MASMAN Brian MacFarlane yesterday expressed outrage at the crime element which had now gripped Tobago, and called on the authorities to bring the perpetrators of a string of recent murders to justice, saying the island’s good name and the tourism industry depended on it.

MacFarlane said he felt saddened and horrified by the callous acts.

’You need to find these people and the evidence, because if they are allowed to remain out there, there would be more lives lost. This is bad for tourism and the people who live here in Tobago, ... the fear they live in,’ MacFarlane said.

MacFarlane was speaking following the launch of his 2010 Carnival presentation Resurrection, The Mas at Buccoo Reef.

The island is still reeling from two double murders last week.

Teenagers Kolen Salandy, 16, and Rondell Thomas, 15, were murdered and their bodies dumped at French Fort. They were discovered by a religious group on September 19. The boys were beaten to death.

The next day, middle-aged couple Bevan and Judith Toby were found burnt to death at their home at Runnemede, hours after Bevan had been called to come home by his wife. An autopsy subsequently ruled they died of smoke inhalation, but Tobago cops have not yet ruled out foul play in this case.

Yesterday, MacFarlane called on the authorities to be stiff and serious in finding the murderers.

Meanwhile, yesterday’s launch of MacFarlane’s band was historic in that it was first time in the history of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival that a band was launched in the middle of the sea.

MacFarlane said he chose Buccoo Reef because it was one of two things which put this country on the map-the other being Carnival.

’There could have been no better launch than one in Tobago,’ he said.

MacFarlane said he will launch the band at his mas camp in Trinidad on October 6.