POLICE are investigating the death of a 42-year-old Cunupia man whose body was found at the beach near the ANR Robinson International airport in Tobago on October 13.

Marcus Archer, originally from Bejucal Road, was employed with a contracting company in Tobago.

He was last seen by colleagues at around 6 pm on October 12 when he was leaving work.

His body was found with a chop wound to the neck and investigators have ruled out gang affiliation as a motive.

Police were called when a homeless man who lives near the beach found Archer’s body at around 8 am and told a bather.

Police believe his death would have occurred sometime in the wee hours of the morning.

Tobago has experienced a surge in murders and Archer’s death was the 25th murder this year, the highest number of murders ever recorded in the island's history.

Nicholas Mitchell, 32, was the 24th person murdered on the island this year after being shot at his home in Argyle on September 22. His mother, who was nearby and heard the gunshots, later found his body.

Two days earlier, Brandon Edwards, who lived a stone's throw away from Mitchell, was the island's 23rd murder victim when he was shot and killed while was making his way home.

Mitchell’s mother said she believes both murders were linked to the shooting death of Beetham resident Amanda “Dolly Boss” Guerra who was killed in the area in August.

"Persons’ names start to be calling and I always hearing they have a list and whatever but I used to be warning him.”

Chairman of the Tobago Business Chamber Martin George, at a summit on crime and violence last month described the island as a “paradise lost."

“The place that we used to say was 'safe,' the smallest division of the TTPS, apparently that is now being lost. It is like Milton’s poem – Paradise Lost.”

George said: “If we cannot make our smallest division safe, if Tobago cannot remain a safe place and a safe space, then nowhere in TT is safe.”

He called for better policing of ferries and points of entry to reduce the proliferation of firearms on the island saying, "The inflow of illegal guns and ammunition is too much.”

He added, "We are scanning walk-on passengers and doing nothing in relation to someone who can drive on with a vanload of illegal guns."

George called on Tobagonians to use Crimestoppers to share information on criminal activity.

He also suggested it is necessary to focus on the performance of the police in order to fight crime.

“They are the primary organisation in the country charged with the responsibility of protecting and serving. I want to ask everyone today: do you feel protected? Do you feel safe?”

Senior Supt Earl Elie of the Tobago Division said police are doing all they can to address the public’s concern over the island’s record murder toll.

He said, though, while it was impossible to stop murders altogether, he hopes the strategies being implemented will lead to an immediate reduction.

“You can’t put a definite timeline on these things. I want it to be immediate but that may not be r