considered as an opportunity cost in addition to the money spent on security services and security measures.
“Many great opportunities are being lost because the grave security situation is extremely discouraging to investment and discouraging to expansion,” he shared.
The cost of security has both financial and non-financial ramifications, according to Aboud.
He said that the non-financial effects are more harmful to the future of our nation in terms of missed investments and expansions, “and lost hope.”
The head of the San Fernando Company Association, Daphne Bartlett, commented on the matter and acknowledged that the expense of private protection is high for business owners in the southern city.
“With the increase in crime, businesses had to beef up security. They had to put in more CCTV cameras. Others have also upgraded their security cameras.”
She claimed that some business owners had armed security guards accompany them from their places of business to their residences and vice versa.
“Many business owners are hiring security guards in their homes because they are scared of home invasions. It has now become overbearing.”
There are 50 companies that belong to the association. Bartlett stated, “We average about $6 to $7 million” when asked how much the South business sector spends on security annually.
According to Bartlett, the government is not doing enough to support small companies.
“We are being crippled all around.”
She also mentioned that business owners wouldn’t need to pay excessive security costs if there were frequent joint army/police patrols in the city.
Business owners have begun purchasing high-definition cameras for their establishments, according to Vivek Charran, chairman of the Confederation of Regional Business Chambers.
He said that these cameras can record high-quality video that can be used as evidence in court.
Six high-definition cameras and DVRs may be installed for between $12,000 and $15,000. A small company owner can spend up to $10,000 per month on a basic security officer, he added.
“If you are looking for an armed security guard it would be double that cost.”
Next January, when the new $20.50 minimum wage is implemented, company owners should expect to pay more for security, according to Charran.
Aboud provides several remedies.
In light of this, Aboud stated that DOMA will approach Finance Minister Colm Imbert to think about granting them a property tax exemption.
He remarked, “So if the Finance Minister collects $100 in property tax in Port-of-Spain, please give us back $30 or $40 out of that $100 for us to manage a security service on the streets of Port-of-Spain and relieve the police of the burden that they are facing with the number of streets they have to patrol.”
A Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) idea, in which a part of taxes received by the government is used by stakeholders to safeguard themselves, was also advocated by the government.
According to Aboud, this strategy has been tried and tested and has been effective in New York and other American cities.
According to him, DOMA would govern the CBD using money collected from property taxes and the BID system.
“So, in essence, the businesspeople would be paying for their own security.”
Aboud asserted that the State has the authority to gather the cash and distribute it to stakeholders for use in defending themselves and the city of Port-of-Spain, as opposed to pleading with a businessman to donate to a private fund.
Aboud urged Imbert and the Government to empower the business people, “We are refusing to admit defeat … we are refusing to throw in the towel … we are refusing to give up hope.”
Aboud stated that criminals must try to be creative and dynamic rather than taking advantage of the lack of legislation.
When asked if thieves had been demanding money from particular Port-of-Spain company owners, Aboud responded that he had heard two such stories a few months ago but was unable to confirm them.
“I don’t know if they could be characterized as petty or serious based on the information that we have. The figures were not told to me. The persons involved indicated that they were threatened and would be robbed if they did not pay. We advised that no payment should be made and the matter reported to the police.”
He said that the authorities became involved in the situation.
Aboud continued, “Extortion is a very serious threat to business … that is one of the principal elements of destruction of business enterprises and nobody is prepared to deal with that.”
He argued that the State need to develop a specific division to handle such dangers.
