Police have nothing to say on last week’s bomb scare

Details of the March 29 bomb threat remain murky. Seemingly simple questions are still unanswered such as, which city bank was directly threatened? Why were employees of Scotiabank, Royal Bank of Canada, Beauty Max Super Centre and other businesses in the William Peter Boulevard evacuated, while at Massy Stores, barely fifty yards from the aforementioned establishments, it was business as usual? How much did this near two-hour work stoppage cost the banks and the nation?

Acting deputy commissioner of police in charge of operations Dorian O’Brian relayed to this reporter—through one of his officers—that the RSLPF would not provide details regarding the affected banks “but investigations are continuing.” The usual response, whether in relation to rape, murder or individuals suddenly requiring urgent medical attention after a few minutes in police custody. However, officers on the ground last Friday unofficially informed reporters that CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank was the threatened target.

Just as confusing was the response from the Saint Lucia Fire Service. As to Massy’s continued operations during the threat, the fire service’s David Antoine said he did not know whether there had been a misunderstanding, “But in circumstances like this we and the police would have required people to evacuate.” He had no explanation for the fact that at the time of the threat Massy carried on as usual. On the other hand, this reporter has been reliably informed that the company may not have known its personnel were in any danger.

A Beauty Max official said that employees evacuated because they received word of a bomb threat from unofficial sources, certainly not from the police. In all events the threat turned out to be bogus, calculated for whatever reasons to disrupt normal Friday business in Castries.

A bomb threat three weeks ago resulted in the arrest of a well known news reporter. He was charged on two related counts and currently is on bail.