The relatives of murdered Chinese couple Yang Jiang Hua and his wife Wu Xia Hua should not expect to be treated better than any national of Trinidad and Tobago, Minister of National Security Jack Warner said yesterday.

He was responding to statements made by relatives of the murdered couple at their funeral on Saturday. They expressed disappointment that promises made by Warner, during a visit at the family's home in Cunupia a week ago, had not materialised.

Speaking to the media following the opening of the Caratal Road and Macaulay Trace in Claxton Bay, Warner said, "I visited them a week ago and in a week I don't know what they expect. But I don't expect to treat them any better than the nationals of Trinidad and Tobago."

Warner said he visited the family's home to empathise with them, asked the police to accelerate the investigations, requested an enquiry into the two police officers accused of responding slowly and had written to the Chinese Embassy to express condolences.

"And I have told them that we will do everything possible to try to catch the offenders. I urged them to reopen their business. I told them that I will give them police protection like more patrols and so on. In a week I don't know what they expect. I can't expect to treat them any better than the people of this country," he said.

The couple who came to Trinidad on a holiday and decided to remain and apply for resident status were shot and killed during a robbery at their son's business place on July 13. Their son, Yang Hu operated Tiger's Chinese Restaurant at Southern Main Road, Cunupia.

They were cremated at the St James Crematorium, Long Circular Road, on Saturday. The couple's ashes would be scattered in their homeland in China.

Yang Hu complained that no officials from the Ministry of National Security attended the funeral. He intends to seek a meeting with Warner this week to find out whether any assistance would be offered to the family.

Yang Hu said the family intends to return to the city of Zhenjiang, China. • See Page 7