CARIBBEAN/T&T: Crime pounds T&T nightlife

Crime pounds T&T nightlife 
 
By Gail Alexander

The expanding “business” of crime and kidnapping is robbing Port-of-Spain and 
environs of its nightlife and deeply wounding the entertainment industry at a 
peak period during vacation time. 

Politicians are on a break from Parliament. But it appears the public, 
terrorised by the crime and kidnapping threat, is also taking a break from 
enjoying nightlife in the North since the crime problem increased in the last 
year. 

And the operators of nightspots and suppliers of services are feeling the 
blow, as well as patrons. 

Owners and managers of various nightspots on the Western peninsula of 
Chaguaramas are meeting this week to discuss the situation, said the 
operators of The Anchorage and Pier 1 on Monday. 

Several entertainment sector executives spoke with the Guardian on Monday, at 
the same time the Prime Minister was meeting concerned business groups. 

With the exception of Pier 1, owned by the family of National Security 
Minister Howard Chin Lee, operators of nightspots were unanimous. 

“We’re crying out for help. The entertainment industry is under attack,” was 
the way businessman Johnny Soong, owner of Club Coconuts, in St Ann’s, put 
it. 

But Pier 1 manager Colin Mitchell believes Pier 1 hasn’t been affected. 

He said: “Our main crowd is from Central and South and they don’t seem to be 
fazed. 

“They’re also comfortable with the security measures at Pier 1. We’ve 
improved car park and internal security and we’re confident this has been 
helping us” 

However, Mitchell said he was aware Port- of-Spain nightspots and restaurants 
are taking a beating. 

Soong agreed. 

“Nuts,” as it’s popularly called, was the last place visited by 18-year-old 
Yves Ayoung Chee, who was kidnapped last Thursday night. He was snatched in 
Marli Street, Newtown, where he’d gone to drop off a friend. 

Soong said: “Our attendance levels are down at least 20 per cent from the 
corresponding period last year, but our security costs have gone up by more 
than 100 per cent because we secure the roads to St Ann’s now. 

“The realisation is now setting in that the situation is getting out of hand. 
We’ve talked to many clients and they say they’re not allowed to go out now. 
And we completely understand. People have to be careful.” 

Soong said there was a limit to what club managements could do to protect 
patrons. 

“We’re concerned for all clients, but we can only do so much, and with the 
situation now, people are vulnerable everywhere — night or day.” 

On behalf of the entertainment industry nationwide, Soong called for groups 
to get together to come up with solutions. 

“With the entertainment industry affected, indirect and direct employment all 
’round is affected, and that includes services in terms of beer and drink 
companies, food suppliers and other related services. The only thing that has 
had a bumper increase is the security sector.” 

Like his colleagues, Soong vetoed the idea of a curfew. He called for 
Government to concentrate police patrols in the areas where entertainment is 
located. 

“We have hubs in Port-of-Spain, the Western peninsula, Central and San 
Fernando. Let’s use police vehicles and similar resources to protect these 
places.” 

Voicing deep concern also was Andre Jacelon, one of several young businessmen 
who launched Tony Roma’s this year on Cipriani Boulevard, a stone’s throw 
from Marli Street, where Yves Ayoung Chee was kidnapped. 

After a good start-up, Tony Roma’s is now feeling the pinch. 

Managing director Jacelon — son of PNM treasurer Anthony Jacelon — said: “If 
you were in this area last Friday night, you’d have found ample car park 
space on the road, and that’s highly unusual for Cipriani Boulevard on a 
Friday night, particularly in the peak of the vacation season. 

“There’s definitely been a reduction. So I can only assume it’s based on the 
kidnapping situation. 

“At our place, we’ve been seeing more of an early crowd. Dinner attendance 
levels peak around 7-9 pm now, so I’m assuming people want to get home early 
these days.” 

Jacelon wanted a solution from the Prime Minister. 

“I’m concerned that we haven’t yet heard any concrete plan from Mr Manning. 
We’ve seen very little deterrence so far to make it harder for kidnappers to 
operate. 

“Government needs to let us know what’s happening, what’s on the drawing 
board. They’re not communicating with the people on this issue and that’s 
very sad.” 

Jenny Sharma, owner of Jenny’s in Port-of-Spain and San Fernando, has a 
popular nightspot and restaurant obliquely opposite Tony Roma’s. 

She has particularly strong feelings about crime and kidnapping, since her 
brother was kidnapped in February. He was released unhurt after the family 
paid the ransom. 

Sharma said: “If people go out now, they walk with bodyguards. I have to use 
bodyguards. I live in a cage and I’m totally fed up.” 

Her business has not yet been too badly hurt. 

“A percentage of business has declined, but my core clientele has stuck with 
me. They feel safe, as we have a strong security force in the car park and 
around.” 

Sharma was also critical of the Government. 

“The Prime Minister isn’t listening. Does Government have feelings for 
regular people? What’s the point working so hard and you can’t enjoy what you 
have in peace? If I didn’t have my businesses, I’d have left T&T already.” 

Kenny Watson of Chaconia Inn, Maraval, said although the hotel’s occupancy 
levels are intact, the dinner and liming attendance levels have dropped. 

“It appears these two problems are the reason, although we have security when 
we have organised events and big Friday night limes. 

“I’m from the Bahamas and I’ve worked in Jamaica during the 1980s and I can 
tell you that Trinidad now is the way Jamaica was in the 1980s. It’s a shame 
this is happening in such a lovely island.” 

Peter George, owner of Trotters on Maraval Road, said: “It’s a bad situation. 
We’ve started to see a decline in the last month or so. A lot of people 
aren’t going out at night any more and everybody in the entertainment 
industry is affected. 

“It’s a very sensitive, complex situation. I sympathise with Government. We 
need a strong programme against crime, and Government, if necessary, should 
consider calling for international help.” 

A spokesman for Al Smith’s Anchorage and Tsunami beach clubs said the 
crime/kidnapping problem has topped off three years of a downward spiral for 
business there. 

“We’ve seen a falling-off in recent years, due to the rapid succession of 
general elections and the events of 9/11 in the US. Increased crime and the 
kidnapping problem is just the latest factor.” 

He said the Anchorage’s Pop Rock festival over the last three weeks has so 
far remained mostly unaffected. The hardest hit areas have been among the 
dinner/casual liming crowd. 

“The West Trinidad crowd, the true limers, as they’re known, are staying 
home, no question about it. There’s been a marked drop and correspondingly 
we’ve had to curtail our supplies in terms of drinks and food items. Our 
suppliers understand why we’ve cut down, but they’re bawling all the same. ” 

The Anchorage and Tsunami are implementing increased security from this week, 
he added. 

“But the army/police patrols must be better.” 

He also took a long-term view. 

“We have to look to long-term solutions and chief among this is teaching 
children proper values in school: what is right and wrong, how to behave, how 
to respect women and people on the whole. 

“If they’re not being taught that at home, they must be exposed to these 
values at some point in their life, and school is the next best place. We’ve 
already lost a generation because of the absence of these fundamentals. This 
crime problem should indicate just how necessary these values are now,” he 
said.
 
©2003-2004 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited