Dominica netball team manager speaks out after armed robbery in St. Lucia

Fiona Vidal is Manager of the team. Photo: St. Lucia Times

The Manager of the Dominica under 16 national netball team, Fiona Vidal, believes that enough was not done by law enforcement officers following her holdup by an armed man in Castries on Friday evening.

“I find enough wasn’t done – I mean they should have patrolled the place for example. The only thing they did when that happened was a drive around – just driving around, not even walk around to see if they threw the bag in a gutter,” Vidal said.

She explained that she and members of the Dominica netball contingent arrived here on Friday afternoon at around 5:25 pm.

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31 Comments

  1. Let The Truth Be Known - Original
    April 19, 2017

    She was a victim. Bet in future she will utilize another strategy and not carry so much cash.
    It was evident to the thief they were visitors. If he was close enough at KFC, unknown to them, he heard their accent and scrutinized their every move. They were a good target for him.
    As they left KFC, the thief followed them. He may already have noticed that she carried the bag and realized what was in it. When they were out on the street, he made his move and with his gun pointed at her, he tried to get the purse/knapsack from her. Better what was in the bag than her life and the life of the others.
    We must have some compassion for her. I visualize she may never get over this incident or not in a hurry. Always place yourself in another’s situation.

  2. jazz53
    April 19, 2017

    This was a careless calculation to travel with this sum of money in cash, especially to an island which could be our sister island meaning, we are so closely related in terms of communication migration and so on, anyone could have set them up for this fall.

  3. damas victor
    April 19, 2017

    My take on this story is that it seems that nobody in the neighborhood respects Dominica and its people and I think the most conscious among us may know why. I am not ashamed to to say that even though it may sound a little negative. We as a people must realize the aforementioned in order to raise the bar. The fact is that the team of players at that time, was representing Dominica _they were ambassadors in that regard. As athletes they should have rather found themselves in a more cordial environment eating some wholesome foods that would boost their capacity and raise their game. The lack of government provided security is another lapse. While it is true that crime has no boundaries we should not set ourselves up as victims. It is also true that one don’t beg for respect . One should command respect.

    • Spike
      April 19, 2017

      Sir, easy for us to say. Eat healthy, yeah; only the ladies are on a foreign trip, saw a KFC, and didn’t want granola bars instead. They say the robber had a gun. How exactly do you “command respect” rather than a bullet in that situation? How in fact do you kick the robber’s testicles, as a previous poster advised, in that situation?

      • just saying
        April 19, 2017

        Athletes @ KFC. Cant we do better?

    • Matt Sam
      April 19, 2017

      Your name says it all ‘damas’ .

    • dee
      April 20, 2017

      Dominican netball team , welcome to the real world .
      Learn , learn , learn .
      I attempted using my US credit card at a Scotia Bank ATM in Antigua and it was rejected ,
      i sheepishly attempted my newly issued Dominica credit union card and, hey presto my money spilled out .
      I know its hot down there but dem plastic not melting as some people believe .
      I’m sure that money could have been deposited in an account in Dominica and accessed else where.
      at least most of it, $1000 would have been reasonable to walk with.
      Learn Learn learn .

  4. April 19, 2017

    Your island police would not do better. They are dumb like most police men

  5. Spike
    April 18, 2017

    A gifted sports trainer is not necessarily gifted at handling money, and the coach paid for the team’s dinner from an envelope, with the cashier and/or anyone with whom he is in phone contact left to wonder how much was left in the envelope. The police oddly seem uninterested in follow-up, as the victim ought to be able to identify who robbed her at gunpoint, but the robber, after all, has a vote, and the team of foreigners has none. $10,000 in an envelope is as though the coach had to settle up with the guest house or even pay for transportation to St. Lucia; this at least could have been done in advance. Regarding meal money, I second the other posters; is it not possible to have a bank account in Dominica and have access to it by ATM from St. Lucia? Regarding the poster who smells a rat: collusion between the victim and her “robber” is not unheard-of. That is the thing about cash.

    • Shortie
      April 19, 2017

      I know right??… Who travels with that much cash these days…. and to make it worse, in an envelope! Debit/credit card would have been better…. and like you said, some payment could have been made in advance.

      • April 20, 2017

        “Who travels with this much cash?” A Dumbinican, that’s who. It;s even DUMBER to take a group of athletes to KFC. Why feed them KFC before they even play? Are you ot supposed to enusre that they eat well, ad healthy and are well fed? Dumbo!!!

  6. Let The Truth Be Known - Original
    April 18, 2017

    Unfortunately this occurred. It was in the night and dark which is a good time thieves are on the lookout for victims. If only they could have ordered the meal from the guest house.
    It is a lot of money to lose. Do not expect her and her team to be happy about that. She knows that she declared the amount. I did not give it a thought that a government official would be involved or anyone else for that matter aside from that Rasta thief.
    Thieves are everywhere and they will be on the lookout for visitors, to steal their belongings and to get easy money. He will soon use all the money and will be prowling about for another prey. In the long run he will be the loser for stealing from others. Types as him do not win in the end. As he goes around stealing, he places more curses and hot burning coals on his head. His end will not be a happy one. What he sows, he shall reap two-fold and soon enough.

  7. Big Bannan
    April 18, 2017

    We Dominicans are always the last to know . I’m sure the coach went to Dominica Grammer School. Our biggest university on island .

  8. Lies cannot win
    April 18, 2017

    Police and immigration knew the money was being carried, this is a police/ immigration hit

  9. The Darkness
    April 18, 2017

    With a face like yours… easy target. Those wolves smelt meat and the hunt started.

    Have a little more paranoia on foreign soil… after all, you wont get away with saying “I am a Dominican”…

  10. ....
    April 18, 2017

    Learning experience for the groups and government. Set up bank accounts and get cards.

  11. Hamil
    April 18, 2017

    I don’t believe that for one second. I smell a rat. This woman should do what any sensible adult would have done. She should have deposited the money into an account, and have a debit card to get assess to the funds. In so doing if the card is stolen it would have been replaced. Also she would have receipts for all her spending. This is fishy and she looks fishy.

  12. Mamosa
    April 18, 2017

    I am sorry Ms Vidal got robbed, but I must say this. The Coach went to the Sports Division to collect money for their trip. Was she given that money in cash? . Where is all that money kept

    Carrying that much cash will always generate interest. Custom Officers, people in your group and others are privy to that bundle of money. Learn from this Debit card or Travellers cheques.

  13. Fran
    April 18, 2017

    I keep reading,(especially on the St. Lucian site) why does someone walk around with all that money? I’m I missing something? Are we suggesting that the ONLY reason that this woman was robbed is because of the amount of money she was walking around with, and not the fact that a criminal saw an opportunity to get some quick cash whether it was $10 dollars or $1 million, from someone he knew wasn’t a local. Unfortunately, they did loose some valuables but, nothing is more valuable than life. I am glad that they are safe . For those saying haven’t she heard about credit cards? Well, we all know that criminals have no use for credit cards and would never steal those. And yes I do realize you can put a stop to your credit card being used where as you can’t with cash but the point is, the issue is not walking around with large sum of money, but that a dangerous criminal committed a crime.

    • Trouble
      April 18, 2017

      St.lucian bad that look like a set up.because in that land they call lucia that rolling .western union gas station stores shop name it and sometime the findings is set up..the woman andmembers arrive late they stop to have a bite .tief know everyting and rob

  14. analy thomas
    April 18, 2017

    While i understand that she should have been more prudent, i am very displeased with the situation. Yesterday was hers but tomorrow will be someone else’s. If we start making making a change now! One by one, we can eradicate crime and sin! We have the promise from the bible to renew society, yet we remain ignorant and careless with our lives.
    2 Chronicles 7:14
    “14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land”.
    Our land and the planet is wounded spiritually let us take it back! start with you, your children, your family, your relatives, your friends, ……… spread the word of God!
    May his name be praised!

  15. One plus one = 2
    April 18, 2017

    I will not accuse anyone of doing anything thing wrong but I will also not buy any story unless there is a police report, that makes sense . I mean $10,000 cash is a lot of money to walk with and if that money came from the sports division or any arm of the government I am left to wonder why cash and not a government check or travellers check? Is only people dealing with drugs or involved in money laundering that give out so cash so source of money will not be known. In fact if I try to transfer that much money from my account in DOMINICA to my son’s account in any part of the world the bank will ask me to fill out a disclosure. So if I want to avoid it I will send cash. So I can’t understand this one and I would really like to know a little more about the players here.

  16. Music Producer
    April 18, 2017

    They were set up by the customs agents. She had to declare the money upon entering the country… :cry:

  17. MR. PROLIFIC
    April 18, 2017

    Look it-Look It! No one is happy about you getting robbed, we all sympathised with you but, You cannot tell the police how to carry out their duties. If you feel that you needed police protection you should have asked for it. We are saying to take so much money along to AFC Restaurant is carelessness. Why all crimes are committed by Rastas,who are these people and what do they stand for

  18. RED FLAG
    April 18, 2017

    But this story still does not add up. I am not by any means suggesting that our girls were not robbed at gun point but what I cannot understand is the silence of our local police or, police report from St. Lucia. I mean Ms. Vidal is within her right to blame the St. Lucian police for not moving fast enough but what about our local police? Shouldn’t they be in a position where the could call the St. Lucia police to see what’s really happening with the investigation? I mean this is not drug dealers that went on their mission; these are our girls that went to represent us abroad man. I am beginning to wonder if during the Holy week where Judas was identified as the one carrying the bag of money, Ms. Vidal was sold out by locals here as the one holding the bag. We have gangs all over and in this age of technology we don’t know who from Dominica that’s connected to someone in SLU to be on the alert. ST. Lucia is very close to DA and it could be a Dominican in SLU

    • Elsa Royer
      April 18, 2017

      Do they have jurisdiction?? This is not a local event where the cops can take over the investigation. Ridiculous comment.

      • RED FLAG
        April 18, 2017

        Elsa I NEVER asked the corps to take over because I know it is outside their jurisdiction. What I asked of them is that they CALL the SLU police so they could report to us. You remember our boy from V/ case that was killed in Antigua? Didn’t we get a report from our local police first to confirm his death and then why he was killed? Come on Elsa don’t allow politics to get you so blind because I know you aren’t that dotish

  19. IamanIdiot
    April 18, 2017

    Lady you said “it’s not the first time you travel with large sums of money” You aren’t supposed to do that, sorry you had to learn this way.

    In your defense, he came straight at your bag and I doubt you were the only person with a bag. So he must have seen you with a bunch of girls at KFC and seen you paid and realize you holding the money. So maybe Kfc have video they can help the police with. But, trust me, somebody take 14,000 on you, two hours later that man was in the St Vincent channel.

  20. grammoxzoneIdrinking
    April 18, 2017

    Unfortunate and happy that everyone is safe, however in this day and age why didn’t you have all that money on a debit card at the very least for even basic accountability purposes? This is a mess all around.

  21. Mr. Jedi
    April 18, 2017

    With all due respect;
    – There are debit cards
    – A room safe/ or hotel safe or front desk

    Actually to be the most cynical I could, if I was knowingly going to walk around with 10k … i could just ask someone to rob me… (easy 5k for me)

    Still a sorry state.

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