Customers and tenants of three of the largest shopping malls in San Fernando are not fazed by the recent double murder which took place recently at a mall's carpark but they are being more vigilant.
Sunday Newsday visited the malls last week and spoke with several people who said they were satisfied with mall security but called on police to be more proactive.
One tenant at South Park mall said regular police patrols would be a deterrent to anyone seeking to commit criminal activity.
The man, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “The murder here was shocking. I never thought I would experience something like that. I do not think the mall is unsafe though, but regular police patrols would give me an ease of mind.”
On January 27, Malik Straker, 31, also known as M1 and Molly and Joel Chambers, 29, were executed as they sat in a silver AD wagon in one of the car parks, located near the exit of the Solomon Hochoy Highway at the South Park. The daylight shooting sparked panic among shoppers and tenants.
On February 10, Sharon Kissoon, a customer at C3, who was with her three-year-old daughter getting lunch, said she felt relatively safe shopping at the malls in south Trinidad but wanted to see more security in the carpark.
“I feel comfortable shopping at the malls. A concern really is the parking areas, especially the covered parking spots in all the malls at night.
“Better lighting and more security patrols would make me feel safer. This would be my most urgent request to the mall owners,” she said.
[caption id="attachment_939403" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Crime Scene Unit officers search for clues after the double murder at South Park mall on January 27. - AYANNA KINSALE[/caption]
In June 2018, a pregnant woman was robbed at gunpoint in the basement carpark of one of the malls.
Sunday Newsday attempted to reach out to the management of the three major malls – South Park, C3 and Gulf City – to get an idea about their security operations after the murders.
There was no response from South Park but Terrence Ramsamooj general manager at J T Allum and Co. Ltd, owners of C3, said, “All I can say is that we acknowledge that crime is a national issue.
“At C3 Centre we continue to provide a facility that is under 24-hour security surveillance, and we remain committed to working with TTPS.”
In an interview Gulf City mall’s public relations officer Sarah Ragoonath said while they were aware of the recent murders and other criminal activities in San Fernando and environs, their mall remained safe for both tenants and customers.
She said the security officers on the compound was not outsourced but were employees of the mall, and while they were not precepted officers, they ensured their security officers are properly trained.
She said, “The security at Gulf City is ours and they are on the compound 24 hours. We are better able to manage our security plans and we are also better able to take care of them and this is important.
“Our security knows the mall and its operations, and thi
