Joel Julien

​Historian Angelo Bissessarsingh was diagnosed with terminal cancer last year. He was given two months to live. Bissessarsingh said 2015 was definitely not his year.

This year, however, has been “very good” to the 34-year-old. In addition to still being alive, Bissessarsingh will today receive the Humming Bird Gold Medal for his loyal and devoted service to Trinidad and Tobago in the sphere of history and education.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian last night, moments after President’s House released the list of Independence Day awardees, Bissessarsingh said he felt now that his life’s work had not been in vain.

“Basically, I feel extremely humbled that people feel my very, very poor work is enough to nominate me for a national award. I take great pride and I feel now that my life’s work has not been in vain,” Bissessarsingh said.

In addition to being named as one of this country’s national awardees, Bissessarsingh was also given the keys to the city of San Fernando two months ago by President Anthony Carmona and Mayor Kazim Hosein.

He also launched his latest book, A Walk Back in Time: Snapshots of the History of Trinidad & Tobago, in February. It has made the bestseller list in local bookstores.

“2015 was not my year because I got diagnosed with terminal cancer. 2016, however, has been very good to me because I am still alive. When I got diagnosed I had two months to live. I am still here. The cancer is still terminal but at least I have lived to see the publication of a very successful book with two more to follow before the end of this month.

“I have lived to see my work recognised through the awarding of the keys to the city in San Fernando and now this Hummingbird Medal Gold. I feel, as always, great pride in my country and I believe that now that my work has been recognised my life’s ambitions have been fulfilled,” Bissessarsingh added.

Director general of the T&T Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA), Ramesh Lutchmedial, is humbled to be a recipient of the country’s second highest award —the Chaconia Medal Gold—for long and meritorious service to T&T in the sphere of public service. 

It is a fitting farewell gift from the Government as Lutchmedial’s contract ends on Sunday. He was appointed T&T’s first TTCAA director general and has a career in aviation of some 46 years. 

Contacted last night after the awardees were released, Lutchmedial, said: “I am deeply humbled and I wish to thank sincerely the Dr Keith Rowley-led Government for recognising my contribution to aviation in our country.”

In 2001, Lutchmedial, 64, said he was given a clear mandate to operationalise the newly-established Aviation Authority. He implemented T&T’s first safety oversight system in accordance with the highest safety standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, which qualified T&T to gain United States Federal Aviation Administration Category One Status in 2005.

Lutchmedial started his career in aviation 1969 after graduating from Presentation College, Chaguanas. He served for 31 years at BWIA, where he held several managerial positions, the last being director of air safety. 

Under his leadership, the TTCAA was able to construct one of the most modern aviation complexes in the western hemisphere. 

In addition to being a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer, Lutchmedial has a master’s degree in business administration which he received last year. 

The Judiciary says it is not to blame for a case where a mother lost custody of two of her sons due to a possible “clerical court error.”

Alicia Carter-Fisher, the Judiciary’s court and protocol and information officer, said yesterday: “The Judiciary has completed its investigation and it was determined that the court was not at fault.”

The 34-year-old single mother, Natasha De Silva, claimed she received a call from the Family Court informing her the hearing date had moved from August 23 to Oct 27 and so did not appear on the 23.

However, when she did not show up at the Family Court, based at Nipdec House, that day the presiding magistrate ruled in her absence that the children’s father be given interim custody.

Carter-Fisher indicated: “These are family matters and are confidential. I am not at liberty to comment or disclose anything further except to say the matter comes up again in September so there is an opportunity for review because it was an interim order.”

Carter-Fisher confirmed a call was made to De Silva by an employee at the court but refused to elaborate on the details of the conversation. 

“A call was made but I can’t say anything further. I am constrained by the kind of matter it is. These are family matters, not criminal, and the court is always very concerned in how it deals with its clients,” she said.

Shortly after the Judiciary’s response, De Silva contacted the T&T Guardian yesterday in a panicked state. 

She insisted a social worker at the court contacted her admitting they made a call to inform her about a change in hearing dates.

However, the social worker told De Silva, who has another matter in the same court for two of her other children, that the change of date was made for the other case.

“But that is not true. They specifically called the father’s name as Decklon Ashton. That other case is with a different person. They say they never tell me anything about Decklon. That is not true. When they call, they told me they calling for the matter concerning Decklon Ashton on the 23 August and it is postponed to the 27 of October,” said De Silva.

The Laventille mother of seven added: “I wouldn’t make a mistake like that. They saying they have it on file where I said yes. Oh father, why these people so unfair? You all put it on the papers so they trying to say now is another matter.”

She said all of a sudden they have the call on file “but they saying is the other matter I have coming up on September 23. I not letting this go down the drain. I wouldn’t make a mistake like that.”

When asked if the Judiciary had received complaints like that one in the past, Carter-Fisher said she could only comment on that particular situation. 

However, she said: “The court tries to give an exceptional customer service and we do our best to ensure our client receives access to justice in a fair and equitable manner and if there is any report of any kind the court addresses the matter quickly because we want to deliver excellent service and to investigate it as quickly as possible.”

An estimated $20 million was spent to repair the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) which was ordered to be closed in April 2014 by Occupational Safety and Health Authority.

The facility, which was constructed in 2008 by Shanghai Construction Group, was one of the legacy buildings from the Patrick Manning administration and cost taxpayers over $500 million.

During a tour of the building yesterday, Community Development, Culture and the Arts Minister Dr Nyan Gadbsy-Dolly said she was satisfied the building was now safe for the resumption of classes for music students and other users. 

Cultural events, she said, should resume later in the year after a re-opening ceremony yet to be fixed.

According to the minister the Government will pay for the maintenance costs but the original contractor, Shanghai Corporation of China, will have to pay the costs of the structural repairs. 

She said Udecott had requested that additional lighting and sound equipment should be purchased but the Cabinet was yet to approve that.

Equipment from NAPA have been transferred for use at Queen's Hall, St Ann's, and the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts, San Fernando.

Chairman of Udecott, Noel Garcia, said renovation of the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium, Tarouba, was nearing completion.

He dismissed criticism the facility should be abandoned, saying it “should be used for the benefit of the people of T&T.”

He said the stadium would “provide a welcome relief to cricket fans and players in the South and Central regions.”

Garcia said the first game should take place in December at the Brian Lara Stadium. He said the estimated cost of repairs to the facility would be between $85 and $90 million. He said an estimated $800 million was already spent to construct it and should not be abandoned. 

Construction began in May 2005 with an initial cost estimate of $275 million. The stadium, which has a capacity of 17,000, was to be completed before the hosting of the Cricket World Cup in 2007 but was hit with multiple delays and cost overruns. 

On another project, the Children Hospital, Couva, which was built by Chinese contractors, Garcia said work there was complete and the facility was now under the control of Udecott.

Opposition MPs have been calling on the Government to open the facility which was constructed under the former People’s Partnership government. 

Garcia said yesterday: “We have taken over the Couva Hospital and it is really now up to the Cabinet to direct Udecott as to the next step.”—with reporting by Richard Lord

Wrecking in the city of San Fernando has been temporarily suspended but indiscriminate drivers are being warned that they will be ticketed by police if they break the law.

San Fernando Mayor Kazim Hosein made the announcement yesterday during the corporation’s monthly statutory meeting.

Addressing the council, Hosein said: “I have observed the wrecking system and it is a failure. I know the people of San Fernando have always adhered to our calls to uphold the law but if I cease wrecking in the city I will ask our people to park properly.”

He said recently on Crichlow Street, a resident parked his car in front of his home and it was wrecked.

“You have to be more humane and exercise discretion and I think this is not the case because the wrecking service has failed,” Hosein added.

He also said free parking would be provided at Lady Hailes Avenue and a shuttle would carry shoppers into the city.

“Some people are saying why the city doesn’t charge for parking but in life not everything is about money,” Hosein said. 

He said a meeting would be arranged with officials from the San Fernando police to discuss the issue. 

But acting ASP Sharon Sampson-Remy told the council if someone parked in a no-parking zone, even if it was in front of their homes, they would be wrecked. 

She also said that the municipal police officers would be on patrol to identify drivers who park in no-parking zones. 

The motion to suspend wrecking for the next few months, effective tomorrow, was passed unanimously.

Business group pleased

President of the San Fernando Business Association, Daphne Bartlett, said yesterday she supported the move but said traffic wardens and police officers should not ticket shoppers who may stop to make a quick purchase or use the ATM.

“I think they should observe and if someone stays longer than half-an-hour then they should be given a ticket,” Bartlett said.

Currently there is no inner city wrecking because San Fernando does not have a public car park and Bartlett said delivery drivers were given half-an-hour to drop off goods.

“I think that arrangement should remain. Also when the mayor says he doesn’t want people to break the law, I want him to take a walk on High Street and Mucurapo Street and see hundreds of people breaking the law,” Bartlett said, in obvious reference to illegal street vendors.

She applauded the mayor’s efforts and said everyone should work together to stop crime and traffic congestion in the city.

More than 600 truckloads of garbage have been removed from homes within the Couva/ Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation within the past three weeks in its bid to reduce mosquito breeding areas and prevent the spread of the Zika virus. 

Even though health authorities have admitted thousands of people have been infected with the virus, people are not taking the personal responsibility to clean around their homes and communities.

This was evident during Tabaquite MP Dr Surujrattan Rambachan’s tour of Guaracara yesterday. Some homes still have overgrown bushes, receptacles for water and several other public health violations that created breeding grounds for the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

Within an hour of health control officers and litter wardens visiting homes, several people were warned about their premises and one person was served with a notice. Corporation chairman Henry Awong told the T&T Guardian over 500 residents were served with notices for violating the public health ordinances. 

He said when public health officers visited two weeks later and there was a 60 per cent compliance rate of people addressing the violations while 40 per cent were tardy. At least three people have been fined $500 for unkept property. That fine has since been increased to $3,500.

For abandoned properties, he said, the corporations would clean it once while the owners were tracked down and billed for the job.

Although all regional corporations received $500,000 towards source reduction activities, Awong said it was not enough over a long period.

Rambachan said he was surprised how some people kept their premises. He said people were under-educated about the causes and effects of the Zika virus and the issue of microcephaly, a medical condition that results in birth defects.

For that reason, he said, he would be forming neighbourhood Zika watch groups, led by responsible people in the community. He said those groups would be responsible for immediately identifying potential mosquito breeding grounds and help educate their neighbours.

“I believe too many people in our country are not serious about cleaning up and perhaps they do not understand the wider implications and dangerous outcomes of being subjected to the Zika virus. 

“The idea of having a child with microcephaly in your house is not something to be welcomed at all. Across the world we are seeing the difficulties parents are faced with in having to manage for a lifetime, children born with microcephaly,” Rambachan added.

He said his office called the Ministry of Health yesterday morning, requesting educational pamphlets on the Zika virus so they could be distributed through the constituency. However, he said, they were told that the ministry was out of pamphlets and the staff there was unsure when new ones would be printed.

“I believe nationally, more can be done about the education. I think that the educational efforts of the Ministry of Health are too sparse and too thin. When you get a response like that, it means to say they are not aware themselves about the extent to which there is under-education of the problem and we are seeing it,” Rambachan said.

On Monday, a wandering reptile brought rush hour traffic to a halt along the South-bound lane of the Uriah Butler Highway as it made its way across the highway near the Caroni Swamp.

Luckily for the four-foot long caiman, traffic came to a stop and a motorist had to use unusual methods to coax the frightened reptile back to its natural habitat.

The Uriah Butler Highway separates the marshland of Caroni Swamp.

A video posted on Facebook on Monday drew comments from several motorists who complained about the frequency of caimans crossing the roadway and disrupting traffic in the Caroni area.

An officer at the Caroni Police Station said animal and reptile crossings were rampant in Caroni. These include cows, horses, snakes and crabs.

Senior game warden, Steve Seepersad, said while the area where the caiman was seen was a natural habitat for its kind, he believed there was a way to keep them off the roadway. 

He added: “These are wildlife and that area is a part of their natural habitat but the regional corporation responsible for the area or even the Ministry of Works can do something about it. 

“They can put up a wall or erect some kind of barrication to prevent them from coming out on the roadway.

“There is nothing else that can be done in respect of a natural habitat like that. If you remove them they will come back.”

He is warning enthusiastic members of the public against approaching the animals.

“It would be dangerous to try to remove it, especially the females which are very aggressive. In order for a caiman to bite someone who is standing, it has to turn sideways. Then it will turn and snap at you, grabbing your clothing, and when you try to raise your foot they will grab your foot.”

Unlike the caiman, a horse trying to cross the roadway along Caroni North Bank Road on Sunday night was not so fortunate. 

It was hit by a vehicle, suffered a broken leg and had to be put down.

“Officials from the zoo were contacted and they put the animal to sleep because it was a full grown horse and to approach it would have been very risky. When an animal is in distress like that it can kick out at unsuspecting people,” Seepersad said,

He said in cases like those, where a wandering animal was hit by a vehicle the owner rarely came forward. 

“They can be charged for failing to corral their livestocks and for that reason many people do not come forward to claim their animals,” Seepersad said.

The T&T Guardian was told the dead horse was butchered and shared among passersby who stopped near the site.

‘Be more vigilant’

​​​Contacted yesterday for comment, co-ordinator of the TTPS Strategic Road Safety Project, officer Brent Batson, advised drivers to be more vigilant on the roads at night.

“Most incidents where drivers hit animals occur at night. One of the biggest challenges drivers have, while we might look out for pedestrians and cyclists, is to look out for animals when driving through rural areas. You can’t let your guard down at any time,” Batson said.

He also warned drivers against ‘overdriving’ their headlights.

“What this means, is that if you are using low beams and they are showing you 100 feet in front and you are driving at 80 miles per hour, by the time you see an animal, you might have all of 20 feet left before you hit it.

“It is advisable to use your high beams in rural areas, unless there is a vehicle coming from the other side,” he said.

Today, Trinidad and Tobago celebrates a great landmark in our heritage—54 years of independence—and we should be proud of the great progress this country has made during that time.

The T&T Guardian wants all our readers to celebrate today but we cannot be entirely proud of some of our history.

When a close relative grows old and their care becomes challenging, the choice becomes simple. 

Place the person in professional care and let someone else handle it or double down and find a way to manage the problem with the resources available. 

When it comes to the history of Trinidad and Tobago, and more specifically the artifacts that remain standing as a reminder of that past, the overwhelming choice has been to let history fend for itself and the results have been disastrous.

There is no elder care home for ageing buildings, artifacts and monuments. 

Each nation meets the challenge of preserving portions of its built history according to its means and its interest in doing so.

In China, entire villages and towns have been razed to support that nation’s enthusiastic embrace of capitalism and modernity.

Cuba, with far less available in its coffers, has chosen to preserve its built history carefully and craft a national narrative that embraces everything that has made the country what it is today.

Those are broad brush strokes and in both nations, there are notable exceptions that prove the rule. 

With Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar set to have crucial face-to-face talks on crime tomorrow, former principal Justin Paul has suggested the former shift system which operated at junior secondary schools for several years may be a major cause of the serious problem facing the country today.

Paul, one of the recipients of Chaconia Medal Gold for long and meritorious service to T&T, is a former principal of San Fernando Technical Institute, Permanent Secretary in the Ministries of Education and Works and Transport and once served as director of Technical Vocational Education and Training. He said in a brief interview after receiving his award at Queen’s Hall yesterday evening that he established YTEPP and on-the-job training across the country. 

While he did not think the education system was failing the nation, Paul said the crime problem may be the result of students coming out of the disbanded junior secondary school system, which operated a shift system which allowed thousands of students to be away from classes for half the day when many of them engaged in non-school activities. 

“That was part of my concern. Half-day school may have encouraged some of that activity to cause us to now have a number of young people involved in crime,” he said, adding that the situation may be changing as schools now run for a full seven hours.

Another recipient of the Chaconia Medal Gold, former THA Assemblyman William Mc Kenzie said he was happy to have received the award which he accepted in honour of his late mother who always made sure he was accountable for his actions. He was the lone PNM member of the THA for several years when it was controlled by the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) led by Arthur NP Robinson.

Keith Campbell, a forester who died during battling a bush fire in St Ann’s, was awarded the Humming Bird Medal Bronze posthumously for gallantry. His brother Kenrick said that it was “a good, but bad that it happen in this way.” He however thanked the Government for the award, adding that his brother would have appreciated it. He said his brother was “a hard worker and he loved doing what he did.”

Calypsonian Scrunter (Irwin Johnson Scrunter) expressed his joy and receiving an award by hugging Prime Minister Rowley. He later expressed concern that the local music industry was dying because of piracy which was causing artistes to suffer financial losses. He called for the law to be enforced to ensure music pirates were prosecuted. 

Cornelius Lewis, a former chairman of the People’s National Movement’s (PNM) Diego Martin West constituency office yesterday denied that politics had anything to do with him receiving a Humming Bird Gold medal although he was nominated by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.

Lewis, 89, one of 32 recipients who received national awards from President Anthony Carmona last night at Queen’s Hall, yesterday, was given the award for community service. He has been a member of the party since 1956.

“I had been the secretary of the Diego Martin West constituency for over 35 consecutive years,” he said, adding that he had worked closely with many Diego Martin West MPs, including the late John O’ Halloran, Lance Browne and Hugh Francis and “even Dr Rowley.”

Lewis said he would not entertain any talk of political bias in the award because he had served not only the constituency and its people, but the country.

“When I left home tonight people were congratulating me and were in agreement with the award. People had expected me to get this for a number of years before now. If you go in Diego Martin West and you ask they would tell you that,” he said

Responding to claims that the award was politically motivated, he said: “The fact that Dr Rowley made the request it may lead to that but it is not that. Once it is Dr Rowley people would say it is politics.”

Lewis said he has known Dr Rowley since 1991: “You ain’t see the wife (Sharon Rowley) hug me up and kiss me. That is the relationship we have.”

Lewis currently holds the position of vice president of the T&T Association of Village and Committee Councils.

What Stanley St Louis thought was the sound of early morning fireworks turned out to be gunshots which claimed the life of his son, Correy St Louis, outside their home at Gernium Drive Extension, Morvant, yesterday. 

Police said St Louis was not known to be involved in any criminal activity and although a small amount of marijuana was found on him, they do not think his death was drug related.

The elder St Louis said his first-born son, 35, was a welder and father of a nine-year-old boy. Neighbours described the victim as a quiet man and expressed surprise when they heard he was killed. 

The area where St Louis lived borders criminal hotspots in the Morvant/Laventille community, including Malick, Sunshine Avenue, and Laventille Road. His death has brought the murder toll to 304 for the year.

“At first when they buss the shots it sound like fire crackers and I thought it was one of them little boys playing the fool,” his father said.

“Then I hear like about six or seven and it sounded like somebody testing out their gun. At first I called him but after the phone ring three times I say let me wait a little. After a while I call him back, put on light in my house and move around. I was waiting on him to call me back. Then a neighbour call and they tell me that this happen.”

The father of six said his son grew up “good, good with everybody” and had spent his childhood caring for animals and eating fruits from the hills near Gernium Drive. 

He said while as far as he was aware his son was innocent, he was not with him at all times and he could not wholeheartedly vouch for him.

“I don’t know. Not everything I go know. I am the last to know but the first to get the blame as the father. I don’t know what going on. I want to know who it was and what was the reason.

“I just want to know who it was and what reason they do this for because the person would have to know him and be around him, or someone send them to him. I know him as someone who didn’t trouble anyone,” he said.

Nine people were arrested during a seven-hour long anti-crime exercise in the Southern Division.

They included La Romaine men ages 27, 39 and 28, arrested for possession of marijuana, and a 23-year-old man and 35-year-old woman from Pleasantville were jointly charged with possession of 70 grammes of marijuana.

A 21-year-old man from Vistabella was arrested in connection with ongoing enquiries into a shooting, while a 35-year-old man from Champs Fleurs, a 32-year-old man from Belmont and a 21-year-old man from Morvant were held for questioning about a motor vehicle theft. 

Police also searched six abandoned houses and found a .38 revolver in a vacant lot at Charles Street, La Romaine. Two rounds of .38 ammunition were also recovered. 

The exercise was co-ordinated by Snr Supt Pesnell, Asp Ramdeo, Insp Gajadhar and supervised by Sgts’ Joseph and Lewis with officers from the San Fernando Task Force and the K-9 Unit.

President Anthony Carmona says crime should no longer be treated as a political issue and he is urging Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar to ensure their discussions on the issue tomorrow successful in the interest of the entire nation.

In a brief address at yesterday's Independence Day reception at the Policer Administration Building in Port-of-Spain, President Carmona said the crime problem was so grave that he “invoked the power of God that he will inspire the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader that they can get together to come up with ideas and policies and initiatives.” 

He added: “It has nothing to do with politics.” 

Speaking passionately about the issue, Carmona said dealing effectively with crime “was all about country” and an effective solution will allow “all of us here to live with the required peace, with the required harmony with the required unity.”

He said the entire nation was “hoping that policy will be engaged in a way to deal with the issue of crime in this country.”

“When great people meet great things must happen. It must not be a talk shop, it must not be foot works. We have to get the job done,” he said.

There have been 304 murders for the year so far. Carmona said all citizens and the law enforcement agencies “need to band together, as a nation, we need to be unified in our approach to solve the problem.”

He saif that while T&T has problems, they were all salvageable and there is always the need to engage the maturity and the intellect of the nation to solve problems. 

Guests at the reception included Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, his wife Sharon, Chief Justice Ivor Archie and his wife Denise. The highlight was a toast to the nation on the observance of its 54th anniversary of Independence.

The President’s comments were made ahead of a meeting scheduled for tomorrow and convened by Prime Minister Rowley at the request of Opposition Leader who will submit proposals to address the crime problem. It takes place at the Office of the Prime Minister.

An 18-year-old Penal man is warded in serious condition at the San Fernando General Hospital after being stabbed on Tuesday morning. 

Tevin Karim, of Arjoon Avenue, Mt Diablo, told police he was standing on Quarry Road when he got into an argument with a 17-year-old acquaintance. 

He told police the teen stabbed him several times with a knife before fleeing. 

A suspect has been arrested and is assisting police with their investigations.

In another incident, a 20 year-old St James man was shot in the right leg yesterday morning. Police said Ian Francis, of Dundonald Hill, Long Circular, was walking along Jeffers Lane at around 2.30 am when the occupants of a blue Nissan Almera jumped out of the vehicle and opened fire. Francis tried to run away but was shot.

He was taken to the St James Medical Complex, then transferred to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he remains. 

Investigations are contining into that matter.

Jennifer Rampersad, who had one hand severed and lost the use of the other in a brutal cutlass attack earlier this year, says her application for a social disability grant has been turned down.

Rampersad, 36, of New Grant, Princes Town, was found lying in her bed with gaping wounds to both hands and the back of her head on March. 

She lost her right hand and the thumb and index finger on the left. She spent seven days warded at the San Fernando General Hospital since then has been struggling to come to terms with the disabilities she suffered in the attack.

“My whole world has changed since this and things that I could have done I can't anymore, including grooming and taking care of myself. I have to depend on people to help me,” she said.

Rampersad, who is now unable work, said she was told that her application for the grant was rejected because her annual income of $12,495.41 is in excess of the statutory amount of $12,000 to qualify for such assistance

Rampersad, who also applied to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, is still awaiting a response on that application

A widow, she had worked in the information technology field for two years before the attack. She said her assailant is still at large and to date the police have not sought an official statement from her about the incident.

Contacted for comment, a police officer stationed in Princes Town, who did not want to be identified, said a statement was never recorded because Rampersad refused to co-operate. However, she denied that claim. 

“I went to the station, I gave information yet no official statement was taken from me and those who live with me at home,” she said.

“I am a victim of crime here and the suspect is still at large. My life could still be in danger and no protection or assurance of my safety is being given to me.”

Rampersad said her life has changed drastically changed and at times she felt like she could go mad or fall into depression.

“Thanks be to God and my faith in Him that I am able to drown out all negative thoughts and feelings. I couldn’t do it without Him,” she said.

“I experience excruciating phantom pains. I feel like if I’m in a tight vice grip, sometimes a crushing feeling or bending. 

It’s because the nerves are there feeling for my fingers. It’s terrible, but God is good.”

Acting Senior Superintendent of the Southern Division Adeline St Louis-Pesnell said she has made enquiries of her own with the relevant senior police officers and has called for the investigating file.

President of the Single Fathers’ Association (SFA) Rhondall Feeles says Laventille mother Natasha de Silva, who recently lost custody of two of her children, should take some comfort in knowing an interim order can be challenged.

“Fathers lose custody all the time and no one cares. She lost interim custody. It’s a culture of mommy’s baby, daddy maybe,” he said.

“Yes, she might be afraid. She feels it’s the end and feels she may not see the children again, yes it’s bad, but she can present her case at the next hearing.”

Feeles encouraged De Silva get in contact with the SFA as they were willing to assist her. He said the group dealt with custody cases almost daily.

“I would advise both mother and father in this instance they need to understand and put the welfare of the children in front of everything. 

“When you get into the court system you don’t know what will happen. Find maturity and work it out outside the court, because when you go in there you don’t have total control,” he said.

Daly defends call system

Former chairman of the Family Court Committee Stephanie Daly is defending the system where judicial employees make telephone calls to inform attorneys and litigants about changes in case matters.

“The reason it was introduced was for more flexibility, giving the opportunity to inform people about matters in a low key way. These matters have a high emotional involvement, so it’s so much better to get a phone call, much less stressful,” she explained.

Resoponding to de Silva’s claim that she received a phone call from the judiciary informing her of a change of date for the custody hearing for two of her sons, Daly said the calling system gives attorneys and litigants a better chance to receive get promptly. 

“Frankly there’s nothing more frustrating than to reach to a co-parenting session or hearing and find out there’s nothing going on.”

“Ideally there would have been a written confirmation if a call goes out. Errors can happen. How often have you had someone tell you a wrong date and time? 

“But you look at something, investigate and learn from it, and move forward with it, to reduce it occurring in the future,” she said.

“The family court concept is about learning as you go, to adjust and tweak.”

Senior attorney Lynette Seebaran-Suite, who practices at the Family Court, agreed that the calling system is useful.

“It is user friendly and customer sympathetic. 

“It’s a good protocol to call people if their matter is not going on for some reason,” she said.

Seebaran-Suite said litigants often put their jobs in jeopardy to attend court matter and it’s worse when they arrive to realise that nothing is happening on that day.”

“Ultimately calling clients is a good system and should continue,” she said.

After turning away from a life of crime 13 years ago following the birth of his daughter, death came calling at the home of a 41-year-old Mt Hope labourer on Monday night.

Antonio Cyrus was at his home on Mt Hope Road just after 10 pm when a familiar voice called out to him. When he answered and stepped outside, he was met by bullets. He collapsed and was taken to the Eric Williams Medical Science Complex where he died

Speaking with the media at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, his wife, who declined to give her name, said Cyrus was a changed man who lived a law-abiding life for the sake of his three daughters.

“He was a changed person. He changed his life for the betterment. Somebody called him and he answered the call and that was his last sentiment. He wasn’t a saint but he had transformed his life to a life of peace. 

“He was devoted to his children and to me. The birth of his children encouraged him to change his life, they kept him in a stable life, everything he did was for his children,” she said.

She said what she wanted out of his death was that the killer/s stop playing God and taking lives and to “respect other people lives and value life.”

Cyrus’ mother, Elvira, said she was just about to enter her bathroom when she heard the gunshots and when she went outside , she saw the body of her son. 

She said of all the memories of her son and all he had done for her, she would miss his smile the most.

Businessman George “Umbala” Joseph, president of the Civil Liberties Union of T&T (CLUTT), broke down in tears yesterday as he promised to continue “to bathe, feed and clothe” the homeless. He said he came from the bowels of poverty and could have easily been one of them.

He said he felt compelled to extend some measure of “good will to the less fortunate” and challenged corporate T&T to show more compassion to those who roamed the streets aimlessly.

Joseph was at the Communication Workers Union (CWU) Hall on Henry Street, Port-of-Spain. The CLUTT hosted a special Independence Day event for the city’s homeless, providing approximately 200 of them with manicures, pedicures, haircuts, baths, fresh clothing and hot meals.

Joseph said he had been providing this service to the street dwellers for the past eight years.

From as early as 6 am the street dwellers, some of whom walked from as far as East Dry River and Riverside Plaza, began assembling at the venue for the event. Some arrived half naked, covered in grime and with matted hair.

Those who were unable to walk to CWU Hall were picked up in five vans and a mini bus.

For breakfast, there was ham or turkey with bread and hot tea, while lunch consisted of pigeon peas, pineapple chicken, ham, potato salad, corn pie, festival rice and fresh salad, topped off with ice cream for dessert.

“It has become a ritual of sorts for the homeless. They look forward to this day because they know they will get a bath, a hair cut, clean clothes and a hot meal … which they seldom experience,” Joseph said.

Joseph, an outspoken and often controversial radio talk show host, displayed a familiarity with many of the vagrants, calling out to some of them by their first names.

“Madame, don’t be ashamed! Go inside, have a bath, change your clothes, get your hair braided, and eat something. Today is your day,” he told one homeless woman who smiled and obliged.

The street dwellers are informed of the event via pamphlets distributed to them days in advance.

Joseph estimated that $50,000 was spent on the day’s event which was attended by Roman Catholic priest Fr Clyde Harvey and Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus, a CLUTT member.

Breakfast and lunch was donated by CEO of Arima Discount Mart, Balliram Maharaj and Rodney’s Supermarket, while boxes and bags of clothes, some of which were new, were provided by a good samaritan from Miami.

Joseph became emotional as he recalled that when he came to Trinidad, 69 years ago, he had no shoes.

“I was just 11 years old. The whole town took charge and cared for me. And today I am a multi millionaire. I own an island in the Grenadines, I have two Rolls Royces. God gave it to me. I have to give back to them. We have a reason to do what we should do for the less fortunate.”

Joseph said taking care of the homeless should not happen once a year, but should be done weekly by corporate T&T.

Admitting that the problem of street dwellers had been ongoing, he added: “It isn’t a problem than cannot be solved. All it takes is heart. Unfortunately, we have a lot of brain and lip but not sufficient heart. This could be done every single Sunday in Trinidad and Tobago.”

Sprawled out on the pavement opposite the CWU, street dweller Patrick Hart heaped praises on Joseph for organising the event

“Just now I going inside to fresh up and eat something. Miss I ain’t go lie, this day is like Christmas for us. We does look forward to this day because you does feel appreciated and accepted in society,” he said. 

Bentley Snaggs, who has been living on the streets for five years, said: “I don’t know nothing about the man but he doing more than the Government by helping us. It might only be once a year but it still better than nothing.

“Joseph should be given an Independence award today for his contribution,” said Snaggs.

A 19-year-old Carenage resident became one of T&T’s 308 murder victims, after he was stabbed to death while liming on Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook, early yesterday morning. 

According to reports, Nicholas Jeffers, of L’Anse Mitan Road, was standing near the corner of Luis Street and Ariapita Avenue around 5 am when he got into an argument with a man. 

The man reportedly drew a knife and stabbed Jeffers several times in his chest. Jeffers’ cousins, who were liming at a nearby bar, noticed the altercation but by the time they rushed to his assistance his attacker had already ran away. 

Jeffers was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital in an ambulance but died shortly after being admitted.

In a brief interview at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, yesterday, Jeffers’ relatives described him as quiet and peaceful. 

“He very quiet and was not accustomed liming. He just went out last night as it was Independence Day,” a female relative said. She said Jeffers had graduated from the Mucurapo West Secondary School almost two years ago and was unemployed. 

Asked whether his cousins had recognised his attacker or knew what the dispute was about, the relative said no. 

“They don’t know who it is and they not really talking to us about it,” she said. 

Investigators had not arrested the suspect up to late yesterday but were interviewing eyewitness and reviewing CCTV footage of the incident captured by cameras from several businesses. 

Jeffers’ killing raised the murder toll for the year to 308. There were 282 murders recorded for the same period last year. Detectives of the Region One Homicide Bureau are continuing investigations. 

Denise Martin was fighting for her life at the Intensive Care Unit of the San Fernando General Hospital last night after she and her boyfriend, Shamshudeen Mohammed, were shot by gunmen at their Fyzabad home on Wednesday night. 

Police said Martin, 28, of Otaheite, South Oropouche, and Mohammed, 31, were sitting in the porch of Mohammed’s home at Standard Road, Fyzabad, around 2 am, when two men jumped over the fence. 

One of the men locked Mohammed’s neck and a struggle ensued, following which five shots were fired. Three of the bullets hit Mohammed in his right leg, while Martin, who was sitting in a hammock nearby, was shot in the head and chest.

Mohammed underwent emergency surgery on his leg yesterday and was listed in a stable condition. However, Martin was said to be critical, having suffered damage to her lungs and brain. 

In an interview yesterday, Mohammed’s stepfather, Rambarran Ramjattan, said he was sleeping inside when his wife, Corisha Mohammed, ran inside screaming: “They kill Denise.”

“When I got up Denise was lying down in the hammock and her face was bloody. She was not moving. I thought she was dead,” Ramjattan recalled.

Saying he was unsure whether the assailants were targeting the couple, who ran Flambeau’s Bar at Fyzabad, Ramjattan said last Friday Mohammed gave up the bar because the owner wanted to increase the rent. 

“He packed up all the stuff he had in the bar and brought it home. She used to be in the bar with him. I don’t know if the people were targeting them because they are businesspeople or if they had another motive. I don’t know,” Ramjattan said. 

He said his son, Zakir Mohammed, was also asleep inside when the shooting occurred. He also said recently thieves broke into his house and stole wares and tools. The day before, someone also poisoned his dog. 

Ramjattan called on the T&T Electricity Commission to fix a broken streetlight outside his house which he said provided security to his family.

Meanwhile, a source who requested anonymity, said two strangers were spotted walking alongside a fence prior to the shooting. It is believed that the suspects hid in a box drain when the police arrived. No one was arrested but a spent shell was retrieved from a gravel heap close to the house.

Residents from Standard Road said yesterday there had been a spike in robberies over the past few weeks. 

“Illegal immigrants and deportees have been living in a house in the area. They paying just $300 a month and we think they are staking out businesspeople in this area,” a source said. 

Some of the residents called on the police to boost patrols in the area. 

Anyone with information on the shooting can contact CrimeStoppers at 800-TIPS. Fyzabad police are continuing investigations.