VZCZCXRO2239
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHSP #1079 3021730
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291730Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8754
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3714

UNCLAS PORT OF SPAIN 001079 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM PGOV TD
SUBJECT: ELECTIONS: MORE VIOLENCE THAN USUAL, ALTHOUGH 
MOTIVES UNCLEAR 
 
REF: PORT OF SPAIN 1077 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  An opposition Congress of the People 
candidate was attacked and injured in front of his campaign 
office October 27.  Political leaders across the spectrum 
condemned the attack, but differed on its motives.  Police 
are investigating and have promised to do all they can to 
protect candidates.  The level of vandalism and violence in 
this campaign is higher than in past election races, but 
still relatively low.  The increase in incidents may be 
reflective more of the growing levels of insecurity and 
criminality in society than any centrally-directed political 
plan.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU)  COP Laventille West candidate David St. Clair was 
attacked in front of his local campaign office and severely 
beaten with a club and the flat end of a machete on October 
¶27.  He was hospitalized with severe but not life-threatening 
injuries; he may be released today.  The motive for the 
attack, witnessed by several people, is unclear.  St. Clair 
reportedly refused earlier demands for protection money from 
a gang and went public with the alleged blackmail attempt; 
some see this as payback.  Another theory, not completely at 
odds with the first since Laventille is a poor, crime-ridden 
area and PNM stronghold, is that PNM adherents who are also 
gang members &picked on8 the COP candidate.  A more 
far-fetched theory is that St. Clair was beaten because the 
COP had instigated the temporary arrest of UNC Laventille 
candidate Lennox Smith for violating a domestic protection 
order and for passing bad checks.  Under this theory, the 
gang members either were connected to Smith or the UNC. 
 
¶3. (SBU)  In an earlier incident, UNC activist Sean Douglas 
was shot to death October 25 near the party's Laventille 
East/Morvant campaign headquarters.  Family members said he 
had been arguing with a youth about a radio and that led to 
the shooting; most believe this was not politically 
motivated.  Also on October 25, the campaign manager and 
driver for the COP candidate from Toco/Sangre Grande were 
injured when a glass bottle struck the car in which the 
candidate also was riding.  The bottle was reportedly thrown 
from a car plastered with PNM stickers.  In an October 24 
incident, a flaming garment was tossed under a van belonging 
to a UNC supporter attending a political meeting in San 
Juan/Barataria.  It was removed before the van suffered any 
damage.  Earlier in the campaign, the offices of COP 
candidates Marlene Coudray and Gillian Lucky were broken into 
and vandalized 
 
¶4. (SBU) Comment:  It is difficult to distinguish criminal 
from political violence, especially in areas such as 
Laventille and San Juan where delinquency is high.  Violence 
has not been common in past electoral campaigns here and 
reports of it ) even inconclusive reports like those above 
) have unsettled some.  At a minimum, the sensationalist 
press coverage of these incidents has once again raised the 
issue of personal security to the fore; polls consistently 
show crime to be a top concern of Trinbagonians and this 
issue has been a PNM weak spot.   Nonetheless, the overall 
campaign has been peaceful and open and there are no signs 
there is any central direction of the scattered acts that 
have occurred. End comment. 
 
KUSNITZ