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Travel warning after Tobago machete attack
Ben Bailey5 Aug 2009
The Foreign Office issued a fresh warning about crime in Trinidad and Tobago after a machete attack on a British couple.
Peter Greene, 65, and his wife Miriam, 59, who are originally from Reading, Berkshire, were left seriously wounded after being attacked on Saturday afternoon at their home in Tobago.
The Foreign Office yesterday updated its advice for travellers, saying: "You should be aware that there are high levels of violent crime, especially shootings and kidnappings.
"British nationals have been victims of violent attacks, particularly in Tobago where law enforcement is weak."
According to local reports, Mrs Greene is reported to have regained consciousness after the attack, while her husband was still in a medically-induced coma after being struck in the head.
Both remained in a serious condition in the Eric Williams Medical Complex on Trinidad, the Trinidad and Tobago Express said. British High Commissioner Eric Jenkinson had also been to visit, the paper added.
The state's police said they had received several tips about the crime, but had not identified a motive or made any arrests.
Foreign Office officials are urging the state's authorities to apprehend the culprits.
An FO spokesman said: "We are in contact with the Trinidad and Tobago police.
"We hope that the authorities will do everything they can to arrest who carried out this attack."
Tobago police superintendent Nadir Khan described the attack on the Greenes as "another serious attack on tourists".
The couple have reportedly lived in the town of Bacolet along Tobago's southern coast off-and-on for 10 years.
It is about seven miles from where Swedish couple Anna Sundsval, 62, and Oke Olsoon, 73, were killed last year in a similar attack.
Authorities detained one person in that case but released him for a lack of evidence.
Eight killings have been reported on Tobago so far this year, compared with four in 2008. The more developed island of Trinidad has reported 321 killings.
The president of the Tobago Hotel Association, Carol Ann Birchwood James, said she expected the usually tranquil, tourism-dependent island's economy to suffer as a result of the bad publicity.
"News ... of this attack has gone around the world," she said. "We are therefore in danger of losing especially our UK guests."
Reader views (4)
I am a Trinidadian, living in Trinidad, and every day I must admit I do a little extra to take precautions against crime. I am terrified to come in late, even though I live in a "nice" area. I find it hard to trust people I have just met and I am always wary. The government tries to hide it but the fact is, we HAVE a problem. Maybe it takes people NOT going to Tobago and NOT contributing to our economy for the government to step up and fight crime efficiently. Problem is, as long as our oil and gas industry stays as a cash cow, these threats to the tourism industry mean nothing. I always felt safer in Tobago, but those days are gone. To Eve, I do not think this is scare mongering, as a local I myself feel concerned for my safety..yes...even in Tobago! I never walk anywhere after dark, even just down the road, and I always stay at big hotels where there are many people, instead of at villas which I would prefer. The scary thing is that in most of the cases the criminals are never caught! I love my country, but our crime situation disgusts me. I go to Barbados now when I want a beach holiday.
- Katy, South Trinidad, 07/08/2009 00:55
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I went to Tobago in 2005. It is a wonderful and beautiful place and my future wife and I hired a car and travelled all over the island.
To Mike's point, Tobago has a very different feel to other areas of the Caribbean. You don't have the same artificial made-for-tourist feel that a lot of other carribean islands now have. It is more natural and less developed (particularly away from the airport in the South-West). And to many, including myself, that is part of the attraction.
Unfortunately in every country there will be an element of risk. Hopefully the local Tobaga authorities are able to catch the culprits.
- James, London, 05/08/2009 13:01
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We choose to build a home on this wonderful island because of its tranquility & have visited there frequently since 2001. The Home Office reporting of "high levels of violent crime, especially shootings and kidnappings" seems to be an overeaction to a few isloated instances mainly in the south which is the more populated area where the airport & port are located. Unfortunately, crimes levels have risen as the island becomes more developed and the Police will have to put appropiate measures in place in order to minimise any further instances and restore the public's confidence.
Personally, I have never felt threatened whilst in any part of the island & find it a delightful place that has lots to offer all visitors and I do hope that this warning report is seen in context as a warning but not scare mungering as many of the island's people rely on tourisim for their livelyhood.
- Eve-Weybridge, Weybridge UK, 05/08/2009 12:34
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I've been lucky enough to have had many holidays around the world but Tobago was the only place where I felt concerned for my safety. That was eight years ago and from recent reports I believe that crime, especially violent crime, has got worse.
- Mike, Birmingham, 05/08/2009 10:03
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