Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Health, Terrence Deyalsingh was robbed on Tuesday afternoon while speaking with a constituent in the St Joseph area where he is the Member of Parliament.
In a video posted on social media after the incident, Deyalsingh is seen speaking with police and shortly after, participates in a phone conversation with an apparent ministerial colleague.
Relaying his ordeal, Deyalsingh says, “Minister, so I am in St Joseph – in my constituency, 5 o’clock, hot sun, bright sun sitting outside Nyahbinghi Bar opposite the church with a constituent. Two fellas walk up to me, put a gun to my head and robbed me of my bracelet…just letting you know where crime has reached.”
It’s unclear how the rest of the conversation goes or who the Minister is speaking with, but he also explained that police were called to the scene of the robbery.
Since then, several comments have been made about the incident.
Notably, T&T’s former Minister of National Security and Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith, made light of the incident. He shared a post which said, “Don’t worry Terrance, soon Gary Griffith will replace you as MP and he will make St Joseph safe again.” It is unclear whether Griffith is the original author of the post.
We’ll update this story as more information comes to hand.
Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds told reporters he hoped the two bandits who robbed Deyalsingh would be promptly apprehended.
“I am assured by the police that they are looking at that particular matter as well and that it appears as if they are making some progress.
“I am only hoping they bring it to a positive outcome and that they could find the miscreants who were responsible for another robbery in Trinidad and Tobago.”
Hinds said the incident reflected that no one was immune to the criminal behavior of certain citizens and also non-nationals participating in street crimes.
“It really just demonstrates the state of affairs and the reasons why we all as a society have to strengthen ourselves (and) harden our targets, whether it is in a normal day’s work, whether it is while we are recreating, whether it is while we are at home.”
The police were spending time to sensitise people to this, he added.
“It also shows the need for us to come together and for the police to really accentuate on finding these miscreants and dealing with them in accordance with the law. I am happy to know Minister Deyalsingh – I have not yet spoken to him – but from the little I am aware of in relation to the matter, he is physically unharmed.
“I propose to speak to him very shortly about the matter and assure the police are giving attention to this crime.
“I am hoping, along with everyone else, that we get to the bottom of this and find the animals who would have done this.”
Hinds urged the public to help the police solve this crime.
