Mr. Manning, if your government is basing its crime response on the premise that average citizens are not being affected by the crime, I strongly urge you to re-examine this position. It also sounds as if you are suggesting that there are no average citizens in Laventille. I am certain that these residents are most definitely being affected by the crime being committed in their neighbourhood, even though our top police officers continue to dismiss this as gang warfare. Weren't Joanna Walker and her parents average citizens? I do not believe that the rest of us 'average citizens' think that all residents of Laventille are gang members. Do you?

As my father says, Trinidad is a beautiful place that a handful of people are trying to ruin. I hope that you and the members of your government can show us average citizens that indeed there is nothing to fear by dealing swiftly and effectively with this handful of criminals.

If you require further convincing, I would be happy to collate and forward any emails received by other 'average citizens' for your information.

Kind regards
average_trini_citizen@hotmail.com

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Maybe if all dem people who did get elected, and who getting PAID by de citizens of T&T did get personal letters detailing jes what dey not doing fuh dey constituents, dey might begin to unnerstan' dat politics ent jus' dressing up in dan-dan an' gallerying yuh body in de Parliment or posing in cocktail party. What dey really doing fuh de people? Doh tell me 'bout CEPEP, because dat is still DEWD/URP no matter how yuh spell it. When yuh have youths who ent seeing any further in de future than de end of dey gun barrel, yuh bong to feel something wrong.

And, when yuh have a Minister of National Security whose indisputable claim to fame is dat he shoot himself in de foot...realise something seriously wrong.

:+:+:+:+:+:+:+::+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:

BACKCHAT: Issue 27

Just a quick note to say "thank you" for keeping me informed of these events. It is appreciated.
//Trinidad

Many thanks for the update.
//aol user

What I don't understand with this Mari Street thing is how come the US Embassy didn't ask to close off the savannah portion of the road facing them as well.......... since they so concerned with their security!!!!!. To me if I was a terrorist I would have a better view and aim from the savannah than from Marli street. I cannot see how closing Marli street can make the embassy so much safer. This whole thing smells of one big show of power and our Government isn't showing any backbone. They just nod in agreement to anything the Americans say, treating them like Gods. What the Government should tell them is if they don't feel safe in that location then MOVE somewhere else ent!!!!
//Trinidad

Thank you for an excellent Site and Newsletter. I am in agreement with the "Marli St." issue but right now I feel that the kidnapping one is much worse. Isn't there something that we can do to show how serious this is and how we feel? Should we not fight to save our country and our families from the worry and heartache that we are now enduring? So many have left and continue to leave, when will we see, when there is no one left? When our beloved Trinidad and Tobago is not even a shadow of what it was? People feel, "well, I do not have no money so they will not try to kidnap me", not so. The ransoms vary and the ones that have money have either left the country or have so much security that they are very difficult to get to. The kidnappers are going to start taking those with less money because some is better than none. When does it end? There seems to be no one able or willing to stop it. Tantie, you have an extensive following, ask the people how they feel and what they want to do about it. All we really need is a start and maybe a little push and it will grow on its own. Let us save our country.
//Trinidad

Does the embassy at 2B Marli have a 99 year lease on that spot? Do we need a few cans of Paint spray to write Yankee Go Home! on the Roadway . Those Ugly Americans need to know that we are not happy!
//Hotmail user