Panmen are expected to stage a placard demonstration outside Pan Trinbago office on Park Street, Port-of-Spain, tomorrow, demanding the immediate resignation president Keith Diaz and his entire executive.

And for the 2017 Carnival season, panmen may stage their own event called “Pandrome” with the support of private sponsors.

These two suggestions came out of a special meeting of pannists held at All Stars panyard in Port-of-Spain yesterday to discuss matters of concern, including the leadership of the movement and the non-payment of money owed to them for work done last year.

Among those who attended the meeting were internationally-known pannist and Phase 11 Pan Groove arranger, Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, who made the initial call for Wednesday’s protest.

Panmen have claimed they were being treated with disrespect by the Diaz-led organisation.

Following a special Pan Trinbago meeting at City Hall, Port-of-Spain last week Wednesday, disgruntled pannists suggested that there would be no Panorama this year.

Several speakers at yesterday’s open meeting expressed their displeasure about the Pan Trinbago leadership and renewed calls for the staging of 2017 Panorama competition to be boycotted.

One panman said: “Pan Trinbago now oppressing pan players instead of representing them. Pan Trinbago putting pan players last and the executive first.”

He said pan players must establish a union or group to represent them, insisting that the organisation’s constitution should be changed to allow for an executive to be elected by a one-man-one-vote system instead of the existing delegate system .

Sharpe in his comments said: “This whole pan thing, it has to change. The executive should go. They should not even attempt to run Panorama 2017.” He said a placard demonstration can start the process to have the Pan Trinbago executive removed from office.

According to Sharpe, the picket demonstration could even be taken to the Prime Minister’s residence. “Let us think drastic. We have to come out and picket. Get a placard.”

Other panmen told the meeting their concern was not only the non-payment of $1,000 to pan players for last year’s Panorama, but the mismanagement by the executive.

One panman said Pan Trinbago does not represent players but the bands.

Gregory Lindsay, chairman and manager of Power Stars Steel Orchestra called on panmen to stand united. He said: “We must practice the principles of civil disobedience. We must stand up right now and demand that the executive stand down.”

Lindsay said if panmen don’t engage in such action “this would be our death knell.”

Expressing support for the boycott of the 2017 Panorama, Lindsay suggested that panmen should participate in a breakaway event similar to the one organised by protesting mas bands during Carnival in previous years at the Jean Pierre Complex.

“We might have a Pandrome where private sector would get involved outside of Pan Trinbago (to sponser the event), said Lindsay, recalling that other events like Pan on the Avenue were arranged without any assistance from Pan Trinbago.

PAN TRINBAGO: PAN PLAYERS UNINFORMED

Pan Trinbago public relations officer, Michael Joseph, is expressing his “disgust and indignation” at “a few misguided, uninformed pan players,” who attended last week Wednesday’s general membership meeting at City Hall, Port of Spain

The meeting was held to discuss players’ remittances for 2016 and the future of Panorama 2017.

Pan Trinbago president Keith Diaz was forced to abort the meeting as some members were demanding a boycott of the 2017 Panorama competition over the unresolved money matters.

Joseph said on Facebook yesterday that: “It was clear to me that some people came with an agenda inimical to the best interest of Pan Trinbago,”

Joseph said while he believed members were entitled to their own views in a democratic organisation, “when they are filled with malicious accusations and hostility, that is a horse of a different colour.”

Indicating that while he was still making a “valuable contribution towards the advancement and protection of the future of the steelpan” he was being disrespected by “misinformed, misguided individuals, who have no sense of value and appreciation for contributors.”

Joseph said some of them who were “only interested in their own welfare.”

BRIDGETOWN—Caribbean tourism remained on a high in 2016, but with threats such as Brexit and correspondent banking lurking dangerously close to its doorstep, the performance of the region’s economies remained at a worrying low.

Politically, it was also a mixed year for the region in which several incumbent Governments were shown the door.

In St Lucia’s case, new Prime Minister Allan Chastanet suggested that it was a ballooning debt, coupled with an onerous Value Added Tax (VAT) system, an inability to reduce high unemployment, and the implementation of a 66 per cent increase in the cost of pipe water that led to the demise of the Kenny Anthony-led St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) administration.

Anthony was himself forced to relinquish leadership of the SLP following its humiliating defeat at the polls.

“I want to say a big thank you to the people of St Lucia . . . let them know we are not going to let them down,” said Chastanet, after his United Workers Party (UWP) secured a resounding victory in the June 5 general election, claiming 11 of the 17 seats in parliament.

Jamaica also booted its first female prime minister, 71-year-old Portia Simpson Miller out of office, opting instead to bring back Andrew Holness and his Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) five years after their rejection at the polls.

The JLP captured 33 of the 63 seats at stake in the February 25 poll, which led to immediate criticism of Simpson Miller’s leadership of the PNP and her announcement in December that she would not be seeking re-election as party leader when the PNP holds its elections in September 2017.

“I will leave you as party leader, but I will always be with you,” she told the PNP National Executive Council, while explaining that she had delayed her departure until after the Local Government elections in November, which the party also lost.

“I never wanted a new leader of this movement to commence their term with an election loss, which we expected in the local government elections. I wanted to give that person a clean slate on which to build. I have given over 40 years of selfless and dedicated service to this great party and country. I have been through some tough battles for this party. I have witnessed many Comrades fall,” she said.

In the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), former premier Dr Rufus Ewing also resigned as leader of the Progressive National Party (PNP) following the December 15 election, which ushered in the territory’s first female premier.

Attorney Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson led the opposition People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) to its first election victory in 13 years.

“The people of the Turks and Caicos Islands have spoken and have indicated their wish for a change in governance. The outcome of this election is a clear indication that democracy is alive in our islands. I wish to express my gratitude to all of the candidates from all parties who nobly put themselves forward for service to this country,’ said Ewing, in accepting full responsibility for his party’s election loss.

In Dominica, the status quo remains intact following the by-election in Soufriere on June 7.

The seat had become vacant after Works and Ports Minister Ian Pinard was forced to resign in April amid allegations of “serious inappropriate behaviour” made against him.

Accountant Denise Charles stepped in to fill his place and easily romped home to victory, as the ruling Dominica Labour Party (DLP) maintained its six-seat majority in the parliament.

Kamla unsucessful

Trinidad’s Opposition United National Congress (UNC), under the leadership of Kamla Persad Bissessar, was unsuccessful in challenging the results of the September 2015 general election.

While acknowledging that the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) had breached the country’s election laws, the High Court said there was insufficient evidence for it to declare the polls null and void.

In a 54-page ruling delivered before a packed court room, Justice Mira Dean Armorer said: “I have in these petitions strove to hold the balance to protect the will of the majority, while ensuring that the patent mistakes of the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC) not reduce the election of 2015 to a mere sham.”

The UNC had originally challenged the results in the San Fernando West, La Horquetta/Talparo, Toco/Sangre Grande, Tunapuna, St Joseph and Moruga/Tableland constituencies, which they lost and considered marginal. However, the High Court dismissed the petition in the La Horquetta/Talparo, on the grounds that it had been filed late.

The People’s National Movement (PNM) won 23 of the 41 seats that were at stake, while the UNC-led coalition, known as the People’s Partnership, copped 18, down from 29 seats in 2010.

Persad Bissessar hailed the High Court ruling as proof that the EBC had acted “illegally”, while contending that the results coming out of such a breach of the law should be set aside.

“I want to register very clearly that this judgment today is a victory for the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” she said, while hinting that the ruling could have an impact on the upcoming Local Government poll.

The Court of Appeal later upheld the ruling of the High Court.

Grenadians voted overwhelmingly to reject seven pieces of legislation that would have reformed the Constitution the island received when it attained political independence from Britain 42 years ago.

“The people have spoken in a referendum…and I have accepted it…and we have to learn from the process…because it has never been tried before and I think this is what we have to understand,” Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell said.

The voters turned their backs on plans to replace the London-based Privy Council with the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice as the island’s final court, as well as rejecting term limits for the prime minister and the appointment of a leader of the opposition in Parliament.

Antigua and Barbuda, where a similar referendum on the CCJ was also planned for 2016, has now hinted at the possibility of holding it no later than March of 2017

Prime Minister Gaston Browne agreed to an opposition request to extend the timeframe for public discussions while acknowledging that attaining a two-thirds majority for the referendum to succeed “is a tall order.”

“If it was due primarily to representation in the House, clearly we have the two-thirds here. But the crafters of the Constitution decided that we must go beyond the two-thirds approval within the Parliament and have two-thirds of the voting population within the country vote yes in favour of the CCJ in order to have that transformational change,” he added.

Guyana’s stalemate with Venezuela also continued with the United Nations indicating that it could be at least another year before any settlement of their longstanding border dispute.

However, President David Granger still had much to smile about following the discovery of oil in a second well offshore Guyana in late Jun.

The US-based Exxon Mobil Corporation said drilling results from the Liza-2 well, the second exploration well in the Stabroek block, confirmed a world-class discovery with a recoverable resource of between US$800 million and 1.4 billion oil-equivalent barrels.

“We are excited by the results of a production test of the Liza-2 well, which confirms the presence of high-quality oil from the same high-porosity sandstone reservoirs that we saw in the Liza-1 well completed in 2015,” said Exxon president Steve Greenlee.

In October, the American oil giant said it had discovered more oil offshore Guyana.

ExxonMobil’s partner, Hess Corporation, said the Liza 3 well was drilled to a depth of 18,100 feet in 6000 feet of water on a location about 2.7 miles from the Liza 1 discovery.

“Based on the positive results of the Liza-3 well, we now expect Liza to be at the upper end of the previously announced estimated recoverable resources . . .,” said the CEO of Hess, John Hess.

Liza-3 well is in the Stabroek block, about 193km offshore Guyana.

T&T economy struggles

However, with global oil prices currently at a low, having slumped to as low as US$27 over last year, 2016 could not be counted among the best years for oil-producing Trinidad and Tobago.

On the contrary, the country has been reeling from a dramatic downturn in revenue that has led to the retrenchment of thousands of workers, resulting in a spike in the unemployment rate.

With the situation as it is, Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley has warned of a possible increase in taxes and other austere measures, as his administration seeks to steer the twin island republic away from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“As difficult as the circumstances appear and sound, if we make the best decisions available to us then there are ways out of all of these situations and that is what the government is aiming to do,” he said back in September.

“We are in a period which require very sane and sober decision making and the government has a responsibility to ensure that our decision making and our execution [are] underpinned by an understanding that we are in a situation where if we do not make these decisions sometimes, painful as they might be, the situation could be far worse than it is right now,” he added.

Britain’s decision in June to exit the 43-year-old European Union also created jitters within the region.

“After all, we have had a long and deep relationship with the United Kingdom, and Britain remains one of our most important trading partners,” acknowledged the Chairman of the 15-nation Caribbean Community, Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit.

However, Chastanet saw it as an opportunity for the region to “put the survival of our integration into focus”, so too did the Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Sir Hilary Beckles.

“It’s a moment for CARICOM to come closer together rather than drift apart.

“The region should not be seen as mirroring this mentality of cultural and political insularity, but should reaffirm the importance of regionalism within the global context for the future,” Sir Hilary said.

Correspondent banking

Apart from Brexit, the region was also confronted with money laundering and terrorism financing issues this year, as well as the emerging threat posed by correspondent banking and de-risking.

Correspondent banks, which are mainly large, international banks domiciled in the United States of America, Europe and Canada, provide Caribbean states with vital access to the international financial system, by offering services to smaller, domestic banks and financial institutions to complete 

With the Employers’ Consultative Association, business chambers and former government ministers criticising the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union’s (OWTU) impending strike at Petrotrin, the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions and NGOs (Fitun) are backing the oil workers.

In a letter from the Athens-based organisation, the secretariat expressed solidarity with the Petrotrin workers, who they said were defending their right to a wage increase.

The WFTU said citizens know better than anyone else, that the country’s economy is based on products made possible by the tireless efforts of Petrotrin’s workers. Therefore, they called upon the “simple people of the country” to support the workers and ignore the company’s appeals not to strike.

“As the OWTU representatives have pointed out, for the past six years Petrotrin had offered 0-0-0, denying workers of any wage adjustments. Therefore, after 19 hours of negotiations, the employer’s side did not show any spirit of compromise.

The Petrotrin workers risk life and limb, working in varying dangerous conditions to guarantee a reliable supply of fuel to the travelling public.” President of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions (Fitun) Joseph Remy condemned the “misinformation and inconsistent statements” from the Government about Petrotrin’s “obscene” offer to the union.

Remy said Fitun can only deduce that the OWTU was facing an imminent wage freeze. He said any progressive trade union would take the necessary and legitimate action to protect its members against a wage freeze.

He said Fitun was ready to work with the parties to have the situation resolved, but would not deviate their support for the OWTU’s call for the removal of the wage freeze.

“We believe that once this offer is removed and the process of free and fair collective bargaining is allowed to be pursued consistent with the principles of good industrial relations practices, we would save the country from the inconveniences of the strike action,” Remy said.

Another umbrella trade union organisation, the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) in a statement yesterday also supported OWTU’s position. “We do so in response to the first salvo of attacks against the OWTU which has been unleashed by voices who are alien to the process of collective bargaining and to the great national contribution petroleum workers have made to the economy of T&T,” the statement said.

The group urged the public to reject “this unwarranted first salvo” and dismissed statements that the OWTU was holding the country to ransom as “vacuous and baseless.”

JTUM called on Petrotrin and the Minister of Finance to move away from the senseless position of 0/0/0 wage offer

National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) director Camille Forde, who was sent on leave last July, pending the outcome of an investigation, has been charged with five disciplinary offence by the Statutory Authorities Service Commission (SASC).

Forde, of La Florissante, D’Abadie was given 14 days to respond to the SASC’s letter dated December 22, which outlined the charges of misconduct.

Contacted yesterday on whether she intended to reply to the SASC’s letter, Forde reserved comment.

“I don’t have anything to share with you,” was her curt response in a telephone interview.

The letter was copied to the NLCB’s acting director and the Ministry of Finance permanent secretary.

Referring to a letter dated July 29, the SASC informed Forde in writing last month that it had considered the report of an investigating officer, who was appointed to “enquire into allegations of misconduct made against you and has decided to prefer the following disciplinary charges” against her.

The particular of charges stated that as a director of the NLCB, Forde in the course of her duties in or around February, 2014, held a position as a director of private company, Smart Speak Foundation, which sought sponsorship from the NLCB and that holding such a position was inconsistent with her position.

Forde, the letter stated also failed to disclose to the NLCB that she was a director of Smart Speak Foundation.

She was also accused of involving herself in the granting of sponsorship of $300,000 annually from April 30, 2014 to March, 2017, in tranches of $25,000 per month to Smart Speak Foundation which brought the NLCB’s board into disrepute.

The misconduct was contrary to regulations 83(1) (a) (b) and (d) of the SASC.

“In accordance with the provisions of Regulation 92(1) of the SASC Chapter 24:01, you are required to state in writing whether you admit or deny these charges and submit any explanation on the matter. Your reply should be submitted through the director (Acting) National Lotteries Control Board within 14 days of receipt of this letter,” the letter advised Forde.

Smart Speak Foundation was registered on July 29, 2013, and its directors include attorney and religious minister Dave Rudolph McKenzie, Camille Forde, Jevon Jeffrey and Rhianna McKenzie.

The organisation is a subsidiary of Final Hours Ministries and also the Building Better Parents organisation, all of which received financial assistance from NLCB.

A total of 39 candidates from four different political parties yesterday submitted their nomination papers to contest the Tobago House of Assembly elections on January 23.

Three out of the four political parties arrived at the Election and Boundaries Commission’s offices with blaring music, scores of supporters, dressed in party colours, waving banners and flags.

All of the candidates said the process went smoothly and expressed confidence at the polls.

Candidates for the People’s National Movement (PNM), Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP), the Tobago Forwards (TF) and the Movement for Transformation (MFT) turned out at the various offices of the EBC’s Returning Officers.

All candidates filed the necessary documents and paid $2,000 making them the bona fide bidders for the 12 seats across Tobago.

Speaking to the media prior to filing his nomination papers, Political Leader of the PDP Watson Duke said, he was confident that his party would win at least seven seats in the election.

Duke, who is the president of the Public Services Association, said, although the day was incident free, his party had some issues with the cheques presented for the nomination fee. He said the issue was quickly regularised and payments were made by cash.

“We are fully confident of at least seven seats. We will be working on five more seats to make the twelve, because we need to balance the curse the PNM put upon Tobago over the last 16 years. I can’t divulge the seats, because it’s strategy. They will now concentrate on those seven to take them back, but let them concentrate on all,” he said.

Political Leader of the People’s National Movement’s Tobago Council Kelvin Charles said, his party would start their campaign as soon as possible. He said, the parties first formal launch should take place on Sunday. Commenting on the current regime’s performance, he said, the incumbent has proven to accountable and transparent for the past 16 years in office.

“The current THA has done quite well. I know for a fact in the area of accountability and transparency, there have been weekly meetings with the press, I am aware of the ‘Let’s Talk Tobago’ programme, there has been several face-to-face meetings in various areas and electoral districts and communities, so I think there has been a credible attempt by the current regime to respond to its critics,” Charles said.

Political Leader of the Tobago Forwards Christlyn Moore and her team walked through the streets of Scarborough from their head of office, located at Gomes Building downtown Scarborough to the EBC office uptown, Scarborough. She said, her party wanted to show Tobagonians that they were ready and available to represent them. She said, under the Tobago Forwards victimisation would be a thing of the past.

“There is a culture of victimisation. It is not simply directed at opposition parties, it is directed to any dissenting voice and so what you have is a culture of fear, where people are literally afraid to be associated with any political party, or with anyone who has a political voice that is not PNM, and with the Tobago Forwards that would indeed change,” Moore said.

The Movement for Transformation headed by former Tobago East Member of Parliament and government minister Eudine Job–Davis fielded three candidates, however, she could not be reached for comment.

A Moruga farmer who went to court with his two front teeth tucked in his pants pocket seeking justice left disappointed after he found out that his accused attacker had been freed five months ago.

“My teeth in my pocket,” protested Neville Bruce after being told by Senior Magistrate Maria Busby Earle-Caddle in the Princes Town Magistrates Court that the matter had been thrown out.

Bruce, 68, kept his two incisors after the February 7, 2015 incident in which he was beaten with a garden hoe. He suffered a broken ankle and cuts to his head and eye.

Bruce admitted that he mixed up his court dates, but he was told that the matter was adjourned to yesterday. The magistrate who was not the presiding magistrate when the case was called last year said the records showed that the matter was last called on July 5, 2016.

She said the records showed that neither the complainant PC Samaroo nor Bruce was in court. The matter was stood down, recalled at 10.19 am and subsequently dismissed.

“I have all my documents about my injury. I loose my teeth. My teeth in my pocket. All my evidence,” he said to the surprise of the magistrate who asked him if he really had his teeth in his pants pocket. He said he could not locate the police complainant. Bruce said he went to the Moruga Police Station and the sergeant told him the officer was on injury leave because he was beaten by a prisoner.

The magistrate told him she could not do anything as the matter had already been dismissed. However, she told him he had three choices, either bring it to the attention of Director of Public Prosecutions or retain the services of an attorney or file a complaint with the Police Complaints Authority.

Speaking outside the court, a disappointed Bruce said he kept the teeth in a plastic bag as evidence.

“My teeth was not rotten, nothing was wrong with it.”

Bruce said he was attacked by the man three days after he went to court to support his friend who was the victim in a case against the same man who allegedly beat him up.

Recounting the incident, Bruce said he was by his friend showing her how to use a garden machine when he heard his neighbour shout “watch out” before he felt a blow to the left side of his face, close to his eye, and then on his head. He said he was knocked unconscious and when he awoke he saw the man over him with a garden hoe.

“When I open my eye the man hit with the piece of wood in my mouth. My ankle mash up. Right now I have steel in my foot. It took about a year and a half before I could walk properly.”

Bruce said he came to court on April 11, 2016 and the matter was adjourned to July 5, 2016, but he thought it was July 15, 2016.

When he realised his mistake, he inquired from the court staff and was told the matter was adjourned to yesterday.

When he went to the station last week, Bruce said a sergeant told him the officer was on leave from December 9, 2016 to January 28, 2017 because a prisoner bit him.

He could not understand why the officer was not attending court.

“I feel terrible. I waiting for justice and my justice has slipped by. The person who did this felony smiling and happy.

The officer suppose to tell me when the trial start but I have to run around to find out what going on with this case.”

Determined not to allow his accused attacker to get away, Bruce said he intends to retain the services of an attorney.

Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams yesterday implored the nine divisional commanders to do all that was necessary to keep the murder rate down.

Last year’s murder toll of 462, exceeded 2015’s tally by 42 murders, and already there are two reported murders this year.

The latest killing took place yesterday at Angelina Terrace, Morvant where Simeon Selvon, 24, was shot dead near his home. The shooting took place around 1 am but police had no motive as yet.

Sources said Williams, called in his commanders yesterday, where he encouraged them to grab hold of the murder rate.

The months of January and February usually have higher murder figures than other months in the year, and commanders were told that once they manage to keep those two months under control then they may be able to record less murders this year than last year.

Last year there were 49 murders in January while February had 37.

At yesterday’s meeting, the top cop told his commanders that the 2017 strategic plan will be launched soon and in that will be a guide for his officers to follow in reducing the murder rate, improving the detection and other policing practices aimed at making T&T safer.

Williams also thanked the officers who supported his call towards the end of last year to forgo their leaves and respond to the call out for increased police patrols in the country.

Cabinet ministers gathered at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s yesterday for the first day of a two-day Cabinet retreat which is aimed at reviewing the performance of the Government in the past 16 months, the economic situation in the country and the spiralling crime situation.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley chaired the session and addressed Ministers and Permanent Secretaries who were invited to participate in the first session of the retreat.

In 2017 as the year begins and the Rowley Cabinet meets in retreat, issues on the table include the worsening state of the economy, the threat of possible strike at State-owned Petrotrin over the vexatious 0/0/0 offer, and the millions still owed to contractors and public officers including members of the security services.

Cabinet sources tell the T&T Guardian that the issue of crime features high on the agenda, given the high murder rate in 2016. A total of 462 people were murdered last year.

The New Year has already been marred by two murders and the Prime Minister as head of the National Security Council, the T&T Guardian learned, is adamant that the crime problem must be brought under control.

Sitting with the Prime Minister at the head table as he fielded questions from the floor were Finance Minister Colm Imbert, Planning Minister Camille Robinson-Regis and Head of the Public Service Sandra Jones.

Government sources confirmed that the Prime Minister used the opportunity to advise Permanent Secretaries that they are the accounting officers and as such they have a duty to ensure that all business conducted by Ministries is above board and within the financial circumstances of the country.

Among those in the gathering was the Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister and Head of the Public Service Sandra Jones.

Energy Minister Franklin Khan who fell ill in Thailand while on vacation in December did not attend the first day of the retreat. Efforts to contact Khan proved futile.

Non-Cabinet ministers of government were also given the opportunity to participate during the day.

The first retreat of the Rowley Cabinet was held in March last year in Tobago. That retreat coincided with the wedding of the daughter of Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh. Questions about the timing of that retreat were raised by the opposition. The Prime Minister dismissed those concerns as mere coincidence.

During the 2016 Cabinet retreat the focus was on financial management of the State’s affairs, the prioritising of projects and the treatment of Government’s commitments, including arrears owed to public servants and other debtors.

Heavy focus was also placed on Tobago with THA Chief Secretary Orville London complaining that Tobago was the only tourist destination which did not have direct flights from international destinations. Caribbean Airlines was mandated to make a better effort to address the airlift issue.

Just under 12 months later London was complaining about CAL, he recently made a case for the island to have its own airline, because of the unreliability of the national carrier. Similar concerns have come from the head of the Tobago Chamber of Commerce Demi John-Cruickshank.

Following the 2016 retreat WASA and the relevant Ministries were mandated to examine the potential for a desalination plant in western Tobago to address the perennial water shortages which impact the island’s tourism sector. Cruickshank told the T&T Guardian that as far as the Chamber was aware 43 expressions of interest were received by WASA for the construction of the Desal Plant, but to date nothing has happened.

He said the island was now bracing for more water problems with another dry season upon us and they are again “waiting to see how WASA will deal with the water problem.”

Efforts to contact WASA chairman Dion Abdool proved futile.

The performance of some ministers, according to sources, is also of concern to the Prime Minister and whether there would be a shake up early in the New Year remains to be seen.

In October last year, two ministers were fired, the Minister of Energy Nicole Olivierre was replaced by Franklin Khan and the Minister of Public Utilities Ancil Antoine was replaced by Fitzgerald Hinds.

Hinds was replaced in the Ministry of Works by Rohan Sinanan. Also joining the Cabinet in October was former San Fernando Mayor Kazim Hosein who replaced Khan as minister of Rural Development and Local Government.

In March last year shortly after the Cabinet retreat then housing Minister Marlene McDonald was dismissed pending an investigation by the Integrity Commission, she was replaced by Randall Mitchell.

Hundreds of workers and shoppers had to evacuate Town Centre Mall, and other businesses along Chacon Street, Port-of-Spain yesterday after a leaking 100-pound LPG cylinder was discovered on the ground floor of mall.

Shortly after noon, customers heading to the food court on the first floor of Town Centre Mall were alerted to a strong gas odour and fire services were called.

Witnesses said the odour was discovered long before noon but got stronger during the lunch hour.

Security officials at the mall turned on the nearby supply of water to douse the leaking tank before fire officers arrived.

Fire officers cordoned off the Chacon Street and ordered all shoppers and workers out of the mall.

Fire Sub Station Officer Jason Shields of the Wrightson Road Fire Station, who was in charge of the operations, told reporters the leak was at the bottom of the tank so the area was cordoned off and everyone was evacuated to ensure their safety.

He said the workers and shoppers at the nearby Capital Plaza evacuated the building on their own initiative.

They walked calmly out of the shopping plaza. Workers at Newsday newspapers, located opposite the mall, and other businesses also evacuated their offices.

Shields said initially the tank was being allowed to run off until the LPG suppliers, Ramco, arrived on the scene. Two employees of Ramco arrived and proceeded to seal the tank and subsequently remove it from the premises.

There was a police presence at the corners of Chacon and Queen Streets and Chacon Street and Independence Square.

Four police officers escorted the Ramco vehicle back to the company’s compound.

Shortly after 2 pm the all-clear was given to owners to reopen their businesses and the street was re-opened.

Several proprietors said sales were slow yesterday but were not prepared to comment on the incident.

Several employees of one of the country’s largest printing and packaging company, Cariflex (1994) Ltd, were greeted with a locked gate to the compound yesterday.

The workers claimed that they had heard rumours of the company closing its doors but said they were “left in the dark” as to what was really happening.

Four female employees, who have been employed with the company for over 20 years, turned up for work at O’Meara Road, Arima, yesterday, but could not enter to take up their normal duties as they were met with a padlocked gate and guard dogs at the entrance of the compound.

The workers said that they were yet to be contacted by the company’s owner and chief executive officer, Victor Sooknarine. Sooknarine inherited Cariflex, when his father, Harry, the founder and governing director of Cariflex and Harricrete Ltd passed away in 2010.

Contacted for comment, Sooknarine said operations at the company had ceased and blamed it on a series of events, including a recent burglary that left the building without power.

Romel Ravello, who claimed to be Sooknarine’s personal assistant, said on December 18, last year thieves broke into the compound and stole over 100-feet of power cables.

Sooknarine said the plant suffered as a result.

“T&TEC came in and we are yet to have the problem sorted out. The plant is left with no power, everything is down,” Sooknarine said. He said that for the past two to three months, Cariflex has been hit with other major problems, including no water, low voltage and this latest robbery.

He also said that his staff numbers dropped from 80 employees to 25.

Sooknarine blamed challenges in the manufacturing sector for the closure of the company.

“Suppliers of raw materials are down my throat for monies but we cannot even get the foreign exchange to pay them. Also, when we do have the raw materials we don’t have the people to work.”

Asked why the employees were not informed as to the status of the company and the status of outstanding salaries to workers, he replied: “There are managers and people there to convey the message to the workers and we are trying to work with them. Our finance people will be contacting the employees.”

Asked about the health and safety issues, Sooknarine said: “We are also doing food packaging as well and we are trying to rectify the problems there. We are trying slowly to go forward.”

Sooknarine disclosed that major expansion was done to the plant within the last three to four years and added that efforts were currently being made to partner with a company of similar nature from the Dominican Republic.

“This is our way of trying to also target new markets by going into the Latin American markets,” he added.

He also disclosed that discussions were ongoing with officials from another packaging company located along the East/West corridor.

“We are trying to put together a deal to bring both companies together. So, we are trying to restructure and go forward given the limitations we have and our biggest issues we are faced with.”

Sooknarine said that it was not about the plant closing down but rather a “rethinking of the game we are playing. We will go forward slowly but a lot of factors are changing in our country.

EMPLOYEES IN THE DARK

Employee, Deborah Fraser, 57, who worked at the company for the past 25 years said that she has not been paid for the past four months.

“Some of us are almost reaching our 60 years of age and we would need for them to sign up our respective NIS documents so we could get our pensions and other dues but now we don’t know what is going on,” Fraser said. “There is no common courtesy or principles. People have mortgages and loans to pay and we cannot pay them because we are not being paid,” she said. Another employee, Charmaine Patrick, 56, said she only received up to October’s salary and was still awaiting November’s and December’s.

Patrick said in 2015 their work days were decreased to four days for the week and last year, to three days. “We working less days and still they haven’t got the money to pay us,” she said. Bookbinder Cheryl Marshall, 59, said she has been employed there for the past 24 years. She said that in recent times the company was also plagued with a lot of other issues, including health and safety matters.

“The plant became pigeon infested and then there wasn’t a supply of water for six months. Officials from the Occupation, Health and Safety came in and took out pictures as well as reports were made to them about the conditions we worked under,” Marshall said.

The police are seeking the public’s assistance in finding a 21-year-old Couva woman who has been missing since last week Thursday.

Nickey Lalla was last seen at her Lower Couva home around 7.30 pm, according to a release from the T&T Police Service Public Affairs Unit.

Lalla’s common law husband, Ashook Naggassar, went to the Gran Couva Police Station around 3.40 pm on December 31 where he reported that his wife was missing.

She was described as East Indian descent, five feet, three inches tall with black shoulder length hair and a tattoo of an N with stars behind her right ear.

Anyone who could assist in locating Lalla is asked to call 800-TIPS or contact the police at 555, 999, 911 or any police station.

Citizens should brace themselves for fuel shortages as the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) and Petrotrin failed to reach an agreement on Tuesday night over wage negotiations.

At around 10.15 pm, OWTU Chief Education and Research Officer Ozzi Warwick said that Petrotrin maintained its offer of 0-0-0 for the period 2014 to 2017. Currently the OWTU and Petrotrin are before the Industrial Court for the period 2011-2014, in which the company had also offered 0-0-0.

Workers are expected to gather at the Pointe-a-Pierre roundabout, outside the Pointe-a-Pierre Refinery at 7 am Wednesday where OWTU president general Ancel Roget will address them before serving Petrotrin with a legal strike notice. The company will then have four days to put contingency measures in place before the strike comes into effect. The strike has a maximum of 90 days before the issue is sent to the Industrial Court for mediation. The strike can affect the availability of gas, diesel and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Cooking gas).

In a media conference on Tuesday, Roget said all operations, including refinery, land and offshore, will come to a complete halt. The pending strike has received criticism and concerns from among the public. Former energy ministers Conrad Enill and Kevin Ramnarine agreed that T&T cannot afford a strike at this time. Enill called on all parties—the company’s board, the government and the OWTU—to come to an amicable settlement. Ramnarine said that based on Petrotrin’s financial position, they cannot afford to give a salary increase at this time.

CEO of the Energy Chamber Dr Thackwray Driver also expressed concern over the strike, saying that it can affect Petrotrin’s debt rating, making borrowing on the international market more expensive. He said it can also ward off potential investors.

However, Roget said none of the business chambers or former ministers did anything when the union made public, the mismanagement and corruption at Petrotrin. He said if the Government could have found the money to pay public servants their 14 per cent salary increase, they can also pay Petrotrin workers, who are most vital to the country. He said the strike will show people how important Petrotrin workers are the country’s operations.

Homicide officers are at this time at Commonwealth Drive, Nelson Road, Freeport where three people were shot dead during the wee hours of this morning.

Four others were shot and wounded and are at the Couva District Hospital receiving medical attention.

The deceased have been identified as: Winston Edwards, Kent Brown and Elton Amora.

Details are still sketchy, however, the T&T Guardian will update as soon as more information comes to hand.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday renewed her call for the establishment of a Joint Select Committee to make the necessary changes to the US Foreign Account Tax Compliant Act (FATCA) bill to ensure it is passed in the House of Representatives.

The legislation is expected to be put to a vote on Friday when the House of Representatives meets after the Christmas vacation. The Government requires the support of at least three Opposition MPs to secure passage of the legislation.

The proposed legislation gives the local Board of Inland Revenue the authority to share information with the US Internal Revenue System regarding US citizens finances. In a statement issued yesterday Persad-Bissessar confirmed the letter was sent to Rowley.

Persad-Bissessar reaffirmed that the Opposition is committed to passing “legislation that is in the best interest of the people of T&T, in accordance with the Constitution and the law and, which does not undermine respect for the rule of law which is the bedrock upon which we exist peacefully and harmoniously as a country.”

Persad-Bissessar also said on the last occasion when the matter was debated in December “the government decided to proceed with the Committee stage and passed certain amendments to the Bill that have substantively altered the content of the Bill. This was all done in the absence of the Opposition.” During that sitting the Opposition MPs remained in their room in the Parliament and refused to attend the sitting downstairs. Persad-Bissessar said yesterday Rowley and his Government “would not be so reckless as to risk the defeat of this Bill after such a display of arrogance, lack of consideration for Opposition members and the legitimate concerns of citizens, and what can only be interpreted as a total contempt for Parliament and the Parliamentary process.”

“The Government must understand that Opposition support cannot be forced or coerced but can and only will be achieved by meaningful dialogue, respect, genuine co-operation and teamwork.”

Persad-Bissessar said: “The Opposition has demonstrated that it is prepared to meet and treat with the Government on the issues that currently face us as a society and as a people. This is yet another opportunity where the Opposition and the Government can legitimately secure the best interest of our country by working together.”

The Government is not expected to accept the proposal for the Joint Select Committee. Debate on the bill is expected to begin shortly after the 1.30 pm start of the sitting tomorrow.

Energy Minister Franklin Khan is to undergo a major surgery for a heart condition on Sunday.

This was disclosed by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley during yesterday’s news conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s. Khan’s returned to the country just over one week ago following a brief vacation in Thailand where he fell ill. Since his return he has been attended to by doctors here who have indicated that he must undergo surgery. Rowley called on citizens to wish the minister the very best in the surgery. He said he was confident that he will emerge successful.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert will continue to act until Khan returns to office, the PM said. Khan is also chairman of the People’s National Movement.

On December 22, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young told the media that Khan was recovering from issues related to his heart brought on by a viral infection he contracted before leaving the country to visit Thailand. Young said then that his Cabinet colleague is being treated at this time for the accumulation of fluid in his lungs and shrugged off media reports that Khan suffered a heart attack while on vacation.

On another matter Rowley said the Auditor General should be the one to clarify the issue involving a $28,000 housing allowance being paid to President Anthony Carmona. The matter surfaced recently and was clarified by Carmona who said it was paid under the authority of the Salaries Review Commission. The SRC has since distanced itself from that claim.

Questioned on the matter, yesterday, Rowley said: “It appears to us that there is a requirement for the Auditor General to allay the public concerns with respect to the propriety of that action.” He said: “And if it is as it appears that public funds were improperly received by any officer, I am not identifying any public officer...as from time to time matters of this nature will come to the Cabinet.”

The PM continued: “It usually comes after the Auditor General looks at the situation and makes a determination as to whether the public funds have been properly received by the officer and I think that is a good enough place for this matter to be properly rectified.”

Rowley also announced one of the decisions taken during the two-day Cabinet retreat was for criminologist Professor Ramesh Deosaran to head a manpower audit committee for the Police Service. That committee will provide the required data to ensure the Police Service can be better organised to more effectively fight crime in the country.

Rowley said under the existing arrangement crime detection and crime suppression was unsatisfactory. The Deosaran Committee has to submit its report to the Cabinet by March 31.

Other members of the committee includes former Permanent Secretary Jacqueline Wilson and senior members of the Police Service. Rowley said British officials are also expected to provide assistance in that process.

The Government is ready to respond to ensure there is minimum inconvenience to the citizens of this country if strike action at State-owned Petroleum Company of T&T (Petrotrin) takes effect on Monday, says Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.

Speaking at a news conference at the close of the two-day Cabinet retreat at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, Rowley said that the Government will do whatever it has to do to ensure minimum inconvenience to the public if the strike went ahead.

The retreat was held on Tuesday and Wednesday to review the Government’s performance over the past 16 months in office and to chart a course for the way forward. Permanent Secretaries and others participated in the exercise.

Rowley said it was only reasonable that the Government await the outcome of a matter before the Industrial Court with respect to the collective agreement for Petrotrin workers for the negotiating period 2011 to 2015 before it could make any offer for the period 2015 to 2017.

Those negotiations broke down on Tuesday and the union has served strike notice yesterday, which is scheduled to become effective on Monday.

The union has requested a meeting with Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus today. Rowley said he was confident good sense will prevail.

Rowley said it was the former PP government led by Kamla Persad-Bissessar, which offered 0-0-0- per cent to the workers the 2011 to 2015 negotiations. He said other workers received 14 per cent pay hikes during the term of the former government.

Rowley said the Government was monitoring the situation for a very long time, adding that it did not develop overnight.

He said the Government was surprised that negotiations for the 2015- 17 period commenced and Petrotrin, under the present Government offered 0-0-0.

Rowley said the union had an argument that the former and the present Government had offered the workers 0-0-0 for periods 2011 to 2015 and 2015 to 2017.

He said the Government “wants the best for all citizens and all State employees.” But he said collective bargaining is an integral part of our societal arrangements and “there is a process to be followed.”

He said the Government was being asked to make an offer for the period 2015 to 2017 not knowing what the conclusion would be for the period 2011 to 2015.

He said he “wants the best for all our citizens and the best for our employees at Petrotrin, I think it would be irresponsible on the part of the Government to enter into that arrangement to offer and execute an increase on Petrotrin’s payroll for 2015 to 2017 not knowing what that percentage increase would apply to.”

The PM told reporters he felt “it is more reasonable for the Government to conclude the period 2011 to 2015 and then we will know (what will be) the base on which the period 2015 -2017 can be concluded.”

Rowley said he was confident that “reason and common sense will prevail. The Government is not hostile to the union, the Government is not disrespectful to the union. The Government has a responsibility to the wider national community.”

Police have described a gun attack at a birthday party in Freeport as botched hit, as the intended target survived with life-saving injuries.

Three of his guests were killed and two others injured.

The intended target, according to investigating police officers, was Daniel Spencer, who was celebrating his 25th birthday at his small wooden home at Commonwealth Drive, Nelson Road. The incident occurred at 12.30 am.

The deceased were identified as: Elton Armorer, 35; Michael Kent Brown, 25 and Winston Edwards, 39. The wounded were identified as: Spencer, his girlfriend Melika Davis, 20 and one of Spencer’s guest, Ronald Earl, 31.

T&T Guardian was told the shooting was linked to the murder Kurt Francis, 27, who was fatally shot in the head while at Caparo on December 30. That murder occurred at 11.10 pm Francis lived at Arena Road in Freeport.

However, speaking with the T&T Guardian while at Spencer’s home yesterday a close friend, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he knew that Spencer’s house was shot at by gunmen some time last year. He said Spencer often got in trouble with the law for fighting and other things, which he chose not to disclose.

“Generally, he was a cool and normal fella but loved to drink, lime and party. Every weekend would be a party and going out thing for him,” the friend said.

Spencer’s sister, Rachel, who stopped by to collect clothes for her brother said that he was undergoing surgery at the San Fernando General Hospital.

Another relative, who wished not to be identified said that as a result of “many attempts/attacks” on his life, Spencer installed surveillance cameras - one was seen tied on to a light pole just in front of the yard facing the road and one fixed on the right hand corner of the wooden house facing the entry to the yard.

Police officers have taken the DVR for viewing to see whether or not anything useful was recorded that may be able to assist them in their investigations.

An eyewitness said he saw three men armed with guns running through a ravine located at the back of the house. “They pass on the road, through the bushes and through the ravine to come up and shoot. They knew the surroundings very well it seemed,” he said.

According to another eyewitness, those shot were among a group of eleven who were sitting on a wall and drinking around 12.30 am when gunshots rang out.

“We had our backs turned to the house and we were taking a shot of Puncheon that Armorer bring up for Daniel for his birthday when I just hear ‘Paks, paks, paks’ and I run,” the man said.

“It look like they come up from behind the house but we didn’t hear anything until they started to shoot because we was playing the music loud,” he said.

He said he fell on his knees and thanked God for life, “I could have get shoot too, them men ain’t care about nobody, they just shoot up the place and run.”

Armorer, one of the men who was killed, in his last conversation with his mother Judith, promised to stay away from Nelson Street, Freeport and turn his life around.

However, Armorer’s desire to celebrate his friend’s birthday led him to the same street where he was killed along with his two friends.

When the T&T Guardian visited the scene yesterday morning, Armorer’s blue Nissan Almera car was still parked in front of Spencer’s house and the bottle of Puncheon was still on the wall.

Judith said she was still in shock over the death of her first son.

Armorer was a ‘PH’ taxi driver and Judith said he had told her he wanted to purchase a new car this year.

“Just yesterday (Tuesday) he came by me to cut the grass and the last conversation I had with him was me telling him not to go in Nelson Street and lime, I told him that area was bad news,” she said.

“He told me ‘Mammy, I trying to change my life around. I done liming with them fellas.’”

She said she learnt of his death while on the way to the Piarco International Airport to pick up his father, Elton Senior who was returning from a vacation abroad.

“His father not taking this good at all...Elton (Junior) was born on his birthday so they usually celebrated together every year.”

Brown’s uncle, Deodath Seebaran said his nephew was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

He said Brown and Edwards were close friends as they had grown up a stone’s throw from each other in Lime Fruit Road, Freeport.

Brown was a mason and lived with his common-law wife, Rachel.

A relative of Edwards, who asked not to be identified, said he was devoted to his two children, aged 12 and 15. She also described him as an exceptional child to his mother who has been ailing for sometime.

“He was a very attentive father, he treated his children very well,” the relative said.

“He lived with his mother and grandmother and would do everything for them.

“He used to cook meals for his mother and he really stood by her in her time of need,” Edwards’ relative said. She said he worked with a sub-contractor for WASA and was not involved in any gang-related activity.

“He was not involved in any gang warfare or associated with anything like that. This was just a birthday party that he attended and ended up being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Speaking during the weekly press briefing yesterday, public information officer ASP Michael Pierre said there was an overall 23 per cent detection rate for serious crimes but could not give the detection rate for murders.

For South Western Division there was a 40 per cent detection rate, while both Tobago and Southern had a 30 per cent detection.

Eastern Division leads with a 45 per cent detection rate.

Asked what contributed to those division meeting and surpassing their targets, Pierre said: “There are many factors but there are greater challenges in some areas than others”.

Asked directly if based on the police statistics it is safer to live in rural areas, Pierre said “It’s possible”.

With an increase of 10 per cent for murders in 2016 when compared to the previous year, police recorded a decrease in woundings and shootings from 600 to 513, sexual offences from 625 to 489, serious indecency from 70 to 32 and kidnappings from 106 to 72.

Overall there were 11,135 reports of serious crimes in 2015 compared to 11,152.

Speaking during the weekly press briefing yesterday, public information officer ASP Michael Pierre said there was an overall 23 per cent detection rate for serious crimes but could not give the detection rate for murders.

For South Western Division there was a 40 per cent detection rate, while both Tobago and Southern had a 30 per cent detection.

Eastern Division leads with a 45 per cent detection rate.

Asked what contributed to those division meeting and surpassing their targets, Pierre said: “There are many factors but there are greater challenges in some areas than others”.

Asked directly if based on the police statistics it is safer to live in rural areas, Pierre said “It’s possible”.

With an increase of 10 per cent for murders in 2016 when compared to the previous year, police recorded a decrease in woundings and shootings from 600 to 513, sexual offences from 625 to 489, serious indecency from 70 to 32 and kidnappings from 106 to 72.

Overall there were 11,135 reports of serious crimes in 2015 compared to 11,152.

Last year ended with 135 road deaths from 114 accidents while the previous year had 147 people dying from 128 accidents, Pierre said.

Chief Fire Officer Roosevelt Bruce has assured fire officers that there would no longer be a delay in their promotions.

Speaking at a promotion ceremony for 235 officers at City Hall in Port-of-Spain yesterday, Bruce admitted that before last year there were severe delays in promotions. He said some officers were acting in higher positions for between 10 and 15 years.

“If we were doing what we were supposed to before this would not have happened,” Bruce said. He said since assuming office last year the service’s executive was focused on filling all outstanding vacancies.

As he apologised to the newly promoted officers, Bruce promised that their unpaid allowances and salaries for the periods that they held acting posts would be rectified in the next few months. He promised that the service’s assessment committee chairman was already selected and would begin to start the process of filling vacancies as they become available.

His main advice to the officers was to be careful of close friendships on the job now that they have been promoted to a supervisory position.

“You have not been promoted to the rank of senior, friends. You are not being encouraged to be oppressive, act with empathy. You must never get too close that you can no longer correct them,” he said.

Bruce said that yesterday’s promotion ceremony coupled similar exercises last few months, meant that the service conducted the most promotions in one calendar year, in recent history.

“This almost equals to 1952 when the Fire Service was separated from the T&T Police Service (TTPS),” Bruce said, as he revealed that last year there was promotion in every rank of the service except his own. Bruce’s deputy Kenny Gopaul, was among the officers promoted.

In his address, Gopaul encouraged the officers to aspire to higher ranks in the service but advised them of the need for succession planning in the service.

“Your job is also to prepare the person under you to do job as you aspire to move up in rank,” Gopaul said.

In an interview after the ceremony, president of the Second Division Fire Officers Association Leo Ramkissoon said the union was pleased with the promotion ceremony.

However, Ramkissoon, who also was promoted yesterday, described it as bitter-sweet moment as several of the promoted officers are scheduled to retire soon.

“While we are appreciative and elated that this has happened, it should not have happened in the first place,” Ramkissoon said.

He said he welcomed moves by Bruce and the executive to rectify issues with management of promotions and hoped promotions will be done quickly according to regulations in the future.

Panmen staged a peaceful protest outside the head office Pan Trinbago yesterday demanding the immediate resignation of its president Keith Diaz and the entire executive.

The protest was mounted in the wake of the non-payment of monies to panmen for Panorama 2016.

Manager of Power Stars steelband Gregory Lindsay and pannist Dane Gulston said panmen were fed up of being disrespected and misrepresented by the current executive.

There was a police presence during yesterday’s lunchtime protest at Park Street, Port-of-Spain.

The police at one time advised the demonstrators to maintain silence during the protest.

Lindsay and Gulston attempted to meet with Diaz, who was upstairs the building to present a letter calling for his immediate resignation but this was not achieved. Lindsay said the letter was written by Gulston on behalf of the recently formed Pan Players Movement of T&T.

For the past several week the disgruntled pan players have been claiming disrespect from Diaz and the Pan Trinbago executive. They insisted yesterday that they have had enough and the Diaz executive must resign immediately and allow an interim executive comprising the chairmen of Pan Trinbago’s regional committees to govern the body until a new executive was elected.

Lindsay said the time was limited and Diaz must go now to ensure the 2017 Panorama takes place. He said there will be no Panorama competition in T&T if the outstanding issues affecting panmen were not resolved.

Lindsay called on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to intervene.

“Dr Prime Minister where are you? Act now or not a (pan) note will play in this country.”

Lindsay said: “This army of pan people bigger than the T&T Defence Force, respect the pan.”

The panmen were insisting that a meeting be held with Diaz. Gulston told reporters that he wanted to tell Diaz to his face that it was time for him to resign in the interest of the pan movement.

“We need some better representation,” he insisted.

Yesterday, National Carnival Commission chairman Kenny De Silva said there will be Panorama competition for Carnival 2017 and his body would intervene in the dispute.

Last Wednesday, Diaz was forced to abort a two-and-a half hour meeting with panmen as they insisted “no money, no Panorama.”

The extra-ordinary meeting, which Diaz later described as unsuccessful, was intended to discuss the issue of the non-payment of money owed to panmen for performances during Carnival 2016 and allocations for 2017.