Travel Advice to Tobago has changed.

Lily Mel · Post by **Lily Mel** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 12:22 pm

Because I've become paranoia I called yesterday my travelagent.
After a few calls she confirmed to me that the men get caught who did the so called
" isolated case" near Englishman bay.
Or was this news related to what happened last weekend, the three robberies in
Scarborough.

Lily

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:58 am

Hello Lily

Sorry for the delay, but this was news to me and I've been trying to get confirmation. To be totally honest, nobody seems to have heard this, although I'm still waiting replies from two contacts over there who might have heard/be able to find out. I will post news as soon as I hear anything - as I'm sure others with regular contact with the island will too.

V Fabry · Post by **V Fabry** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 8:22 pm

American teen killed in Tobago
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — A 14-year-old American girl was stabbed and killed in a quiet seaside village on the island of Tobago, police said Saturday.
Kitty Nichole Pete was killed late Friday night in the apartment she had been sharing with her mother in Charlotteville, a village on the northeastern tip of Tobago, said police inspector Glen Sharpe.

Police were searching for a 22-year-old local man whom the landlord saw leaving the apartment with a knife. The landlord told police he went to the apartment after hearing screams and found Pete's body on the floor. She had been stabbed in the eye and stomach. Police said they believe the girl had been dating the 22-year-old.

The girl's mother, Heather Pete, was not in the apartment at the time of the attack.

Police could not immediately provide the girl's hometown or say how long she and her mother had been in Tobago.

While homicides and kidnappings have been rising in Trinidad, violent crime is rare in its smaller sister island of Tobago. Pete was the fifth homicide victim on the island of 55,000 people this year. There have been more than 140 homicides in Trinidad, population 1.2 million.

This probably could have happend next door but it still a terrible sad incident.
I hope it doesn't feed the mounting doubts about the safety of tobago...

Lou W · Post by **Lou W** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 9:43 pm

Is this a latest report from the island????
I can't understand it.
I come from Manchester (duh duh duuuhhhh) and i will not walk the streets round my own rather nice neighbour hood but will walk through Plymouth at night. I even ventured out round sunday school on my own while the others in our group were drinking (bearing in mind i'm 22, 5' 4", and slim build) and nobody said anything or came near me. I spend a week at the turtle beach and many a night stayed up till gone 3am with no hassels at all.
I feel safe there, my daughter feels safe there and so does my mum. I've walked up to Stone haven and not had a problem. I can't understand why things like this happen on paradise.
It's very sad to hear that someone's holiday turns into the biggest disaster going but it will not stop me from going back. I was home for 2 days, missed the island that much and booked my flights to go back in nov. This time just me and my daughter and we're gonna stay in a villa. If i didn't think it was safe then i wouldn't put my daughter at risk. i know a lot has been said about the Trini's, and i have heard horrible stuff too, but sorry to say some tourist's will cause more trouble. We sat and watched a tourist trying to fight with a local at sunday school and i was sickened to think that is how some people go about this island.
We all have to display a certain degree of caution and know what situation you are putting yourself into. Please dont let this put anyone off the island.

Paul Tallet · Post by **Paul Tallet** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 10:11 pm

Shocked again.

But Lou does have a point.

The last incident in Englishman's Bay was not really related to tourists ... but this one seems to be ... if the report is right.

As a Tourist in Tobago, you are as safe as houses ... if you go places and/or meet people that you do not know then you can put yourself at risk ... but ... alot less risk than the same kind of activities would expose you to in virtually every other Country in the World.

I am only saying this to assure people ... this incident involves a Tourist so say the reports and we do not know the circumstances that led to it and we should not come to knee-jerk conclusions.

My thoughts are with the family of the teenager.

Regards

Terence H · Post by **Terence H** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 7:15 am

There is a report today in Trinidad and Tobago Express

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl ... d=87007128

Seems it was another tragic relationship death.
Very sad.

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 7:22 am

Here, here, Paul - our thoughts are obviously with the family.

Kitty was not a 'tourist' in the normal sense of the word. She and her mother were living in Charlotteville and Kitty was attending Speyside Secondary School. Kitty had been having a relationship with a 22-year old local man. It is alleged that on the day of the killing, she told him that she wanted to end their relationship. Later that day, he went to the girl’s home and stabbed her repeatedly. Her screams were heard and the man seen leaving the apartment, knife in hand. It appears a cut-and-dried case.

As sad and tragic as it is, this is the sort of incident that can and does happen in every community and far removed from the sort of incidents that tourists are concerned about.

Lily Mel · Post by **Lily Mel** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 11:51 am

Overwelming again,

for a so little beautifull Island.
Whatever the circumstances are you do not kill.
Sick for words.

Although it's a crime passionel.
Tourist or not this will give Tobago for sure a negative boost again.

Kitty RIP

lily

Ronald · Post by **Ronald** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 2:47 pm

It is for sure negative PR for Tobago, but I also wonder what the girls family was doing, they should be teaching her some facts about life here.

At home and in Europe girls/boys do have relationsships at this age too. But down here it can be dangerous because many local guys doesn't accept a NO from a girl. If a relationship is to be ended, they want to end it, not the girl. The guys feel they a dumped, loosing face, so they might act before thinking. Mostly Tobagonians doesn't act like this, but the risk is always there.
I'm really feeling sorry for what happend this girl.

Lily Mel · Post by **Lily Mel** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 6:52 pm

I will eat my shoes if this time the killer will not get caught.

Still also nothing heard if the ones get caught from The last incident in Englishman's Bay.

Who is killing Tobago, Will they ever wake up?!

lily

Paul Tallet · Post by **Paul Tallet** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 7:41 pm

Hi Lily

My sources advise that the Englishman's culprits were caught.

Regards

Lily Mel · Post by **Lily Mel** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 7:55 pm

O, yes really. what kind of sources?

Thanx

lily

Paul Tallet · Post by **Paul Tallet** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 8:06 pm

Aha Lily ... that would be telling !!

Regards

Lily Mel · Post by **Lily Mel** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 8:31 pm

Hi Paul,

My English is not so good.
What do you mean with "that would be telling ""

Maybe Steve knows something......
Were the culprits from trinidad.
What was the background why they did it?
Cause the very detailed background from Kitty and her murderer was known within 3 days!

gtz Lily

Paul Tallet · Post by **Paul Tallet** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 8:44 pm

Hi Lily

I am double checking the information I received.

There were suggestions earlier in this string that people were being robbed at Englishmans at the same time that a serious incident occurred at a villa near the Bay in which firearms were used and a woman was allegedly raped.

You need to read through all of this thread to understand all the stories that were being said.

My sources say that the robbers were caught but they don't know who did the shooting.

Now does that mean that there were robberies on the beach (and they have been caught) and that the shooting (villa incident) was separate?

Or does it mean that the (villa) robbers were caught and they are just trying to find out who held the gun?

The point of this string is the villa incident because the English Foreign Office have made warnings about travel to Tobago because of that single incident.

I am awaiting clarification and I will post it as soon as I get it straight.

Regards

Lily Mel · Post by **Lily Mel** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 9:14 pm

Hi Paul,

I followed the whole topic from tip to toe for a long time and understand
what's going on.

I meant the first one you called in the villa with the Italian man, Wife and a British Earl, wife and gangraped daughter.
It's not only England.
Germany, USA, Canada for so far I know the same warnings.

Maybe because it's an Earl the English Foreign Office have made warnings about travel to Tobago because of that "single" incident.
Look at Aruba now, Natalee Holloway is missing, her mother and stepfather are people with a huge influence and wellknown with people
from the government. It's a mediacircus.

So let indeed know when you really know something from the background.

Lily

V Fabry · Post by **V Fabry** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 9:42 pm

Of course this kind of things are sad and shocking , but please keep looking at them in the right proportions. People hurt and kill each other, for no or the wrong reasons (as if rhere are any right ones).
Even in a place like Tobago wich we like to see as a kind of paradise, people kill, and as it is on most places on earth you probably wont be the next victim.
Lets leave the rest to the officials.

Cornelia Montgomery · Post by **Cornelia Montgomery** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 2:49 am

Remember that the girl was only 14 years old. Ronald is right that there are attitudes in Tobago toward women that need to be changed. I have read about this problem in several places.
Two years ago, I saw two young women (English) swim to a raft off Pigeon Point. They then removed their bikini tops to sunbathe topless. Not surprisingly, they caught attention, which they later tried to discourage. Several local men swam to the float. They might have had an impression that they were on vacation and free from the usual restraints. Men, on the other hand, rarely have such worries.
Anyway, do not blame the victim.

Tony J · Post by **Tony J** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 6:03 am

I have just heard that the attacker who killed the young girl was caught yesterday in a village close to Scarborough.

Hope my sources were correct!

Lou W · Post by **Lou W** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:08 am

I've heard heard the same as tony. And I'm hopin my source is reliable. The person i have spoken to on the island said that they are horrified by this attack. They are worried it will put people off coming over to the island. I'm certainly not put off and will carry on going for years to come. The one good thing is that the police are catching people for the crimes. How long they get locked up for is a different matter but something is being done. Not like it is here at home where there are too many murders, rapes, and robberies for the police to deal with.

myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Travel Advice to Tobago has changed.

Another sad incident that might lead to more fear...

Safety

dear lily