BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE owner of a small business in Needsmust awoke this morning (Sept. 23) to find that her snackette was broken into and a number of items to ply her trade missing.
Denise DeFreitas-Barrett, owner of the White Castle Snackette in Needsmust, situated in the vicinity of the junction of the West Basseterre By-pass Road within proximity of the RLB International Airport, told SKNVibes that she suffered losses amounting to some EC$5 000.
According to DeFreitas-Barrett, she had secured her business at approximately 4:30 p.m. yesterday and left for her Conaree Village home. However, at about 6:45 this morning she was informed by a family friend that the rear wall of the snackette was damaged.
“While preparing to transport snacks and other items to supply my regular morning customers, I received a telephone call from a family friend who informed me that the rear wall of the snackette was pried open and it seemed as if someone or a group of undesirables had entered the premises.
“I immediately drove to the snackette and, after making a physical check of the interior, I found that not only was the wall damaged but someone had entered the premises and removed a Honda generator and a large quantity of Fruta juices and sodas. The matter was reported to the police and they are currently investigating,” DeFreitas-Barrett said.
She also noted that this is the second time in as many weeks bandits had targeted her snackette and the fourth time since establishing the business.
“Two weeks ago, I secured the snackette as I normal do, but on arrival the following morning I found that the front of it was damaged and a quantity of sodas and local drinks were missing from one of my coolers. I concluded that the perpetrator or perpetrators could not have entered the snackette because of the grilles, but were able to reach the cooler in which the beverages were stored. Prior to these two break-ins, two attempts were also made by bandits when my snackette was located at the Estate Pasture in Needsmust,” DeFreitas-Barrett said.
The small business propritrix explained to this media house that following the Ivy Adams’ saga, she was ordered to remove from the Estate Pasture and had relocated at the current site since May 24, 2010.
DeFreitas-Barrett however lamented that even though her snackette is legally situated upon private property, there are some individuals who are bent on having her removed again.
“The world owes us all a living. I am not going to rest on my laurels and wait on someone to provide for me when I am in possession of the knowledge and ability to make life better for myself and dependents. But there are some people who do not want to see women empower themselves…they operate like crabs in a barrel.
“While I was plying my trade at the Estate Pasture, the snackette was equipped with electricity and water by the respective departments. However, since moving to this new location, officials from both the Electricity and Water Departments have denied me access to these essential commodities even though I was never late in payment.
“To combat this situation, I purchased a Honda generator and installed a container to store water. And it is my belief that if I were not denied electricity, security lights could have been installed as a deterrent to vandals and bandits. I am a poor woman trying to make an honest living, but now that I am being targeted by bandits and have suffered losses, it is incumbent upon me to seek assistance from the officials of the Small Enterprise Development Unit in finding a means of acquiring electricity to the snackette,” she concluded.
In recent months, there has been an escalation in break-ins, many of which remain unsolved but police indicated that investigations are ongoing. However, a crime ring was recently broken on Nevis, which resulted in four men being arrested and charged for a number of offences including Building Breaking and Larceny.
According to a police press release, at approximately 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 21, 2010, officers of the Charlestown Police Station in Nevis arrested and charged Alexander Mills (22) of Long Point, Nevis and Rannel Carmichael (22) of Gingerland on three counts of Building Breaking and Larceny.
Also charged, but for Receiving, are Clinton White (22) of Fiennes Avenue, Basseterre and 24-year-old Yogashwarnauth Balgobin, a Guyanese national of Cane Garden, Nevis who now resides at Middle Island St. Kitts.
