Senior Reporter
anna-lisa.paul@guardian.co.tt
A million-dollar birthday celebration for Ancel Villafana that was scheduled to take place at the Beetham Gardens Recreational Grounds today was cancelled late on Friday after permission was rescinded by the authorities.
Villafana, better known by his aliases Prezzy and Chemist, had planned to celebrate his 44th birthday with a J’Ouvert-like event, Fun Stop, featuring Jamaican dancehall artistes Skeng, Pablo YG, ShaneE, Tommy Lee and Skillibeng along with an array of local entertainers.
On October 15, an occasional bar license and dancehall license were granted to Steve Harford by the San Juan Laventille Licensing Committee for the event which was being promoted by Roger Joseph of Prezident Promotions.
Harford, the holder of a spirit retailer licence, was reportedly in charge of bar sales at the event.
The matter was first heard by the licensing committee at the Port-of-Spain Magistrate’s Court on November 7 and the license was initially granted. However, as the day of the party drew closer, following discussions between Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Intelligence and Investigations, Suzette Martin, an application was filed to review the decision of the licensing committee.
The T&T Police Service (TTPS) said: “The review was premised on the ground that the licensing committee did not properly consider the information provided by the officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service as well as the inherent risk the event posed to public safety and security, considering the continuing gang violence and reported crimes in the Port-of-Spain Division and environs.”
After listening to submissions from the TTPS and Harford on Friday, Senior Magistrate Rehanna Hosein found that the information relayed by the police “was sufficient and relevant” and she revoked the licences granted on November 7.
After permission was granted to Harford to sell alcohol at the event, party organisers paid $174,064 on November 8 for police officers to provide security at the event which was set to take place from 2 am to 10 pm.
The extra-duty personnel included a senior superintendent, two superintendents, three assistant superintendents, six inspectors, 14 sergeants, 20 corporals and 100 constables.
The organisers had started preparing the venue for the party, which was expected to attract hundreds of patrons, on Friday.
In Beetham Gardens yesterday, residents expressed disgust and anger at the cancellation. Young men in the community lined Main Street, Beetham, smoking and drinking as they discussed the highly anticipated event.
At the Beetham Gardens Recreational Grounds, employees of the Ricky Raghunanan Group of Companies were hard at work dismantling the tents and the stage and organising the removal of the scaffolding and other equipment.
They confirmed they were sent to the site around 7 am yesterday with a directive to remove the tents, stage and equipment.
As they dismantled and loaded the equipment, an anxious worker said, “We just want to finish our work and get out of here.”
Villafana was charged with being a gang leader and counselling a gang in 2019 under the Anti-Gang Act after officers from the Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit reportedly intercepted telephone conversations between him and two other men.
Asked to comment on the issue yesterday, Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher said: “I know we worked very hard to ensure that licence was not granted. We will ensure no activities take place in the Beetham.”
Other senior officials said they were bracing for the fall-out from the cancellation.
Guardian Media was told that several persons who arrived from Jamaica on Friday for the event were detained at the airport and put on flights back to Jamaica.
This was the second event to be cancelled by the authorities. On October 30, organisers were refused permission to hold a Kman Sixx Concert at St Paul Street on November 2.