Popular Bequia taxi operator speaks on ‘police beating’

By Admin. Updated 5:55 a.m., Thursday, December 8, 2022, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

Popular taxi operator in Bequia, Baldwin Olliviere says he was “beaten” by police.

The incident is reported to have taken place on Monday, December 5 in Bequia.

A video surfaced on social media on December 6 showing what appeared to be a police blocking Mr. Olliviere from entering his taxi which was parked on a boat/ferry.

The video then proceeded to show what appeared to be a prolonged period of physical back and forth between Mr. Olliviere and the police officer.

Mr. Olliviere was then ushered off the boat and kicked repeatedly and punched in his face leaving him bloodied and on the ground.

In a facebook post on December 7, Mr Olliviere said that on Monday evening at 4:28 p.m., he parked his van on Bequia Express 4 with the intention to travel to mainland St. Vincent to spend the night with his wife.

He said that after parking his van at the back of the ferry, not too far from another parked vehicle behind him, a crew member on the boat came to him and told him to go back a little more.

He said he told the crew member he was, “parked well and it’s 4.28pm, only 2 minutes away from” the boats scheduled departure time. He said since nothing else (no other vehicle) was coming onto the boat and he only saw three vehicles approaching, he did not comply with the request to move his van.

Mr. Olliviere said the crew member told him to leave the boat, to which he told the crew he is going to St. Vincent, “it’s my rights to travel to St. Vincent”. He said he told the crew member: “it’s a public transport and not his private transport.”

He said the police was called in to “to get me off d boat”.

He said he was shocked at the move as he is accustomed to traveling with the vessel, peacefully.

“I will get on d [sic] ferry and go in my seat and sit, or lie down. I never caused any problems, so I was very shocked,” Mr. Olliviere said.

Up to press time, there was no statement issued by police on the matter.

Persons on radio and on social media have expressed their frustration on what some have described as the brutal treatment of Mr. Olliviere who they say is known to be a peace loving person.