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Tourist beaten; cops shoot man
Denyse Renne drenne@trinidadexpress.com

Tuesday, February 20th 2007


STAFF at the Port of Spain General Hospital were kept busy yesterday morning as several people sought medical attention for injuries they received during Jouvert celebrations.

Among those who had to be treated was a US citizen who was beaten about the head and body by two men.

Police reports stated that the tourist from Texas was walking along Cipriani Boulevard, Port of Spain, when a man attempted to grab his camcorder.

He resisted and the suspect was joined by an accomplice and the two began beating the visitor.

Police officers who were posted nearby ran to the tourist's assistance, but the two men ran off. The victim was rushed to hospital.

Stabbings, head injuries, broken ribs, and injuries received during robberies were being attended to at the hospital from 5 a.m.

A hospital source said more than 20 people sought treatment for stabbings at the hospital.

"They came in for stabbings about the back, hands, chest and stomach," the source said. "Some were stabbed with knives, ice picks, and broken pieces of glass bottles."

Several women were also treated for injuries.

Jouvert celebrations were stopped in east Trinidad by officers of the Northern Division after several fights and reports of pick pocketing were made.

At least five people were arrested.

In an unrelated incident, a 25-year-old Cocorite man was nursing gunshot wounds to his right leg after being shot by police on Sunday night.

Police reports stated that at around 7.15 p.m, Western Division officers were on patrol in Cocorite when they spotted a group of men.

The suspects opened fire and ran off when they saw police.

The officers returned fire and shot one of the men.

He was rushed to the Port of Spain General, where he remained warded under police guard.

Police are also investigating the shooting of a Malick man which occurred around 10.15 p.m. on Sunday.

The man, who is yet to be identified, was on Seventh Avenue when he was approached by two men dressed in a three-quarter pants and T-shirts.

The men demanded money from the man, but he refused and was shot in the leg. The men ran off.

SOURCE: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index...s?id=161106397

This would make Carnival a disaster how, b/c a few dumb jackasses don't know how to behave?
A few incidents doesn't rule the festival out as a disaster nor as a disappointment. It is still the greatest show on earth, which is why it is the biggest in the region having ppl come from all over.

damn.

__________________
http://stlucianow.com/

Why would you even bother responding to that canary-colored clown with his obvious obsession with Trinidad. Any opportunity he feel he have to shed a negative light on the country you know he'll grab at it.

Why do you EVEN BOTHER WORRIED about the CANARY-COLORED CLOWN, eh PIGMY??

MaNNNNN, that is how U LQQKED at the ARICLE, just a few DUMB JACKASSES?

Mannnn, it only takes a DUMB FEW JACKASSES to make things TURN SOUR.

MORE DISAPPOINTMENTS


cooldown off
Top cop stops Ash Wednesday fete
Richard Charan South Bureau

Wednesday, February 21st 2007



There will be no after-Carnival cooldown in Mayaro today.

This was the word from the police late yesterday, after they advised the organisers to call off the annual beach fete which this year ran into a storm of controversy.

Head of the Police Eastern Division, Senior Supt Barnette Mayers, yesterday said he advised the promoters to call off the Cooldown in the interest of public safety.

He said there would not be enough police officers to "properly" patrol the activity.

Before the decision was made, some Mayaro beachfront owners, fearing a human tidal wave for the Ash Wednesday cooldown, were blockading their properties.

This year's event was booked for Caravan Court, a private enclave near the Queen's Beach Hotel, Radix Village, Mayaro.

Prior to calling for the cancellation of the event, Mayers had said he was aware of the fear expressed by property owners.

"We are not very happy with the venue. We are trying to put things in place. We are dealing with the organisers, and the police are trying to work out how we will police this," he had told the Express.

At private residences, retirement homes and beach resorts between Church Street and Gould Street, Mayaro, owners were busy putting up fences and storm shutters, and planning to post more security guards.

The sudden alarm in Mayaro came about because of a decision by the Licensing Committee in the Sangre Grande Magistrates' Court to refuse fete promoter Lyndon Legall permission to hold the annual Cooldown Fete in Manzanilla.

Chairperson of the Licensing Committee, Magistrate Cheryl Ann Blake, raising concern about last year's spectacle where several women exposed themselves during a wining competition at the event, refused the licence and the Appeal Court upheld it.

Legall announced the fete would be relocated to Caravan Court, a fenced area that is about a third the size of a football field.

The cooldown is usually attended by between 10,000 and 15,000 people, police estimate. Legall said 120 police officers and soldiers would be employed at the fete. But Mayaro police said they knew nothing of this yesterday.

The majority of people who answered a poll question on the mayaro.com website, thought the cooldown was a bad idea.

SOURCE: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index...s?id=161106791

MORE DISAPPOINTMENT

Bands shun the 'Greens'
Ian Harris iharris@trinidadexpress.com

Wednesday, February 21st 2007


FLEETS IN: Housing Minister Dr Keith Rowley in Neal and Massy All Star's Fleets In on Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook.

IT was a quiet and disappointing Carnival Tuesday for spectators gathered at the Picadilly on the Greens in Port of Spain yesterday, as only a small number of bands used the area as part of their Parade of the Bands route.

As bands crossed the downtown judging point at South Quay, most of them proceeded north up Frederick Street instead of turning right towards Picadilly on the Greens.

According to information given by an official from the National Carnival Committee, bandleaders had the option of crossing three judging points with their masqueraders and most opted to use the judging points located in Downtown Port of Spain, Queen's Park Savannah and Adam Smith Square in Woodbrook.

By 9.30 a.m. at Picadilly on the Greens, a sizeable number of around 100 persons had gathered eagerly anticipating the arrival of masqueraders in their stunning costumes. But they had to wait for another hour before the first band crossed that point.

Around 10.30 a.m., masqueraders from the band Legacy, portraying Hiawatha, came dancing to number one Road march contender "Jumbie", much to the delight of the small gathering.

Immediately following Legacy was the Tribal Connection Cultural Promotion Group, portraying the Kachina Dancers. They had musical support from Desperadoes Steel Orchestra, who belted out a mixture of old and new soca tunes, among them "Jumbie".

Around 4 p.m. came the highlight of the day when Brian Mac Farlane's India - The Story of Boyie graced the Greens.

MORE DISAPPOINTMENT

South vendors left bawling
Louis B Homer South Bureau

Wednesday, February 21st 2007



CARNIVAL vendors in San Fernando were bawling yesterday.

Their sales have dropped significantly this year, they said.

Some vendors said it was no longer profitable to sell on the roadside at Carnival, because most of the bands now have an all-inclusive arrangement with members, which includes food and drinks, along with bottled water.

"Is only the people passing on the street that will buy from us," said a vendor, who has been selling at Carnival for the past 20 years. This year, they added, the number of spectators appeared to have fallen compared to previous years.

Two years ago, she said, her sales for the two days were more than $3,000.

"This year if I sell $500 I sell plenty," said the vendor, who said she did not want her name published.

Sno-cone vendors, on the other hand, reported that they ran out of ice before lunch and had to return to the factory for fresh supplies.

"This year the sales were good and I hope it continues that way," said one of the vendors.

In the area of alcohol, fewer licences were granted to vendors who sold alcohol along the main arteries leading to the Skinner Park competition centre.

For this year's Carnival season, a number of vending outlets were set up along the periphery of Skinner Park in anticipation of a bumper Carnival. But several doubted their expectations would be realised.

SOURCE: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index...s?id=161106779

MORE DISAPPOINTMENT

Blame crime, uncertainty about venues


South bandleaders yesterday reported reductions in the numbers of people who played mas in south Trinidad, saying crime had severely affected the greatest show on earth.

Rosemarie Kuru, queen of Lionel Jagessar and Associates, said she experienced a 10 per cent reduction in the size of her band named The Tribal Council.

“Many people did not play mas this year because of the crime. A lot of people preferred to spend time with their families or to go abroad. We had a registration of 400 plus people in eight sections of our band,” Kuru said.

She said that she had played queen for over 25 years and this year the reduction in numbers was significant. Kuru’s son Lionel Jagessar Jnr won South King of Carnival at the south pre-Dimache Gras show last Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Ivan Kallicharan, who did a remarkable portrayal called “D Stage” said that he had a 20 per cent reduction in registration. Asked to explain the reason for the reduction, Kallicharan said: “Crime kept many of people away from Carnival. People were afraid to be out.”

He said that usually his mas camp was buzzing with activity until 2 am on most days. “But this year, as early as 8 pm, the camp was empty. Nobody came here after 8 pm. It is evident that because of crime, people just didn’t want to be out.”

However, President of the National Carnival Bands Association of T&T Owen Hinds said he believed that crime was only partially to blame for the reduction in the size of bands although his own band did not suffer any reduction.

“We had about 800 plus people registering. We had no reduction but if other bands had a decrease it was only because of the uncertainty surrounding Carnival this year,” Hinds said.

He said many people were uncertain whether Carnival would have been rescheduled. “A lot of things were not in place, we had delays in venues and so on and I think this is probably the reason bands were smaller in number,” Hinds said.

He said that there had not been a great number of criminal incidents this year. (RS)


SOURCE: http://www.guardian.co.tt/news3.html

Steups! I sure nuff ppl had a good time. Unfortunately these things happened to some. You just feed offa any opportunity to point out the negative.

I am JUST INFORMING the PUBLIC.

Ohhhhhhhhhh yeahhhhhhhhh

yeah okay

fixed it for you.

__________________
"If u put a small price on ur value.. rest assure that the world wont raise ur price! Love U 2day!" ~ Rev. Run

"If you keep believing in yourself and seek enthusiasm inside your soul, things will get simpler, more spontaneous." ~Paulo Coelho

"Knowledge is like the wind, once you obtain it, you can go anywhere." ~Yellow Hare(Native-American Chief)

Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit
the floor each morning the devil says:
"Oh Crap, She's up!"

I have to agree here....and that's just sad.




This was definitely my best carnival ever, and just about everyone I spoke to yesterday said the same thing.