A week after students and staff at the Rose Hill RC Primary School in east Port of Spain took cover as a volley of gunfire near the school interrupted their classes, the sense of unease was still heavy among parents.
The gunfire was a shootout between gunmen from Argyle Street, Gonzales and Richardson Lane, Laventille. It lasted almost five minutes and caused frightened teachers and students at the school to lie down on the floor of their classrooms.
The incident was recorded by a teacher and surfaced on social media two days later. The video prompted national outrage and shock as it showed how schools are being affected by gun violence. In response, joint police/army patrols have been assigned to the area around Rose Hill, which reopened Wednesday after it was closed for a few days, to make sure children and teachers remain safe during school hours.
But while the video showed footage of the shooting from the perspectives of students and teachers at the Rose Hill school, residents throughout east Port of Spain said they have also been affected by the sound of gunfights at all hours of the day and night for years.
They said the sound of shootings will always be cause for concern and worry, and they have taught their children to take precautions while on the street or at school.
There are six primary schools, a homework centre and a pre-school in the east Port of Spain, Laventille and Belmont communities.
On November, 2019, a stray bullet entered a classroom at the South East Port of Spain Secondary School on Upper Nelson Street.
[caption id="attachment_985366" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A Rose Hill RC student waves as two police officers make sure the schoolchildren get to classes safely on Wednesday. - AYANNA KINSALE[/caption]
Sunday Newsday visited different areas in east Port of Spain and spoke with residents and parents, who described their experiences dealing with the sounds of gunfire and what they teach their children about staying safe during shootings in the area.
One man said Laventille and nearby areas have had problems with gun violence, but there was a noticeable uptick in shootings and violence over the past year.
The man's eight-year-old son goes to the Rose Hill RC Primary School. The father says he has spoken to his son about the dangers and what should be done when hearing gunshots.
"We live in the same community as the school.
"And sometimes they hear it on a Saturday when they're at home. We would let them know to avoid the gallery or get down, depending on how close the gunfire sounds.
"I don't like to say that they (the children) are accustomed to it, because that's nothing to get accustomed to and I don't want to accept it as just being a part of life. But I talk to them and let them know – 'Hear the chupidees and them doing their chupidness.'
Even while he's at work, he says the fear for the safety of his family is never far from his mind, as he has often heard the echo of gunfire
