Bandits rob beachgoers opposite Army HQ

Criminals arriving by, and leaving in small fishing boats, have been targeting sea-bathers at Chagville Beach in Chaguaramas. What makes this particularly frustrating is that this beach is across the street from the TT Defense Force Headquarters. The TTDF has a proud history of serving this nation, so it’s ironic that these violent crimes occur within line-of-sight of their HQ.

One may argue that the classical role of a defence force is not law enforcement. True; but if that is the case in our country, then why do we have police/army “joint patrols”? Surely TTDF Chief of Defence Staff Brigadier Edmund Dillon is taking this as a personal assault on the reputation of the TTDF. After all, one of it’s stated responsibilities is, “cooperate with and assist the civil power in maintaining law and order.”
Additionally, every Chief of Defence Staff has included these words (in one form or another) in their speeches: “The Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force is fully prepared to defend the sovereign good of our nation from all enemies, foreign or domestic.”

How about starting with enemies across the street?

The primary agency charged with the responsibility of policing the Western peninsula is the Chaguaramas Development Authority Police. Inspector Abdul Singh, the highest ranking officer of the CDA police, has many challenges, including acute shortages of personnel, arms, ammunition and vehicles. We empathise, but your responsibilities still stand. Do your job, or leave and make room for someone who will.

Guard shoots self

Children in TT Cadet Force consistently display better muzzle discipline than many ‘pros’

Allied Security officer Victor Persad, 31, shot himself in the arm and leg on Monday, and was treated at the San Fernando General Hospital hospital.

Read the Express story here.

“…accidentally went off”
“…seated in a parked car outside a fast food outlet”
“…told investigators that he was cleaning his pistol when it went off.”

So, he was in a parked car, cleaning his gun, when it accidentally went off. Cleaning a gun in a car? While loaded? Outside a fast food outlet? So he’s not just a danger to himself, but also the general public. Let’s just see if the Police Commissioner will renew his Firearms User’s Employees Certificate (FUEC).

Who trained this man in handling guns? Has he heard of “muzzle sweep” or “muzzle discipline”? Perhaps we can introduce him to The Four Universal Gun Safety Rules:

Rule 1: Treat every weapon as if it were loaded.

Rule 2: Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy (this includes your own body parts).

Rule 3: Keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.

Rule 4: Be sure of your target and what’s in line with your target.


Mr Persad, please pay particular attention to Rule 2.

The 7 Skills that overcome The 7 Enemies of Life

Found this at http://survivormagazine.blogspot.com :

“We become mentally prepared when we are able to use the 7 Skills to defeat the 7 Enemies of Life.

The 7 Skills:

Fire Starting
Water Procurement
Shelter Building
Foraging for food
Signaling
First Aid
Self Defense

The 7 Enemies of Life:

Fear and anxiety
Cold and Heat
Thirst
Hunger
Boredom and Loneliness
Fatigue
Pain and Injury

In essence, we develop self confidence by mastering the skills needed to overcome any situation that arises to threaten our life.

Always remember, none of us will be ultimate survivors - we all have to die one day.
But the successful survivor extends his or her life beyond an earlier death...a death that was caused by ignorance of how to make that life last longer.”

Useful info.

Update on John, Water wars, Swine flu, Blackouts

UPDATE ON JOHN

John was prepped and ready for surgery. About to be administered general anaesthetic, when surgeon that ‘opens up’ came in and said ‘stop’. ‘Pins and bolts’ surgeon not even in country. Eh?

He was sent home, and is awaiting a recall from the hospital। He’s in constant pain and unable to drive. He is praying and hoping for that call to come soon. Even after surgery, he will need several months for convalescence.

SWINE FLU NEARS 100 VICTIMS

The swine flu virus has claimed 97 victims, according to government statistics. These are lab confirmed cases. If you factor in all tricks used by officials for damage control and spin purposes then one can easily double that figure without being too far off.

The Ministry of Health has a number for info: 800-WELL (9355)।

WATER WARS IN INDIA, SOUTH AFRICA

Individuals being hacked to death over water. These water skirmishes may eventually turn into full-fledged wars in the near future, as populations rise. Chietigj Bajpaee has an interesting report here.

There is even a suggestion by the McGill Reporter that the US and Canada may go to war over water, if Canada refuses to sell water to the US.

One rural town in Australia has even gone as far as completely banning bottled water! Princeton University has an informative chart on the potential for water wars।

RECENT BLACKOUTS IN PORT OF SPAIN

Our capital city, Port of Spain recently had blackouts that affected residents and businesses as far as Santa Cruz। T&TEC instituted the usual load-shedding and appeals for consumers to use less electricity.

Airgunner needs help

Remember the airgunner who had to sell his rifle to afford a medical procedure on his back? It was sold through this blog about a month ago. Well, he’s undergoing an eight-hour back surgery today.

Please remember John in your prayers. He is a really pleasant guy, a single parent, and drives for a living. Now he wouldn’t be able to drive for several months. He needs a hand up.

Anyone who wishes to make any kind of contribution to John, can do so at Gregory Clement, Gunsmith, upstairs Bhaggan’s Drugs, Arima. His number is 294-6145.

Should police be trusted with guns?

Asst Supt of Police Junior Copeland charged with murder.

One police officer is caught while renting out his service pistol। Another shoots himself in the toe while on patrol in our busy capital city. The toe-shooter is no ordinary officer, but a jack-booted ninja of the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF). Any member of the public could easily have been a victim of this officer, who either doesn’t know, or ignores the
Four Universal Gun Safety Rules.

Many times I (and other airgunners) have witnessed police officers muzzle-sweeping civilians, while on patrol. This is a dangerous practice, as PC Nathaniel has shown. The consequences can be fatal.

Our legislators and successive Police Commissioners don’t seem to trust us -- the very citizens that put them in office -- with gun ownership. I cannot remember the last time I heard of a legal gun owner shooting him/herself, or shooting another person in a fit of rage. A police sergeant (Warner-Paul) is in custody for the shooting death of Pastor Brian Pierre last year, in what has been reported as a love triangle gone sour. Another officer -– an Assistant Superintendent -- shot a woman in her chest, and then her son, over a land encroachment issue.

Let’s not forget police officers Wendell Constantine and Garvin Peterson, charged (in separate incidents) with stealing guns and ammo from their respective stations.

Should we trust police officers with guns, due to these and other incidents of betraying the public trust? Our police service has about 7,000 police officers and a dozen cases of gun crimes -- and those are just the ones brought before the court. We have a national population of around 1,300,000. One cannot get the figures for legal civilian gun ownership, but based on those figures alone (7,000 vs 1,300,000), it seems we have a disproportionate number of gun crimes committed by those entrusted with protecting and serving our interest.

I wish PC Nathaniel a speedy recovery and hope, on his return from injury leave, that he is sent for retraining then transferred to a desk job, where he won’t need to be armed and therefore is of no further danger to the public.

This event begs a question: How much range time do these elite units get? How many rounds downrange per month? Per annum? How many rounds on target?

Perhaps some of the more experienced shooters among us may care to volunteer to help teach gun safety and shooting drills to our police officers. It couldn’t hurt, and may help engender the trust between the public and police that our Acting Police Commissioner is always asking for. Over to you Commissioner Philbert.

Police officer caught renting gun

Police Constable Curt Teesdale Photo: Newsday

A police officer with 20 years service has been caught in the act of renting out his gun. He is out on $125,000 bail, and is represented by attorney Anuusha Panday.

Constable Curt Teesdale, 43, of St Mary's Village, Moruga, attached to the Mon Repos Police Station. He faced three charges-misbehaviour in public office, the illegal transfer of a firearm and the illegal transfer of ammunition.

This officer’s misbehaviour has already cost tax-payers $28,400, for taunting and illegally arresting a gay man.


IMPENDING PELLET SHORTAGE?

On the issue of ammo, there are rumours circulating about a possible pellet shortage. After a meeting with some airgunners recently, a picture emerged. Some dealers have expressed concern about the difficulties they are experiencing in clearing their pellets from the port. Inordinate delays and increased bureaucratic ‘red tape’ from Customs and Excise officials. When contacted, one dealer said he will no longer import pellets. A couple dealers couldn’t even give a time frame for when they will have new supplies, as they had run out.

Remember, the hunting season begins October 1st. Airgun hunters need specific types of pellets for hunting. This impending shortage, can drive up the price of pellets significantly, making airgunning much more expensive than it already is.

New airgunners can be daunted by this and choose cheaper, less rewarding hobbies. Let’s hope this really doesn’t become a shortage. But it would be prudent to plan for this scenario. Again, I suggest that you stockpile airgun pellets now.

If you wait till the price has doubled, you’d be sorry. Airgunners are in a better position than firearms owners, as there is no legal limit to the number of pellets we possess.

Firearms Users License (FUL) holders have a legal ammo limit of 50 shells (shotgun), with only 200 shells purchased, per year. Pistol owners have a legal possession limit of only 25 cartridges. Sport shooters (rifle, pistol) are not allowed to possess any ammunition; all ammo to be purchased and shot at an approved range.

Stockpile now, avoid the rush.

Stockpile airgun pellets now

After checking pellet prices locally and abroad, it looks as though our local prices are competitive. This may soon change, as local airgun dealers place new orders. It may be that the local prices are competitive because the dealers buy infrequently and in bulk. Therefore the present prices reflect ‘old stock’.

Buying and stockpiling airgun pellets is a good idea, even if the prices aren’t going to increase in the near future. They are relatively cheap--and more importantly--available. Having a number of tins in your stockpile helps ensure security. If the dealers ran out of supplies for weeks or months-on-end, you won’t be caught unprepared. You’d still be able to practice, eradicate pest, hunt small game, and, if the situation required it, defend your home (with a little help). Tins containing 500 generally cost between $75-$200. One unscrupulous dealer in Arima, sells a tin of 10.5 grain Baracuda pellets for $300! The same pellets are sold in Chaguanas for $125.

Recently, someone told me about his visit to a dealer’s store, located at a popular mall in the west. The dealer was selling pellets with no information (on the tin) about the grain (weight). This is just one of the challenges that airgunners in Trinidad and Tobago encounter. When questioned, the staff usually give no satisfactory answers. Or they simply lie, to ‘save face’.

As airgunners, we should share information with each other. The free flow of information will help us to avoid expensive pitfalls and encourage new shooters to join this fun hobby. And it is fun. I have witnessed rabid anti-gunners giggle like schoolgirls the first time they took up an invitation to shoot an airgun. Many have gone on to become airgunners.

Stockpile now. Avoid the rush.

SEA, CSM, Pellets

Congratulations to all the students who did well in the 2009 Secondary Entrance Assessment exams. Parents, now is the time to enroll your boys in the TT Cadet Force. A 99 year old institution that helps boys develop their discipline and leadership qualities during their restless, testosterone-filled years. Now that the Defense Force has a functioning Air Guard, there is a program underway to develop Cadets for the Air Guard.


CARIBBEAN STEEL MILLS TO CLOSE

So Caribbean Steel Mills is to cease operations and send home 85 employees. Back in September 2008, this blog suggested that, “…the local iron and steel industry can look at producing (airgun) pellets for local and regional markets.”

Is it too late? Maybe not. I urge CSM Executive Chairman, Janice Bain-Mottley to recapture her father’s entrepreneurial and pioneering spirit, and look again. There is a large market of airgunners throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. Think big. Move fast. Have fun.

No need to stop at airgunners. Venezuela recently bought 100,000 AK103 assault rifles from Russia. Our own TT Defense Force made recent arms purchases as well. What about manufacturing the parts that are prone to break easily and often? What about ammunition, magazines, barrels? Why should we constantly be dependent on foreign nations for our national defense needs?

Honduras coup; Venezuela military on alert

From top: Chavez, Bain, Zelaya, Venezuelan forces.

Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was ousted in military coup, and exiled to Costa Rica, this morning. Roberto Micheletti Bain, has replaced Zelaya. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has put the military on alert, vowing to use military force, if necessary, to replace Zelaya.

Honduras has a population of 7.5m, and maintains an active military force of 8,300 with 60,000 reserves. In 2002 there were 5,500 in the army, 1,800 in the air force, and 1,000 in the navy, including 400 marines. Paramilitary public security forces numbered 6,000 personnel. The US maintains a small military presence in Honduras.

Venezuela has a population of 26.5m and has 600,000 soldiers in four service branches--the Army, Navy (including the Marine Corps), Air Force, and the Armed Forces of Cooperation (FAC), also called National Guardia Nationale.

Should Honduras and Venezuela go to war, then Trinidad and Tobago-eight miles off Venezela’s coastline-will definitely feel the consequences. Perhaps our National Security Council met today and discussed our national defense plans with this latest scenario in mind. Could the NSC spokesperson please address the nation on this issue?

Got preps?