More robberies at North-South Highway construction sites

By Germaine Smith

 

 

A little more than a week after three of  its employees (and a bystander) were killed by gunmen, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) is reporting that three robberies took place at two locations on the North-South leg of Highway 2000 on Monday.

In one of the incidents, six men travelling in two cars went to a construction site in St. Catherine. They held up the security guard and removed 800 litres of fuel from two excavators.

    
Then about about midday, two employees were travelling on a motorcycle from another site in St Catherine when they were held up by a gunman. He attempted to rob the men but was interrupted by persons travelling in a pickup from the site. Five other men emerged from bushes, but the CHEC employees escaped in the vehicle leaving the motorcycle.

About 12:40 at another location in St. Catherine, a mechanic was in the maintenance area when gunmen and another man armed with a knife barged into the building. They demanded money but there was none. The men then gun butted the mechanic before leaving.

The incidents took place on the day that new security measures were implemented by CHEC, following the October 12 robbery which left three employers and a bystander dead.   

In the last six months CHEC has been plagued by several robberies. Most of  the incidents involved the stealing of  petrol, machinery and other items from construction sites.

                                                              

In response, Transport and Works Minister Dr. Omar Davies has expressed concern about the robberies. He told RJR News, however, that closer collaboration between CHEC and the police will result in improved security arrangements on the highway project.

Dr. Davies is basing his optimism, in part, on his understanding, arising from his visit to the project site in St. Catherine last week, where, he said, "we had a full and frank meeting and we got some reassurances from the police - headed by the Commissioner himself - in terms of new measures."

He said, "given that the new structure and operations only came into effect on Monday, it may be (too) early to expect immediate results."