Wednesday April 9, 2003

Another Trinidadian man abducted, freed for $2M
A second Trinidadian man was kidnapped by gunmen on the East Coast yesterday and released following the payment of a ransom.
Lalchan, aka `Coz' who was employed as a foreman by Trinidad-based United Energy Service (UES), was released shortly after midday and whisked away to an unknown destination.
He was the second employee of a Trinidadian firm contracted to do work for Guyana Water Inc. to have been abducted in recent weeks. A number of Guyanese have also been abducted since last year's crime wave erupted. As in the other incidents, the police and army seemed unable to prevent the kidnappings or to chase down the abductors.

Kenrick Baboolal called `Pannu' of Paco Alley, Erin Road, Siparia, South Trinidad, was kidnapped by about 15 men two weeks ago as he checked workers laying pipelines at Annandale. He was released after ransom was paid.
Lalchan, who had been in the country for about four months, was snatched by several armed men who commandeered his vehicle, driving it along the railway embankment road in the direction of the blockade at Friendship.
Following a joint police/army operation, the vehicle, GFF 4041, was later recovered along the railway embankment in the vicinity of Vigilance.
A release from the police public relations office yesterday said the Trinidadian national employed with the United Energy Service, a firm contracted to Guyana Water Inc. effecting the installation of rural water systems, had been nabbed by four armed men.
The man, who the release failed to name, was said to have been abducted from the Strathspey worksite of the company and forced into a pick-up van parked at the site.
According to the release he was taken into Buxton with the vehicle later being found abandoned at Vigilance, ECD.
The police said the gunmen had arrived on bicycles and later released the foreman unharmed after three hours. They did not confirm whether a ransom had been paid but in many of the kidnapping cases the victims have been freed after money was handed over.
Sources however told this newspaper that a ransom demand was made for around $5M but that the sum of $2M was actually handed over.
An official of the Trinidadian firm was said to have taken the ransom money to Buxton and departed with the released man.
Attempts by Stabroek News to solicit a comment from an official at UES' Coldingen offices yesterday morning proved futile.
Stabroek News understands that the employee was abducted at around 10 am shortly after departing the Coldingen office site to inspect pipeline works UES was contracted by GWI to undertake.
Senior police force officers told this newspaper that the company was not forthcoming with information surrounding the employee's disappearance and took him away immediately after his release.
A joint police/army search party on receiving news of the abduction rushed to the area along the railway embankment road where they were seen scouring parts of Vigilance as the army helicopter flew overhead.
Ranks were observed in defensive positions along the railway embankment road as colleagues with weapons at the ready walked along several streets in the neighbourhood.
Concern has been expressed for the safety of workers of utility companies operating in and around the troubled villages especially in light of the latest trends and occurrences.