The increased presence of soldiers in east Port-of-Spain has been receiving media attention since June when Thomas was murdered at Beverly Hills, Laventille, while on his way to visit his mother. Some have labelled the presence of soldiers without police as illegal, while the military has deemed it justified, describing its operations as continued joint patrols with police.
Some residents of Laventille who claim they are targeted by the soldiers say they welcome them but not the beatings and searching of homes as the automatic-gun-toting, mask-wearing regiment officers go about their work.
The Police Social and Welfare Association and Law Association condemned the independent patrols at illegal. During the regiment’s 52nd anniversary church service on Wednesday, commanding officer, Col Rodney Smart, told the gathering at Our Lady of Laventille Marian Shrine the soldiers come from the communities and have a vested interest in them. He added when one took into consideration the escalating crime in Laventille, threats to law enforcement officers and citizens and the death of Thomas, there was an increased deployment of soldiers by the Chief of Defence Staff, Major Gen Kenrick Maharaj, to the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF).
“We are not prepared to see one area of T&T under siege,” Smart said, adding that crime had caused the retreat of residents in this area.
He called on them to “cross over the boundaries” and allow their children to attend a summer camp due to open on August 4 in Beverly Hills. That, he said, would be pushing back at those who sought to divide the Laventille area into warring zones.