Public Administration and Communications Minister Maxie Cuffie has described as “old” news, the payment of $65.3 million for rental of four unoccupied properties over a period of time.

Cuffie was responding to statements made by Auditor General, Majeed Ali when he and members of the department appeared before the Public Accounts Committee on Wednesday, to discuss the report of the Auditor General for the period ended September 30, 2016.

In a statement Cuffie said: “We have given up over 20 leases on unoccupied buildings to date. There have also been immediate steps to undertake space audits which will provide greater efficiency and optimal use of ofice spaces thereby ensuring the government receives the best value on property rental matters.”

Cuffie said, “Government’s monthly bill as at September 2015 was approximately $45,360,830 VAT exclusive. Since then, we have vacated a number of properties where the rent was being paid without properties being occupied, resulting in a monthly savings of $3,216,259 VAT exclusive in rentals as at May 31, 2017.”

In early May, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley had opened the government’s campus plaza which houses Ministrys such as: The Office of the Attorney General, Ministry of Finance, BIR, Customs and Excise and other government departments. Construction on the plaza had begun in 2004.

He added that the keys to a building rented by the personnel department were returned. The building was being rented for $1 million plus VAT per month for the period December 10, 2012 to August 31, 2016.

Explaining further why the building, which was supposed to be occupied by the personnel department, was not occupied, Cuffie said, “Delays in outfitting the building were partly the cause for non-occupation of the personnel department rental.”

He added that the Property and Real Estate Services Division of the Ministry introduced measures to ensure that all Ministries have available funding to undertake outfitting prior to any rental agreement.

Referring specifically to One Alexandra Place, which cost the government over $50 million in rent between December 2012 and July 2016, Cuffie said the building is now fully occupied under the same terms that had been previously negotiated.

Referring to the overall work of the Auditor General’s department, Ali told the PAC on Wednesday that he was not satisfied with the improvements for the period ended September 30, 2016 compared to the previous year, “there were not much improvement in certain areas which were reported on in the 2015 report, these areas continue to draw attention.”

Ali also told the PAC that one ministry paid as much as $53.5 million from December 2012 to July 2016. He noted that rental payments have stopped.

Stating that public funds are not being utilised in an efficient way he said, “Two entities continue to pay rental while one took up occupancy in March 2017.”

Regarding the internal audit function in the public service, Ali said it appears this function is “very weak.” Highlighting some issues, he said rental payments were being made without lease agreements in place, proper maintenance of inventory records, and the tagging of items as well as overpayments, continue to be a major concern for the Auditor General’s department.

“My department anxiously awaits the full implementation of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act which promises to improve transparency and accountability in all government agencies.”

Asked by Chairman of the PAC, Opposition MP Bhoe Tewarie about the recommendations the committee can make concerning improving the internal audit function, Ali said the Comptroller of Accounts is dealing with that issue and would be looking at it when implementing their Information Management System.

Ali, pressed further about recommendations for his department, said technology and qualified people in IT, finance and accounting would make a difference in the work that they do.

Heavy rainfall delayed the start of a tree-planting and distribution exercise yesterday at the Eastern Credit Union compound on the Eastern Main Road in Sangre Grande.

The objective of the tree planting exercise, which consisted of 100 mainly poui trees, is an attempt to beautify and reforest specific areas in the Valencia district, said Glenda Jennings-Smith, the Member of Parliament for the Toco/Manzanilla, who hosted the ceremony.

Attending and assisting with the tree planting exercise were; Members of Earth Angels 4H Club of Guaico Presbyterian Primary School, Carlton Charles, Deputy Conservator of Forests and employees, Simone Gill, vice chair of the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation, Councillor Elizabeth Wharton, Alderman Danielle Marshall-Piper, Dhano Sookoo President of the Agricultural Society of T&T, Dane Francois, CEPEP employees and residents of Valencia and environs.

In a another exercise, Eastern Credit Union’s Sangre Grande Branch distributed a variety of short crops such as tomatoes, lettuce, celery, patchoi, hot and sweet peppers to the public, who were encouraged to plant them.

The event took place yesterday, a national holiday for Corpus Christi, as many believe that it is a propitious day for planting.

The shooting deaths of four mentally ill people by police over the past three months have disturbed Roman Catholic parish priest Fr Martin Sirju.

Delivering his Corpus Christi homily at Our Lady of Perpetual Help RC Church in San Fernando yesterday, Sirju called on National Security Minister Edmund Dillon and acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams to ensure that mentally ill people get the respect and consideration they deserve.

Sirju, who is also the Vicar for the Southern Vicariate, said he was disturbed by the killings.

“I am quite disturbed by the recent shooting deaths of mentally ill people. I think that kind of attitude comes from a mindset. We have to change our way of doing things and make sure that when it comes to mentally ill people in society, we must exercise the protection, caution and care.”

Noting that the police had an obligation to protect themselves in line of duty, Sirju said even though this is so, mentally ill people deserved greater respect as they suffer through too many negative labels.

“The acting Commissioner of Police and Minister of National Security should take this message to heart because it is a message of many concerned people of T&T.”

Urging parishioners to be mindful of the need to take care of the vulnerable of the society, Sirju said too often mentally ill people are stigmatised.

“Our mentally ill friends are not nobodies. We cannot reduce them to being poor, loony, ditzy, mad, crazy and runoff. The language has to change. If we are people who receive Jesus, we must learn to take better care of our mentally ill people,” Sirju said.

He added that other vulnerable groups like the homeless and elderly must also be given care and respect.

“We often think that the first thing we do is love people but I don’t think so. The first thing we have to do is respect people. If we don’t respect people including the mentally ill, we will treat them like animals,” Sirju added.

He called on citizens to take care of others.

“Jesus is saying I trust you to take care of your brothers in the world—the poor, sick, elderly, homeless, children. When we go out in world we have to put vulnerable people at the centre of the world, people that society prefers to keep on the fringes,” Sirju said.

Following the service, parishioners engaged in a procession through the streets before congregating at the church.

Over the past three months, four mentally ill men—Paul Marchan, Raymond Joseph, Daniel Paul and Edison Thompson- have been shot dead by police.

Marchan, 30, was shot dead by officers of the Western Division Task Force on March 16, after he reportedly attacked a family member and tried to stab two police officers at Richplain, Diego Martin.

Joseph, a retired soldier, was shot dead on April 1 while Daniel Paul, 23, was killed for throwing stones on June 5.

Thompson, 45, the latest victim, was shot dead for attacking a soldier with a hammer. Following the incidents, the police service was criticised for the way in which the police responded.

Roman Catholic Archbishop Joseph Harris is appealing for citizens to be more “hospitable” towards each other to create a more caring environment, even in the face of spiralling crime and vicious attacks.

Harris made the appeal as he addressed hundreds of Roman Catholic worshippers at the annual Corpus Christi mass held at the Queen’s Park Savannah yesterday.

This year is the year of hospitality in the Roman Catholic calendar, a virtue which Harris said was sadly lacking in today’s society.

“Hospitality starts from very simple things. It means when somebody comes to your gate and they ask you for some food, you don’t run them.

“If you treat people with scant courtesy, they are going to treat you in the same way,” Harris said.

The Archbishop said he has been told that it was somewhat difficult for citizens to be hospitable to everyone given the high crime facing the country. He likened this to a “chicken and egg situation.”

“You stopped being hospitable and the crime increased. Most people that you help do not turn around and rob you. Don’t become paranoid because when you become paranoid you do silly things and don’t become more reclusive,” Harris said.

Devout Roman Catholics walked through Port-of-Spain in a solemn procession as part of the religious celebration.

Corpus Christi, Latin for Body of Christ, is a rite celebrating the tradition and belief in the body and blood of Jesus Christ and his real presence in the Eucharist.

Harris also urged people not only to fully appreciate the meaning of Corpus Christi, but to live in accordance with the teachings of the feast.

“We have to make a greater effort to get people to understand the significance of Corpus Christi. Hospitality means to be open to people and the Eucharist is one of the only places I know of where people of all ethnicities, every social class, every financial capability can eat together at the same table. But what we live in the Eucharist is only a symbol of what we should be doing every day of our lives.

“To celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi is to commit ourselves to being open to everyone...where there are no walls,” Harris said.

He said instead of shunning people, there must be structures like education to encourage hospitality.

“We have to see the good in others and to value the good that exists in others, but if we allow ourselves to be frightened and retreat behind walls, the situation is just going to get worse.

“The criminals have to be treated as people with the capability of changing. Everybody is given talents and everybody can be a gift to society.” Harris said.

He said the problem in T&T was that such “gifts” are not allowed to fully develop.

“The education system we have does not develop the gift of so many people and therefore they have nothing to offer. What do we want young people to do?

“We push them into a system of education which does not cater for their abilities or learning styles so they leave school with one or two O’Levels and there are no jobs for them. They lose hope...how are they gong to live?,” Harris asked.

He said the alternative was to transform the education system into one which catered to the learning capabilities of all including entrepreneurship and trade.

Asked whether there should be increased security for priests given the ordeal faced by RC Priest Clyde Harvey this week, Harris said there was only so much priests could do.

“We can do things like block people from meeting us like taking the normal means of safety such as installing cameras but don’t hide behind walls so that nobody can contact you,” Harris said.

After Mass there was a procession from the Savannah to the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception on Independence Square.

With over 1,200 outpatients awaiting Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT) scans at the San Fernando General hospital (SFGH), former medical director of the hospital Dr Anand Chatoorgoon has renewed his call for the Government to utilize the state-of-the-art scanners lyin.

An MRI scan costs between $3,600 to $8,000 while CT-scans can cost between $1,300 to $6,000 at private institutions.

Cancer patients have been begging for assistance saying they cannot get urgently needed scans at the hospital because a 64-slice CT scanner has not been working for the past six months. Only one scanner, a 16-Slice, remains operational but it does not operate as quickly as the 64 Slice scanner, doing only 75 scans per day between Monday to Friday.

In a paper written by Chatoorgoon in May last year and sent to the Southwest Regional Health Authority (SWRHA), Chatoorgoon said there was an easy way to deal with the backlog of patients.

“There are approximately 300 patients waiting for CT scans and approximately 600 patients waiting for MRI scans. Availability and utilisation of the updated 64-slice CT scanner and 3 Tesla MRI scanner at the Couva hospital would help the SWRHA to address and significantly reduce the long backlog of patients awaiting these radiological modalities,” Chatoorgoon wrote at the time.

But in an interview yesterday, Chatoorgoon said since the 64-slice CT scan went down at the SFGH six months ago, the number of outpatients awaiting scans have doubled.

“I understand that the waiting list has stretched into January 2018 and people are suffering. Many could die. This makes it even more important now than ever that government utilize the scanners at the Couva hospital,” Chatoorgoon said.

He suggested that the CT and MRI scanners at Couva hospital be used for outpatients of the SFGH and San Fernando Teaching Hospital only .

“This will allow the scanners at the SFGH to be made available only for the in-house patients and the emergency patients at that hospital,” Chatoorgoon added.

He also revealed that there was a state-of-the-art burns unit at the Couva Adult and Children hospital which has not been utilized.

“At present, the SFGH only has a burns ward with a few beds. We were calling on the Minister to open the burns unit at Couva because no other hospital has a state-of-the-art burns unit as exists at the Couva hospital. The minister’s decision to keep the hospital closed doesn’t make any sense at all,” Chatoorgoon said.

He said he wrote two papers giving suggestions about how the Couva hospital could be opened with no requirements for any extra staff.

“In the San Fernando Teaching Hospital there are three floors allocated to paediatrics. We should transplant these wards inclusive of staff and patients to the Couva hospital. This will free up three floors at the SFTH and this could deal with the overcrowding situation. There are 230 beds available at the Couva hospital,” Chatoorgoon said.

“With regard to the lengthy waiting list for surgeries, I suggested that we do same-day surgery at the Couva hospital.

Difficult cases would have to be done at SFGH but simple surgeries could be done at Couva only during the day. The same surgeons at San Fernando would go across there and do the surgeries and this will clear the waiting list,” Chatoorgoon added.

He said the scanners at Couva operate faster than those that exist at the SFGH so the backlog could be cleared easily.

On Wednesday, Minister Deyalsingh said patients at SFGH were not affected as one scanner continued to be operational at the hospital. In an earlier interview Deyalsingh said the warranty on the equipment at Couva hospital will be void if it was relocated to SFGH.

Pressed as to why the Couva hospital remains closed, Deyalsingh suggested that reporters ask Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar why she opened the hospital one morning and closed it the same evening. He also said that government was looking at a public/private partnership to run the hospital as government was unable to provide enough staff and funding for it.

The state-of-the-art hospital was completed by the last People’s Partnership administration just before the September 2015 general election but to date has not been opened by the PNM Government.

Soogrim Coolman, the Butlerite who embraced labour leader Tubal Uriah Buzz Butler as he took his last breath on 20 February 1977, is taking credit for starting the first Labour Day celebration in 1973.

Speaking at a tribute function held at Unity Court in Fyzabad on Wednesday night, Coolman, 89, said much of what was written in history about the death of police officer Charlie King on June 19, 1937, was not totally true.

However, he told his audience if he started talking about King, it would take all night, so he was prepared to give a discourse during the Labour Day celebrations next year.

Coolman, one of the last surviving Butlerites, had been invited to speak by Fyzabad MP Dr Lackram Bodoe to educate constituents about the history of Labour Day.

In a surprising twist, Coolman said when the late Prime Minister Dr Eric Williams declared Labour Day a national public holiday in 1973, the then leader of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union George Weekes was in prison and he got instructions to organise a celebration of the labour movement.

“George Weekes told me he wanted me to start something and they asked me what I wanted and I said six red flags, six blue flags, 100 other flags and a mike. I started working to get the Butler Hall painted and I mobilised the workers.

“On June 19 that year I saw the PG’s (president general) car coming up the road and to my surprise George Weekes came out. He was released from prison and he hugged me and squeezed me. He told me that I was the only person he trusted to start this,” Coolman recalled. He said he then organised an essay writing competition among schools in the St Patrick region and that has remained a part of the OWTU’s Labour Day celebrations ever since. Saying he was grateful to the OWTU for influencing his life, Coolman said he attended union conferences in Bulgaria, Moscow, Cuba, Mexico and Panama.

Meanwhile Coleen Carew-Regis, whose grandfather Michael Joseph was imprisoned with Butler in the 1930’s, said the spirit of the labour movement must be reflective in the work ethic of citizens. Lamenting that many children did not know the history of the labour movement, Carew-Regis said her grandfather’s legacy lives on.

“He taught us the value of work. We know how our grandparents struggled to give us the benefits we enjoy today and this is why we don’t go to work late. We work hard and we take pride in giving a good day’s work for a good day’s pay,” Carew-Regis said.

The Standard Four teacher said it was important for citizens to be productive citizens.

Meanwhile Bodoe called on citizens to join him in developing Fyzabad as a historic town. Saying he wanted to open a museum and other tourist attractions, Bodoe said this will assist in the diversification of the economy, while providing a platform for the development of Fyzabad.

He lamented that despite many gains in the working conditions over the years, citizens were continuing to experience challenges with job loss and retrenchment.

 Criminal psychologist, Rene Cummings says while the incidence of sexual offences is high in T&T, the criminal justice system here is not training magistrates and judges to prevent accused people from being granted bail.

Cummings said that during a presentation at the National Library, Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday.

She was referring to a recent matter where someone charged with a sexual offence was granted bail and the individual repeated the offence after being granted bail.

Cummings said: “The criminal justice system is not even training its magistrates and judges to understand sexual offending and to understand paedophilia and understanding that you don’t give bail to these people.”

She said when bail was granted to an accused offender “what you are doing is putting people’s children at risk.”

She said the offence was not a question of someone fondling their private parts, but a question of public safety and sexual offences which often ended in death.

Cummings said the country did not have a system to track sexual offenders despite the fact that many deportees to this country were charged with sexual offences.

Cummings said the politicians were allowing their ego to affect adversely the fight against crime in this country.

She said many of the people elected to run the country were not equipped with the skill sets to design the policy required to deal with crime.

She said there was “so much ego tripping” when individuals did not want to get the right individuals to help them get the job done because it would be found that they did not do it on their own.

Commenting on gang violence in T&T, Cummings said: “We have seen it all in T&T,” adding that crime was being committed “buffet style.”

She said because of the prevalence of crime in this country “the anticipation of death from violence is worse than death itself.”

Cummings said there was distrust of law enforcement in this country and the police must do more to correct that perception, adding that there was need for more energetic and vibrant leadership within the police service

She said law enforcement officers must investigate all gang-related killings even after the murder suspects were killed.

“Why do the police stop an investigation when they believe the killer has been murdered. We cannot do these things because these contribute to the country’s low detection rate.”

Cummings said a high detection rate brought confidence and public trust in law enforcement, but a low detection rate kept a society existing and believing that the police were not legitimate.

Cummings said: “Police must actively—and we are not seeing this—and aggressively pursue each case to be solved and not because it has been stereotypically deemed gang related means it is not worthy of a thorough investigation.”

Cummings said while it was good to remove illegal guns from the streets it was more important to remove the motivation for the need for the weapon, adding that the traditional investigative techniques being used by the police were no longer effective.

She also said there was need for more analytical support to be given to the police.

“We have some very sick people in our society who are perpetrating some very sick crimes,” she insisted.

Cummings predicted that increasing the police/army presence on the streets in the wake of a crime spike would not work.

Marcia Ayers-Caesar has threatened to take President Anthony Carmona and the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (JLSC) to court if she is not given her job as a judge back.

Ayers-Caesar said if she was not reinstated as a judge then she will be suing for compensation “for loss of office and the benefits that go with it” in addition to claims that she is entitled to be a judge. She will also be suing for the damages to her reputation.

Ayers-Caesar has signalled her intention to sue Carmona, through Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, and the Judicial And Legal Service Commission (JLSC), which is chaired by Chief Justice Ivor Archie, in two pre-action protocol letters sent by her legal team to Carmona, Archie and Al-Rawi on Friday.

If they do not reply to the letters within 14 days, Ayers-Caesar’s legal team has signalled its intention to start legal proceedings. Ayers-Caesar’s legal team is being led by Senior Counsel Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj.

The JLSC comprises Archie, Roger Hamel-Smith, Humphrey Stollmeyer and chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC) Maureen Manchouk.

On May 19 Ayers-Caesar wrote a tell-all letter to Carmona stating that her removal as a High Court judge is “unlawful and unconstitutional” and that she was put under pressure to resign. Ayers-Caesar said her resignation is, therefore, “of no legal effect”.

“However, the President has refused to recognise that (Ayers-Caesar’s) resignation and removal from office were of no effect. In so refusing, he has misdirected himself in law and misdirected himself as to his powers under the Constitution,” the pre-action protocol letter to Carmona states.

In March Ayers-Caesar, who became this country’s first female chief magistrate in 2010, was informed by the JLSC that she had been selected for appointment as a High Court judge. Her swearing in was scheduled for April 12.

On April 10, two days before the swearing in, Archie called Ayers-Caesar and asked her if she had any part-heard matters because “Ramdeen and them making a bacchanal”.

“(Ayers-Caesar) understood the Chief Justice to be referring to Senator Gerald Ramdeen and some members of the legal profession and the public making criticisms of judicial appointment and the manner in which appointments were being made,” the letter to the JLSC stated.

On April 11 Ayers-Caesar provided Archie with a list of 28 matters she had outstanding.

She, Avason Quinlan and Kevin Ramcharan were sworn in as judges by Carmona on April 12.

On April 25 Archie called Ayers-Caesar to a meeting with the acting Chief Magistrate Maria Earle Busby-Caddle where they produced a list showing 52 matters outstanding.

During a meeting on April 27 with Archie, Ayers-Caesar was told that the JLSC decided that either she tender her resignation as a judge or the JLSC would advise Carmona to revoke her appointment.

Ayers-Caesar was given a resignation letter and a media release which had been prepared for her to sign.

Ayers-Caesar’s resignation letter was signed by her after the JLSC decided that she must resign or it would revoke her appointment as a judge.

Pres Carmona’s actions

called into question

According to the pre-action protocol letters, the JLSC had no jurisdiction to remove Ayers-Caesar as a judge unless it complied with Section 137 of the Constitution of T&T which required that a tribunal had to be appointed to investigate whether the judge misconducted herself in office, and only the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council could have decided for her to be removed.

Ayers-Caesar’s resignation letter, therefore, had no legal effect because her removal was unconstitutional and in violation of Section 137 of the Constitution, the pre-action protocol letters stated.

In addition, since she was not given a hearing before the commission made its decision, she was denied the rules of natural justice and the protection of the law as guaranteed in Sec 4 B of the Constitution of T&T.

Archie told his administrative secretary to include in the letter of resignation a statement that Ayers-Caesar “was giving up any claim to any pension benefits as he did not want her to believe that she had accrued any benefits by virtue of her appointment as a judge for the period of two weeks”, the letter stated.

Ayers-Caesar submitted her resignation letter to Carmona that day.

Ayers-Caesar said Carmona participated in the JLSC’s “unconstitutional actions and unlawful pressure” by accepting the resignation letter.

Archie told Ayers-Caesar that he was “under pressure” from Carmona “and that the President wanted him to procure her resignation”.

“The President must have known from the very quick sequence of events that in very short order: first, the JLSC had met and decided (without hearing from the Claimant); second, the Chief Justice had had a meeting with her on 27th April; and third, she was immediately thereafter on her way to a pre-arranged meeting with him. The President therefore knew that the Claimant had been given no time for reflection or consultation but had had the choice of resignation imposed swiftly upon her,” the pre-action protocol letter to Carmona stated.

Carmona knew Ayers-Caesar’s resignation letter was “obtained by unconstitutional action and duress, and for that reason he cannot rely upon it or seek to uphold in on the basis (if such basis could exist) that he was unaware of the wrongdoing which brought it about”, the letter stated.

Ayers-Caesar is now contending that since her “purported resignation was given as a result of unconstitutional action and duress, it was null and void, or at least, she was and is entitled to revoke it”.

The pre-action protocol letters said the breaches that have taken place now allows Ayers-Caesar “to redress at common law or under Section 14 of the Constitution, including compensation for loss of office and the benefits that go with it (if she is not reinstated)”.

“Further, the failure to treat (Ayers-Caesar) fairly or in accordance with the principles of natural justice has caused her in addition great distress and loss of reputation, because it resulted in both the two media releases of 27th April 2017 and in the further media release of 9th May, 2017, which latter release made further allegations/charges against her,” the letter stated.

Archie issued a statement on April 27, the day Ayers-Caesar resigned, while the JLSC issued another on May 9.

“The result is that she has been publicly condemned in respect of a raft of allegations/charges which she was never given an opportunity to defend, and has lost her high reputation which was gained over many years of unblemished service as a Magistrate and Chief Magistrate,” it stated.

Calls and text messages to Carmona and Archie were not answered.

EXCERPTS FROM THE PRE-ACTION PROTOCOL LETTER TO THE CJ AND THE JLSC

Claimant ought to be reinstated

49. The Claimant therefore contends that as her purported resignation was given as a result of unconstitutional action and duress, it was null and void, or at least, she was and is entitled to revoke it. As said above, by her letter dated 19th May 2017, she informed the President of the unconstitutional action and unlawful pressure, and asked for his acceptance that her removal from office was unconstitutional and of no effect. She sent copies of the letter to the Chief Justice and the Defendant.

50. However, both the President and the Defendant have refused to recognise that the Claimant’s resignation and removal from office were of no effect. In so refusing, they have misdirected themselves in law and misdirected themselves as to their powers under the Constitution.

Damages

51. Further or in the alternative, the said matters entitle the Claimant to redress at common law or under s.14 of the Constitution.

52. The Claimant contends that the Defendant’s unlawful actions set out above denied her the protection of the law and thus infringed her rights protected by s.4 (b) of the Constitution.

53. She further contends that in acting as aforesaid the Defendant committed the tort of misfeasance in public office.

Misfeasance in public office

54. For the reasons set out above, the Defendant acted unlawfully in making the decision to seek the Claimant’s resignation and, in the person of the Chief Justice, by threatening that the Defendant would recommend the revocation of her appointment if she did not resign.

55. The Defendant and the Chief Justice on its behalf knew that the said conduct was unlawful, or at least, they were recklessly indifferent as to its legality. The Claimant contends that they must have known the limits to the Defendant’s powers under the Constitution and the guarantee of judicial security of tenure given by the Constitution. Alternatively, they must have realised that to act properly in the circumstances required them to take care to remind themselves of the limits of the Defendant’s power and, for that reason, if they acted as they did without knowledge of the limits then they were reckless as to the limits.

56. Further, the Defendant knew and intended that the Claimant would be injured by its actions, because it intended that the Claimant be removed from office, whether she wished it or not.
Heads of Compensation

57. The Claimant’s claim for compensation will include compensation for loss of office and the benefits that go with it (if she is not reinstated). Further, the failure to treat her fairly or in accordance with the principles of natural justice has caused her in addition great distress and loss of reputation, because it resulted in the two media releases of 27th April 2017, and in the further media release of 9th May, 2017, which latter release made further allegations/charges against her. The result is that she has been publicly condemned in respect of a raft of allegations/charges she was never given an opportunity to defend, and has lost her high reputation which was gained over many years of unblemished service as a Magistrate and Chief Magistrate.

The details of the action that the Defendant is expected to take

The Defendant is required to acknowledge that the Claimant’s purported resignation as a judge of the High Court was invalid and obtained by unlawful pressure and was without constitutional effect.

​
The Defendant is required to recommend to the President that the Claimant be reinstated as a judge of the High Court.

Tobagonians and travellers alike are already experiencing challenges on the sea bridge between Trinidad and Tobago with slow “fast” ferries, cargo and barge vessels. To compound Tobagonians’ woes, an inclement weather pattern with the potential to wreak further economic hardship and havoc on the island is threatening. This will also impact upon the current stores of foods and emergency building supply level in Tobago and the ability of the private sector to have available supplies for citizens to prepare themselves prior to an event such as a hurricane.

Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) director Allan Stewart yesterday urged citizens, especially in Tobago, not to panic but to prepare just in case a tropical disturbance has the potential to become a tropical cyclone and make landfall in Tobago within several days.

The T&T Meteorological Service issued a bulletin yesterday at 8 am that a broad area of disturbed weather was located approximately 2,560 km east-southeast of T&T. It said over the last 24 hours, this area of disturbed weather had become better organized. There was a medium chance (40 per cent) of tropical cyclone development over the next 24 to 48 hours and a high chance (70 per cent) over the next three to four days.

At this time, this was an area of disturbed weather for which the T&T Meteorological Service (TTMS) will be investigating and monitoring, paying particular attention to the likelihood of tropical cyclone development.

All interests in T&T were asked to monitor the progress of this system and pay close attention to information being issued by the TTMS by visiting its website at www.metoffice.gov.tt, downloading its mobile app (search: TT Met Office) and following it on Twitter and Facebook.

The TTMS was reminding citizens that they were in the hurricane season and adequate preparation was advised.

The MET office said it wished to underscore that at this time T&T was not under any tropical cyclone watch or warning.

The TTMS will be closely monitoring this system as it moves across the Tropical Atlantic Ocean and will issue another bulletin within 24 hours.

Speaking to the Sunday Guardian on Friday, Stewart said “Based on the prediction and projectory course of the system we are actually in the cone of probability. To the general public we are asking that there’s no need for panic at this stage; it’s just a tropical disturbance with a high 50 per cent chance of becoming a cyclonic event.

“The sectors that are charged with the responsibility of managing such an occurrence if it turns out to be that, we’re actively looking at our checklist at this time making sure that the necessary components are in place, for example I’m liaising with my counterparts at the ODPM (Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management, T&T MET office and other first responders.”

He called on citizens to do be prepared as it was the hurricane season, to stay close to their radios, charge cellphones, store batteries, water, canned foods, medicine and to download TEMA’s Virtual Vision app.

Meanwhile, municipal corporations in south and central Trinidad are on high alert as they brace for bad weather in the next few days, which could likely result in flooding, landslides and high winds.

(reporting by SASCHA WILSON)

Government remains committed to creating an environment that supports positive labour relations, as it understands the pivotal role of labour in the context of sustainable development and competitiveness in the global market. So said Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley in his Labour Day message to the nation. Labour Day will be commemorated tomorrow.

In a statement yesterday, Rowley called for a re-commitment to further strengthening social dialogue processes to afford each and every citizen the opportunity for better living and working conditions.

He said from an initial ten trade unions in Trinidad, by the end of 1938, more than in any other West Indian colony at the time, T&T now boasts over 40 trade unions representing all classes and categories of blue and white-collar workers.

He said, “We have consistently encouraged open dialogue with the unions and we respect and facilitate the collective bargaining process. All of us in T&T want to see this country proceed along the path to prosperity and overcome the challenges we currently face. Over the past few months we have witnessed some positive developments–our talks with energy sector leaders and partners both here and abroad are beginning to bear fruit.”

Rowley said Government continues to actualise its plan of diversification into those areas where it can be competitive, such as the creative industries, tourism, maritime related services and ICT-enabled services.

“We have to respect one another across the bargaining table with a view to attaining win-win scenarios that work in the best interest of workers, employers and ultimately our country.”

Detectives have received information that the mafia-style murders of a Trinidadian and two Chinese Nationals a mere two days apart in Marabella could be linked. T&T Guardian was told that it is also possible that Marabella resident Everton Moses, 35, who was shot more than 30 times, knew the Chinese nationals Shirui Zhao, 32, and Yanli Gu, 29, who also died in a hail of bullets two days after Moses’ murder.

Gu, a mother of two, was murdered on her birthday on Thursday night. Detectives, however, have not narrowed down the motive for the slayings, but are working on several theories and searching for several people who they believe could assist them with their investigations.

It is being rumoured that the local Chinese mafia ordered the hit on the couple because they left the organisation without permission. Another theory is that the nationals were murdered because they were owning a money lender a large quantity of cash.

Another obstacle faced by officers is the language barrier as well as the unwillingness of other Chinese nationals to give any information. “They are very tight-lipped. No one is saying anything,” an investigator said.

Investigators are still working on how Moses fit into the picture.

Moses was gunned down on Tuesday night while walking along Sea View Drive, Marabella,on his way to his mother’s birthday party. Two days later, on Thursday night, Zhao and Gu arrived at their apartment upstairs Kosume Bar, at the corner of John Street and New Haven Avenue, where two men wearing hoodies opened fire, pumping over 60 bullets into Zhao’s black Toyota Corolla Altis.

Their security guard followed them from Zhao’s business place at E World Club and Liquor Bank along Tarouba Road, Marabella, where Gu was employed, to their home, but sped off and went to the police station when the shooting started. The Chinese nationals have family in Trinidad.

Officers of the Marabella CID and Homicide Bureau South, under the supervision of Snr Supt Zamsheed Mohammed and Insp Don Gajadhar, are investigating.

Former prime minister Dr Eric Williams was “informed on several occasions” about the alleged acts of corruption committed by his cabinet minister John O’Halloran, political activist Ferdie Ferreira has claimed in his new book Political Encounters 1946-2016.

However, Ferreira cannot say whether Williams, this country’s first prime minister, profited financially in any way from O’Halloran’s alleged corruption.

The name O’Halloran has long been associated with corruption in this country.

In 1983 bribery charges were levelled against O’Halloran who eventually fled to Canada where he died.

“Following the infamous saga of Johnny O’Halloran, several people asked me if I believed Williams knew of Johnny’s acts of dishonesty and whether he shared in the spoils,” Ferreira states in Chapter 11 of his book entitled The Doctah I Knew.

“From my knowledge, Williams was informed on several occasions about Johnny’s alleged acts of corruption. Whether the evidence was ever made available to him or not, I am in no position to say,” he stated.

Ferreira said it was “no secret” that Williams had “absolute confidence” in O’Halloran.

On the question of whether Williams shared in O’Halloran’s alleged “booty”, Ferreira stated:

“Neither Williams nor O’Halloran would have shared that secret with anyone, if in fact there was such a secret.”

In Chapter Eight of the book, Ferreira talks of his relationship with this country’s most popular whistle-blower Gene Miles.

Miles is the godmother of Ferreira’s son, current government senator Dr Lester Henry.

Miles was in a relationship with O’Halloran and used to wait to see him outside Parliament, Ferreira stated.

“Every Friday, the voluptuous, burly Gene would appear in Parliament with her always more-than-attractive outfits. That beautiful and attractive woman became the centre of attention of course,” Ferreira stated.

“We could not see Williams’ eyes under his dark shades but all the rest of government and opposition members were captivated by that majestic creature. With her sexy hips, charming smile and a body built by General Motors, Gene was irresistible,” he stated.

Ferreira said during the Parliament’s tea breaks he and Miles used to chat.

“As we became closer, she started telling me about her attraction to and relations with Johnny O’Halloran. Friday after Friday I had to listen to some story about Johnny. Sometimes she would expect Johnny to come out and speak with her,” he said.

O’Halloran, however, once asked Ferreira why Miles was coming to the Parliament “every Friday to embarrass” him.

“This is a good opportunity to put to rest once and for all the misinformation, the now well-entrenched but incorrect perception that the untimely and unfortunate demise of my dear friend Gene Miles was as a consequence of her expose on the gas station licensing racket, her evidence at the Karl de la Bastide Commission of Enquiry, and her persecution by the PNM (People’s National Movement) Government,” Ferreira stated.

“Gene’s conflict at the Ministry of Petroleum and Mines had nothing to do with Minister Johnny O’Halloran or the PNM Government. Her conflict at the ministry was with her boss, factory inspector Kenneth Tam who had sole authority for issuing licences for the construction and operation of petroleum stations,” he said.

Robinson...‘one of the

most skilful political

navigators in the world’

Ferreira said this country’s second prime minister, George Chambers, “was not only one of our better prime ministers but he was an excellent constituency representative, an excellent political leader who, against all odds, rose to the occasion when asked to assume leadership of the party and country in 1981”.

“I can speak with a measure of authority on his leadership and his political capacity which he demonstrated in the general election of 1981. As party organiser for the ONR (Organisation for National Reconstruction) I was among his major opponents and George put us on the defensive from round one,” Ferreira stated in Chapter 12 of the book entitled Who was George Michael Chambers?.

Ferreira said Chambers’ “punch lines”, such as “Not a damn seat for them”, remain “indelibly written” in his memory.

“We in the ONR never recovered from the devastating political punches he delivered with remarkable precision.”

Chambers led the PNM to a victory at the 1981 general election.

Williams died on March 29, 1981.

“Even in death, Williams’ timing was perfect. Even in death he was an asset to the party,” Ferreira stated.

In 1986 the PNM lost the general election to the National Alliance for Reconstruction led by Arthur Napoleon Raymond Robinson 33-3.

Robinson was this country’s third prime minister.

In Chapter Ten of the book entitled ANR Robinson Aspiring and Achieving Ferreira said the first time he met Robinson was in 1956 at a PNM public meeting at the University of Woodford Square.

Ferreira lauded Robinson as “one of the most skilful political navigators in the world”.

“I am sure when Robinson’s political history is researched and properly documented, he will be placed in the Guinness Book of Records as one of the most skilful political navigators in the world,” Ferreira stated.

“Robinson, whatever we may wish to say of him, served his country well, obtained international recognition and almost sacrificed his life for his country in 1990. He dedicated his entire life to the service of his people. Whatever the circumstances, he served from 1956 to his departure and, in the words of our National Anthem, he aspired and he achieved,” Ferreira said.

Robinson was shot during the 1990 attempted coup by Muslim insurrectionists.

Manning, one of this country’s

‘most successful prime ministers’

Ferreira said this country’s fourth prime minister, Patrick Manning, was one of the “most successful prime ministers”.

Manning left this country much better than he met it when he assumed office in 1991, Ferreira said.

He also praised Manning for getting the PNM back into government after the 1986 defeat.

However, Ferreira said Manning “made some unforgettable and sometimes unforgivable errors”.

Manning “demonstrated poor political judgment” when he called the snap elections in 1995 and 2010, Ferreira stated.

In Chapter 13 of the book entitled Farewell, Patrick Manning, Ferreira said he warned Manning that he was embarking on a “mission of political suicide” by calling both snap elections.

“Patrick ignored all warnings and lost on both occasions,” Ferreira stated.

“Ahead of the 1995 general election, I submitted a report to Patrick cautioning against taking the electorate for granted and pointing to ‘moderate enthusiasm’ among the 14 constituencies from which I had polled 60,500 voters,” he said.

As the PNM’s election officer, Ferreira wrote Manning on June 15, 1995, with his warnings.

In the Acknowledgements section of the book Ferreira refers to this country’s current Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley as his “friend”.

Ferreira said over the past ten years, Rowley has not only been his “main source of encouragement and inspiration” but someone who “made the required resources available to him to ensure realisation of his long-awaited publication”.

Ferreira, in Chapter Four entitled Tragedy of Colonialism, said “the biggest tragedy in the People’s National Movement continues to be its almost complete failure to record its history, its achievement, its failures and successes, and the worst of these features is its almost complete failure to recognise both at the party and national level, the contributions of most of its founding members even after its 60th anniversary celebrations.”

In Ferreira’s book, “he is an eyewitness to and participant in the modern political history of T&T.” Stories about people and places are revealed in the 273-pages book which provides “historical corrections and behind-the-scenes observations” about local politics.

As far back as 2007, there was a failure to provide lease agreements for the rental of properties by the State. Ten years later, with a proliferation of rentals throughout the country and exorbitant costs, accounting officers are still not fulfilling their obligations to the Auditor General’s office.

According to the Auditor General on the Public Accounts Report for the Financial Year 2016, the public interest is not best protected where lease agreements remain informal and unexecuted. The cost to rent buildings and offices for several ministries and departments for 2016 was in excess of $480 million and in some cases, the spaces remained either unoccupied or Cabinet approvals were not produced.

The report for the financial year 2007 stated that signed lease agreements were not seen for three properties leased by the Service Commissions Department at a total monthly rental of $589,334.75. Similarly, signed agreements were not seen for three properties for the Ministry of Local Government of which rent totalling $125,155 was paid.

The 2009 report showed that 12 out of 13 signed agreements were not produced for properties rented by the Ministry of Legal Affairs.

For the financial year 2015, rent totalling $525,718.33 was paid for the period June 8, 2014 to September 20, 2015, for unoccupied premises on High Street, Siparia. The rental continued until December 31, 2015, after which the arrangement was discontinued, reportedly due to the absence of an elevator.

The report stated, “In the absence of written, executed lease agreements, it could prove more difficult to enforce the State’s rights under the agreement, leaving the State in a potentially more vulnerable legal position.”

Last week, Communications Minister Maxie Cuffie defended his Government’s position in a press release on the rental of properties following remarks made by Auditor General Majeed Ali in the Parliament. The Sunday Guardian examined Chapter Two—Expenditure: Accounts of Accounts Officers of the report.

It was found that signed lease agreements were not produced for some properties although payments were made and while this matter had been raised in previous years, fingers continue to be pointed in the direction of the Property and Real Estate Division under the Ministry of Public Administration and Communications. That division is responsible for having leases executed. Cuffie said last week that he had mandated the division to closely monitor the use of buildings once rented to ensure that they were occupied at the shortest possible time, including outfitting work.

Personnel Department:

Total rent of $53,585,608.51 was paid during the period December 10, 2012 to July 31, 2016 for unoccupied premises on 12th Street, Barataria, which were reportedly waiting to be outfitted. This contravenes Financial Regulation 34 which places the responsibility on the accounting officer to eliminate non-essential services and to ensure that public funds are utilised to the best advantage.

Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs

Cabinet approvals for the rental of eight of the 14 properties sampled, with monthly payments totalling $626,637, were not produced. As a result, it was not determined whether there was proper authority for the rental of these properties.

The ministry leased a building on Pembroke Street, Port-of-Spain, on June 6, 2012, at a monthly rental of $100,000 VAT exclusive. Total rent of approximately $5,200,000 was paid from inception to September 30, 2016, for the building together with 20 car park spaces. It was observed that the building remained unoccupied while the parking lot is being utilised. An amount of $4,348,528.60 was spent on the outfitting of the building. Total expenditure to date amounted to $9,548,528.60.

Ministry of Labour and Small and Enterprises Development

Cabinet approvals were not produced for five properties with an annual rental value of $7,851,851.48.

During the period September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2016, a total of approximately $1,084,790.40 was paid for the rental of office space at Gulf City Lowlands Mall, Tobago. This property remained unoccupied until it was relinquished on August 31, 2016.

Cabinet approval was not produced for rental of storage space at Trade Zone Complex No 1, El Socorro Road Extension, San Juan, for the period October 1, 2015 to May 31, 2016, for which expenditure totalling $141,048 was incurred.

Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government

Cabinet approvals were not produced for two rented properties with rental payments totalling $830,675 as at July, 2016.

Ministry of Housing and Urban Development

A Service Agreement between the ministry and an employee of the New City Mall was not produced. Total amount paid was $45,900. As a result, the terms and conditions could not be determined.

Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts

Cabinet approvals for the rental of office space at ten locations with monthly rents totalling $658,207.23 were not produced in contravention of Financial Regulation 8 (l) and Financial Instruction 43.

Ministry of Foreign and

Caricom Affairs

A total of $2,520,540 South African Rand ($US196,884.07) was expended on an unoccupied property at 580 Berea Street, South Africa, for taxes, utilities, maintenance and security costs for the period March 2009 to September 2016.

Ministry of Social Development and Family Services

The ministry leased a building on 95-97 Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain, effective October, 2015. Total rent of $899,135.60 was paid from inception to January, 2017. It was observed that the building was occupied with effect from March 3, 2017.

Several vendors at the Arima Public Market are up in arms over the decision by the Arima Borough Corporation to close gates that allow customers into a section of the market.

They said they were losing sales since the closure was a major inconvenience to them and customers.

However, mayor Lisa Morris-Julian said the corporation will insist on maintaining order.

She said, “The particular gate that they are asking for is a haven to illegal activity...We are not gonna back down.”

The vendors took their concerns to political leader of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) David Abdulah and met with the media yesterday.

They pay $75 for their stalls which are covered with tattered-looking tarpaulins. Some vendors occupy as many as six stalls. Close to 300 vendors inside and outside of the market along with the public have access to four washrooms. They said they have no parking facilities and pay “high fees” to keep their vehicles safe.

Abdulah said, “To have people operating in this kind of way is being extremely disrespectful to vendors who come here earning a decent, honest living, working hard and providing a service to hundreds of people in not just Arima proper, but many surrounding districts.”

He said people would not have safe access out of the busy and crowded market in an emergency with the gate locked.

David Best, a member of the Arima Vendor’s Association said the chief executive officer of the corporation gave instructions for two gates to be locked.

He said there was a breakdown in discussions, however one gate was unlocked.

Mayor: We are not backing down

Morris-Julian, who was at the market, told the media it was unfortunate that part of the story was being told.

She claimed the people making the noise were the ones “not paying their dues” and were encroaching on the garbage area and against along the fence.

She said, “We all know that Arima, like a few other markets...that we have illicit and illegal activities, namely drugs and illegal vending. With regards to the gate, the association invited the Fire Service and they agreed with us that one gate should be opened. We not gonna back down. We gonna insist that we have order in the Arima market. We not going to support or condone illegal activity.”

Arima MP Anthony Garcia, who partnered with the corporation to treat fathers to breakfast at the market, said, “I just spoke to the president of the vendor’s association and I have made arrangements for him to come and see me in my office. In addition to that, I will speak to the mayor and members of council to see how best we can resolve the situation.”

Despite test results from the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) which reveal that the waters off King’s Wharf are polluted with faeces and waste from the fish market, members of the San Fernando Sea Bathers’ Association claim the beach there has healing powers.

The sea bathers’ group, which has existed for the past 20 years, told the Sunday Guardian that members have been bathing in the area known as Flat Rock for decades and no report is going to change that.

Last month, the IMA released their report on the State of the Marine Environment which revealed that bacteriological water quality studies conducted since 1981 on popular beaches showed they were contaminated with sewage. Some sources of contamination were non-functional sewage treatment plants, seepages from latrine pits built on river banks and along the coastline, improperly constructed septic tanks and run-off from livestock farming operations.

Stepping out of the seemingly clear water last week, Franklin Ishmael said bathing there soothes his joint pains. Ishmael continues to visit Flat Rock almost every morning, despite the reports of pollution.

“I’ve heard it from several persons bathing here, but no one seems to want to stop. Most of them said the water is doing well for them. As for me, I enjoy every moment of it. The sea cleans itself as far as I know, so I really don’t have a problem with bathing here,” Ishmael said.

He explained that he had a surgery on his ankles a few years ago and as he got older, he suffered from severe pain. Since joining the Flat Rock fun, he said the pain had decreased significantly.

“I try to be here every morning before I go out to work because it makes me feel good. I really look forward to the exercise every morning rather than going to the park. With a half an hour in, I get my belly exercise, foot exercise and all the joints. It works well for me.”

Anthony Gonzales, who suffers from a pinched nerve in his lower back, said he also experiences a relief during his morning beach bath.

“I have a pinched nerve that acts up at times. Recently, it was acting up pretty badly and somebody told me that salt water will do well. I used to watch the water and tell myself it’s polluted or it is nasty, but then I decided to come and on the first day I came, I was able to do much better than before. By the end of the week, I was doing much better,” Gonzales said. Although there have been talks about the water being contaminated, he said he will continue to take his daily beach bath.

Calling Flat Rock the “Maracas Bay of south Trinidad,” Eric Wheeler, who has been swimming there for the past 45 years, said he too plans to continue bathing despite concerns about pollution. Wheeler said he has never heard a complaint from someone falling ill or seen anyone developing a rash from the beach.

However, he is worried about erosion and that pollution could eventually make their slice of paradise toxic. He said many times they have had to clean garbage from the beachfront as people often come to lime there after partying on the party boat Southern Elegance. Bottles, KFC boxes and other waste litter the waterfront. The sea bathers usually collect the garbage and put them into bags and bins to be discarded, but often the bins are stolen.

“You see how clean and nice here is now, by the time weekend, cars will park, eat KFC and leave it there. We don’t do that as the bathers. This is also a parking zone where people come from a party and they make little limes, drink and leave the bottles there. We the people who bathe here come with garbage bags and the people ignore it. The culture in Trinidad is different,” Wheeler said.

He, like many others, wants the authorities to find ways to charge people for throwing their garbage in the watercourses and building latrine pits on the river banks and near the seawall.

“I am not worried about the quality of water because the sea is really a healing water and the salt always heal you from arthritis and all kinds of things. Just like you would not have a cold, but when you leave the sea your nose is running...I will continue to bathe, but these people should be charged for polluting the sea.”

On an overcast Thursday morning last week, almost 20 people gathered for their morning swim, most of them unaware of the IMA report. But whether it’s faeces or garbage flowing into the Gulf, they are not giving up their beach for anything.

What the IMA report says

In assessing the bathing water quality, the IMA used the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Quality Criteria for Water (1976) in the absence of any local bathing beach standard. They rated the water quality as “Good,” “Poor” and “Very Poor.” Of those beaches tested were Las Cuevas Bay, Maracas Bay, Williams Bay, Chagville, Welcome Bay and the San Fernando coastline from the Roodal Cemetery to the Marabella River. Along the San Fernando coastline is the popular Flat Rock beach, earmarked for the $1.3 billion San Fernando Waterfront Development Programme and which was taken to Cabinet earlier this year.

The IMA report stated that the water quality south of King’s Wharf, where Flat Rock is located, is very poor as it is contaminated by waste from the fish market. North of King’s Wharf was also labelled as “Very Poor” while area north of the San Fernando Yacht Club is contaminated with sewage seepage from latrine pit dug within a few meters of the seawall and discharge from the polluted Guaracara River bordering Petrotrin and the Marabella River.

The Train Line community is situated between Guaracara River and Marabella River which are both sources of contaminants to the Gulf of Paria. Several squatters in the Train Line have latrine pits and improperly constructed septic tank soakaways running into the river and sea.

Contamination causes severe diseases

According to the report, swimming in polluted water can cause illnesses, especially if the water is swallowed. These include viruses such as gastroenteritis, hepatitis, respiratory illnesses, ear, nose and throat ailment, salmonella, E Coli, skin rashes and pink eyes. While swimming-related illnesses are not usually severe or life-threatening, gastroenteritis can take a severe toll on infants, the elderly and patients with immune system problems

His Excellency President Anthony Carmona is calling on fathers of disabled children to find a way back into their lives.

He said abandoning the disabled child to the sole responsibility of a mother’s love and affection was wrong and unfair.

In his Father’s Day message, Carmona said, “There is, however, one demographic that bleeds our hearts on this very special day and this pain we have personally experienced interacting with the family members and caregivers of differently-abled children.

“When we speak of differently-abled children, we do not speak of children with broken limbs but children with broken spirits, broken hearts, starved of fatherly love.”

He said very often the daily routine of the disabled child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, the visually-impaired and the hearing-impaired were borne solely by mothers.

He said many fathers have abandoned their disabled child to a mother’s love and presence through skewed and misplaced notions of manhood, masculinity and shame.

“Fathers, please find a way back into the life of the differently-abled child who craves your love, care and affection.”

Carmona said in a society confronted with many afflictions, a simple yet defining solution may well be a father’s love, guidance and presence.

He said quite often, the role and significance of a father are downplayed and seen as the lesser of the parental influences when in fact it should complement the role of the mother in the home.

“Today is indeed a celebration of fathers, father figures and fathers who run single-parent households and contribute to the progression and upliftment of generation next.

“Father and father figures, continue to be that glimmer of hope with your disciplined love, mentorship and presence.”

Carmona said while children will be inclined to give their fathers material things, there was no greater gift than the gift of love, deep appreciation and dedication “and that gift is one that daddy will always cherish and remember.”

He also gave a “hail up” to grandparents who have taken the place of delinquent mothers and fathers, imbibing love and affection in an unparalleled way.

Days after three execution-style murders rocked the Marabella community, a community-based organisation yesterday held its first anti-crime march, calling for an end to criminal activities. Joined by several other groups in the area and residents, the Marabella Unemployment Welfare Committee members led the march which began at Agnes Street and ended at Mannie Ramjohn Stadium.

“We want to bring back Marabella and San Fernando the way it used to be,” said committee chairman Junior Calliste.

“It (crime) seems to be getting a little out of hand.”

Commenting on the three murders over the last few days, he said, “It is sad because Marabella is a loving area and people on the Train Line are good people, so it is very disturbing. We need to love one another even more than before.”

Calliste said the march was also a way of educating people and also letting them know that the committee is ready to assist those who need help.

“We want to send out a message to stop the crime and value your life and the life of others. Everyone’s life is important. I believe there are good youths, they just need proper guidance. They need to know that there are good things out there. I came from the ghetto itself and look at me,” said Calliste.

Calliste also believes that parents must play a key role in curbing crime.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Faris Al-Rawi says the Government is seeking to ensure disadvantaged T&T citizens are provided with improved resources before more can be done to allow refugees to live here.

Al-Rawi said that in response to questions from the T&T Guardian about the need for specific legislation to assist foreigners seeking refugee status in this country. World Refugee Day will be observed tomorrow.

Al-Rawi said, “Really, our first focus must be on the people of T&T because our system is so fissured and so cracked, in many senses, that our own people are not seeing the benefits of their own experience and their own economic wealth.”

He added, “Before we even get to that venture (specific refugee legislation) we have got to make sure that our most disadvantaged citizens have the kind of access that they ought to have, first. So I can’t see that we can open a flood gate for refugees where we have 250,000 families living in squatting conditions where electricity, water and social services are not being delivered.”

He said the Government was “dusting and dealing” with the issue of “how do we transfer the value of taxpayers’ dollars to citizens in a fair and equitable fashion. That has to be a precursor to considering the issue of refugee status.”

Al-Rawi also said the need for specific refugee legislation “as a matter of policy must be driven by data and the data has to come from the immigration authorities”.

The AG insisted that he had “not seen any knock on the door for that, nor am I aware of anything coming to Cabinet from the Ministry of National Security.

He admitted: “This particular Government has not considered the issue of an amendment to our immigration legislation so as to permit refugee status.”

Commenting on the perceived increase in Venezuelan nationals living here, Al-Rawi said: “We are being very accommodative of the situation with our neighbours in particular. We have been managing the situation with our very close neighbour, Venezuela.”

He said the T&T Government “has been lending assistance to the people of Venezuela via the provision of goods and services.”

More than 600 foreigners have applied to the UNHCR—The UN Refugee Agency in Port-of-Spain—seeking refugee status here. Among them were nationals of Pakistan, Colombia, Venezuela and Cuba.

For the past month, a Cuban mother, Yanely Vera, has been protesting peacefully outside the UN office on Chancery Lane, Port-of-Spain.

Another Cuban, Yanete Camacho, who spoke on behalf of Vera, told the T&T Guardian: “We are Cubans, we are refugees and we have no place to work or school for our children.” According to Camacho, at an initial meeting with UN officials they were told they might not be able to secure a home for another year or two. She said they are willing to live in T&T or any other country willing to accept them, including the United States, Canada, or France.

Camacho said there were hundreds of Cubans in T&T looking for a home and a place to work. “We need to live normally because we are humans and we have rights,” she said, insisting that they cannot live in Cuba. “We need answers, we don’t need words (talk), we need action. We, Cubans, need a normal life, we have our family and many children here.” She said the group will continue to protest until they get a country to live and work.

At a recent UNHCR workshop in Port-of-Spain, protection officer Ruben Barbado said there was need for specific legislation to be approved in this country to assist the applicants status.

Yesterday, Al-Rawi said T&T was a small island state economy, which, like other nations, was “under significant resource constraint pressure.” He said under the existing Immigration laws people who wish to stay in this country can apply for the minister’s permission, “they can seek residency status and could apply for citizenship,” he said.

Al- Rawi said refugees were usually accommodated in some of the more advanced economies that have not only the economic capacity but also the physical land space and social infrastructure to deal with refugee status

According to Al-Rawi one of the most important considerations for granting lawful refugee status was the potential security risk of the applicant.

The number of people identified in retrenchment notices submitted to the Labour Ministry from September 2015 to this month stands at a total of 2,630, the ministry has confirmed.

The ministry provided the figures in response to queries.

Last Thursday, Labour Minister, Jennifer Baptiste-Primus, had told the T&T Guardian’s political column the figure from late 2015 to around May was approximately 2,500 and she would have subsequently given the final official figure.

The ministry subsequently provided the final figure of 2,630 applying from September 2015 to June 2017.

The ministry stated the number of those retrenched from September 2015 to September 16, was 1,865, based on notices received by the ministry. In February 2016, Baptiste-Primus had said 846 had been retrenched up to then.

Baptiste-Primus explained that the ministry had figures, excluding numbers of less than five people retrenched from any entity. For numbers under five who were retrenched, an entity didn’t need to submit notices to the ministry, she noted.

According to the ministry’s figures, between January to December 2015, the total number of notices sent to the ministry regarding retrenched people was 1,721.

Largest number of retrenchments then was in October mainly in the construction and financing/business services/real estate sectors.

For January to December 2016, the total number of notices was 1,315. The largest number of notices were issued in May 2016 mainly for the petroleum/gas production/refining/service contractors sectors.

From January to June 2017 the number of notices was 465. Largest number was in April pertaining to the petroleum and financing sectors.

Baptiste-Primus noted there are 22 pieces of legislation under the Labour Ministry. Government is expediting labour law revision, prioritising Industrial Relations and Retrenchment and Severance Benefit legislation.

On new legislation mandating that workers must enjoy specific basic terms and conditions, Baptiste-Primus said employers associations have sought more time to examine this.

She said Cabinet has also received reports on reducing contract dependency in the public sector and state enterprise/private sectors.

“Contract labour has ballooned. But once work is of continuous nature, there’s need for permanent employment rather than contract. It may not necessarily mean more jobs, but jobs will be of permanent nature. For example in the public sector, we need to de-suppress existing permanent public sector there.”

In the case of the private sector, she added, “moral suasion” has to be employed.

While Baptiste-Primus disputes UNC MP Rudy Indarsingh’s estimate that 25 ,000 to 30,000 people have lost jobs between 2015 to 2017, Indarsingh says.

“Contrary to Government’s Labour Day message from Public Administration’s Maxie Cuffie— that Government is committed to working closely with the trade union movement to ensure workers’ rights are respected— exactly the opposite is happening.”

“The Prime Minister and the Ministers of Finance, Energy, Public Utilities and the Agriculture must explain how many more thousands will be forced on the breadline due to impending closure of the Board of Inland Revenue and Customs/Excise with the coming of the T&T Revenue Authority and restructuring of Petrotrin, Agricultural Development Bank, NAMDEVCO and TSTT (following acquisition of Massy Communications).”

Several people, including a young child, were outside the Marabella bar when the two Chinese Nationals were assassinated by two mask shooters. The footage shows Zhao and Gu pulling into the parking area in front of Kosume Bar at the corner of New Haven Avenue and John Street in Zhoa’s black Toyota Corolla Altis. They lived in an apartment upstairs the bar with other Chinese nationals. As Gu opened the right passenger door to exit the car, two gunmen came from the right and began firing at the car. Gu, who turned 29 years old on that day, closed back the door. By this time the people, including the child, who were gathered to the front of Zhao’s car began to scamper.

One of the voices in the background of the video claimed the man who was with the child let go of the child’s hand and ran. The voice also described the first shooter who was wearing a hoodie and a mask as the devil. The shooter with the mask ran straight up to the driver’s door and fired several shots at the window. He was joined by another hoodie wearing man who stood from a distance and fired.

The masked shooter then ran a short distance away, but continued shooting.

The video shows that Zhao was still moving. The masked shooter, however, ran back to the window and continued firing bullets and emitting a cloud of smoke.

When he seemingly ran out of bullets, the shooter ran a short distance away, reloaded and ran back to the driver’s window to finish the job.

Police have not made any arrests, but they have several suspects. Investigators are working on several theories, including that the hit was allegedly ordered by a local Chinese mafia or a money lender. They are also investigating whether last week Tuesday’s murder of Marabella resident Everton Moses, who was also killed in a hail of bullets, is connected to these two murders. They are looking at several suspects.

Investigations are continuing.