Stealing Opportunities... (Take It Where Yuh Find It)

Two stories in the daily papers today that read so similarly in idea, execution, bungling and excuses I had to share them together, as on the surface they appear worlds apart if not based on the personalities involved then on crimes committed, but take a closer look and see if you see what i see, people presented with opportunities for wrongful self enrichment seized them, made up what they believed to be highly believable stories, and are now facing the consequences of their actions.

In one instance the perpetrator has already been arrested and charged, hopefully in the other one similar swift action may be forthcoming.

I give you a brief glimpse of life in 'entrepreneurial' Trinidad & Tobago as told by our hard working media:

Story 1 - A DIEGO Martin man appeared before a Port of Spain magistrate on Wednesday charged with reporting to the police that he had been robbed of more than $30,000 when it was alleged that he actually stole the money himself.

It is alleged that Oliver, 25, of Raphael Terrace, Diego Martin, reported to the Besson Street Police that on May 29  he was handed $31,278 cash along with a cheque by his supervisor at the company where he worked, namely Roofman Ltd. According to the case as read out in court, Oliver was instructed to deposit both the cash and cheque but the man alleged that on Wednesday afternoon the bank was closed and instead he took the money home.

On Monday Oliver claimed that he boarded a taxi at Independence Square, Port of Spain, but while en-route along the Beetham Highway to San Juan, two men held him up and took the money.
Oliver said that he then reported the theft to his boss following which he made an official report to the Besson Street Police Station during which he was interviewed by Insp Sahadeo Singh and Sgt Springer.

How was he eventually caught? - After being interviewed officers paid a visit to the man’s home, where allegedly buried in his backyard, below a flower pot and wrapped in plastic was almost $30,000. The man was later charged with the wasteful employment of police time and stealing from his employer. The matter was adjourned to June 28.

Story 2 - How far off the road did the controversial firetruck run last November before it was retrieved at enormous expense? In an interview last week, president of Sammy’s Multilift Service Ltd Ramdath Ramsubir claimed the water tender plunged some 300 to 400 feet over a precipice. “About 300 to 400 feet down. It was very far down,” Ramsubir said.

He made the comments as he insisted the $6.8 million price tag for retrieving the water tender was “justified,” after questions were raised about the hefty sum paid for the job. A quotation of $10,189,115 was originally submitted, but Cabinet twice refused to sign off on it after several ministers objected to the whopping price. Cabinet eventually agreed to a revised price of $6.8 million, approximately three times what the tender cost when new.

The accident occurred on November 17 along the Blanchisseuse Road, as the water tender was going to the scene of a traffic accident that claimed the life of Rose Moonilal. She and her husband, Krishna, were returning from a beach lime when their car went over the edge of the eroded roadway. The water tender was on its way to the scene when it also ran off the road and down the hill.

Along with a November 22 report that he sent to permanent secretary Jennifer Boucaud-Blake, former chief fire officer Carl Williams attached a letter detailing the method used to retrieve the water tender. The letter, from Sammy’s Multilift, said: “Due to the fragile surrounding area of the accident site, large wooden crane mats were carried to site and place as a foundation for the 250-tonne crawler crane with the assistance of a forklift.

“The crane was then positioned on the wooden crane-pad foundation, riggers were then safely lowered approximately 100 feet to the tender in order to secure the rigging to the same. “The tender was then lifted out of the precipice in a synchronised manner with the assistance of two excavators and the 250-tonne crawler.” Ramsubir also told T&T Guardian three 35-tonne cranes had to be used.

However, the report made no mention of the cranes Ramsubir claimed were used for the job. In addition, Williams’s report said, “Fire Service land search and rescue teams from the Santa Cruz and Chaguanas Fire Stations responded to the call but were unable to haul the appliance out from where it had come to rest approximately 15 metres down the precipice.” Fifteen metres is 49.2126 feet.

How were they eventually caught? - In an amateur video recording at the scene, the speaker on the audio track says that the firetruck ran 60 feet off the road. The truck is clearly visible, not far below road level. None of the six firefighters aboard were trapped in the water tender when it ran off the road.

Now in both of these stories it is easy to see what befell these hapless greedy guts and what unites them in common cause, the opportunity to get something for nothing and the willingness to lie to defend their actions. Symptomatic of a society well past its best years, many now believe that to 'take a chance' is the best way to promote one's status. In both situations the parties were well enough aware as to the consequences of their actions based on the efforts spent trying to conceal them, and in both instances all parties should feel the full brunt of the law so as to not only send an unequivocal message as to what we as a society are not prepared to allow, but to roll us as a nation back from the proverbial precipice we face, where anything goes and who dares wins.

Kudos to the media for a job brilliantly done.