The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) has conferred the title of Honorary Fellow on Dr Luz Longsworth, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Open Campus of The University of the West Indies (UWI) in recognition of her leadership in higher education. Dr Longsworth was named among seven new honorary fellows at the Pan-Commonwealth Forum (PCF) on Open Learning, on November 28 during the 8th Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

COL is an intergovernmental organisation created by Commonwealth Heads of Government to encourage the development and sharing of open learning and distance education knowledge, resources and technologies. It awards honorary fellowships every three years at its triennial Pan-Commonwealth forums. These fellowships honour carefully selected individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the growth and development of open, distance and technology-enabled learning in their own country and internationally and/or to the advancements of education and development in the Commonwealth generally.

The designation of COL Honorary Fellow, which is a designation for life, recognises impact in areas such as: leadership and service, published works including courseware, lectures and presentations and mentorship. Since 1998, the award has been bestowed on several distinguished educators/administrators across the Commonwealth. Other 2014-2016 COL honorary fellows included:

• Martin Bean, Vice-Chancellor and President, RMIT University, Australia

• Professor Rajesh Chandra, Vice-Chancellor and President, the University of the South Pacific, Fiji

• Professor Naveed Akhtar Malik, Rector, Virtual University of Pakistan, Pakistan

• Professor Tolly Salvator Augustin Mbwette, President of the Pan African University Council and a former Vice Chancellor of the Open University of Tanzania, Tanzania

• Professor The Honourable Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Minister of Education and a former Vice Chancellor of University of Cape Coast, Ghana

• Chetna Vijay Sinha, Founder and President of Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank and its non-profit sister, Mann Deshi Foundation, India

In his closing remarks at the ceremony, COL Vice-President Dr K Balasubramanian said: “I am sure that these seven honorary fellows, along with the 53 honorary fellows designated in the early PCFs will guide us through thought, action and spirit.”

Professor Asha Kanwar, COL’s President and CEO, indicated her personal delight that, through this conferment, COL would be able to acknowledge a great contributor to education and skills development in the Commonwealth. She drew particular reference to Dr Longsworth’s exceptional service and leadership to learning for development, change management, and organisational transformation.

Dr Longsworth has more than 30 years’ experience in academia and business in Jamaica, the British Virgin Islands, and Belize where she was the Resident Tutor and Head of the then School of Continuing Studies. She was officially appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Open Campus in 2016. Prior to that, as a senior administrator at The UWI, she served in various posts at the Mona and Open campuses, including Director of The UWI Open Campus Country Sites, and Director of The UWI Mona Western Jamaica campus in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

In response, Dr Longsworth said that she was truly humbled by this signal acknowledgement, especially since she has always had an abiding admiration for the work of COL throughout the Commonwealth in supporting online, flexible and distance learning. She was honoured to accept the award, not just on her own behalf but “as part of a unique and outstanding institution, The University of the West Indies.” She went on to say, “I am so pleased that the work of The UWI and in particular the UWI Open Campus in Distance Learning is being acknowledged and honoured by this prestigious organisation.”

Dr Longsworth is the third person from The UWI in the last 13 years to be conferred this award.

Dr Olabisi Kuboni  (2011) and Professor Badri Koul (2003), both of the Open Campus and the former UWI Distance Education Centre (UWIDEC), are earlier recipients.

“This is a testimony to our sustained impact,” Dr Longsworth said.

The UWI Open Campus has a long history of collaboration with COL, most recently the development of the BSc in Youth Development Work, offered through COL as an Open Educational Resource to a consortium of universities throughout the Commonwealth. 

In offering his congratulations, UWI Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles counted it “a great honour for our colleague and recognition of the Open Campus and The UWI.”

A 59-year-old Barataria man has been detained by police in connection with the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Josiah Martinez dead during an argument on Friday evening.

According to reports, the retired employee of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) was detained by detectives from the North Eastern Division Task Force (NEDTF)at around 9 am yesterday. He had been hiding at a relative’s home in San Juan.

The suspect, who is related to Martinez, is in custody at the Region One Homicide Bureau’s office at Riverside Plaza in Port-of-Spain where investigators were expected to interrogate him yesterday afternoon.

Martinez and the suspect were reportedly having an argument at their home at Upper Seventh Avenue, Malick, Barataria, around 5.30 pm on Friday evening when the incident occurred.

Eyewitnesses said teen reportedly attacked the suspect who drew an illegal firearm and shot him several times.

Martinez’s mother Keisha Ettiene, who was at home but in another room, rushed to her son’s assistance and confronted the suspect.

The suspect threatened Ettiene and ran away.

Martinez was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Neighbours and relatives told police Martinez and the suspect were constantly involved in arguments, which sometimes became violent.

The most recent incident was said to be last Tuesday, but the T&T Guardian could not confirm if it was reported to police before Martinez was killed on Friday.

Investigators will have to wait until they complete witness statements from the victim’s relatives before they approach the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice on how to proceed with the matter.

Investigations are continuing.

Mellisa Sookoo Student, Hugh Wooding Law School

This article looks at the laws in place to control pollution caused by littering in T&T.

The Environmental Management Act Chap 35:05 (EMA) aims to protect the environment and regulate its use, conservation and management. The focus of this law is to safeguard the well-being of natural resources for future generations.

Section 2 of the EMA Act defines pollution as any disturbance in the conditions of the natural environment likely to be harmful to humans and the environment.

These disturbances can be caused by:

• The release of any type of substances

• Disturbances in the form of offensive odours, noise, energy, radiation and vibration.

It includes any disturbances likely to affect the environment at large. One of the major forms of pollution is littering.

Section 2 of the Litter Act Chap 30:05 (the Act) defines litter as any type of material, either solid or liquid not only found in bottles, cans, packaging, foods, animals and human waste, but also materials which the Minister of Health may specify as being harmful. Littering is broken down into the littering of public and private places.

Section 3 of the Act relates to littering in public places. A person guilty of an offence is liable to a fine of $4,000 or imprisonment for six months, whereas a business or corporation is liable to a fine of $8,000.

Under section 4 of the Act a person who litters on another’s premises without permission is liable to a fine of f$4,000 or imprisonment for six months.

Where a person is convicted a second time he or she is liable to a doubling of the maximum fine imposed for that offence. A daily penalty may be imposed for a continuing offence: sections 5A and 13.

Property owners also have a duty to ensure that their premises are free from dust and refuse likely to cause a nuisance or be harmful to person’s health: section 67 of the Public Health Ordinance Chap 12 No 4 (1950) (the Ordinance).

Section 6 of the Act authorises the Local Authority to take action by requiring persons responsible to remove the litter and restore the environment to its normal conditions.

Along with this, section 68 of the Ordinance provides for a fine to be levied against persons for offensive materials thrown on public streets or places.

Further, where businesses improperly dispose of materials, the EMA and local authority can step in to prevent harm to the environment by mandating compliance.

Littering is an offence in T&T. As a form of pollution, it hampers the health and safety of the environment. Littering can affect marine life, facilitate the improper and unsafe disposal of materials, and even cause blockages of rivers and drains leading to the spread of diseases, flooding and other hazards.

Be responsible. Obey the litter laws.

This column is not legal advice. If you have a legal problem, you should consult an attorney-at-law.

The Opposition is entering this morning’s meeting with the Bankers’ Association (BATT) on the FATCA legislation with an open mind, says Opposition Senator Gerald Ramdeen. However, he added, they now have concerns about amendments Government made to the legislation last week.

Ramdeen spoke on the eve of the meeting which BATT sought with the Opposition following non passage of the legislation last week.

The legislation seeks to effect an inter-governmental agreement approved in 2014 by the former People’s Partnership (PP) administration with the United States regarding tax information exchange. This is to avoid US tax evasion.

The law will enable local institutions to report to the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on the accounts held by US clients. Government has said failure to comply means local financial institutions and US citizens will suffer a withholding tax of 30 per cent applied to all US-sourced income.

Non-compliance will also halt on-line financial transactions with the US, including remittance, affecting banking and T&T’s economy. The legislation which must be approved by February 2017 and requires at least three Opposition votes for passage.

The Opposition stayed away from last Monday’s debate on the legislation, stressing that FATCA should be subjected to deeper Joint Select Committee scrutiny. Government continued proceedings, deleting several clauses the Opposition had objected to. Deliberations halted at the vote since the Opposition was absent. Proceedings will resume January 6.

Business groups, who have urged both sides to pass the legislation, have particularly pitched to the Opposition. BATT president Anya Schnoor, stressing the legislation “must be passed,” underscored T&T’s reputational risk and repercussions if FATCA compliance remains unfulfilled.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who is attending a conference in London, will not be at today’s meeting with BATT. Instead, UNC MPs Bhoe Tewarie, Suruj Rambachan, David Lee, Rodney Charles, along with Senator Ramdeen and others will meet BATT for the 10 am meeting at the Office of the Opposition Leader, Charles Street, Port-of-Spain office.

Ramdeen said: “We hold an open mind, but there are also concerns about certain amendments to the legislation which Government proposed recently. If enacted, these could conflict with the agreement between T&T and the US.”

Ramdeen said one area was last Monday’s amendment on a clause that gives the Finance Minister power as the competent authority to handle the tax information exchange. Government, noting Opposition concerns about this, proposed the Board of Inland Revenue (BIR) as the competent authority.

However, Ramdeen said the T&T/US agreement had stated the minister would be the “competent authority” and changing it to the BIR would push the legislation out of sync with the agreement.

While conceding the amendment was made because the Opposition had concerns about the clause, Ramdeen explained: “Our point is, before these amendments are passed into law they should be agreed to by the US since the legislation shouldn’t be different to the agreement.

“Supposed the US doesn’t want the BIR to be the competent authority? Government should be talking to the US first on this before we pass amendments. We can’t pass bad law just to pass something.

“Our research also shows mechanisms that need to be implemented before this is passed by Parliament haven’t been implemented. An agreement regarding the competent authority, proposed as the BIR, has to be signed and that’s not done yet.”

Ramdeen added: “The Opposition Leader indicated very early, that Facta required JSC scrutiny. We continue to hold this view as its effects are far-reaching. Stakeholders should have an opportunity to express views and understand its impact.

“We don’t hold the view the financial system will crash if this isn’t enacted. It’s clear when one reads section 14( 71) of the US IRS code this won’t occur and the 30 per cent withholding tax would be imposed on income earned in the US by US citizens. The banks won’t be subject to the tax, it will apply to US citizens.”

Last Saturday, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi repeated that there is no need for a JSC.

Educate, uplift and empower.

Those are the three ingredients Minister of Public Utilities Fitzgerald Hinds says he is using in the “success cake” he wants to feed to those living in marginalised and distressed communities. The description might sound cliché, but Hinds said it is a matter of how things are planned, and executed.

Hinds spoke with the T&T Guardian at the St Barbs Laventille basketball court yesterday where he hosted a fun family Christmas event for his Laventille West constituents, Christmas on the Hills. The celebration was just one of the many social engagements Hinds intends to host and which he personally calls “edu-tainment.”

Indeed his “edu-tainment” philosophy was on display as the children at the event were led in a vocabulary challenge where they were taught special words and meanings from the African continent. They were also treated to a near hour-long theatrical play, the story of Anansi and the poinsettia which had the message of one using talent, imagination and creativity to succeed.

“I had a wonderful childhood. We were poor, but we were rich with whatever little we had. I never grew up feeling afraid of being killed at anytime or afraid of being raped or my father being killed. Those things just never happened, so I know what it is to have a wonderful and happy childhood and a wonderful and extended adolescent period.

"I think those two were the bedrock of the solid, sober, mature, contributory life that I now lead as a servant of the people,” said Hinds.

He added, he believes if all children are the beneficiaries of a good secure childhood with examples before them and a solid period of adolescence… a period of innocence to grow and learn safely; and with the hope that parents engender in their children that they must do better than the last generation, then the road to success and living a clean decent life would not seem unattainable.

The minister, who described not being successful at primary and secondary levels at school, said education is the poor and marginalised man’s ticket to success and a life, less poverty stricken.

He said his aspiration is to create an atmosphere and opportunities for children of Laventille and by extension T&T to enjoy the things he enjoyed as a child and the chance to do better than he did.

“Come January I will be meeting with all the NGOs and community and religious- based organisations to discuss plans for this community. We will be meeting on January 17 at the Laventille Technical Institute, where I will share my vision with them and they will share their’s with me and we will see how we can collaborate because we are all working in the same space," he said.

"In addition to that we have some team leaders whose job it is in particular to establish SEA and CXC classes around Laventille,” said Hinds.

A new report from the Economic Commissioner for Latin America and the Caribbean (Eclac) estimates that the T&T economy declined by 4.5 per cent this year.

This follows contractions of 0.6 per cent and 0.5 per cent in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Eclac said: "Continued natural gas supply shortages, maintenance shutdowns and weak energy prices contributed to the energy sector’s deterioration, while linkages with that sector pulled down the non-energy sector.

The current account deficit widened as a result of reduced goods exports, while foreign direct investment saw a modest recovery.

According to the report, Government’s fiscal deficit expanded to 4.2 per cent of GDP. In response, several adjustments were made to compensate for lost energy revenues, including several new tax initiatives.

It continued: "In monetary policy, the central bank repo rate was left unchanged in 2016 and the exchange rate against the United States dollar was allowed to weaken.

Unemployment rose to 4.4 per cent in the second quarter of the year as the slowdown took hold.

Eclac said the estimated deficit is an increase on the 1.5 per cent deficit of fiscal 2014/2015 and had been originally estimated at 1.8 per cent of GDP but worsened because of lower energy revenue.

"While the government managed to increase non-tax revenue by 18 per cent—largely as a result of repayment of past lending—tax revenue fell by 31 per cent because of a 90.3 per cent drop in the contribution from oil companies.

"The budget for fiscal 2016/2017, which is based on an estimated oil price of US$ 48 per barrel and a gas price of US$2.25 per MMBtu, predicts a deficit of 3.9 per cent of GDP," the reported stated.

The report noted that measures had been implemented to increase revenue from other sources, including reinstatement of property tax, a new income tax bracket and a 7 per cent tax on online shopping.

"As a result of the contracting economy, in 2016 the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago kept the repo rate at 4.75 per cent, where it had been since December 2015.

"Although the bank raised this rate several times over 2015, commercial banks’ average lending rates declined over the year before increasing by 0.29 percentage points from December 2015 to June 2016," the Eclac report continued.

" This lag in monetary policy transmission may be due to the banks being supplied with enough resources from excess liquidity in the banking system without having to access central bank repo facilities."

Eclac also noted that the Central Bank had allowed the exchange rate to "slowly depreciate after maintaining a quasi peg for about 20 years."

"The official United States dollar selling rate weakened by 6.1 per cent between October 2015 and October 2016, from TT$6.3627 to TT$6.7507 per US$1.

"As a result of the slowdown in the economy, the Central Bank sold 44 per cent less foreign exchange to authorised dealers between January and October 2016 than in the same period the previous year.

"However, foreign exchange remains scarce, and many banks have resorted to rationing United States dollars to customers."

Eclac said effect of the economic slowdown has manifested in the economy’s labour force statistics.

The unemployment rate rose from 3.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2015 to 3.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2016 and then to 4.4 per cent in the second quarter.

"Unemployment in the oil and gas sector, which had increased to 8.3 per cent by the fourth quarter of 2015, fell to 3.1 per cent in the second quarter of 2016, largely because of workers leaving the sector.

"In the most recent estimate, unemployment was highest in the construction sector (8.6 per cent) and lowest in the agriculture sector (1.0 per cent)."

The Opposition yesterday refused to budge on proposed Joint Select Committee scrutiny of the Fatca legislation.

The United National Congress reinforced this point when a delegation met representatives of the Bankers’ Association (BATT) and American Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Amcham) on the legislation.

Following the talks, UNC whip David Lee said: “We’re maintaining our position for JSC examination of the legislation, since we, the Opposition, aren’t the be-all and end-all of scrutiny.

“There are other stakeholders — such as UWI legal luminaries — who have views on the legislation and that could add further amendments to the situation.”

The UNC met both groups following appeals from the business sector to support passage of the legislation, which has so far failed due to lack of Opposition support. The Opposition walked out of Parliament twice when the bill was to be debated and didn’t show up most recently to stress its call for JSC scrutiny.

The legislation facilitates a tax information sharing agreement with the US, but failure to pass the law could see financial institutions/US citizens suffering a 30 per cent withholding tax on US-sourced income. Online transactions could also halt, affecting remittances as well as T&T’s banking system and economy. The legislation must be passed by February 2017.

Lee said BATT and Amcham seemed receptive.

“We shared our position on the JSC and time lines on the issue. They didn’t tell us the JSC is needed, but we explained why we feel it’s critical.”

He said BATT’s last position to the Opposition yesterday was a request to consider the legislation based on amendments made recently. BATT noted there’s been a narrowing of concerns on both sides.

Lee added, “They said they hoped Government and Opposition will get together for proper dialogue to ensure the legislation is passed within the deadline.

“We need other input on the legislation since neither the PNM or UNC sides in Parliament have financial analysts who can serve the purpose in if the legislation is examined by the Lower House alone. That leaves a lot to be desired. But a JSC would allow facilitate such experts.”

On whether the UNC would attend the January 6 Parliament sitting on Fatca and not boycott again, Lee said, “We’re hopeful government can have the JSC on January 6.”

Amcham meets

Govt next....

BATT chairman Anya Schnoor, who emerged from yesterday’s meeting with representatives of Republic, RBC and FCB — said the meeting was “good.” She, however, declined comment.

Amcham president Ravi Suryadevera said they were on record with its view that the JSC was not required.

Suryadevera confirmed Amcham had urged the Opposition to “get on” with the legislation. Amcham has a meeting with Government on the issue tomorrow.

A 30-year-old man was killed yesterday after being robbed of his gold chain at Celestine Trace, Morvant.

According to police reports Osaro Lewis, of Pelican Trace, Morvant, went to visit his mother at Celestine Trace, and while there went to a nearby parlor where he was accosted, robbed and shot. Police believe he wrestled with the bandits before he was shot and killed. Police said they received reports that gunshots were heard prior to Lewis’ death.

Relatives of Lewis, who spoke with the T&T Guardian yesterday, said he recently became the father of a second child and had been warned numerous times about wearing the gold chain, as it was seen as bait attracting criminals to him.

Lewis, who wanted to become a regiment officer, was employed as a security officer. Relatives said Lewis was the type to fight back if he felt he was being wronged. Police said the only motive they had for his killing was the robbery.

The murder toll for the year has reached 449, 29 more than all of last year.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley yesterday knocked the delays in the criminal justice system and the ability of some to be free on bail to commit more offences to pay their lawyer bills.

Speaking at the opening of the new Besson Street Police Station, located at the foothills of East Port-of-Spain, one of the country’s crime hotspots, Rowley said some criminals were of the view that they were wining the fight against crime, adding that this must not be allowed to prevail.

“It has to be that the vast majority of citizens and the infrastructure of the police and all security agencies working together...and that is what we don’t have,” he said.

“As head of the government I cannot say that there is swift justice, even when we are fortunate to have some detection of crime and the perpetrators are known to us. There is no swift justice in T&T,” Rowley, who sits as chair of the National Security Council, said.

In making reference to the judiciary, he said even though suspects were held, they were quickly back out on the streets and would do anything possible to preserve their freedom including committing more crime.

“Those perpetrators of crime want to be free to commit more crime and in this interlude between being apprehended and having their matter concluded and facing the conviction...the cost of that freedom is paying their lawyers.

“They have no assets to start with and now they have a serious liability which is to pay a significant sum of money, always in cash, to lawyers to ensure that they preserve their freedom and they are out committing more crime to raise cash to pay their lawyers to ensure that the process is delayed in the court or that they are unpunished for the crime they committed. That is a fact in T&T and we better face up to that,” Rowley said.

And in the midst of all of this, he said, it appeared that the Police Service was “permanently overwhelmed” by this situation.

Saying there was a “fairly well resourced” Police Service the PM said citizens expected perpetrators to be held accountable and therefore the efforts of the police must create safety and comfort.

He also reiterated his call for police officers must get out of their vehicles and offices and walk through the communities to rebuild trust which was so badly lacking throughout the country.

He urged officers to ensure there was that “human contact” especially in challenging areas.

“Because if you do that many people would have a different view of the Police Service. The one thing that would guarantee perpetual failure in a district like this is if the sentiment of the community is that the police is the enemy and that the uniform that the police wears is a symbol of oppression or lack of caring.

“Come down on the streets and talk to those who need the police. Remove that sentiment that the police is against or that the community is one of a war-zone. I get the impression that there are certain districts that are viewed in a particular way,” Rowley said.

He said some people, whom he referred to as “imps,” must not be allowed to believe they had control of any street in this country.

Rowley said he hoped the new facility would improve the information gathering skills, adding that it would also enhance the east Port-of-Spain community.

Arsonists struck a San Fernando businessman and his family yesterday after three vehicles were firebombed outside their premises leaving over $650,000 in losses.

Visibly shaken, Dave Sookhoo, the owner of the popular Sookhoo’s Ltd supermarket and liquor store, described yesterday’s attack as senseless.

In his 30 years of business in Marabella, Sookhoo said he has never been robbed, attacked or threatened.

Around 1.30 am, Sookhoo, 58, was jolted by an explosion outside his Union Road home and business. On smelling smoke which rose from the front of the building, he looked out and saw his BMW X4 valued at $450,000, a nine-seater Hyundai H1 valued $100,000 and a Mazda 3 sedan also valued $100,000 on fire.

Marabella police, led by Cpl Harrygin, and fire-fighters from the Southern Division Headquarters were contacted and the blaze was extinguished before it spread to the house. The front wall and porch of the building were damaged.

A preliminary investigation suggested that the arsonists broke the windows of the vehicles and flammable devices were thrown into the vehicles.

Sookhoo operates a wholesale business on the adjacent street while he had leased out the supermarket to Chinese nationals.

However, he said the grocery was closed down and the area was empty. He said there were plans to open a new store.

He said he could not speculate as to why they were attacked, but has taken extra security measures.

With shoppers purchasing liquor by the cases yesterday, a police officer stood guard at the doorway.

A 31-year-old woman was abducted and raped twice by a cutlass-wielding man on Sunday night in Morvant.

However, quick action by police officers of the North Eastern Division led to the arrest of a 35-year-old suspect of Wharton Street, Laventille.

The suspect was up to late last night in police custody and is expected to be charged.

According to police, the woman was walking along a roadway around 10 pm when she was approached by the man armed with a cutlass. The man dragged into nearby bushes and raped her. He then took her to an abandoned building in the area where he raped her again.

The woman, who managed to escape from the building at about 4.30 am yesterday, made her way to the Morvant Police Station where she reported the attack. She was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where she was medically examined.

In an unrelated incident, officers of the Gran Couva Police Station acting on a tip-off intercepted a black Nissan B-14 vehicle and arrested two men, seized an illegal firearm, ammunition and an quantity of marijuana yesterday. The vehicle, police said, is believed to have also been stolen.

Over the weekend in the Port-of-Spain Division, between Friday and Saturday, a 35-year-old man of Laventille was charged for possession of one Browning pistol and 12 rounds 9mm ammunition.

Officers also found and seized another Browning pistol, one magazine, five rounds .380 ammunition and 22 grammes marijuana with a street value of $33,000. No one was arrested in that case.

On Sunday, in a separate operation, at around 4.30 pm, PC Griffith along with a party of officers of the North Eastern Division Task Force were on patrol in the Malick, Barataria district when they found and recovered a silver Ford Ranger which was parked along the road. Police said the vehicle had been stolen sometime between 1.45 pm and 2.30 pm on Sunday at the Food Basket Hyper Market car park, Santa Rosa, Arima.

In Arima on Saturday, a 58-year-old man was arrested for possession of 2.4 grammes of marijuana.

Two men caught driving after consuming so much alcohol that they were almost three times above the legal limit were each fined $8,000 yesterday.

Ravi Ragbir, 36, and Ricky Narine 32, were admonished by San Fernando Traffic Court Magistrate Natalie Diop for breaking the law and putting other road users in danger. They both pleaded guilty.

Court prosecutor Sgt Kassiram Lutchman said around 8.30 pm on Friday at Ghandi Village, Debe after Ragbir failed a breathalyser test. He exceeded 35 microgrammes limit by 84 microgrammes, recording a reading of 119 microgrammes. Asking for leniency, Ragbir said he attended a social event at his sister’s home and “I got carried away.”

He said he had been unemployed for the past year and a half as he cares for his stroke-stricken 74-year-old father.

The father of one said he uses his father’s pension to pay for his father’s needs and to get by. Although she commended him for taking care of his father, especially in a time when adult children fail in that responsibility, the magistrate said his reading was exceedingly high and was an aggravating factor.

Telling him he has a duty to everyone to obey the law, she said he ought not to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. She allowed him two months to pay the fine or serve 15 months in prison.

Narine, a ICT technician with the Ministry of Education, was arrested around 11 pm on Friday at Lord Street after he failed the breathalyser test. His lowest reading was 122 microgrammes which is 87 microgrammes above the legal limit.

Saying he was a first time offender, Narine said he went to a co-worker’s home at Drayton Street, San Fernando where he had a “couple bottles of wine to drink.”

He took a chance to drive as his co-worker lived five minutes away from his home.

“I made a bad decision,” he admitted, explaining he had eaten nothing and was not accustom drinking wine. Asked by the magistrate why he did not walk, Narine said it was too dangerous. Explaining to him that his level of impediment would have been high, she advised him not to drink and drive. She also gave him two months to pay the fine or serve 15 months in prison.

Schoolgirl Jeniece Hamilton, 15, has gone missing.

According to a police report, Hamilton, a pupil of the Tranquility Government Secondary School was last seen close to midday at her home at Ramkissoon Trace, Santa Cruz on Monday.

At the time she was wearing a multi-coloured top with blue jeans. Hamilton is five feet tall, medium built with a birth mark on the left side of her face. Her mother, Saskia Haffett lodged an official report at 1.30 pm on Saturday.

Anyone with information on Hamilton’s whereabouts is asked to call 800-TIPS or contact the police at 555, 999, 911 or any police station. RD

A 24-year-old fisherman of San Fernando has gone missing.

Dwayne David left his home at Palmiste, San Fernando to go to the King’s Wharf in San Fernando where he was expected to go on a fishing expedition.

On Sunday, his mother, Joann Combs, said around 3.20 pm she went to the San Fernando Police Station where she lodged an official missing person’s report.

David was last seen wearing a pair of red short pants and a red and white jersey.

He is five feet six inches tall and has a tear drop tattoo near his right eye and a tattoo with the words “RIP big j” on the chest.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of David can contact the nearest police station or 800-TIPS or the police at 555, 999, 911. RD

Police have rearrested Dale Seecharan as part of their ongoing investigation into the murder of 20-year-old Shannon Banfield.

Banfield was found beneath boxes in the storeroom at IAM and Company on Charlotte Street on December 8, three days after she went missing.

Hours after citizens participated in a march from Independence Square to Charlotte Street, calling for justice on Banfield's behalf, officers detained Seecharan, who the police had initially described as a "person of interest."

Police are also awaiting the results of DNA testing which will indicate whether or not Banfield was sexually assaulted before she was murdered.

This latest arrest will be the third for Seecharan in relation to Banfield's case.

Seecharan was released by police at 10.10 pm last Monday, but was rearrested around 1 am last Tuesday at his St Helena home.
.

Banfield, of Mc Carthy Street, Cantaro Village, Santa Cruz, was last seen leaving her workplace—RBL’s Independence Square branch—around 4 pm on December 5.

In a telephone conversation with her mother Sherry-Ann Lopez around that time, Banfield said she was going to purchase items at the same store (IAM) she was eventually found in.

Banfield’s body was discovered hidden under some boxes in the company’s third floor storeroom around 1.30 pm on December 8 by employees who were searching for the source of a strong decomposing scent which they believe was a dead rat.

Her autopsy stated she had been smothered and police recovered what they believed to be a murder weapon, a bloodied towel, near where she was found. 

Dale Seecharan has been charged with the murder of 20-year-old Shannon Banfield and is en route to the Port-of-Spain Magistrate's Court.

The 38-year-old IAM and co employee was arrested for the third time last night by officers of the homicide bureau at his St Helena home.

Banfield was found beneath boxes in the storeroom at IAM and Company on Charlotte Street on December 8, three days after she went missing.

Yesterday, Banfield's mother led a march through the streets of the capital city calling for justice for her daughter.

Dale Seecharan, the man charged with the murder of 20-year-old Shannon Banfield is expected to reappear in court on January 17, after charges were laid this morning.

Seecharan was taken to court around midday and stood silently as charges were read in front of Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar.

None of Seecharan’s or Banfield’s family members were present.

The charge was read that on an unknown date between December 4 and December 9, Seecharan murdered Banfield on the premises of IAM and Company.

Seecharan’s attorney, Larry Williams asked for disclosure of police evidence and for the complete CCTV footage obtained from IAM.

Williams did not request any special privileges for his client.

Often, in high profile murder cases specifically where the victim is female or a child, attorneys ask for clients to be separated from the general prison population to keep them from being harmed.

With Christmas just a few days away, pedestrians and motorists are flooding the streets of Port-of-Spain and Chaguanas but most people are just window shopping.

President of the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (Doma) Gregory Aboud said several factors have created a downward pressure on the sale performance of Port-of-Spain.

“Some of those pressures are nationwide and related to the current economic climate. Unfortunately for Port-of-Spain there are some specific unique pressures which we face, which are related only to us,” he said.

Aboud said the tragic story of Charlotte Street and the horrible loss of life of Shannon Banfield is one of those specific cases of pressure.

“That has hurt us this December. Other policy matters include the wilful blind eye of the City Police to violations of many of the city codes and of course the ironic and destructive actions which are preying on the city customers,” he said.

He said this negativity and the tragedy of the loss of Banfield has brought a special dark cloud not only to the city but the entire country.

“And we stand powerlessly on the sidelines hoping and praying for justice and resolution to this case. Ms Banfield did not lose her life on a lonely side street or some trace in a remote location. She lost her life within the precinct of an operational business on a supposedly main street of the capital city and we see no reason why this crime should not be solved,” he said.

Aboud said having regard to all of these factors, Port-of-Spain was still holding its own mainly because of its competitiveness and because of several flagship operations of key retailers still present in the city.

“We are hopeful that the new mayor will recognise the need for improved policies that give city businesses an equal opportunity and that the future of Port-of-Spain remains squarely on the shoulders of a healthy commercial environment free of many of the old problems that have been choking the life out of Port-of-Spain,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chaguanas Chamber vice-president Vishnu Charran said Chaguanaswas busy.

“There is a lot of people and traffic but a lot of businesses say that sales were not as good as the previous year. I guess the cause of the recession and uncertainty of what is taking place in the coming year,” he said.

Charran said there were a lot of construction companies that sent home workers and retrenched.

“Generally, several distributors said the retailers are not stocking the volumes they use to. There is a lot of traffic and people looking around. It does not amount to retail sales and cash flowing and there are restrictions in what people are spending. There has been a reduction in the volume of trade overall,” he said.

Vendors along the Southern and Chaguanas Main Road had mixed reactions to the sales.

Marissa Benny, a vendor along the Southern Main Road, said that sales were not good.

Benny sold weaves and weave stands.

“I am only here for awhile but it is not good. People coming around and asking the price,” she said.

Roland Boodram, a vendor who sold colourful bags and shaving kits, said sales were at a normal pace.

“We running normal. I not on the main road so I don’t have a problem. I out of that,” he said.

Boodram said his bags ranged from $125 downward.

Four women were among a group of 28 police officers who were promoted to the rank of sergeant in the T&T Police Service (TTPS) yesterday.

The promotion ceremony took place at the Solomon Mc Leod Lecture Theatre at the Police Administration Building in Port-of-Spain.

A release from the Police Service said, acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams congratulated the officers on their achievement and encouraged them to be junior managers in the organisation.

“T&T Police Service and citizens of T&T alike are depending on you to execute your duties with P.R.I.D.E —professionalism, respect, integrity, dignity and excellence,” Williams said. Yesterday’s exercise was the first since the organisation promoted 460 officers to the rank of sergeant in April, this year—the largest number of officers promoted in a single exercise.

The owner of Me Asia, the Cantonese restaurant raided twice this week by police and Immigration Officers, will appear before a Port-of-Spain Magistrate today charged with selling alcohol without a liquor license.

Puy Wong Kong was charged after officials from the Counter Trafficking Unit, Immigration, police, labour and health inspectors raided his business on Tragarete Road, on Tuesday. The officers also went to the restaurant’s Ariapita Avenue branch on Monday and shut the place down citing health violations.

During the operation over the two days, three illegal immigrants were held. An additional 18 other people were questioned and released.

The exercise followed a tip to the Counter Trafficking Unit that the management of the restaurant was not adhering to labour laws specifically not paying contributions to the National Insurance Scheme and failing to pay overtime to workers who had worked more than the 40-hour work week.

The father of murdered Republic Bank employee Shannon Banfield yesterday admitted that his claim that his daughter’s organs had been harvested during a ritual was simply rumour he heard “on the streets.”

Richard Banfield said he made the Facebook post, which sparked interest on social media, out of frustration.

In a Facebook conversation with Guardian Media yesterday Banfield said he was being kept in the dark about the happenings involving his daughter’s murder and had receiving information that his daughter’s organs had been removed.

The admission to the Facebook post came hours after he told another news outlet that his account was either hacked or that the person who posted the status used a fake Richard Banfield profile, inclusive of a profile picture of his daughter.

On Tuesday, Deputy Police Commissioner Wayne Dick said there was “absolutely no truth” in the claim after Banfield’s Facebook post began circulating. Many who shared the post claimed it was legitimate since it came from the girl’s father.

In the correspondence on Facebook, Banfield said: “After her body was discovered on Thursday (December 8). That was the last I heard. Tried calling them. Got no reply. To date I got no information. I was frustrated, stressed out, and didn’t know what else to do. I just went on to vent. Reading some of these things is very heartbreaking. I didn’t put up anything that wasn’t already on the street, word on the street. I had no information, I was frustrated, I needed to vent. It was the word on the ground. I have no regrets.”

On Tuesday, IAM worker Dale Seecharan appeared in court charged with Shannon’s murder. The lead investigator in the case said Seecharan acted alone.

The store which was under police control since the body was found in the warehouse beneath some boxes, was handed over to the owner Ishmael Ali yesterday. A cleaning crew spent most of the day yesterday cleaning the store.

When the T&T Guardian visited store yesterday the cleaners said they did a thorough clean and there was “no smell or nothing” in the store, which is expected to re-open soon.

Banfield, of Mc Carthy Street, Cantaro Village, Santa Cruz, was last seen leaving her workplace—RBL’s Independence Square branch—around 4 pm on December 5.

In a telephone conversation with her mother Sherry-Ann Lopez around that time, Banfield said she was going to purchase items at the same store (IAM) she was eventually found in. Banfield’s body was discovered hidden under some boxes in the company’s third floor storeroom around 1.30 pm on December 8 by employees who were searching for the source of a strong decomposing scent which they believe was a dead rat.

An autopsy stated she had been smothered and police recovered what they believed to be a murder weapon, a bloodied towel, near where she was found.