Be aware while driving

Yesterday I received an email describing an incident where a vehicle with two female passengers appears to have been targeted and followed by a car carrying three male passengers. This occurred in the environs of the Hasely Crawford Stadium on the night of Tuesday 26th January.

We have been able to confirm that this incident did indeed happen. The text of that email is included below for your reference.

While this incident occured in Port of Spain, drivers everywhere are urged to be observant on the roadways, and especially vigilant when entering and leaving your vehicle.

• Carefully observe the area around your vehicle before entering to ensure you are not in danger of someone trying to force entry when you try to get in.
• Carefully observe your surroundings to identify whether anyone may be "marking" you.
• Keep your cell phone ready in case of emergency (Blackberry owners, this may mean unlocking your phone before you drive off or programming an emergency number beforehand).
• Keep alert - avoid activities that may prevent you from hearing the sound or observing the behaviour of other vehicles such as:
• use of cellphones for lengthy casual conversations
• listening to excessively loud music
• driving while drowsy
• driving while "buzzed"
• Have a plan - there is no time to come up with a plan in an emergency. Without a plan, you will be caught reacting, instead of having some measure of control over the situation. This can lead to panic, which is not helpful.
• Know where the nearest police station is
• Do not venture onto unknown roads that may be dead ends
• Make that emergency call!

If there is one piece of advice above that cannot be over-emphasized it is:

   Have a plan!

Situations and assumptions can change in a split-second and you need to be able to react quickly to regain the advantage. This is applicable too in the case of flood and fire evacuation, etc. It's always good to have a plan.

The email message follows below:

Just wanted to give you all a heads up on an incident that happened last night, Tuesday 26th January 2010 at 2020 hrs. My mother and I were waking towards my car which was parked in movietowne POS when we noticed a white nissan parked across from us with three men. They were just sitting in the car as though they were waiting on someone. We knew that they hadn't just arrived to their car because they weren't many people walking around the car park at that time and as we were the first to walk out of our movie, we were aware of who would have been in front of us for a couple minutes. The three men kept looking at us and only started their vehicle when we got into my car. We decided to wait a couple minutes as the situation looked suspicious. I decided to drive off as we were parked between a van and a jeep and that didn't feel safe either. I noticed a car stuck in on the window on my side but I wasn't putting the window down for anything. We were approaching the security booth at the exit of movie towne when I noticed the same vehicle parked in front the Mariott with the left indicator flashing. Too obvious...but an opportunity to get proper view of liscense plate PBC 6976. We were about to turn onto the highway from the traffic lights when PBC 6976 also pulled off and started speeding towards us moving in between other cars. I turned off at the Cocorite exit to head back into the POS area planning to head into the nearest police station. PBC 6976 also turned off from the Cocorite exit into POS. Thankfully, I was able to lose them.

Please be on the lookout for PBC 6976 as well as any other suspicuous vehicles. When approaching your vehicle, take a walk around it to make sure that there isn't any unusual activity by your car. Lock your doors as soon as you get into your vehicles. Don't let a second pass by for any predator to jump into your vehicle. Constantly make use of all your mirrors when in your car. Keep a sharp eye out. Keep a clear head if you find yourself in a similar situation: clear head keeps a calm spirit.
Keep safe folks and pray before every journey.

Be safe out there everyone...

Trini Pride

I keep telling myself I am starting to show my age...

Everytime I get together with friends we talk about the antics we used to get up to in our younger days.
Reminiscing like the ole folks do...

Except reminiscing is not what my generation is known for.
We are makers and doers and breakers of rules.

We are visionaries and dreamers.
We don't accept "Just because...", we create things where they didn't exist before.

So when did we turn into people paralyzed by fear.

People so in love with their country, but so convinced that they can't themselves bring positive change - and with so little faith in our leaders - that they choose to take their families and migrate elsewhere. Sacrificing their identities for their children's safety.

And those of us left behind.

We sacrifice one freedom after another, in the name of safety, and peace of mind.
But peace of mind never comes.
Only steel bars, and alarm systems, and the recognition of degrees of safety.

When it gets to be too much, we complain that the authorities just can't get it right.
But we know... they can't do it alone.

Will nobody stand up?

The problem is that we've been trying to stand alone.

United, we stand. 
Divided, we fall.

Too true nowadays.

This weekend we had an opportunity to unite, and we did so in true Trini form.

From Blackberry Messenger broadcasts to Facebook posts and Twitter messages, T&T responded to spread the word of a stolen vehicle with a sleeping toddler still inside.

The car was subsequently abandoned, with the child still safely inside.

Only the persons responsible for that robbery can say for sure whether the rapidly-spreading word played a role in their abandoning the car.

We can say this. Trinis are still the warm people with the big hearts we are famous for. Given the opportunity to safely do so, we will still show that light within and help our brother.

To everyone who was a part of this, to everyone who raised awareness - job well done!

Thanks for demonstrating what it means to be a Trini...

Unconfirmed reports of stolen Hyundai Tucson w child inside

There are unconfirmed reports that PCK1632 - a Hyundai Tuscon was stolen from Sangre Grande about 1 hour ago. The vehicle has 2 year old child in it. Please keep eyes open...

 

** UPDATE ** 

Car found abandoned in Arima with child inside.

***********

Update on the McMutrie girls and the BRESMA Orphanage

Ali McMutrie and the kids from the BRESMA orphanage arrived safely in Pittsburgh today. Jamie McMutrie will be leaving Port au Prince, Haiti to follow behind shortly.

For those of you who prayed, please keep praying for those left behind in Haiti. For those who donated, thank you!

It is truly amazing what Virginia Montanez has been able to get moving - with a little faith, and a lot of good will and willing hearts, mountains have been moved to bring these children to safety.

The power of Faith, my dear friends. Of believing in a cause, and uniting in support of it.

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

When you Believe (#Bresma, #Haiti)

Those of you who are part of this tiny movement, you're here because you believe.

You believe that there is Hope for a better tomorrow. And you believe that where like minds are connected, that  positive change can come.

I want to share with you a story about believing, and how Faith has moved legal mountains thus far. The story isn't yet at an end - in fact the fight is now on in earnest...

All eyes on Haiti

Death and destruction have a way of putting things into perspective for us.

Those who have lost loved ones can tell you that everything changes. We re-evaluate what is truly important in our lives.

Small grievances between family members lose their significance.
Petty quarrels are totally forgotten.
Little things that seemed so important just minutes earlier, we simply couldn't care less about.

In these times a light shines on the truth that is within our hearts.

At times this truth has been so hidden, for so long, behind walls of anger or pride or learned indifference, that it surprises and overwhelms us when it is revealed.

We discover how much we truly do love, and how much we really do care.

Too often, we remember too late.



Today, allow that light to shine.
Remind yourself of the love that is in your heart.

Reach out in peace to those around you.


Let today be the start of a new day.
A day to acknowledge that love exists.
If there is to be Hope, there must first be Love.

_________________________________________________

HAITI DISASTER RELIEF:

TRINIDAD

DIGICEL - TXT or CALL to donate

If you are in the Caribbean or Latin America, you can send relief donations to Haitian NGOs coordinating disaster relief via Digicel. Donate via TEXT or CALL. Instructions here: http://ow.ly/WkxF

In Trinidad and Tobago txt HELP to 5151 or call 5151 from your Digi (donates TT$3 )

Donate clothing, blankets, towels, non-perishable food items and bottled water

We encourage you to give what you can.

If you are inclined to give gifts of clothing, towels, blankets, sheets etc - please ensure items are clean and in good condition.

COP (POS)
Corner of Tragrete Road and Broome Street 

9am - 3pm

YMCA (POS)
Benbow Road, off Wrightson Road (opposite the power station)

UNESCO T&T (POS) 

2 Scott St, St Clair 

9am-2pm and 5-7pm 

More info here

ITNAC (Belmont)
Hilton Hotel Trinidad, 1B Lady Young Road, Belmont (tel: Olivia Constantine at 682-6755)

ITNAC (Arima)
Global Revival Ministeries, bypass on Eastern Main Road, Arima

Many more opportunities to help, including cash donations...
Detailed list here: http://meppublishers.blogspot.com/2010/01/helping-haiti.html

INTERNATIONAL

Red Cross International Response Fund

Give to the Red Cross via Credit Card or using Amazon's payment processing system.

Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund (Wyclef Jean)

Donate to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund online or 

or text the word YELE to 501501 to donate $5 charged to your cell phone bill (within the US).

Partners in Health

Give to the Partners in Health in response to the appeal for assistance from its Port-au-Prince clinical director, Louise Ivers: "Port-au-Prince is devastated, lot of deaths. SOS. SOS... Temporary field hospital by us at UNDP needs supplies, pain meds, bandages. Please help us."

Doctors Without Borders

Give to  Doctors Without Borders who are on the ground and have setup clinics to treat the injured in Haiti.

Our Mission

There was a time we used to say God is a Trinbagonian.

As a nation, we were blessed and we knew it. In times of impending crisis the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago would get together and pray to their respective Gods and watch, time after time, as crisis was averted.

Knives masquerading as Pens in circulation this Carnival season

The feteing season is upon us (not that there is ever really an end to the fete in Trinidad). A time party-goers just want to forget their worries, meet up with friends and enjoy some good music. When you add some alcohol to these guys, you might end up with some relationship drama and tears to sort out - but usually nothing more major than that. There are always a few though, in every party, who seem intent on 'causing ruction'.