COP candidate in a coma after beating

[Scorpio]

I hope this wasn't politically motivated. :o

http://www.guardian.co.tt/news8.html



Congress of the People’s Laventille West Candidate David St Clair is in a coma at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex after being severely beaten at his campaign office on Pashley Street in Laventille yesterday.

Reports state that St Clair and a group of supporters were at the office around 9 am when four men, armed with pieces of wood and cutlasses, entered the premises and assaulted St Clair.

He was scheduled to go on a walkabout in his constituency yesterday.

Police could not say if the attack was politically motivated.

COP Political Leader Winston Dookeran and other senior party members visited St Clair at the hospital yesterday.

Dookeran said in an interview that he will be meeting with Commissioner of Police Trevor Paul tomorrow, to discuss concerns about the violence taking place during the current election campaign.

“I have expressed deep concern to the Commissioner of Police in a meeting with him earlier (yesterday) and requested protection for COP candidates, regarding a number of matters that have taken place,” he said.

Dookeran said he believed that the State had a responsibility to provide protection and also to ensure an atmosphere of peace during the election campaign.

“I am reaching out now to the Minister of National Security and Prime Minister to endorse this measure to protect the integrity of our electoral process.

“My deep concern for David and his relatives is not all that impels me in this call for the wheels of justice to move speedily and effectively,” he said.

Dookeran called for a massive manhunt for St Clair’s assailants, and for them to be brought to justice.

He said the attack on St Clair was not the only incident of campaign violence, and that candidates and campaign teams in certain areas were being confronted with demands for protection money.

The attack on St Clair comes on the heels of the attack on UNC-Alliance volunteer activist Sean Douglas on Thursday morning.

Douglas was killed a few metres from the UNC-A Laventille East/Morvant campaign office.

...UNC-A’s Juliet Davy not worried

Meanwhile, UNC-Alliance candidate for Laventille West Juliet Davy said she was not worried for her safety following news of the assault on St Clair.

“I concerned but not afraid and I console myself with knowledge that if I want to be the representative for the area, this is something I have to deal with,” she said.

She said she felt that a “special” type of person was needed to represent the people of Laventille.

“That person has to be above the normal representative to represent them as Laventille has a lot of young people who are confused and need help,” she said.

She added that she has prepared herself for any form of attack and does not intend to get security for herself.

“I was born in Shanti Town and raised in Beetham so I know the life here and how to move with people,” she said.

“I don’t see any reason why I need security. I do not have any beef with anybody.”

©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing

[jacques]

Have there been any reports of attacks on PNM candidates/activists? It seems that only UNC/COP are targets...

Watch out for what will happen AFTER the election if ever the PNM doesn't win....

[deathwinger]

If the PNM does not win, these people who are doing this will just have to feel the firm hand of the law that has been avoiding them for the past 6 years. It's obvious that they have no fear for authority anymore, and why should they under a PNM government where Manning's response to anything against Laventille (state of emergency, crackdowns, etc.) is 'why do you want me to suppress MY people?'

[JPersad]

It is going to get very nasty this last week .
My advise to the parties are to hire reliable armed security 24 x7 for vulnerable candidates and party headquarters,.
I wish Mr St Clair a very speedy recovery and that the criminal who did this be bough to justice in quick time !

[Maccogirl]

You wishing Mr. St. Clair a speedy recovery while a UNC LFL flag bearer is dead how come you have not sent out condolences for this man's family if you did I must of missed it :roll:

[JPersad]

You wishing Mr. St. Clair a speedy recovery while a UNC LFL flag bearer is dead how come you have not sent out condolences for this man's family if you did I must of missed it :roll:
My sympathy to the the family and friends of the UNC Flag bearer .
I do not condone violence in any form or fashion .

[skl]

aye what alyuh obsessing about. Political violence is a world wide problem. :evil:

[Solachica]

:o
I hope he recover safely oui.
Wht we getting to :cry:

[BW]

Express has some more information.


CONGRESS of the People candidate for Laventille West, David St Clair complained last week about recent threats being made to him in Laventille by men who demanded money if he was to peacefully conduct his campaign in the area.

Rahael also told reporters that he heard, "that the attack was not politically motivated but that the threats were made on an individual basis over money."

Dookeran disclosed St Clair's injuries were not life-threatening. He, too, had received conflicting reports suggesting that the attack was politically motivated and an attempt at extortion.
Source: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl ... =161223979 (http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161223979)

Maybe I'm just being cynical, but if you some gangstas come up to you, and threaten to beat you up if you don't pay them... either pay them or get some security. Don't sit there and wait for them to get you (especially if you are in god-forsaken Lavantille of all places).

Does he not read even read papers? Does he not think the 'shotters' are real? Geez, is either he real stupid, he brave, or some combination of those. I can't really feel sorry for that guy.

[KFCSpicy]

sighhhhhhhhh

[Falcon]

Express has some more information.

[quote]CONGRESS of the People candidate for Laventille West, David St Clair complained last week about recent threats being made to him in Laventille by men who demanded money if he was to peacefully conduct his campaign in the area.

Rahael also told reporters that he heard, "that the attack was not politically motivated but that the threats were made on an individual basis over money."

Dookeran disclosed St Clair's injuries were not life-threatening. He, too, had received conflicting reports suggesting that the attack was politically motivated and an attempt at extortion.
Source: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl ... =161223979 (http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161223979)

Maybe I'm just being cynical, but if you some gangstas come up to you, and threaten to beat you up if you don't pay them... either pay them or get some security. Don't sit there and wait for them to get you (especially if you are in god-forsaken Lavantille of all places).

Does he not read even read papers? Does he not think the 'shotters' are real? Geez, is either he real stupid, he brave, or some combination of those. I can't really feel sorry for that guy.[/quote:0505e]
:roll:
You're not being CYNICAL.

[snowbird]

If the PNM does not win, these people who are doing this will just have to feel the firm hand of the law that has been avoiding them for the past 6 years. It's obvious that they have no fear for authority anymore, and why should they under a PNM government where Manning's response to anything against Laventille (state of emergency, crackdowns, etc.) is 'why do you want me to suppress MY people?'


With the already violent tendencies displayed, my fears are the exact opposite; if the PNM does not win, T&T would have unleashed the worse possible monster upon the nation, the likes of which you have never seen; if you people think that the kidnappings, rapes and all the other lawlessness (that mysteriously lessened during this past few months) were bad, just brace yourselves.

[citizen]

I expressed this same sentiment some time ago, suggesting that if the PNM does not win, all hell will break loose. I also asked whether police protection was being sought for the leaders of all the political parties. I must now include the political candidates of all parties.

[lou_uk]

Maybe I'm just being cynical, but if you some gangstas come up to you, and threaten to beat you up if you don't pay them... either pay them or get some security. Don't sit there and wait for them to get you (especially if you are in god-forsaken Lavantille of all places).

Does he not read even read papers? Does he not think the 'shotters' are real? Geez, is either he real stupid, he brave, or some combination of those. I can't really feel sorry for that guy.

On listening to him speak on i955fm, he sounds like a defiant "character". He blatantly opposed his own party's line on CEPEP, saying he would "scrap" it and offer other means of training. Another time recently in Beetham he stated that the people down there were crazy to be voting PNM based on the neglect by this and previous incarnations of their governance.

Now if you read that in the newspaper you would say he have a damn good point or use even stronger words than that, but if you heard the manner in which he expressed those views and paint that on the area he is trying to represent, an attack on him is not surprising.

I don't condone any kind of violence, but people need to be wise with these times.

[Parsifal]

Lou_uk, let me get this right.

The COP candidate goes around one of the most difficult, if not outright dangerous places to campaign, on a platform of dismantling CEPEP (and I must also assume URP which employs by far more people) with a serious chip on his shoulder? Is this guy for real?

Now can a lot of the COP supporters on this forum understand why the COP campaign has no resonance outside of the PDP/DLP/ULF/UNC heartland? Not even the UNC uses this approach when they campaign in Laventille.

Now this is not the first time that a candidate has been beaten in elections in T&T. The 1966, 1976 and 1986 campaigns had a lot more violence than what we are seeing now. 1966 was probably the worst of the lot so all of this hand wringing and comparisons to Jamaica in 1976 and 1980 (982 dead) shows a lack of knowledge of our political history.

A lesson is to learned by all.....if you perpetually label a people in the worst form and fashion they in turn will treat you as if you are just as worthless as you say they are.

I am not condoning in any form what happened but as Eddie Seaga said "....this is blood and sand!"

[lou_uk]

Lou_uk, let me get this right.

The COP candidate goes around one of the most difficult, if not outright dangerous places to campaign, on a platform of dismantling CEPEP (and I must also assume URP which employs by far more people) with a serious chip on his shoulder? Is this guy for real?

The CEPEP comment was made in studio (i955fm hosted by Roger Lee Aping 17.10.07) and the comment on the PNM voters in the Beetham was made on the 20.10.07 (ietv 6.30pm news). The "onliest" times I heard him on a platform was at the COP's "Real Red Alert"(?) where he made a short speech (?) and a news clip of his allegation an approach for ten thousand.

[JPersad]

Parsifal ,
You either support violence or condemn violence .There is no place for "Buts' and "ifs' or "blood and sand ."
While I agree Mr ST Clair should have used commonsense , the fact remains it have already happen .
Now the question should be , what are we going to do about it ?
While we are on the topic , can someone confirm , if in fact both Dokeran and Panday have a Special branch detail 24 x 7 ?
If not , why not ?

SB ,
I disagree that if thhe PNM loses the election there will be mass violence .One only have to look back at 1986 .
The transition was not smooth as there were many PNM hacks posing as Permanent Secretaries and many of the new Ministers had a hard time in trying to get their job done .
But violence ? There was none .
At the end of the day I do believe Manning will respect the will of he people .I also believe that Manning have all the potential of being a very decent human being , but our culture , constitution and history all contributed to his maximum leadership style .The only exception was Geroge Chambers.
If we had term limits , Manning would have been a damn good PM.
He would have done his best in 2 terms and then hand over to someone else .
If that is not progress , what is ?

[KFCSpicy]

Last time I checked freedom of speech was part and parcel of being an adult who free. :? But then again I understand that everyone's concern is that he "tempted faith by going into a dodgy area and speaking his mind and standing up to these hooligans". Just because you all are afraid of these lil boy's and girls and condone what they do by doing nothing about them does not mean everyone else is of the same views. Yes he got a licking for standing up to them but at least he stood up to them.

These uneducated, lazy, evil short sighted violent individuals can only harm you physically and they can only kill u once,imagine if he had more people on his side yuh think that only 3 of them would have been able to intimidate him? Maybe if more people showed that they weren't fearful of being shot or stabbed or chopped by these animals they would back down and think twice?

It's hard enuff having to deal with these freaks alone and then get beaten down but I would imagine it being even tougher to deal with the so call moral sensible (cowardly set) in our society who are quick to demean anyone who is brave enuff to stand up for what they believe in.

Easy for you all to sit back safely and comfortably and far from earshot of these losers in crime to talk yuh talk. But isn't that always the way? Those who can do and those who can't criticise! :roll:

[gaia]

With the already violent tendencies displayed, my fears are the exact opposite; if the PNM does not win, T&T would have unleashed the worse possible monster upon the nation, the likes of which you have never seen; if you people think that the kidnappings, rapes and all the other lawlessness (that mysteriously lessened during this past few months) were bad, just brace yourselves.snowbird

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Are we all to vote PNM because of fear of reprisal if they loose? This fear has caused many pple not to vote in the pass and to become passive.Are we to allow crimminals, supported by the PNM, to dictate to us and create more lawlessness in the nation? Pray tell me, in which first world country elections are conducted in this lawless way.

[KFCSpicy]

None Gaia, but from as far back as I can recall crime was always an issue. So how come is PNMs fault and not the fault of the consistant bad governing of our country by all parties given a hand in it?

What about the parents who let loose they mini beasts onto society? What about the animals themselves? Aren't they responsible for giving up in school and being lazy and coveting what others have earned and worked for? Why blame the government solely here? I am sure there are jobs out there for those who seek it. Not everyone can be a doctor or a lawyer and we do need cleaners and garbage men at the end of the day so why is it these young men don't see the value of earning a dollar the right way...regardless of the setbacks? I did it...you did it and so do many many people.

So stop with the blame game and allocate the responsibility where it should go to the individuals themselves. Discuss what is relevant not what is assumed. Relevancy here is whether or not the violence was inspired by political motives or just plain greed. I for one think it's just plain greed as these boys realise from hearing it and reading it and watching it on the news how powerful their intimidation tactics can be. Gun? Piece ah wood? Cutlass? Not once was it mentioned that their faces were covered up.

I recall reading in the previous thread about Fresh dying how he used to tax people for doing work or having any kinda thing in the area...so maybe this is all just an extension of the stupid and easy way of making money and power tripping. I doh know nah I just really disappointed in it all...we are becoming like Jamaica and that is going to have serious repurcussions in the long run.

[Parsifal]

Parsifal ,
You either support violence or condemn violence .There is no place for "Buts' and "ifs' or "blood and sand ."
While I agree Mr ST Clair should have used commonsense , the fact remains it have already happen .
Now the question should be , what are we going to do about it ?

JP please don't get me wrong here. I was putting forward the point not so much in the framework that the COP candidate was "looking" for trouble but rather that the act of violence on his person and on several others in this campaign so far are not unusual when looking at our electoral history. It is my honest belief that you must always stick by your principles irrespective of the opposition that you may receive to your IDEAS. However, there are several ways to influence and alter the opinions of others. In my opinion his was not the approach that I would employ

Now I know that you are not here JP but word coming through the media this morning is that the people who did the beating were former workers on his campaign. They had an ongoing dispute on payments. He allegedly owed them monies and his campaign has been suffering from a cash flow problem (as the rest of the COP effort over the last 3 weeks) hence the beating.

I live in the POS North/St. West constituency and the COP candidate is Danny Solomon. He has hired a bunch of young men from outside of the constituency to work on his behalf. These guys are some of the most unsavoury characters I have ever seen and they are also being paid to work. So if any violent acts take place then one must not necessarily look at the rival parties first but rather look within.