This week we asked the residents of Alexander Village their views on this year’s Diwali as it relates to illegal squibs and firecrackers. Interviews and photos by Frances Abraham and Javon Vickerie
Rajesh Ramotar- member of the Alexander Village Vishnu Mandir
`We weren’t really affected this year at the Mandir. I believe it is because the police coming around… actually it’s couple years now that the police coming and preventing people from throwing squibs around the Mandir so it’s been better. Before, throughout the whole village you used to have problems with squibs. Is outsiders and villagers does do this thing.’
Doris Narain- 82-year-old pensioner
`This year’s Diwali was nice by God’s grace because the police protect. We had a lot of people and I hear some sounds like squibs and people come and say how the police arrest couple people with the squib. Years ago, it used to be bad in here, really had a rough time so we are thankful that for the past three years or so the police was able to maintain peace in Alexander Village.’
Denise Trotman- Vendor
`They got a boy they call ‘Dumb Boy’ and another lil boy who the
police put to kneel down and search him but when they take him to the corner they let him go. There was a lot of police this year more than what they does normally got. They had plain clothes, blue clothes, brown clothes, all kind of clothes. Squib is too easy to get so I believe the police
need to do more to stop it from coming in the country because it easy to buy.’
Shellon Trotman- Third Street Resident
`I was selling here in front of my house and I ain’t hear no squib, I ain’t see nobody spinning steel wool. By 7:30-8pm, people de already gone. We aint hear no squib really, only the big flare the children use. I think last year they had more police than this year although a lot of people come in as usual. But I think the situation got better, nobody didn’t frighten to walk, you coulda walk as you like. Years before you couldn’t drive in as you feel, the police used to ask for proof of address and all kind of things but this year it wasn’t like that.’
Sarran Lall- public sector employee
`We don’t really come out of the house on Diwali night but it’s not just Third Street where I live that have the problem. Is the entire village these things is go off on Diwali night. This year I didn’t hear as much and I didn’t think people were harassed much this year. I think the situation improved. It used to be really bad.’
Neran Jondoman- Fourth Street Resident
`The people in here does wait till the police come and gone to fire off the squibs. Between 10:30-11 o’clock is when they fire the squibs. Who gon say who fire it? Nobody knows. Is people right here in the village buying it and bringing it in. But this year, we ain’t hear nobody get injured. Here, in Alexander Village, the situation improved a lot over the years. The police was all over this year.
Winston Aaron- Cross Street Resident
`This year we didn’t have any problem at all. This year Diwali was the best so far, nobody get injured, no fight or anything of the sort. There was a lot of police, at every corner… they checked people as they come in and control the crowd very well. I think if the police really want to get rid of this problem, they need to do something at a higher level to prevent the squibs from coming into the country in the first place because you can ask any lil child around Diwali and they would tell you they can go and get squib at the shop.’
Mohan Seeraj- Toolsie Persaud Employee
`This time we had police protection but still they had one and two people fire off squib but no one got injured. It was far better than last year. I think the police could do this every year because years ago things used to be really rough here. People used to get hurt, robbed and all kind of thing.’
Barbara Aaron- Pensioner
`This year was better. Last year they really had a big crowd and the
squib was so bad. Me and my seven grandchildren couldn’t sit down here and enjoy the holiday, we had to deh running because all in your yard they throwing this squib. This year, they had no robberies or nothing. I think they had less people because people know now that police there and they can’t come and do these things. This year, they had more police than people. I think at Christmas, it will be worse because police won’t come during Christmas.
Sycvon Joseph- First Street Resident
`They didn’t had so much people using squibs this year but still I see a lot of police arresting people. The shops in the village was not selling it but people outside walk and sell it… the police need to stop the people who making squibs if they really want to prevent this problem because after so many years they coming in here on Diwali and yet people finding ways to go around them and get it and are still using it.’
