Fresh internal conflict is threatening to break the United National Congress (UNC) apart in the build up to internal elections. With just days to go before the party elects its leader, the mostly clean campaign has suddenly turned nasty as one would-be deputy leader was threatened for taking sides against incumbent Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

The Sunday Guardian has learned that former sport minister Brent Sancho aligned himself with challenger Vasant Bharath’s Team Reconnect and was immediately “threatened with exposure” by Persad-Bissessar’s team.

Sancho, the Sunday Guardian is told, quickly withdrew his candidacy bid and has since left the country.

“I have been told that he would return after the internal election,” one UNC insider said.

With the rumour mill in overdrive, no one wanted to officially comment on what Persad-Bissessar’s team was allegedly holding over Sancho’s head.

Another insider close to Sancho, however, directed the Sunday Guardian to the September 2 issue of The Sunshine newspaper, a weekly publication owned by former government minister Jack Warner. The only story Warner’s publication ran on Sancho that month was his alleged involvement in an adult tape.

Sancho could not be reached for comment but texted the newspaper that he was “in a meeting” and therefore could not talk.

A Team Reconnect insider confirmed that Sancho made an application to be on Bharath’s slate in the capacity of deputy political leader. He confirmed also that Sancho left the country and indicated that he would return only after the December 5 election.

Meanwhile, Persad-Bissessar denied any involvement in the alleged threat against Sancho.

“I cannot confirm that. Sancho is the best person to ask about that wouldn’t you say?” Persad-Bissessar said in a telephone interview.

“I did not even know Sancho was on Vasant’s team. I do not think I have that kind of power that my displeasure could force someone to withdraw from that team,” Persad-Bissessar said.

With regards to the internal election, Persad-Bissessar said she was “confident” of a victory because she still maintained a healthy ground support from the UNC.

Persad-Bissessar admitted that the party was disjointed now in the last days leading up to the election, but she did not feel that that would last long. She is currently campaigning against deputy political leader Dr Roodal Moonilal and former minister Vasant Bharath.

Persad-Bissessar said in the 2010 internal elections, neither Moonilal nor Bharath campaigned on her slate.

“Vasant even refused to sign the letter to the President to support me for Opposition Leader but after that the party has come together and we won the general election,” she said.

“Yes it is a challenge, but I have a solid track record working in my favour, I was challenged before and no challenge is insurmountable,” she said.

Meanwhile, both challengers, Moonilal and Bharath, have also confirmed that there has been heated infighting.

Bharath accused Moonilal of “clutching at straws” in an attempt to undermine his campaign.

“I think he (Moonilal) sees that he does not have the support he believed he would have and as the party founder said, he is irrelevant,” Bharath said.

He said Moonilal’s sudden attack on him proved that Moonilal’s own campaign was fragile.

“He seems to be building his case to return to the Persad-Bissessar camp because I believe he recognises that he cannot win,” Bharath said.

“He seems to be looking for a home and is trying to engender some sort of sympathy from the Persad-Bissessar camp,” Bharath added.

Meanwhile, Moonilal is focused on ramping up his campaign in the last days before the election. He said there have been no threats made against him or his team by anyone.

“I think you have to be very strong to try and threaten me, I am not easily threatened,” Moonilal said. 

Leader of The Islamic Front Umar Abdullah intends to discuss with National Security Minister Edmund Dillon two issues when they meet on Tuesday.

The first being the migration of close to 100 T&T men who left our shores to become fighters for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and whether the Government would prosecute these fighters if they returned home.

On Thursday Abdullah was scheduled to have a face-to-face discussion with Dillon about T&T’s nationals joining Isis, but due to the minister’s pressing engagements, the meeting was postponed to Tuesday.

In a telephone interview on Friday, Abdullah said he and the Muslim community were about creating solutions and not problems.

He said he would like the wives and children of the deceased fighters to return home safely.

Abdullah estimated between seven and eight of the men who joined ISIS have died in battle, leaving their families in turmoil.

“Although I have spoken to a few of their wives none of them has indicated to me that they wanted to return home because of the intricacies of the whole issue.”

Abdullah said no government should prevent its citizens from returning to T&T.

He said citizens who committed crimes outside of T&T and served jail sentences were deported back to T&T, yet no one complained.

“What the Government has to do is properly screen, monitor and offer rehabilitative programmes to these families and fighters so they can be reintegrated back into society. We should not shut the doors on them. These people need counselling.They should not be locked out because we would create a bigger problem.”

Abdullah said he hoped the meeting would have a positive outcome. 

Two weeks before his engagement to his girlfriend Nikita Wolfe, Iam Joseph was gunned down in front of his Gasparillo home on Friday evening.

Wolfe and Joseph were expected to get married next June and had planned their engagement party for December 11. Even though the murder occurred around 6.25 pm, police were hard pressed to find witnesses.

Police believe Joseph, 29, was at his home when he had an argument with someone who pulled out a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and shot him two times about the body. Joseph ran out into the yard and collapsed. He was found lying in a pool of blood by a neighbour.

In an interview, Wolfe said she found it surprising that nobody saw or heard the gunshots. “His house is surrounded by neighbours. How is it nobody helped him? How is it nobody saw or heard anything? He died because he lost too much blood. If the neighbours came to help, he would have been alive today,” Wolfe cried. She said Joseph’s mother, Madonna, arrived a short while later and saw him lying on his right side, clad in a red jersey and black shorts. He had a gunshot wound to the right side of his neck and on his right hand.

Wolfe said she was looking forward to married life with Joseph and her four children. “He knew the house was small so he was extending it to accommodate the children. We planned to get engaged for his birthday and after posting banns, we would have gotten married in June for my birthday,” Wolfe added.

Mom wants justice 

for son’s murder

Meanwhile, Madonna called for justice. “I want to get justice for the death of my son. Whosoever did this to my son, the Father will deal with them according to their works.” She said Joseph, a “jack of all trades,” had no enemies.

“I spoke to him on Wednesday and he told me he was bringing back some carailli for me,” Madonna said. She said two years ago, she gave Joseph a lot of rented land and told him to build his house.

His sister Darlene Baptiste said Joseph had dreadlocks and on Tuesday he called her to twist his locks. She said Joseph planned to purchase a car and was looking forward to his engagement.

Joseph’s body was viewed by District Medical Officer Dr Klem Ragobar who ordered it be removed to the Forensic Science Centre.

Police officers led by Supt Phillip, Insp Pooran, ASP Ramdeo and Sgt Mc Intosh visited the scene. Police believe that Joseph’s murder could be linked to the shooting of Kevin Applewhite, 30, of Johnson Street, who was shot in his groin while liming at Lumsden Recreation Ground on Thursday. 

Anyone with information on the shootings can contact Crime Stoppers at 800-TIPS.

Orin Gordon

Editor-in-chief

Over a family dinner just before the New Year, Sir Ronald Sanders considered withdrawing from the contest to succeed Kamalesh Sharma as Commonwealth secretary-general. In a chance encounter in a Toronto restaurant, he told me that the Caribbean could not get its act together, and was split over three candidates—him, Dominican-born Baroness Patricia Janet Scotland, and T&T’s Bhoe Tewarie. He ended up staying in the race, and today, as the Malta summit wraps up, must now wish that he hadn’t.

Sir Ronald Sanders is the son-in-law of Sir Shridath Ramphal, a former secretary-general. 

Baroness Scotland’s victory denied the Ramphal/Sanders household the mother of all Christmas celebrations.

Sir Ronald, a highly regarded broadcaster in Guyana in the 70s, has few peers in handling the media, with his quick grasp of the complex details of the world of diplomacy, development and foreign affairs, and ability to analyse it instantly, fluently and simply. 

Like many smart lawyers, Baroness Scotland of Asthal, QC, takes a micro-beat thinking before talking—processing the question, choosing her words carefully, and delivering them in the soft, cultured tones of the English upper class. In person she’s easygoing, but keeps a cool, businesslike detachment. 

She smiles readily, especially with her eyes. She wears the garb of the British aristocracy easily. 

Not for her the rah-rah of the House of Commons and Prime Minister’s Question Time. She was to the peerage born.

There’s much to like about her choice as secretary-general. 

She’s bright, accomplished and well qualified. 

That needed to be said before the second thing—which is that she is the first woman to become secretary-general. 

Margaret Thatcher, Indira Gandhi, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Sirimavo Bandaranike of Sri Lanka, Dame Eugenia Charles, Portia Simpson-Miller, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, Julia Gillard of Australia and Helen Clark of New Zealand have served their countries and/or contributed greatly to Commonwealth affairs over the years.

It’s way past time the Commonwealth caught up with its own membership, and the times. 

And—in a group in which small countries rule by number and population—the thing that matters a lot in terms of symbolism is that the SG Designate is a black woman.

However, it’s a stretch to say she was a Caribbean candidate. 

She is English right down to her elegant patent leather pumps—as English, some would argue, as David Cameron. 

A prominent member of the British establishment and the House of Lords, she held a number of key posts in the British government and Cabinet, becoming Gordon Brown’s Attorney General. 

She was, to all intents and purposes, a UK candidate. 

None of this is to question her Caribbean-ness or sense of rootedness in the country of her birth. 

She simply did not look or feel a Caribbean candidate to the majority of Caribbean leaders, and Dominica’s single-minded pursuit of her candidacy has done some damage to regional comity.

Dominica, the criticism went, supported a British candidate who happened to be born in Dominica, an island she left when she was two years old, and her tenuous link to her birthplace mattered more than holding the line on Caricom solidarity. 

Certainly the process was messy, with a number of Caribbean leaders thinking that they’d extracted a promise from Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit to back Sir Ronald, and Dominica clumsily extricating itself from that. 

It’s a once in a lifetime post for a region. 

After Sir Shridath held the post between 1975 and 1990, it went to Africa, Oceania (New Zealand) and India. 

The Caribbean felt that it was its turn again, and the hope was that Caricom would field one candidate.

It did not help Sir Ronald’s case that a report in London’s Telegraph on Wednesday, the eve of the election for SG, linked him to alleged fraud which allegedly involved the Antiguan government he represented in London as high commissioner. 

His lawyers said in response to the report that he has always conducted himself with propriety. 

A very interesting question for a reporter to ask him is whether he thinks the timing of the report was coincidental.

In any event, he was eliminated after the first round. There were two pieces of irony. 

Baroness Scotland did well in the first round with the heavy backing of the European bloc (and some Caribbean support). 

Secondly, with Sir Ronald eliminated, Antigua and Barbuda ended up voting for her over Africa’s candidate in the final round.

What the SG Designate does next will be interesting. 

She needs to reach out to Caribbean governments which did not support her candidacy, and once in the chair in April, deliver for the Caribbean in some way. 

The Caribbean’s problem is that it’s not quite poor enough, and the Commonwealth can seem skewed towards Africa in terms of delivery of aid and technical assistance, and Asia and the Pacific on issues such as climate change. 

Baroness Scotland needs to do some family healing.

A 27-year-old man was killed and his 28-year-old companion warded in critical condition at hospital after the car he was driving crashed in St Augustine, yesterday. Kerron Alfred, of Bushe Street, Maitagual, Petit Bourg, died on the spot while driving on the Priority Bus Route.

Victoria Mayers, who was a passenger in the front seat remains hospitalised in a critical condition, police said. A report said around 4 am, Alfred was heading west when he crashed into a tree near Emerald Plaza. Acting Sgt Hospedales from the St Joseph Police Station is continuing investigations. 

T&T Police Service’s coordinator of the Road Safety Project, Brent Batson, said yesterday there were 137 road fatalities for 2015 compared to 146 for the same period last year.

“We heard the passenger was in critical condition. We will be monitoring. This comes on the heels of five people losing their lives in a short space of time. Initial reports suggest that speed was a contributing factor to the crash as he lost control when there was little or no traffic on the road,” he said. 

Batson said one can only imagine the type of Christmas these families will have with one empty seat at the table. “So drivers must ask whether or not they will be putting up a Christmas tree or tent for a wake given the manner in which they are driving,” he said. 

Last week Monday, Namdeo Harriman and his son, Lalchan Harriman were killed in a crash on the M1 Ring Road in Princes Town. Last week Wednesday, Anthony Marcano, 60, Saliesha Ali, 41, and Sherwin Constantine, 64, were killed in a smash-up in Mayaro.

Unannounced changes to the appearance of the $50 note sparked counterfeiting fears on social media yesterday. But the Central Bank says the changes were made to assist the visually-impaired and update of the latest polymer currency.

On several social media posts yesterday, various users shared photos of the bills noting a difference in text and colour claiming that it was being duplicated by fraudsters. 

Many warned their friends and others to be careful when using the $50 bills during this upcoming festive season and pointed out the new changes to the bill claiming that it was “a fake.” The text on top of the note was faded away and there is extra colour on the red bird.

The new polymer $50 was brought into circulation last December. Charlene Ramdhanie, Central Bank’s senior manager of Strategic Communications and International Relations, said yesterday the $50 bill had not been counterfeited and members of the public should not worry as it was still of good use.

Ramdhanie said there were changes made to the bill. One of the reasons, she said, was to assist the visually impaired. 

“There is no counterfeit of the polymer $50 2015 series issued by the bank. There was a removal of commemorative text. We made small changes to the notes generally that they (public) would note.” 

Ramdhanie said the changes to the notes were made after consultation with the Blind Welfare Association.

“We added a blind ember feature for the visually impaired and another security  feature added with a mask feature added on the red capped cardinal,” she said.

Blind Welfare Association chief executive officer Kenneth Surratt said the association had been working with Central Bank for years now. 

“We told them the world is polymer—a type of plastic and put a raised mark on it. Once you touch it they will tell the difference. 

“We are very happy that the Central Bank saw it fit that we did not have to go to court to make the T&T dollar accessible. 

“It was a win/win for all. We are first country, excluding Canada, to make our currency accessible,” he said.

An Oropouche man who planned to marry his children’s mother next year was shot dead outside his home on Saturday by gunmen who blasted 19 shots at their target.

Kareem Modeste, 28, who worked as a warehouse attendant at SM Jaleel Co Limited, was walking up the stairs at the side of his home at #98 Dow Village, South Oropouche when he was shot repeatedly. The killers fled through some bushes and exited through the residential Grove Park community.

Modeste’s body bore multiple gunshots in the back and buttocks. He collapsed face down on the staircase, clutching a blood soaked tee-shirt and his phone. 

In an interview yesterday, Modeste’s common-law wife, Shurlaine Edwards, said she awoke around 5.45 am to mix some tea for her two-year-old son Kaleem when she heard a loud thud on the staircase.

“When I came out I saw Kareem on the stairs and I thought he fell. I didn’t hear any gunshots. When I looked closely there was blood. I see the steps shoot up and I realised he was shot. I ran back inside and called the police,” she said.

Edwards said Modeste went to a parang lime close to their home on Saturday and spent the night liming with his friend Marcus Hodge.

“He didn’t have any fight with anybody. If he fall out with people he will talk back to them the very next day. He didn’t hold grudges,” Edwards said. The couple had two children and lived together for the past five years. Edwards said Modeste was busy fixing the downstairs floor of his mother’s home so they could move in by Christmas.

“We planned to get married next year,” she said.

Modeste’s mother, Jill Alexander, said she wanted justice.

“If they did chop him, I wouldn’t mind. If he was in the hospital, I wouldn’t mind. But they shoot him four, five, six times. I not taking this. He is my only son,” Alexander said. She said Modeste was a diligent worker and a loving father.

“He used to drink his rum and make a little joke but he didn’t deserve this. He didnt do anybody anything,” Alexander shouted. She said one week ago, her brother, Boy Mitchell, died from cancer.

“This is the second death and I cannot deal with this,” Alexander said. Hodge also said that Modeste had no dispute with anyone at the parang lime. He said he dropped off Modeste at his house.

“Kareem told me that he drank and he had to work today and I said I will pick him up. I see him take off his jersey, put it around his neck, close the front gate and walk down the hill. I drive off afterwards. Next thing I hearing that he dead,” Hodge said shaking his head in disbelief.

Officers of the Southern Division Homicide Bureau visited the scene and took statements. They discovered a track where the assailants fled. Several spent shells were also retrieved. An autopsy has been scheduled for Monday.

French Ambassador to T&T, Ambassador Hedi Picquart said this country is the first in the Caribbean region to show its commitment to deal with the effects of climate change. 

This comes ahead of today’s conference in Paris where global leaders will meet to talk about climate change, including gas emissions and its effect on the environment.

The ambassador was speaking at the start of yesterday’s People’s Climate march titled, From Port-of-Spain to Paris 2015, which started at the Nelson Mandela Park in St James and had between 500 and 600 participants, according to director, Jonathon Barcant from the IAMovement, a non-profit organisation founded in 2014.

Countries across the globe held similar events. 

Picquart said T&T should be proud of its commitment to climate change: “The T&T authorities have presented their INDC (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions) in August, being the first in the Caribbean basin to do it.”

He said that this would go toward the final COP21 document. Referring to today’s COP21 conference, he said: “Governments from 195 countries will meet in the upcoming days to draw a Paris/climate alliance with France which will be a universal, ambitious and legally binding agreement. Climate change issues would not be resolved in a one day or two weeks conference.”

But Picquart added: “Joining forces and acting together is something essential. States, local governments, the local citizens, everyone can do something at his own scale.”
 

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, who openly supported Sir Ronald Sanders for Commonwealth Secretary General, yesterday congratulated Baroness Patricia Scotland who copped the post.

Scotland, the Dominican candidate is the sixth Commonwealth Secretary General and is the first woman to hold this post. She replaces Kamalesh Sharma of India. Her parents were from Dominica. Sanders had the backing of eight other Caricom countries. There had been numerous calls across the region for her to drop out of the race.

The selection of the new Secretary General took place last Friday in a closed session during the 24th biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), held in Malta. Rowley, accompanied by his wife, Sharon, travelled to Malta for the meeting, which ended yesterday.

Scotland, former UK attorney general, defeated Sanders, Antigua & Barbuda’s nominee and Botswana’s Mmasekogoa Masire-Mwamba. Rowley, in a statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday said Scotland’s selection was a great victory for the Caribbean.

“This is a great victory for the Caribbean, as the last Caribbean national to serve as a Commonwealth Secretary General was Sir Shridath "Sonny" Ramphal QC—who served for fifteen years from 1975 to 1990.

“As Baroness Patricia Scotland embarks on her tenure as the Commonwealth Secretary General, Trinidad and Tobago wishes her all the best in promoting and protecting the Commonwealth’s values and principles as set out in the Commonwealth Charter.” The Prime Minister said he also looked forward to working with Scotland along with the other heads of government.

Rowley had earlier indicated his support for Sanders while T&T’s Dr Bhoe Tewarie was the third Caribbean contender. Tewarie eventually pulled out of the race, citing commitments to his constituency after the September 7 general election as the reason. Opposition Leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, in her congratulation message on Saturday said she was proud to welcome the organisation’s first female Secretary General.

“I have no doubt that Baroness Patricia Scotland would maintain her pledge to put the women’s agenda firmly on the table and work with leaders, governments, local governments and other partners. “It is most fitting for the Commonwealth to recognise the value of women in leadership roles.”

What went wrong with Sir Ron

Antigua & Barbuda’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Charles “Max” Fernandez said Sanders lost the position because Antigua was “marginalised” by other blocs in the Commonwealth who supported Scotland because she is a member of the English Parliament.

Giving an analysis of what went wrong in the Antigua Observer, Fernandez said, “We went up against Africa on one hand, and the other (voting) bloc of the Europeans. 

“As you know, Baroness Scotland is a member of the English Parliament. They openly lobbied very heavily for her. “Also the (Australians) lobbied openly with the Pacific countries. So, in effect, we were marginalised, to say the least, and had a very, very tough time going forward.” He said the open European intervention on Baroness Scotland’s behalf “blindsided” the Antiguan contingent.

The Observer reported that just before voting took place, an article was carried in Daily Telegraph headlined, “Leading candidate to be Commonwealth secretary general alleged to have received $1.4m in fraud against Antiguan government”.

He languished in hospital for eight months, shrunken and paralysed but when he was cremated yesterday, accident victim Chaitram “Kenny” Rampersad looked like a prince.

Even though he died a shadow of his former self having lost more than 150 pounds after four cars ran over him last March, near Grand Bazaar, Valsayn, Rampersad, appeared to be at peace. The accident left him paralysed from the neck down. 

No one was ever arrested in connection with the accident and the family hopes they will one day get some form of justice. Rampersad was struck by four cars while crossing the road. He died last week at the San Fernando General Hospital even though the family never gave up hope that he would walk again.

Mourners who attended the funeral at St Georges Street, New Grant home, said he looked like his former self. His face was no longer gaunt and it appeared he had a smile on his lips.

His mother Mohenee, who cared for him in the months after his accident, caressed his face. He wore a white and gold kurta with a headpiece. Mohenee never got justice as the motorists who ran over Rampersad, never came forward. None of the insurance companies ever helped and it was generous members of the public who assisted as she struggled to buy adult diapers, medication and liquid nutrients for her son.

Sister Christine Boodoo broke down in tears as she recalled that Rampersad’s nickname was Mr Handsome. “He was mostly known as the handsome one. He was hardworking, diligent and a loving father to his daughter. he never gave up and even after he was paralysed he would still give kisses to my mother and give her a smile,” Christine recalled. 

Rampersad’s ex-wife, Surujdaye Jagroop, placed flowers in his casket as she performed aarti. Their daughter Jayda also offered red roses to him. Officiating Pundit Mukesh Maharaj urged mourners to learn a lesson from Rampersad’s life story.

“Do not waste opportunities in life. Time is ticking away. Man looks to blame time, karma and actions for their situation but who will you blame for Kenny’s situation?” Maharaj asked. 

Saying it was God’s decision to take Rampersad’s life, Maharaj thanked the scores of Good Samaritans who came to Rampersad’s aid.

Every now and then when I have some free time, I think it would be nice to relax in the air-conditioned darkness of the cinema, with a bag of popcorn and some M&Ms, watching a good movie. However, the kinds of movies my friends and I enjoy watching are rarely screened. Action, horror and children’s films seem to dominate the MovieTowne Tobago schedule.

On this particular day, a friend and I arrive at MovieTowne just before 10.30 am. We have some free time and have decided to take advantage of the $13-per-movie-for-one-day-only special in honour of the cinema’s thirteenth anniversary. 

The choice of movies does not appeal, but we choose one anyway—War Room—simply because my friend says two people told her it was good.

The car park is unusually packed with cars, especially for that hour of the morning. Inside, people of all ages scurry to buy tickets or stand chatting animatedly in long lines at the concessions counter. The excitement in the air is tangible. I wonder if many have taken the day off from work to enjoy the special admission.

Armed with popcorn, M&M’s and water, my friend and I head for Cinema 4. Usually when attending a movie in Tobago (at least for the rarely-shown independent kind) there may be anywhere from two to six people in the theatre, me and one or two friends included. Today there are about twenty people, sitting in the dark awaiting the movie—some munching on snacks, some staring at glowing phone screens.

The movie, War Room turns out to be nothing about war; at least not the kind of ‘war’ one might automatically assume it refers to (eg World War). 

What unfolds before us is a family-oriented film that advises on how to fight spiritually using prayer and the Bible. Ordinarily such a movie would not appeal to me but, despite not-so-great acting, the film is entertaining and inspiring, moving us from laughter to tears and back again, as a small family journeys from the point of near breakup to a victoriously happy ending.

“She foot mus’ be real stink!” a man behind us shouts at one point as the wife/mother’s severe foot odour problem features as a focal point in the film for about the fourth time. All of us erupt in laughter, agreeing with the male patron’s commentary.

“Give me a man like daaaaaaat!” one woman screams toward the end as the husband (who had been on the verge of leaving the marriage but found his way back as a result of his wife’s praying in the ‘war room’) lovingly washes and massages his wife’s feet in a tub of hot water (while wearing a gas mask)...and she slowly consumes the rich chocolate-whipped-cream-with-cherry-on-top dessert he has given her.

We patrons again burst into laughter, some clapping in agreement. The live commentary, laughter and applause are more entertaining than the film itself.

Afterwards, in the lobby, a woman I don’t know runs excitedly up to me. “Which one you saw?” she asks, eyes bright.

“War Room.”

“It good?”

“Yes.”

“Good!” she says, informing me that she’s there for the day and is deciding which tickets to buy.

There were so many people buying multiple tickets and multitudes of snacks, to provide energy for their whole-day movie marathon, that I wondered if MovieTowne would consider having this special more often. 

But then again, offered more often, would it still be considered ‘special’ by the masses?

Faced with an increase in child obesity cases in T&T, medical practitioner Dr Shazard Soobrattie is calling on parents to make healthier food choices for their children. He was speaking at the Rapid Fire Kidz Foundation eye glasses distribution function, held at the Monkey Town Government Primary school on Saturday.

Sixty three children from Picton Presbyterian and Monkey Town Government Primary schools received free spectacles from the Foundation, which were supplied by See-Vu Emporium Optical’s managing director Avinash Sookdeo and his brother, Kerven Sookdeo.

Soobrattie urged parents to ensure that their children had a balanced diet. Instead of giving children unhealthy snacks, Soobrattie urged parents to provide fruits and vegetables. 

“Obesity is an epidemic in society and is a product of unhealthy choices of adults. An obese child could easily become an obese adult,” Soobrattie warned. Giving a breakdown of the long term effects of obesity, Soobrattie said children lose confidence and this often leads to under-achievement.

He said non communicable diseases such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, cancer and polycystic ovaries are also caused by obesity.

Meanwhile, Presbyterian Rev Joy Abdul-Mohan urged parents to be role models for their children. “Encourage your child to become involved in activities that reflect your values, such as spiritual religious programmes, athletics, after school programmes and volunteerism,” Abdul-Mohan said. 

She also said while good behaviour cannot be legislated, it was important for parents to instill good values in children.

My name is Rachel Grappie and I’m a multimedia artist who changes her hair every month.

I’m from Pashley Street, Laventille, where I grew up over 30 years. Girl days in Pashley Street were hard, because of the stigma Laventille got. And just hard. I went to St Catherine Girls’ Anglican, then Barataria Junior, then St Augustine Senior Comprehensive.

I was raised and remain an Anglican. And go to church. Occasionally.

I believe in God despite all the pain and suffering I witness because, with the bad, also comes the good. Yes, we have a lot of murders, all these other things—but, then, we have a bright sunny day, we don’t have volcanoes, we don’t have to study tsunamis coming to us.

I have three children, two boys and a girl, Kelsea Grappie, Mikaeel Campbell and Kyle Valentine, the oldest. Kelsea, not Chelsea. She always say, “I am not Chelsea! Chelsea is my cousin!” That’s her cousin’s name.

I got to know my boss through doing a course at UTT. If I had just walked up and asked to speak to her, first thing, my appearance. Then, she’d watch and see: Laventille. And it’s, “Oh, God, I ‘fraid these people”. It’s like that all over Trinidad. Once you put, “Laventille” on your application, you don’t get through. You have to know someone that knows you personally to account and say, “Yes, she lives there, but Rachel is nothing like what other people portray Laventillians to be like”.

I have just one piercing and it was mostly a spontaneous act but my hair is always a tribute to my mood. You could tell my mood by my hair colour and style. If it looks wild, it’s because I feel frustrated and I just want to express myself. I can’t do it within my art because it wouldn’t be respectful—so I take it out on myself: what I wear; how I wear it.

I could wear the same jersey three times and it look totally different every time. I could wear it formal with a jacket. I could tie it up for a party vibes. I could wear the same jersey to work and look professional. It’s all how I choose to portray myself at the moment. I’m a walking work of art.

I change my hair every two to three weeks. It doesn’t get too expensive because I have a hairdresser friend, Nkeisha Murray, aka Far-I, who uses me as a muse. When I look in the mirror, I feel empowered, I feel beautiful, I feel me! People say, “Oh, image is nothing!” No. I could rock blue this week but, next week, I’m feeling happy—what colours make me feel happy? Yellow! Green! Purple! So my hair goes those colours.

Curry is the best cuisine for Trinidad because you could curry everything! But I don’t eat octopus or squid. Not even if you curry it.

Camille Selvon-Abrahams, the mother of Trini animation, is my hero. But if I could have dinner with one person in the world, it would be Will Smith.

I worry about living accommodations. Because I don’t have my own home. The way the country is going, I worry about the safety of my kids.

The best thing about changing my hair is the styles I get to use; the bad thing is the time it takes. First, we have to colour; then we have to choose the exact style; then we have to do the marking. It’s a tedious process, but worth it, all the time!

A Trini is someone who is so independent, they have the choices to go after what they want. Without any obstacles because of religion, ethnicity or because you’re not rich enough!

Trinidad & Tobago is culture and freedom to me: you can eat curry in a Chinese restaurant. I love that we have a lot of cultures and we all come together. The most time that is portrayed is at Carnival. But I don’t play mas myself. You know how much I could do for my children with that money?

n Read a longer version of this feature at www.BCRaw.com

Asif Hosein-Shah
Student, Hugh Wooding Law School

For many it is a piece of cloth, but for Muslim women around the world, the headscarf (loosely called “hijab”) represents a crown of religious symbolism of divine worship and obedience to God.

Naturally, in a multi-religious state governed by its own laws, the question arises of whether one is free to practice his/her religion and the degree of practice in society. The simple answer is yes — but not without its limits. The question of religious practice is wide and complex. This article specifically seeks to address the wearing of the hijab in the workplace.

The Constitution recognises specific fundamental rights regardless of religion and guarantees people the right of freedom of religious expression and observance. This binds the State who cannot make laws or policies infringing the right without meeting a high threshold of reasonably justifying such action in a society with proper respect for the individual’s rights and freedoms and attaining a 3/5 majority of parliamentary support. 

The State and private companies are also bound by the Equal Opportunities Act. The Act defines discrimination as treating a person less favourably than another on the ground of status. The definition of status includes religion. 

The Act states at section 8 that an employer cannot discriminate against a person applying for a job (a) in his arrangements for hiring; (b) in the terms and conditions of employment; and/or (c) by refusing or deliberately omitting to offer employment. For employed people, section 9 states that an employer cannot discriminate against a person employed by him (a) in the terms and conditions of employment; (b) in affording access to opportunities for promotion, transfer, training or any other benefit, facility or service; and/or (c) by dismissing the person or exposing them to any other disadvantage.

Thus, on the face of it, neither the State nor private employers may discriminate against women wearing the hijab in the workplace or expose them to any disadvantage. 

However, quite commonly, conflict arises where there is a “Uniform Policy” in the workplace. On paper, the policy seems to be equal in application to all, but most commonly its effect indirectly discriminates against a particular group of people.

In T&T a uniform policy cannot be inflexible or its effect cannot be unreasonable in the exercise of its terms: Mohammed v Moraine (1995) 49 WIR 37. This falls within Commonwealth positions where uniform policies must pursue a legitimate aim and be proportionate to achieving that aim.

It follows that the headscarf itself does not breach a uniform policy where the wearer conforms to the overall standard of the uniform and blends the hijab to match it. Even if the hijab is not compatible with the task, an employer has a duty to attempt to reasonably accommodate the person in another task.

Nevertheless, where religion is necessary in a religious shop or the job involves domestic or personal services concerning the employer’s home, an employer can deny employment to a person on the ground of religion.

In conclusion, does the hijab have a place in the workplace? The answer is most definitely yes, but you must be guided by your own conduct and stay as close to the rules as possible. 

• This column is not legal advice. If you have a legal problem, you should consult a legal adviser.

Three of the country’s most senior judges have failed to come to an agreement over whether the United National Congress (UNC) has conclusive proof that its defeat in September’s general election was due to a one-hour extension in voting, in order to secure a re-election. 

Delivering its judgment in the appeal brought by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) and the People’ National Movement (PNM) at the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain, yesterday, the appeal panel, led by Chief Justice Ivor Archie, was split two to one, as it ruled that the UNC had met the requirements required for preliminary approval of the petitions. 

The judgment now clears the way for the petitions to be heard in the High Court, with Archie assuring both parties that the Judiciary will take steps to ensure their petitions are heard and determined expeditiously. A date for the hearing is yet to be set. 

Delivering their majority decision, appellate judges Allan Mendonca and Peter Jamadar suggested that qualitative issues needed to be considered in determining the impact of the EBC’s decision and not just the quantitative consequences on whether the PNM attained its majority in the six disputed marginal constituencies during this period. 

“Such a position elevates outcome as absolutely determinative of legitimacy and discards process as of no or little consequence. Therein lies a path to undemocratic rule,” Jamadar said as he suggested that the purpose of the petitions was to ensure public confidence in the electorial process. 

Jamadar added: “It appears to me the main reason for the divisions of opinion is based on fundamental ideological difference on the core purpose of the representation petitions.” 

While Mendonca and Jamadar came to the same decision, Mendonca gave slightly different reasoning. 

Stating that the UNC would have had difficulties gathering the evidence required through Archie’s analysis during the brief limitation period allowed for filing petitions, Mendonca said the party had presented sufficient details to warrant Dean-Armour’s decision to grant leave. 

“If an election has been conducted so as to not be in substantial compliance with the laws of this country it is impossible to say that the result was not materially affected,” Mendonca said as he noted that the claims were not frivolous or vexatious.

Archie, who was in the minority, took a more narrow view as he ruled that the party’s petitions should have failed because the UNC did not provide the required evidence to prove that the result of the election was materially affected by the EBC’s decision to grant the extension due to heavy rain in Trinidad. 

Refering to the statistics on the margin of victory in the six constituencies and the evidence provided by the UNC, Archie described their claims as to the effect of the election as “highly speculative and far-fetched. 

“If the rules were broken it does not follow that the result was unfair,” Archie said. 

While he disagreed with his colleagues, Archie said their decision would allow for analysis of the EBC’s powers, which would assist in future polls it managed. 

“I disagree but I am conscious of the value of knowing definitively what EBC can and cannot do for the confidence of population in the election petitions,” Archie said. 

As part of the ruling the appeal panel ordered that the EBC and the PNM pay the UNC’s legal costs for defending against its appeal. 

The UNC was represented by Timothy Straker, QC, Anand Ramlogan, SC, Gerald Ramdeen, Wayne Sturge and Kent Samlal. 

The EBC’s legal team included Senior Counsel Russell Martineau and Deborah Peake. Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes and John Jeremie and attorneys Elena Araujo and Celeste Jules represented the PNM.

THE ISSUE

The UNC filed the petitions after its 23-18 defeat, claiming that the EBC’s rules and the Constitution give the EBC only the power to adjourn an election in instances of public violence and not the power to extend the traditional election timeframe of 6 am to 6 pm. 

The party is seeking to have the court declare the results in six marginal constituencies null and void, paving the way for re-elections in those constituencies.

The disputed constituencies are San Fernando West, La Horquetta/Talparo, Toco/Sangre Grande, Tunapuna, St Joseph and Moruga/Tableland. Three citizens—Ravi Balgobin Maharaj, Irwin Layne and Melissa Sylvan—have also filed private lawsuits challenging the EBC’s decision. 

Maharaj, an activist who attempted a hunger strike to convince environmentalist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh to end his, is challenging the EBC’s power to grant an extension. 

Layne and Sylvan, both from Tobago, are claiming that the EBC’s breached their constitutional rights by only extending the poll in Trinidad. The petitions, and both lawsuits have been assigned to Justice Mira Dean-Armourer. The first hearing of Layne and Sylvan’s case is scheduled to take place this afternoon. 

Consumers were caught by surprise yesterday as they had to fork out an extra $2 one way for taxi fare between Port-of-Spain and San Fernando.

The increase from $15 to $17 has caused division among the fraternity of taxi-drivers opposed to the fare hike caused by the increase in super fuel at the gas pump as well as loyal customers.

With some commuters vowing to now use the Public Service Transport Corporation (PTSC) service, rather than having to pay an extra $4 a day, first vice president of the North-South Taxi Drivers Association Paul Lewis said his worse fear that they would lose customers had been realised.

Lewis has been resisting the suggestion of a price increase following Finance Minister Colm Imbert announcement in the 2015/2016 Budget of a 15 per cent increase in the cost of super and diesel gas. The 15 per cent increase pushed the cost of super from $2.70 a litre to $3.11 and diesel from $1.50 a litre to $1.72. 

While some drivers felt that was an impetus to increase the fares, others like Lewis felt it was too little to substantiate between $3 and $5 increase as was first suggested. Several meetings to arrive at an amicable solution ended in chaos and Lewis said he was not invited to the last two meetings when that decision was made.

He said he had first asked his fellow taxi drivers to hold their hand for Christmas and until the government reviewed the budget in March 2016 but his suggestion gained no traction. As a compromise, he said he suggested a $1 increase but some found that was insufficient. He said unknown to him, a decision was reached between members from Chaguanas, Curepe and Port-of-Spain to impose the $2 hike.

“I had expressed the fear that we would lose customers. Port-of-Spain is more difficult to work because we are competing with the buses, maxi-taxi’s and water taxi.” He said while he did not want to be in conflict with his fellow taxi-drivers, he would observe what was taking place over the next few days and then make a decision.

Two weeks ago, 23-year-old Jovon “Seggy” Mc Gill told relatives he would not live to see the end of the year. This self-fulfilling prophecy came true on Sunday morning when his body was removed from down a precipice in Morvant.

Speaking with the media at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, yesterday, a female relative of Mc Gill, who did not want to be identified, said he told her that he dreamt he was walking with his parents, both deceased. 

She added that he also told other relatives that he did not believe he will live to see Christmas. Mc Gill, she said, began having the dreams around the time he began his part time job at National Flour Mills.

According to police, Mc Gill’s body was found at Poinsetta Drive, Morvant, around noon on Sunday after he left his Dorata Street, Laventille, home Saturday afternoon. 

Police said Mc Gill may have been killed as a result of another murder that took place in the area on Friday. Police say there is an ongoing war between Morvant and Malick, Barataria. The other murdered man, Lorenzo Phillip, lived at Malick, Barataria but was killed in Morvant.

Also speaking to the media at the centre yesterday was Mc Gill’s girlfriend, Natalie Brown, who said the father of one was a quiet person who kept to himself. 

“I don’t know why he was there (in Morvant),” Brown said before being interrupted by another woman who said Mc Gill received a phone call before leaving his home to meet someone. 

Brown added: “He was home Saturday evening with his daughter and he got a phone call and it was so strange that whoever called him, he tell them hold on he coming now. 

“I find it strange because normally he don’t leave home at those hours or walk down the road, cars always picking him up home and dropping him back.”

Police reports stated that around 5 am Friday, Lorenzo Philip, 27, of Seventh Avenue, Barataria, was found murdered and naked at Poinsettia Drive, Morvant, not too far from where Mc Gill’s body was found.

Police said residents heard gunshots and later found his body. Police believe that Philip was killed as a result of an ongoing dispute over the ownership a house and land in the Morvant area.

The killing of the two men have taken the murder toll to 380 for the year, five more than the corresponding period last year. 

Bicycle rider Errol Lochan pedalled to save his life yesterday after an enraged cutlass-wielding motorist tried to run him over with a car in front of several witnesses.

The motorist, who was locked up by police, crashed his car into a business place along the SS Erin Road, before reversing and becoming stuck on a pavement outside the Motiram Shiva Mandir. Luckily no one was injured.

The drama unfolded before peak traffic started close to Cuchawan Trace, Debe. Lochan, still shaken from the ordeal said he went to a nearby bar to buy some cigarettes when the motorist asked him to move his bicycle.

“I tell him ok and then I went to buy some pholourie. The next thing I know this man started accusing me of stealing his phone and his money. I didn’t steal anything. I tell him he mad or what and I leave,” Lochan said. 

The enraged motorist jumped into his Datsun 280C and began following Lochan down the hill with the car. Pedalling feverishly, Lochan dodged into Ravi and Son’s car wash, hoping to throw the driver off the chase. 

Ravi Sookdeo and his wife, Meena Sookdeo, were standing in the car wash area when they saw the 280C coming towards them.

“We had to run. The driver hit the pressure washer and then he slammed the brakes. He ‘chook’ in his reverse gear and then went straight onto the pavement, almost hitting the mandir,” Sookdeo said. 

He added that it was fortunate that there were no children around when the accident happened. The driver then pulled out a cutlass and began chasing Lochan. By the time police arrived, both men were questioned. 

The driver was arrested. He is expected to be charged pending instructions from senior officers. 

One ought not to look too far in calling yesterday’s Court of Appeal ruling on the UNC’s election petitions a “victory” since three different judges had three different points of view on the matter, says Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi.

“I had hoped this matter would have been dealt with today (yesterday) but... there were three different versions of reasons given by the senior judges of the Court of Appeal,” Al-Rawi said while speaking to reporters outside the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain, following yesterday’s judgment. 

At his side was Tunapuna MP Esmond Ford, one of the six PNM MPs whose constituencies are at issue in the UNC’s petitions. Al-Rawi said Commonwealth law did not lie with the majority of the Court of Appeal’s ruling. He added: “This is very much new ground but this is justice and T&T has the prerogative to deal with it.

“At the end of the day, we feel very confident we are going to have a victory and about our prospects when the matter is heard (in the court again). On public trust in the Government following the ruling, Al-Rawi said on one hand while clarification of the law was welcome, “on the other hand the issue of stability in T&T is another factor.”

He said the view by the Chief Justice, whose position the other two judges disagreed with, was one which the PNM shared. He said: “We believed this was not a matter that leave (to be heard) ought to have been granted. I thought the rationale by the Chief Justice was clear, cogent and compelling.”

Al-Rawi, however, noted the CJ’s issues were in the minority and the other judges didn’t share his, “so it’s quite a novel position. “It is regrettable the majority of the Court of Appeal didn’t share the Chief Justice’s view but the judges are yet to explain themselves in writing so we will see what the full depth of their rationale really is. I would be very interested to see that first before further comment,” he added.

Noting the CJ’s view that the UNC’s pleadings in the matter were “hopeless,” Al-Rawi said those were not soft words by the CJ and was a strong view, “so one ought not to look too far into calling this thing a ‘victory.’ Suffice to say there were three different judges with three different points of view on a very important matter which is why we are confident of our position and that at the end of the day we will have the victory that is deserved in this.”

Acknowledging the ruling now means the UNC petitions return to the court to be heard, Al-Rawi said the Chief Justice had said mechanisms would be implemented for expeditious hearing. However, he said, there was also the Election and Boundaries Commission’s application to strike out the petitions, which will have to be heard first. 

Al-Rawi also estimated there might a 1,000-odd witnesses in the petition matter since the PNM had 320-plus witnesses and he expected the UNC to have a similar number. The EBC may also have witnesses, he figured.

“How a judge manages about 1,000 witnesses expeditiously is going to be quite interesting,” he added. On how soon the matter might be heard, he said other such matters concerning former UNC MPs Winston Peters and Bill Chaitan had taken some time. There were also now six matters concerning the 2015 results before the courts and evidence would have to be led, he said. “I’m not confident this will be as expeditious as one would hope,” Al-Rawi added.

The Elections and Boundaries Commission’s (EBC) ability to bend the rules as they are known should be definitively defined by the time the UNC election writs case is over.

Also, the six UNC members challenging the EBC are on different party elections slates at present but they should come together for the case. These were the responses of political analysts to the Court of Appeal’s (COA) ruling yesterday giving the green light to the six UNC elections petitions against the EBC.

The petitions are challenging the EBC’s decision to extend voting by one hour after the polls were closed for the September 7 general election. Dr Bishnu Ragoonath, from the University of the West Indies’ Political Science Department, responding to questions from the T&T Guardian, said he did not care who won or lost at the end of the day. What was critical was that the role of the EBC and the rules governing it should be clarified in the petitions’ case, Ragoonath said.

“I did not think the general election was stolen but I would hate to think that somewhere in the future some chief elections officer would work in collusion with some political party for an election,” he added. Political analyst Mukesh Basdeo said the COA’s ruling has thrown the UNC’s ongoing internal elections campaign into a new light.

Basdeo said some of the UNC members who have filed petitions for the six constituencies, La Horquetta/Talparo, Toco/Sangre Grande, Tunapuna, St Joseph, Moruga/Tableland and San Fernando West, were on different slates contesting the UNC elections.

Vasant Bharath who has an election petition for St Joseph, is contesting the post of UNC political leader with his slate, Team Reconnect. 

Jairam Seemungal, challenging the EBC for La Horquetta/Talparo, is on Dr Roodal Moonilal’s slate and Clifton de Coteau, who has a petition for Moruga/Tableland, is on the slate of UNC political leader and Opposition Leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Basdeo said if they want to have a united challenge to the EBC they would have to work together after the UNC’s December 5 elections, whatever the results. Persad-Bissessar, as quoted in a newspaper report, has indicated she would not work with Bharath and Moonilal if she won the UNC elections because she would not be able to trust them. 

Ragoonath, however, dismissed apparent differences between UNC members on the different slates as par for the course.

“I would expect after the elections the party would coalesce and the divisions would be broken down,” he noted. As for Persad-Bissessar’s statement, he said: 

“That’s what they have to say. Politicians sleep with their worst enemies.” Ragoonath said the UNC election writs should not be the only issue healing wounds within the UNC but also the fact that local government elections were due next year.