February 29th, 2020 makes it twenty years since my father was shot and murdered in front of my mother, brother and I.
At the mere age of six I watched on as armed men shot my father and took his life on a street in St Clair, Port-of-Spain.
Twenty years later I have endured the heartache of growing up without my dad by my side.
Twenty years later I still await justice. That night my father ceased being a living human being and became just a statistic.
A statistic on the forever politicised murder toll in Trinidad and Tobago.
Imagine being six years old when armed men order you out of your parked vehicle, stealing from you and then before leaving killing your father who stood just a couple feet away from you.
To this day I remember his last words. I remember the screams and crying for help, standing there watching my father on the ground and all he could do was place his hand on my foot and hold onto my ankle.
That last touch, was how my father said goodbye to me.
Every murder that occurs in T&T pulls at my heart strings as I know that there is a family out there going through what I was made to endure.
For 20 years all I have wanted was closure, answers and justice.
Why shoot and kill my father? What drove you to do this horrible act? Have you no conscience? After 20 years awaiting justice that hope will go in vain.
To date no person has been arrested, charged or convicted for the murder of my father.
There is a saying that life goes on however this statement is not entirely true and you never forget something like this.
One thought though is for certain, I will forever know the type of person my father was.
He was a loving and caring father.
A great lawyer and patriot. He loved his family and friends.
They may have taken his life but they would never take away his mark on this world and my little yet wonderful memories of him.
To my dear father, I miss you every day and I’m sure you are turning in your grave when seeing the current state of our nation.
I love you, Dad. And I will forever miss you.
Rest in Peace.
DANIEL BERTIE