Estate Police Association (EPA) president Steve Smart yesterday filed a criminal report and sought medical treatment after he was allegedly assaulted by members at the Marabella headquarters.
Smart, also a Special Reserve Policeman (SRP), claimed he was ambushed and assaulted by members who converged on him as he arrived at his office at Battoo Avenue shortly before 11 am.
However, Natalia Bleasdell, branch secretary of the association’s Airports Authority branch, also filed a report against the president at the Marabella Police Station, claiming he had assaulted her.
Members had converged at the headquarters to voice concerns over poor representation and to demand answers regarding back pay for Airport Authority members among other issues.
When contacted Smart, who was at the Marabella Health Centre awaiting treatment, said he was punched in the head and was feeling dizzy and nauseous.
Among those who protested were members of the Airport Authority branch, led by its chairman, Videsh Bhagwandeen; Petrotrin branch, led by president Deryck Richardson; University of the West Indies, Chaguaramas Development Corporation and Central Bank branches.
Smart said he was aware of disenchantment within the association but the protest caught him by surprise.
He said when he arrived at work he had to park on the road because he could not get to his usual parking spot because the area was blocked by a group of people. Smart claimed he was surrounded by more than 75 people.
“I returned to go upstairs, in passing through the car park I was assaulted. I was held and I was punched in the head.
“I am at the health centre now because I was vomiting and all that. My laptop dropped. It is broken. The laptop is damage and the police has taken it to photograph and check it.”
He added: “When I got through the crowd, I went upstairs. I felt really giddy because I got the blow to the head and my bag dropped, my computer dropped. I am not going to leave this so.”
Smart said he was also verbally abused. During the melee, Smart said he was cautioning members to behave themselves.
“The media was there so the media would have the footage of exactly what happened.”
Responding to members’ allegations against the executive, he said since attaining office in 2014 he has been facing strong opposition by the various branch boards because he was an estate sargeant with MTS.
Bleasdell, however, claimed she was assaulted by Smart who was pushing through the crowd.
Several members of the EPA yesterday expressed their dissatisfaction with the level of representation they were receiving from the current EPA executive, led by Smart.
Over 70 members gathered at the EPA head office yesterday where they intended to meet with the Smart but when he arrived there was no discussions.