The Other Side of the Coin

[Steve Wooler]

Tobago radio announced that a lady German tourist has been convicted today of making false accusations. She reported that she had been attacked by armed men at Back Bay and robbed of various items, including money and a camera. Police suspicions were aroused because she seemed over-keen to receive a written report confirming that she had reported the ‘offence’, apparently for her holiday insurance company. Police arrested her as she was boarding her flight home and found the camera and other ‘stolen’ items in her possession.

Sadly, I was answering a telephone call as the news item was broadcast and failed to hear the full sentence. However, I did hear the term “hard labour” mentioned – so it would appear that she was given a jail sentence. The case was not mentioned on subsequent news broadcasts or the evening TV news, but undoubtedly will be reported in the online Tobago newspaper later this week. I imagine that a Trinidad jail bears as much resemblance to a cushy German or British jail as a MacDonalds does to real food. We might argue that the sentence was a bit harsh, but those are the laws here, so if you don’t like the rules, don’t play the game.

As a follow-on to the same news item, a senior government official alleged that insurance scams like this have dramatically increased in recent years and are making crime on Tobago appear worse than is really the case. I suspect that that is just another case of political spin (and let’s be fair, I can’t be critical of politicians in Tobago when Tony Blair is a world-class Supremo). However, the facts do convince me that there is a certain truth to this claim.

Without wishing to appear ‘heavy’, may I please stress the following in view of today’s report.

Over the last two years Tobago hotel owners and managers have regularly ‘complained’ to me that there is a rising tide of dishonest guests who claim theft of items from their rooms even, even when all evidence leads management to believe that no such theft took place. These guests often warn management that unless they make appropriate compensation, they will report the case on myTobago and other websites. This sort of blackmail is obviously totally unacceptable.

I have said it before and regular readers will excuse me from saying it again, but I will NOT allow myTobago to be used as a club to blackmail Tobago businesses, wayward or not. Genuine complaint is one thing; spiteful criticism when blackmail fails is another thing altogether and if and when I find that criticism has been made following claims for compensation, I will certainly not refrain from publishing the facts, including the claimants name and email address.

Tobago is a VERY small island and it easy for me to establish who to trust and who not to trust. One reader attempted to use this forum as part of a campaign to blackmail a hotel and file a false insurance claim. Claims investigators contacted the hotel and subsequently myself. The claimant is now facing prosecution for attempting to defraud the insurance company. I have promised to provide testimony if it is needed.

I will be the first to jump on any hotel or accommodation owner should I feel that the public are being treated shoddily. However, please let’s keep it fair and wayward readers be warned - don’t make the mistake of using myTobago as a cudgel.

[Jane H]

Well said Steve.

Jane

[Steve Pitts]

It would appear that this woman has read the wide-spread reports on thefts and robberies at Back Bay and used this as a means to fiddle her travel insurance company. Not a good idea as it happened.

A couple of points worth remembering - fraudulent claims bump up the premiums for the rest of us and perhaps more worryingly, she has brought into question the honesty of the peoples of Tobago with her lies.

Hard labour is her just reward.

I hope she enjoys her extended stay in the Caribbean

Steve

[Steve Wooler]

Quite right, Steve.

Contacts tell me that the problem has got so bad that the police are now really vigilant about the problem - which is why they jumped on and caught this woman, I guess. Apparently she's far from the first - it was just coincidence that I happened to overhear the news. Anyway, for anybody who thinks Tobago could be a good place to pull insurance stunts, I should think again.

On the same front, watch yourself before buying 'recreational' drugs. Drug dealers are allegedly making more money from the police than the buyers, by selling small quantities and then immediately identifying the buyer to plain-clothers police. This is particularly the case at Sunday School and The Shade. Just remember, there is absolutely NO drug tolerance here - one small spliff and you could be spending quite a few weeks in a stinking Trinidad jail.

[Selvin D]

Hi steve, you have just preach well done.

[Ronald]

About crime against visitors, this is what I´d read in Trinidad & Tobago Internet Express today. Accordning to that some visitors try to make problems for locals.


Tourist Monica Rouch of Cologne, Germany was slapped with a $750 fine or serve five months in prison with hard labour for wasting police time when she appeared before Magistrate Joan Gill at the Roxborough Magistrates' Court last Friday.

She initially claimed she was held up at knife-point by a man at Back Bay, Tobago, who stole her valuables, including a digital camera and a Walkman.

Old Grange police investigated and corresponded with the foreigner's insurance company abroad.

Rouch was searched at the Crown Point International Airport about to board a flight to Germany, and the items she claimed had been stolen were found on her.

Officers on the island have said that false reports by foreigners are becoming a trend, and those found guilty will be dealt with harshly.

This is especially in light of the island's reputation being tarnished as well as updated travel advisories that warn citizens of serious crimes in Tobago.

[Paul Williams]

Whilst I am really pleased to see that this woman has been found guilty a fine of $750 seems to be very small when taken into account that non payment would lead to a fairly long jail sentence.
It would appear to me that the courts have missed an opportunity to send a severe message in this case.
Regards
Paul

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Paul

With the way the world is going, I must confess that I am increasingly moving away from European liberal attitudes and far more towards "bring back the stocks."

The fine is an interesting question, particularly when compared to the alternative. Yes, $750 is a pittance to us, but it is nearly two weeks wages to many hospitality workers over here. You would think the Magistrate would have had the sense to apply an appropriate find, wouldn't you. Just shows that the law can be ass in every country.

[Steve Pitts]

Did she go for option 1 or option 2?

[Brian Taylor]

is that really a question?
sorry that she could get away just like that. who knows how many of the reports about crime in tobago are falsly made and rise the level of fear in tourists. we feel that the british are by far not showing as much as last year, scared by the reports they get in the media.. a shame to ride on that wave. wish they would not have given her the choice... beeing german, I am especially ashamed of a behaviour like that
hope the fact they caught her sets an example and if not that the fines get harder everytime they catch one...
STEPHANIE

[Chris Cross]

She should have been sent. to jail for a week or two...
Then she would not waste even a thought to do this again!
The fine is too low for such a "crime"...

[Steve Pitts]

Perhaps the German press would be interested in this story.

[Dr Stefan Rustscheff]

Speaking of insurance fraud and insurance companies: my fiancee and I have received a phone call from our travel insurance firm that states that the enormous sum of USD 50 will be paid out for the loss of almost all our holiday due to the legal hassles and loss of mobile phone and camera. Reason: a total compensation of half a day´s boarding for ANY crime-regardless of severity, and that we did not have any receipt for camera, and, that my three-year old mobile was-three years old. This ALMOST covers the cost for the insurance fee for one of us.
I would like to say that insurance fraud runs in both directions. I will never again trust a glossy brochure that states that WHATEVER happens on Your holiday you are protected...Yes, I know, I should have read the fine print...

And, as a comment to other comments, the paltry sum of USD 750 is a week´s pay after taxes for me, at least....

[Rachel Crew]

Stefan,

Just to point out that the fine was TT$ 750, not USD!

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Stefan

US$ - I had assumed from the post that it was TT$750. Can anybody please confirm. Local radio and press wouldn't quote a fine in US$.

[Steve Wooler]

Oops - silly me

I've just collected my email and was working my way through my post notifications and thought I would respond to Stefan's post while waiting for the rest of my email to download, rather than waiting and reading the lot. Thanks for confirming that, Rachel.

[Dr Stefan Rustscheff]

OK. I admit. TTS 750 is a paltry sum for most of us, including me. Did I inform You that I descend from a long line of Scots?

[Chris Cross]

Did you know that the people living in southern Germany called Swebians descent from the Swedish? Now the curtain falls and I truly know why I like my tea and roastbeef ))

[Gisela Grell]

Hi all,

I'm shoked and feel ashamed that a German did this. Like Chris said, they should have taken her to the jail for two weeks and I hope her insurance know about this case so she was in trouble when she came back to Germany!

Good that they wrote her full name in the newspapers, maybe I can bring it into German papers. Try to do my best

It's a shame that some people try to make Tobago a worse place. For me it will be my "home from home" for the rest of my live (and I hope I will live long!).

Cheers

Giselle (hopefully going back in May)