In the San Juan market, along the East-West corridor, there has been an overall increase in the price of produce as well. Some customers found that vendors along First and Second streets, just outside the market, were selling a few dollars cheaper that inside the market.

Shopper Liz Francis, who bought her supplies from vendor Zorina Chabrol who operates just outside the market, said "The vendors on Second Street have much cheaper prices than inside the market. I buy sweet peppers at $16 a pound, inside it's $20." She believes in shopping around for better prices and suggested that other people could do the same.

Chabrol, meanwhile, said everything was expensive—cabbage, tomatoes, celery. She said before the floods chive was being sold at three bundles for $10. She now sells it for $5 a bundle. Baigan is now $15 per pound compared to $6 or $8 previously, depending on the quality. Chabrol said once she got produce at cheaper prices, she passed on the savings to her customers.

Vendor Gerald Craig, who also sells on Second Street, found it hard to get his produce sold as a result of the higher prices brought on by the recent floods and the customers' fear of contracting leptospirosis. He emphasised that his ground provision came from St Vincent and Venezuela and some were from local suppliers in the North and not from the South, which was hard hit by the floods and where several people contracted leptospirosis.

He said tomatoes skyrocketed from $15 to $25 a pound, a huge jump from $8, $10 and $12 a pound in previous months. Tomatoes produced locally and affected by the flood was being sold at the same price as the those which were imported. Plantain was being sold at $8 from $4 and $5 per pound.

Dasheen, now being sold for $8, was previously $5 and $6, he said. Cassava was cheap—three pounds for $10, and eddoes and sweet potatoes were reduced from $10 to $8 per pound.

Craig's customer Naomi De Silva said she was aware that the high prices were as a result of the flooding, but added that it was an impetus for individuals to started their own back yard garden and save some money.

Emma Sayers Baird, a vendor who sells inside the San Juan market, said the vendors who sell on First and Second streets had an unfair advantage since they did not have to pay rent. She said last year a stall within the market was raised from $150 to $400 a month, it should be at least $250-$300 to give them a fighting chance to be competitive.

Baird said the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation banned street vending but the street vendors avoided this technicality by setting up their stalls on private lots on First and Second streets and paid the landowners a minimal fee.

IN SAN JUAN—Prices then and now

Sweet pepper—$8, now $16 and $2o

Chive—three bundles for $10, now $5 a bundle

Baigan—$6 to $8, now $15 per pound

Tomatoes—$8, $10, $12 per pound, now $15 to $25

Plantain—$4 to $5, now $8 per pound

Dasheen—$5 and $6, now$8

NAMDEVCO WHOLESALE PRICES

FRUITS
Paw paw—Kg 11.02
Banana Ripe—Kg 13.33
Watermelon—Kg NA
ROOT CROPS
Carrot—Kg 8.82
Cassava—Kg 5.56
Sweet potato (Local)—Kg 9.03
VEGETABLES
Tomato (M)—Kg 28.86
Pumpkin—Kg 6.61
Melongene (M)—Kg 22.05
Cabbage (Wh)—Kg 11.02
Cucumber—Kg 11.02
Lettuce(M)—Head 7.00
Sweet Pepper (M)—Kg 26.46
Chive (L) bundle—120.00

Government's plans to deal with returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs) include strengthening programmes to address perceived economic and social inequalities in T&T, job creation and overall rehabilitation and reintegration of radicalised people into society.

National Security Minister Edmund Dillon revealed this and other latest anti-terrorism initiatives in Parliament last Friday, replying to Opposition question on plans to address terrorism and crime.

“The Government is cognisant that as a country, T&T isn’t immune to terrorist attacks and has strengthened collaboration with international partners to combat this and ensure protection of citizens and foreign nationals,” Dillon added,

He said Government was committed to addressing and reversing the process of radicalization of FTFs who return to T&T from conflict countries.

“Focus is being given to conducting targeted research on this group and the implementation of innovative social campaigns and initiatives geared toward rebuilding national allegiance as well as support for national counter terrorism efforts.

“Government has also begun a process of deepening partnerships with key non-governmental, faith-based and community-based organisations to harness their extensive social networks, inherent dynamism, innovation and energies to counter the terrorist ideologies.

"Priority focus has also been given to strengthening programmes aimed at addressing perceived economic and social inequalities, employment creation and overall rehabilitation and reintegration of radicalised persons into society.”

In March, Dillon said 130 people from T&T—58 fighters and approximately 72 family members—were involved with terrorist activity overseas.

Last month in the 2018 Budget debate, Fitzgerald Hinds (Minister in the Attorney General’s Ministry) said international partners have confirmed that the figure is 180 men, women and children.

A 2013-2015 intelligence list shows 105 people—including 26 women, 14 girls 30 boys and men—left for the Middle East. At least ten were later reported to be dead.

T&T working with international partners

Speaking to the Guardian yesterday, Dillon said T&T was working with international partners—including the US's Southern Command and UK security heads who recently visited T&T—to assess exactly how many FTFs and families may seek to return to T&T.

This includes how many may be "adrift" or be at Middle East camps following Isis' deterioration over the last year when ranks began crumbling.

Last Friday, however, attackers bearing Isis banners killed 300 in an attack on an Egyptian Sufi mosque.

In September, the Human Rights watch found a T&T family—including women, children—at an Iraqi detention centre among hundreds including Isis members who surrendered to Iraqi forces.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi said yesterday the family was still there and "we're dealing with them."

In March, he announced proposed amendments to anti-terrorism law adding that further proposals would deal with returning FTFs/families. He said yesterday the thrust was based on identification, verification, prosecution (if recommended) and prevention.

Proposals concerning returning FTF families, including four safe houses for those in need of safety, operating within a Justice Protection programme, will come to Parliament soon.

Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon says a Counter-terrorism strategy for T&T was approved by the National Security Council on November 1. Implementation is underway.

It focuses on deterring people from participating/supporting terrorism, enhancing national counter-terrorism operational capabilities and building national resilience in event of attack.

Dillon said, "It involves reinforcement of existing legislation; design/implementation of vibrant public sensitisation campaigns and other social programmes; and the disruption of further development of radical extremist entities and their ideologies that lead to terrorism."

A Terrorism Interdiction Unit has been established under the Police Service’s Special Branch to gather and process intelligence and do threat assessments. Police officers are also being trained to deal with active “shooter” incidents. This follows global attacks by solo culprits.

Apart from stronger intelligence sharing with international partners—including Northern Ireland, Government has partnered with Hedayah, an International Centre of Excellence for Countering Violent Extremism to train national stakeholders. Similar partnership exists with the Commonwealth Countering Violent Extremism Unit and World Bank collaboration on money laundering/terrorist financing mitigation.

All ports were audited this year to ensure greater compliance with international security codes which includes detecting security threats. Defence Force participation in national youth programmes is being increased to address at-risk youth and promote community outreach and alternatives to crime and radicalism

While members of the Beetham community have repeatedly blamed neglect and lack of jobs for protests, which have included blocking roads and the highway, a brief look at the community's history shows that the majority of protests have been due to some type of conflict with police.

The protests have mostly stemmed from incidents where police shot or killed members of the community, or police arrested a member of the community.

Last week, residents of Beetham Gardens spilled onto the highway, dragging debris and throwing items at oncoming vehicles as they raged against what they claimed to view as neglect and a lack of jobs.

The residents called for those in authority to agree to give contracts to residents to clean the drains in and around their community. That same morning, two residents of the community, well-known to police, were detained for questioning, but residents said their action had nothing to do with this.

On Friday, the Prime Minister addressed the nation and said he had instructed Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams and the Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon to do what was necessary to enforce the law.

In Parliament, also on Friday, Dillon said the plan to treat with such incidents was more community outreach.

He was replying to Opposition questions in Parliament on the protest.

Dillon, in a written statement, later detailed measures the ministry intends to implement in order to improve trust between the TTPS and citizens.

He said, “The TTPS has indicated that the organization will continue its efforts to increase the level of trust and confidence between the police and citizens.

"This will be achieved through the continuation of the following initiatives of the TTPS: Prosecute and discipline errant officers, engage directly with community members through town meetings, Station Action Councils, neighbourhood watch groups. It also involves the continuation of Community Policing initiatives and increased participation in Police Youth Clubs."

Police intend to remove kid gloves

While Dr Rowley and Dillon provide policy and instructions, the person in charge of the Port-of-Spain Division of the T&T Police Service, Senior Superintendent Floris Hodge-Griffith, yesterday said her officers were prepared to remove the kid gloves they used to treat the community.

"As the commander in charge of the division I am telling you, I am not prepared to treat with that situation lightly, I was disappointed in the residents.

"We spend time, resources and energy to uplift the community with youth programmes and homework programmes. What people would have seen over the years was a police service not trying to aggravate a delicate situation.

"We've done a lot of community work there and we have programmes and officers dedicated to those areas, but I believe the time has come that we will no longer treat them with kid gloves."

The police are still reviewing footage in order to identify people who would have broken the law on Thursday.

Charges can range from offences such as throwing missiles, loitering or being a public nuisance.

She said the Police Service was aware that there were law-abiding citizens in the community and the police wanted to help them.

The Sunday Guardian attempted to speak to Laventille West MP Fitzgerald Hinds about plans for the community.

Residents said they had not heard from or seen Hinds since the incident. While Hinds was present in Parliament on Friday, he did not answer calls from this reporter or respond to a text message sent to his phone.

—reporting by Gail Alexander

Doma: Efforts must be made to guarantee there is no repeat

In response to questions about how such protests affected the capital city, President of the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association Gregory Aboud said the situation needed both short-term and long-term solutions.

"In the short term, the episode creates a tremendous apprehension among the public on all strata of the society. Without the highway access to the city is reduced to a trickle on the Eastern Main Road side and that would have an immediate impact on access to the city and people's willingness to access. It does not take much imagination to understand it has a negative impact on the future of the capital of our country," Aboud said.

He said the long-term issue was one of alternate access and the need for variable points of access to and from the capital, which he said was an issue which had attracted action from none of the successive regimes.

"It is not just the commercial point of view of the highway being critical to the capital city but the entire western peninsula not only for commerce but in case of national disasters. It is untenable that there should be one major artery that connects West to East and South."

He said another long-term issue which arose was the future of the people at the Beetham Gardens

"The society at large is being questioned about its tolerance of lawlessness in other areas of national life including in the disbursement of lucrative contracts and disbursement of public funds on the one hand, while on the other hand speaking to other classes in this society about the need for lawful behaviour.

"In the short-term, every effort must be made to guarantee no repeat of this episode of chaos but in the medium term action must begin at once to create a more just society in which everyone understands that law and order are being maintained across all boundaries and strata of the society."

Look back at protests by Beetham residents:

November 23, 2017—Beetham residents protested on the Priority Bus Route and Beetham Highway in what residents have described as a demand for jobs, though conflicting reports suggested the protest was in response to the detention of two men in the community.

August 28, 2017—Beetham Gardens residents staged a heated protest during which they threatened the police and threw debris onto the Beetham Highway. The residents claimed the police were unfairly targeting people in the area.

May 1, 2017—Beetham residents protest after a community leader was taken into police custody for the possession of marijuana. While the community claims police victimisation and abuse of power, police labelled the exercise a success.

Jan 17 2017—Beetham Gardens residents protested along the Priority Bus Route in January, claiming that rum manufacturer Angostura Ltd has been pouring industrial effluent into the drains alongside their homes for years and they would not take it any more.

Jan 24, 2014—Beetham Gardens attempted to block a portion of the Beetham Highway and then the Priority Bus Route in the vicinity of Pashley Street, Laventille, in protest, after Randy Williams, 25, a father of three, of Phase Five, was shot during an encounter with the police outside the Beetham Landfill.

Sept, 1, 2013—Beetham Gardens residents protested over the police shooting of Christopher Greaves. Residents of the area began fiery protests after Greaves, 23, was shot dead by police. The protests were staged along the Eastern Main Road, Priority Bus Route and Beetham Highway, with residents blocking the roadways with debris, confronting police and even throwing rocks and other pieces of debris at vehicles along the PBR and the highway.

May 24, 2012—Beetham Gardens residents burned tyres, old fridges and furniture blocking the east-bound lane of the Beetham Highway to protest a lack of jobs and complain of government neglect.

July 1, 2011—Angry residents of Beethem Gardens lit large piles of debris on fire on both the bus route and the east-bound lane of the Beetham Highway. According to police, the protest was in retaliation over the arrest of a well-known gang leader who was arrested at his Beethem Gardens residence. Residents alleged they faced police brutality during the arrest.

Jan 29 2011—Beetham Gardens residents blocked the Priority Bus Route and the east-bound lane of the Beetham Highway to highlight "police oppression and brutality" in their area, following a police exercise in the area which saw the arrest of a known "community leader" who was wanted for shooting at the police. Another 27 men, with the eldest being 60 and the youngest 19, were detained for outstanding warrants, possession of firearms and ammunition, shooting with intent, robbery, common assault and possession of narcotics, according to police.

Oct 10, 2009—Beetham residents blocked the highway and part of the Priority Bus Route after police killed two men.

Two men were gunned down at the gas station opposite Maritime Plaza in Barataria, last night. The men were reportedly filling air in their tyres when the incident occurred. Sources said the men were ambused.

Up to late last night the men were hospitalised in critical condition, while police were at the scene conducting investigations.

Protests by Beetham residents on Thursday had a deleterious effect on vendors' sales at the Central Market and also a ripple effect up the Caribbean chain of islands.

When the Sunday Guardian visited the market on Friday only the gate at the northern entrance was opened.

All the other gates were locked as a security precaution in the aftermath of Thursday morning's protest along the Beetham Highway and the Priority Bus Route (PBR) where debris was thrown and burned in the roadways, missiles thrown at motorists and some were attacked in traffic.

Many customers who used the Abattoir Road entrance from the Beetham Highway thought the market was closed.

Flora Holder, a provision vendor said “We came here 11.30 pm Thursday and we're still here and didn't get much sales because of that Beetham incident. Customers are afraid to come in the market and worry about their vehicles.

“I have to sleep in the market to watch my goods overnight. There are foot patrols but the lawless don't care about police, they will time the police when they pass and then rob you.”

She said crime cannot be stopped but the Beetham upheaval can be controlled if police patrol cars were strategically placed on the highway.

John Lock, another provision vendor said the violent disturbance in the Beetham affected sales dramatically as both local and foreign people were afraid to come to the market. He said Caricom vendors who usually came to do import and export trade did not come out to purchase their usual amount of produce.

Lock said to better regulate what occurred in the Beetham there must be more police highway patrols in the area and the bus route.

Deo Rodney, a clothes vendor said most of his customers came from the highway and did not know the market was open.

The protest that occurred in the Beetham on Thursday was done by a minority and their actions are not representative of the majority of residents who are law-abiding, hard-working citizens that have been stereotyped and maligned. The residents want jobs instead of riots, they say.

A blocko was in full swing on Rum Street with youths partying “normal normal” yesterday.

Several youths gathered at Fifth Street to show their solidarity with residents that not everything that comes out of the Beetham is bad.

Resident Dave Harragin said “If some minister or someone could come and talk with these youths and create employment, these things wouldn't go on. It was published that they hold some gang member, but that's not why they protested.

“These fellas need jobs in the community. The Government is neglecting the people in the area. We have a representative down here and he doesn't even come through the area, which is (Laventille West MP) Fitzgerald Hinds.”

He said residents were calling for representation from Hinds a year ago when a 40-foot sinkhole opened up two streets away but he never came and also never showed up to address the flooding and clogged drains.

Harragin said he did not condone such actions as throwing debris to block the road, there were many different ways to protest but the residents felt they were not getting any attention and thought that was their only solution.

He said some of the comments on social media to wipe out the area were severe.

Harragin said there were good people living in the community that go to work on a daily basis and not everybody was a criminal. When asked about how the majority of the population felt about a minority from the Beetham could inconvenience and hold a nation to ransom, he said if the Government decided to help residents with work, these incidents don't have to go on.

Businessman Kevin King said he was seeing the community and nation deteriorating. He said grass roots places like the Beetham felt the heat more as a backlash with what was occurring in society and jobs were imperative for residents.

Give businessmen guns. Chairman of the Couva-Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce Ramchand Rajbal Maraj and retired Senior Superintendent of Police Johnny Abraham made this call yesterday during the funeral service for murdered doubles vendor Nishad Radhay.

Radhay, 25, was shot dead at his Cameron Street, Balmain home around 2 am on Wednesday, when two men stormed his home and shot him in the head before running off with cash and jewelry.

Abraham, who knew the Radhay family well, said the country was “getting from bad to worse”.

“I myself am under lockdown, I does hardly go anywhere, I ent fraid nobody you know that,” Abraham said.

“At the same time it have people out here who creating employment and when they go home in the night they can’t protect their wife, they can’t protect their children, because they haven’t gotten that firearm and they applying for firearm 20 and 30 years. They creating employment and can’t get a lawful firearm.”

Abraham said some police in the service are either afraid to do what they are supposed to do or don’t know what to do and may have given up on crime fighting. He cited the recent incident in the Beetham where law-abiding citizen going to work were beaten and robbed as an example of the police mishandling the situation

“I feel the police raise up their hand and surrender. That is my feeling.”

Rajbal Maraj said he expected crime to get worse in Couva unless the area gets more patrols and resources. He said the manpower in Central had not changed in the last 15 years even though the population had skyrocketed in the last decade.

Maraj said ‘lawlessness has really raised its ugly head now and it’s time the Ministry of National Security do something about crime. There is a great call for businessmen to be equipped with firearms to protect their families and business.”

Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh told the gathering that the people in Couva may have just reached their breaking point as the people in Beetham.

Radhay’s cousin, Kavisha Manack, who delivered the eulogy said Radhay was a devotee of God and a good community worker.

The Beetham community has a recorded history of violence and protests. It is a community grappling with poverty and residents often complain of neglect. This week, following protest action, which saw motorists and commuters traumatised, the Sunday Guardian interviewed a young adult on the problems plaguing the community. He did not want to be named for fear of being victimised.

I’ve lived in Beetham Gardens all my life. Growing up here has been bittersweet. I grew up in abject poverty but I was raised rich in morals and values. My childhood memories are mostly filled with fun.

Beetham was always an area in which crime was a part of the culture. When I was younger, I can’t remember gang activity being the norm. Instead, I remember many people internally and externally that would engage in internal killings, robberies and theft against members of the community.

Today, there are rare cases of internal murders and minimal or probably no cases of “gang members” stealing or robbing members of the community. On the other hand, there has been a significant increase in the number of murders, robberies and thefts performed on citizens outside of the community.

Today, the entire community becomes a part of the “Rasta vs Muslim” war. When the “enemies” or gangs from the “Muslim City” comes to do a drive-by or walk-by or shoot up our taxi stand in Port-of-Spain, it’s only the innocent ones that feel it. This war has created borderlines and innocent members of the community can’t even go to neighbouring communities as they are killed either as an enemy upon going or as a traitor upon a safe return.

I’ve lost multiple family members and a lot of friends who I grew up with to gun violence. I’ve had three incidents of gun violence that I remember clearly.

Two of them resulted from the drive-bys from warring communities who simply just came to shoot up the place. The third was when I was almost killed due mistaken identity.

I feel safer when I am inside my house. The police create minimal safety. Many in the community feel safer depending on the gang members to deter or stop the warring communities from infiltrating and shooting or killing members of the community.

Gunfire never ceases

The most shocking thing I can remember is the killing of the five-year-old child and grandmother on New Year’s morning of 2016.

Literally, gunshots are the background music to life in this community. I hear it all the time. I don’t even jump or get surprised. If it sounds like the sound is near, you drop low or just run until it stops. There’s literally not one day you go without hearing the sounds until it just becomes normal. It really doesn’t even bother me any more.

I’m not very afraid while walking through the community. I just look out for the drive-bys.

These are the things I see as contributing to crime. The poverty mixed with poor parenting, the lack of mentorship in our hotspot schools and lack of positive role models, which sees children turn to the gang leaders as idols.
It also seems as though the Government finances the war by awarding contracts and then, on the other hand, they are trying to stop it. How does that make sense?

And then there are the low detection and conviction rates which make crime attractive. It leaves young men thinking that they can join the criminal field and there are little consequences to their actions, which makes it easy for them to join gangs.

There’s definitely a high illiteracy rate amongst many in our community. But year after year, we’re seeing that a great number of young people are determined to improve that significantly. On one hand, there are a high number of youths actually pushing for tertiary level education and making the best of this. On the other, the community has probably one of the highest percentages of school dropouts and youth delinquency. Any day you pass by you can see the number of young people just sitting on corners.

I also see a lot of single parent and sibling-led families. It comes down to just a matter of a household trying to survive by any means they deem necessary. Good moral and values are sometimes not even passed on.

Hope for the community

The last time I felt happy was when the Beetham Gardens Community Centre was completed and opened. We fought tirelessly for this as a community and 90 per cent of the labour and expertise came from the community of Beetham Gardens. I was happy when it was completed because it was proof that once young men and women get the opportunities they are ready, able and willing to make that positive change.

Every time I walk into the centre, I feel so proud of these members of the community.
I am proud of the growing amount of positive young people and other law-abiding citizens that are in the majority, who quietly go out and contribute significantly to society and its growth.

We have produced successful sportsmen and women, cultural ambassadors and outstanding academics and scholars. These images are barely captured and these people are hardly recognised by the media.

Recently, we saw a group of individuals behaving in the most disgusting and notorious way by attacking the public. This was an act that most members of the community were not in support of. The entire community was labelled and branded as rebels and all sorts of inhumane names for the actions of a few.

It made all the front pages. When we have success stories you can hardly even get mediocre coverage. At the end of the day, two wrongs can’t make a right. This is the 21st century—if the TTPS does something we deemed wrong there are civilised ways and means to deal with it. Hire a great attorney, go to the Police Complaints Authority, try a peaceful protest in front of the top cop’s office. This is not the way forward. TTPS and the Government should do all in its power to give justice to those innocent citizens that were affected Thursday. However, they must keep in mind that not every resident is a criminal or participated in such acts.

My hope is that social, physical and economic factors of my community could improve significantly. I hope the residents can change their mindsets. I hope that our national community would give the younger generation a fair chance to opportunities without the stigmatisation and discrimination caused by a few of our community.

WE ARE ALWAYS THERE TRYING TO HELP THEM—SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT

Told about comments made by the individual resident about the unwillingness of Beetham Gardens residents to trust the police, Port-of-Spain Senior Superintendent Floris Hodge-Griffith said police had done significant work in the community and other communities which faced similar challenges.

“We spend time, resources and energy to uplift and meet with the people in the Beetham community. Our officers go every day and whether it is the Police Youth Club, homework programmes or other programmes dealing with youth, we are there. It is disappointing that they would not feel as though the police is available to them.”

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is questioning whether Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s refusal to address questions posed by T&T Guardian reporter Radhica De Silva about the Beetham protests was because she is married to the photographer allegedly assaulted by his “best friend” Haniff Nazim Baksh.

Speaking to reporters after voting at Parvati Girls’ Hindu College yesterday, Persad-Bissessar said she is deeply concerned over that incident.

She was referring to last Thursday, hours after Beetham residents had blocked the roadway and threw missiles at passing vehicles when De Silva approached Rowley at the Point Lisas Business Park in Couva for a comment on that incident.

However, he responded with, “Where are you standing? In Couva, well don’t ask me about Beetham. I am here to talk about Couva.”

Rowley has since defended his statements, saying he was the middle of a conversation “when someone unknown to me...without identifying herself stuck a microphone in my face, in the middle of a sentence, to ask me for an interview on a subject.” Rowley said he was not prepared to address that issue at that time and that was not the way this are done. “I simply said I am in Couva dealing with the issue in Couva. I don’t know what the problem is from there,” said Rowley.

De Silva, however, has denied being discourteous to Rowley.

Persad-Bissessar said, “I wonder if he treated Radhica in that way because she is the wife of the reporter, the journalist, the photographer Kristian de Silva who was assaulted by his best friend.”

Describing Radhica as a respected and responsible journalist, she said, “I am very concerned that the Prime Minister may be taking out his stresses on this reporter.”

She also questioned why Government Senator Allyson Baksh, daughter of Rowley’s “best friend” A&V Drilling Workover Limited, Haniff Nazim Baksh, has not been removed when both her father and husband have been charged with assault. “Look at Marlene. What did Marlene do wrong? Marlene was only in a photograph with a person named Burky. He was not wanted by the police. He has not been charged by the police. Marlene was fired, not once but twice, but here we have evidence that something has gone totally wrong, but yet the Prime Minister continues to protect his best friend and the family of his best friend. That cannot be the way you run a country,” she said.

Persad-Bissessar said the country has collapsed under the Rowley administration. However, she said her party is organising itself “to take them out politically because everyone in this country is suffering.

Two weeks after delivering an ultimatum to the Government to remove Dr Rolph Balgobin as the chairman of Angostura Holdings Ltd (AHL), watch dog group Fixin’ T&T is calling for a boycott of the company’s products.

Balgobin was recently cleared of allegations of sexual harassment of a female executive at the company.

Urging the public, “To drink something else,” Fixin T&T Head Kirk Waithe said Angostura was a publicly traded company under the “care” of government which continued to maintain a defiant silence on a matter which he assured, “Would not go away.”

The group said, “All around the world, people and organisations are taking a stand against sexual harassment by rapidly distancing themselves from alleged sexual predators.”

“The Government of T&T and the Board of AHL based on their handling of this matter, seem to have a less than committee rejection of the practice of sexual harassment in the workplace.”

Two weeks ago, Waithe warned he would push for a national boycott of Angostura’s brand if government and the board failed to do the right thing.

Last month, Balgobin was cleared of the allegation in a report done by former judge Rolston Nelson.

Waithe has argued that sexual harassment remains pervasive throughout many work places in T&T and that victims suffer in silence.

He claimed the allegations of sexual harassment against Balgobin span more than ten years.

AHL said that following the internal investigation, the board dismissed the allegations on October 26.

Balgobin has always denied the allegations made by the unidentified female executive, who in November last year filed a police report alleging sexual advances by the company’s chairman.

That same month, the employee filed a whistleblower complaint, through her lawyer Alexei McKell, to the audit committee of Angostura and the board of its parent company, CL Financial Limited (CLF).

Balgobin became chairman of CLF in May 2016, at which time he also assumed the chairmanship duties at Angostura and Home Construction Limited (HCL).

The employee alleged the incidents took place on August 17 and September 14, 2016 after two work-related meetings and in her bid to bolster her complaint submitted to a polygraph by Accredited Polygraph Services, on November 3, which she attached to her complaint to both her employer and CLF.

In the statement, the company said that it upheld the highest standards of professionalism and transparency in all endeavours, and was “committed to a policy of treating allegations of sexual harassment very seriously.”

They assured, “Angostura Ltd will provide an environment to ensure that all our employees are treated with civility, decency, respect and dignity.”

The successful attempt to stop today’s Public Services Association (PSA) election by one of the four teams contesting the race has managed to “cement” Watson Duke’s continued leadership of the organisation—at least for the forseeable future.

Grateful to The Fixers for the unwitting extension, Duke yesterday signalled his intention to the Government that he does not intend to waste a minute of it and is demanding an immediate minimum payment of $10,000 for every PSA member, which would form part payment relating to outstanding salary negotiations for the period 2014 to 2016.

Duke urged Finance Minister Colm Imbert to pay closer attention to the union now as they continued to fight for workers.

He said a letter would be despatched to Imbert by 8 am today demanding the fixed advanced payment on behalf of members.

He assured it would act as a down payment to counter the effects of accumulated hardships caused by inflation rates in 2014, 2015 and 2016 which had measured 5.7 per cent, 4.7 per cent and 3.3 per cent, respectively.

Duke said their demand represented half of the overall inflation rate during that period which amounted to 13.7 per cent.

Addressing the issue during a press conference at the PSA’s Head Office, Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain yesterday - Duke said their calculations were based on provisions contained in Section 20 of the Industrial Relations Act.

He said the workers’ purchasing power nose-dived in 2014 and steadily continued in the following years.

However, he is confident once the payment was made, it would help to “ease” the workers through this holiday period.

Bracing for government to speak on devaluing the dollar based on an IMF recommendation, Duke warned, “This means the advanced payment amount would automatically go up because to devalue the dollar is to simply increase the bandwidth by which workers must now negotiate to maintain the same purchasing power.”

Regarding tomorrow’s case management hearing, Duke said, “We were taken aback by the injunction that was designed to thwart the desire of workers to participate in an electoral process we deemed to be fair and free.”

Surrounded by members of his electoral team Game Changers, Duke said copies of the action were presented to the Election Committee as the first defendant followed by the PSA’s general secretary as the second named defendant.

He said no one else from the PSA’s executive had been named in the action—which to his recollection, was the first time something like this had occurred in the PSA’s history.

Vowing not to be distracted, Duke summarily dismissed the allegations by The Fixers that there were irregularities in the list of voters compiled by the PSA’s Election Committee.

In fact, he sought to defend them as he argued, “The Elections Committee of the PSA and the General Secretary who happens to be a trained and certified lawyer, are fully endowed with the resources and the ability to answer any and all questions that would have been asked by The Fixers in a court of law.”

Duke is predicting a positive ruling following tomorrow’s hearing before Justice Nadia Kangaloo at the Hall of Justice. Referring to the issue as “urgent” in which 15,000 plus members had been waiting impatiently to vote, Duke declared his team to be innocent.

He said, “We have done no wrong whatsoever and we did not partake in the compilation of any listing nor did we by any means, allow anyone to enter a list that was not members prior to the calling of this election.”

Members wanting to vote must be in good financial standing with the union for one year before they can exercise that right.

Duke denied they had been compromised by the ruling of Justice Frank Seepersad last Friday.

In a nine-page judgment in the Port-of-Spain High Court, Justice Seepersad ruled the group led by PSA presidential candidate Solomon Gabriel had raised valid claims which have to be determined before the election could be allowed to proceed.

Seepersad also stated the election could not be allowed to proceed as it may render an unjust result which would prove difficult to rectify if the slate is eventually successful in its substantive claim against the elections committee.

In their lawsuit the group argued the list of voters was fundamentally flawed due to a decision taken by the union’s General Council on October 5, to allow PSA members who were owing dues - to be allowed to vote, if they cleared their arrears before the election day today.

Almost 300 members reportedly made use of their allowances do so. The PSA has approximately 15,000 members who remain affected by the injunction.

As part of his decision on the injunction, Seepersad ordered the General Council to disclose the minutes of the meeting to the group as it formed an integral part of their claim.

Duke yesterday stressed that the general secretary remained unaffected by the election and, “Had no desire to influence a particular outcome. Her actions we believe, are totally pure, genuine and honest.”

Duke is hoping the election will be rescheduled before the end of the year.

It was a no contest. That’s the view of senior officials of the United National Congress after incumbent Kamla Persad-Bissessar was re-elected Political leader by an overwhelming majority.

It was the third time that Persad-Bissessar had received an overwhelming mandate from the membership of the UNC. In 2010 Persad Bissessar captured 13,932 votes to Basdeo Panday’s 1,359 and Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj’s 1072.

A total of 16,363 members voted in the 2010 internal elections out of a membership of just over 34,000.

In 2015, Persad Bissessar got 17,502 votes to Roodal Moonilal’s 1821 and Vasant Bharath’s 1305. The membership at that time was just over 95,000.

Two years later, the party’s membership has grown to just under 103,000 and Persad Bissessar had been urging all members to cast their vote in yesterday’s election telling them that the true enemy of the party was “the Government of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley.”

Throughout the day there was a steady stream of voters as the UNC membership cast their vote for political leader and for the national executive of the party.

There were few posts being challenged that of Political Leader, Party Officer, Education Officer and for the positions of regional coordinators.

Chairman of the UNC election Committee Rampersad Parasram said there were 77 polling stations across 37 venues to allow the 102,900 persons on the membership list to cast their ballots.

He said only one of the polling stations opened late. That station was located in Guaico and Parasram said it opened at 8.15 am because of “a simple administrative arrangement, tardiness on the part one of the local persons.” But he said the polling station was eventually opened and “people came and proceeded to vote.”

Christine Newallo Hosein, who challenged Persad-Bissessar for leadership of the UNC, said she was concerned about reports she had received in her Cumuto Manzanilla Constituency that “persons who were not on the list were being allowed to vote.” She said she had received reports that “persons were taking people to vote and stamping their ballot, they literally voting for them.”

She said she had also been told that “there is a concern that the person’s ID Card number is being written on the top of the ballot paper, I don’t know if it’s for them to check afterwards, because there is a corresponding number on the ballot paper. I don’t know what is the purpose of that it may be to identify the voter. ”

When the T&T Guardian spoke with Newallo-Hosein just before 3 pm yesterday she admitted she was “now heading out,” but from all indicators she said the voter turnout in the constituency was “very low.”

However, she said she felt “very good, I am upbeat. I look at this as very important for the country, not just for the party but for the country.” Asked if she was concerned about losing she said “I am very upbeat and very excited.”

Contacted on the allegation, Parasram said the Election Committee had received “no call or any report from any of the candidates on the field or their agents, no one has brought such a matter to our attention.”

He assured that “if and when that is brought to our attention we will look at it.”

Parasram said the voting process was “very clear to all the people who underwent training and all the candidates have manuals to know what the process and regulations are.”

Election day workers, he said, had undergone training sessions and they know that “if your name is not on the list you cannot vote.”

With regard to the ID card allegation he said it is a requirement to vote “your name must be on the list and you must have a photo ID.”

UNC Senator Gerald Ramdeen, who was on the ground in Sangre Grand,e dismissed the reports as “rubbish.”

He said Newallo-Hosein “does not even have a polling agent which is the most fundamental thing to have in a polling station to report on what is happening, so whatever complaints are being made, are not being made through any agent or polling agent.”

He said, “I have not seen her in any polling station for the day. That should speak volumes as to the credibility of the complaints being made.”

Ramdeen said he had seen a “very steady stream” of voters. He said, “if Newallo Hosein had support it would be in this area, but we have seen very little sign of that.”

Ramdeen said the election was “very important to show the strength of support for the political leader.”

Embattled Chief Justice Ivor Archie has refused a request to meet with his fellow judges to discuss recent misconduct allegations made against him.

In a email sent to High Court judge Carol Gobin last week, a copy of which was obtained by the T&T Guardian, Archie said he would not accede to the meeting requested by her almost two weeks ago, due to the strong possibility that details of the meeting would be leaked to the media. The correspondence was also shared with the other Appellate and High Court judges.

Archie said: “I would truly love to have more cordial meetings with judges at which we openly and frankly discuss issues of common interest, especially issues concerning the administration of justice and improvement of service delivery, but the knowledge that thinly veiled media is actually present in the room, runs the risk of making such meetings counter productive.”

He went on: “Such leaks place Carol and, by extension, all judicial officers at real risk of tarnish not only those one wishes to to damage but oneself as well. It is like the proverbial metaphor of the attempt to throw fecal matter onto an oscillating cooling machine. It splatters everywhere and no one’s garments emerge as white as the driven snow.”

Archie challenged the person who leaked Gobin’s original request to identify themself and ensure that his entire response is published if they planned to continue to do so.

“I also ask that the person who has been leaking find the nerve and strength of his (or her) convictions to state his (or her) name to the entire Bench and to honestly express his (or her) purpose for doing this,” Archie said.

While he decline to meet, Archie stated that he is always open to hold discussions with judges.

“Of course as always, as you all know, my chambers’ door is always open, for discussions of legitimate concerns, to my colleagues who are truly interested in the welfare of of the Judiciary and the country and have a positive contribution to make to our national welfare and to the PEOPLE of this country who we are here to serve without fear or favour, affection or ill will...not making it about our personal likes, dislikes, ambitions, affiliations, loyalties or agendas,” he said.

In a subsequent email response, which was also obtained, Gobin stated that she was disappointed and confused by Archie’s reasoning.

“The Chief Justice, apparently recoils at the very idea of placing the bench in some position resulting from perceived leaks to the media, but has so far not acknowledged the deleterious position for which he has placed us by leaving very grave allegations unanswered. For my part, I recoil at his having brought us to this,” Gobin said.

She also noted that since her request was made, fresh allegations have surfaced against Archie.

“What is astounding is that even in the light of the new allegations, the Chief Justice has continued to remain silent, oblivious it seems, to the effect of this scandalous state of affairs on the Judiciary?” she said.

Describing Archie’s stance as cliched, Gobin claimed that he attempted to shift the blame to her. Gobin also noted that she had pointed out several issues with the Judiciary to her colleagues in the past with varying responses.

“That anyone has thought them worthy of publication anywhere, has not breached any confidentiality. If publication has generated any serious discussion on them as matters of public interest, I have been encouraged, my efforts have not been in vain,” Gobin said.

She also renewed her call for Archie to address the allegations publicly.

“The mess, the stench of it is everywhere.It is his responsibility to begin to clean it up if he can. He will first have to recognise that he is accountable to the institution and the country,” Gobin said.

Contacted yesterday under the condition of confidentiality, a High Court Judge said he was surprised that the correspondence was leaked but said he supported Gobin’s stance nonetheless.

“We can not continue to mask complacency with misguided notions of confidentiality and conservatism. Our obligation to uphold the Constitution and apply the law, mandates us to preserve and defend the pubic interest.

In the discharge of this obligation we as Judges must ensure that our conduct both in and out of court, conforms with the highest standards of equity, honesty, morality and transparency,” he said.

School Feeding caterers’

The Finance Ministry last Friday released funds to the Education Ministry for payments for School Feeding programme caterers who will be paid in a “matter of days,” Education Minister Anthony Garcia said in Parliament last Friday.

Replying to UNC MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh , he said he’d spoken to Ministry officials on the payment matter last Friday morning. Garcia couldnt’ say if all outstanding sums will be paid, “But a substantial amount was received and should satisfy their needs.”

The Ministry’s also dealing with claims totalling $1.5m from the T&T Hospitality and Tourism Institute for GATE Funding.

Spraying for

Anti-bacterial spraying to guard against spread of Leptospirosis and mosquito-borne diseases will be done in Barrackpore and surrounding areas, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh told UNC MP Rodney Charles. The latter sought action following recent Barrackpore flooding

Deyalsingh said meetings were held with County Medical Officials, Insect Vector and other divisions including up to last Wednesday concerning safety measures including post-flooding educational programmes. County medical officials are liaising with municipal corporations to flush and drain surfaces. Insect Vector is spraying. Disposal of dead animals is on-going.

Ben Lomond, Reform

Although the Ben Lomond and Reform Early Childhood Centres are 98 per cent complete —and the Reform Hindu school is also 86 per cent finished- there’s still no word on when they’ll be open.

Education Minister Anthony Garcia told UNC’s Rodney Charles he couldn’t say when since contractors for all three suspended work concerning non-payment of invoices. Funds are being identified to meet payment and completion costs, therefore he couldn’t give opening dates.

Review of how many Education IT techs needed

The Education Ministry is appraising how many Information Technology (IT) technicians will be needed to support local schools’ IT performance, Education Minister Anthony Garcia told UNC MP Vidya Guyadeen- Gopeesingh.

Garcia said 100 technicians are on month- to month contracts.

He said he’s examining appraisal performance to see what’s the best number of technicians for schools’ IT needs. The Ministry should know by the end of the school term what will be done. Following appraisal, three year contracts will be awarded to the number of persons handling the job.

Cabinet has requested that the Estate Management Development Company (EMBD) temporarily resume sandmining operations at Coco Road in Claton Bay and Windsor Park in California Couva in an effort to address and deal with the shortage of red sand which is affecting the local constructions sector.

Confirmation of the request from Cabinet to deal with the problem has come from chairman of the EMBD Ronnie Shaheed Mohammed who told the T&T Guardian that this will be done under “new terms and conditions including payment to EMBD by volume as opposed to a fixed monthly sum.”

Mohammed said while the EMBD apprecates there is “some urgency” in concluding the matter, there is need to “ensure that this arrangement is commercially viable and ensures a reasonable return on investment.”

In this regard he said the EMBD has been in communication with the operators “to reach a “sustainable and mutually beneficial agreement.”

Local contractors have been complaining for the past few months that the shortage of red sand is having an adverse impact on the local construction sector. Because of the shortage they say the price of a load of sand now costs upwards of five thousand dollars. Red sand is a critical input in the mixing of mortar for the construction of buildings.

Mohammed said while “some relief” can be expected, he was concerned that the sand volumes supplied by the existing contractors are limited.

He explained: “Windsor Park is virtually depleted of reserves of red sand abnd rehabilitation is in progress, while the contractor at the Coco Road Sandpit Ramnarine Charles Persad Quarry Limited (RCPQL) by its own account supplies only 200 cubic yards per day of plastering sand to the public.”

Mohammed said it is therefore “imperative that EMBD controls and restructure this operation to ensure greater productive efficiency moving forward.”

Asked why the EMBD Sandpits are not operational, Mohammed explained that the EMBD is in the process of “regularising its sand mining operations.” This includes receiving all statutory and regulatory approvals including a “mining licence as well as regularising EMBD’s title to the sandpit lands.”

EMBD he said is also in the process of “changing the business model for the operation of these sandpits which includes altering payments being received by the EMBD from a fixed monthly fee to one based on volumes of sand removed from the sandpits.”

The change he said may also involve EMBD “taking over the sale of sand directly to customers.”

To make the changes he said the EMBD now has to establish new operational policies and procedures “to ensure transparency, efficiency and profitability for all sandpits.”

Mohammed said the EMBD has been in daily contact with the Commissioner of State Lands for regularisation of its title to sandpit lands.

As recent as October 3, 2017, Mohammed said the EMBD completed and submitted all the required documents to the Ministry of Energy for consideration by the Mineral Advisory Committee.

He said once EMBD obtains a mining licence and all requirements to operate legally are met, the EMBD will begin sandmining operations in the “shortest possible time.”

Friday was International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and T&T has announced a reduction in violent crimes against women in 2017.

According to the latest statistics released to the T&T Guardian by the Police Service, for the period January 1 to October 31, there were 1,484 reports of violence against females under and over 18 years of age. In 2016, there was a total of 2,414.

With respect to murders, this year, a total of 45 females were killed, up until October 31, whilst in 2016 there was an overall total of 48.

In a United Nations report, in Latin America and the Caribbean, the number of countries with national women protection policies has risen from 24 in 2013 to 31 in 2016, yet, the region is still the most violent in the world for women (WHO 2013).

The UN report was launched on Thursday at the regional parliament with over 120 legislators.

To halt this problem the report recommended addressing women’s protection issues at a higher political level, with more investment, a comprehensive approach and greater co-operation as key to eradicating violence against women and girls in latin America and the Caribbean

The new study also compiles best practices for the eradication of violence against women, identifies critical issues and proposes key actions to achieve qualitative advances and overcome this social scourge of epidemic proportions in the region.

Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) leader David Abdulah is warning of many more incidents like last Thursday’s Beetham protest because of inequality and unfairness in soceity.

Commenting on the Beetham Gardens violent protest last Thursday during a press conference at MSJ’s San Fernando headquarters yesterday Abdulah said the MSJ does not condone acts of violence against citizens “so we certainly don’t condone people throwing stones at persons vehicles.”

Abdulah added, “At the same time, however, that we do not condone that activity we also do not condone the kind of disparaging statements made about the residents of the Beetham by persons in society who themselves are not exemplars.”

So that there are politicians who they attack persons on the Beetham who over the years have used and abused those residents as vote banks rather than developing the community and developing those citizens of those communities.

“There are also person in the national community who, as business people, refuse to employ people from the Beetham because on their application letter they put as the location of their home as a resident of the Beetham and therefore they get discriminated against and they get exploited on that basis.”

He said unless and until economic policies that generate fair and equitable opportunities for every single citizen of this country are implemented there will be many more incidents like last Thursday’s protest. “Unless and until we get a fair, just and equitable society we are going to get these explosions of anger and pain and frustration. We don’t condone violence but we can see the factors that generate this kind of behaviour,” Abdulah said.

He added that those who controlled economic and political power from Independence to now have failed this country.

Questions raised publicly by chairman of the Economic Development Advisory Board (EDAB) Dr Terrence Farrell about the Government’s decision to build a $400 million highway to Manzanilla instead of upgrading the Tobago airport in preparation for the Sandals hotel seems to signal that Government is ignoring the advice of the board.

Farrel, who heads the Government-appointed board, questioned on more than one occasion while addressing the public, whether Government’s priorities are linked to its diversification drive.

Since it assumed office, the board has been meeting regularly and made several recommendations to the Government. But officials told the T&T Guardian, “It is up to the Government to accept the advice we give. But the fact that a number of members in an individual capacity have spoken out on how we view Government’s priorities is an indication that our views are not in sync with the Government’s policy.”

The board’s focus is on the development and advocacy of policies, programmes and projects for Trinidad and Tobago’s long-term development and transformation, specifically promoting diversification of the economy—the promotion of economic activities which earn foreign exchange, save foreign exchange and promote productivity. The board’s remit is to provide economic analysis and advice to the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.

Economist Indira Sageewan-Alli agreed with Farrell that Government’s spend on infrastructural projects needed to be linked to its economic diversification programme. But Sageewan Alli said in raising questions about Government’s spend, Farrell should “go further and provide an analysis whether the Sandals model makes sense at all”. She believes the Government needed to say why it is using the Magdalena Grand hotel model to construct the Sandals hotel at taxpayers’ expense. Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley announced that the Government would pay for the construction of the hotel which will be managed by the Sandals group.

She said, “Government is putting the money down to support the infrastructure, Sandals is taking no risk, all of it is ours, our property, Government spending taxpayers’ money and bringing Sandals in to manage.

“So if Sandals decides a year down the road this is not working for us, what happens? If Sandals believed this is such a great investment why aren’t they putting in the money themselves?” she asked.

The economist believes Government set up the Economic Advisory board to match what exists in Singapore, but makes very little use of its expertise. Sageewan-Alli said it was clear that the board makes recommendations and gives advice to the Government but very little of that advice has been taken. “They have no teeth beyond giving advice,” she added.

She said “at the end of the day, our politicians have it in their heads what they want to do, and will do that regardless of what is practical, sensible or what better economics dictate. As usual, politics trumps economics and this is a very good example of that.”

On November 17 in Parliament, Rowley said there was “a slight setback in terms of time” with the signature project. Rowley said T&T was lower down the group’s list of priorities—initially thought to have been second on their list, T&T is now fifth. The PM said the group was dealing with hurricane damage at other resorts and that they were also wary of the “kind of welcome they might get in T&T”.

Objections and concerns about the Sandals project has been raised in several quarters.

Farrell agreed to do an interview with the Guardian “in due course”.

(Read more in your Sunday Guardian on December 3)

Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan, meanwhile, denied Government was not paying heed to the Economic Advisory board. Sinanan said both the Manzanilla highway project and the Sandals project are important to the diversification drive.

He assured “the Tobago terminal building is not a dormant project. It is a priority project that is being worked on. We are finalising the package right now to go to Cabinet and very soon Cabinet will announce the plan. It will start in 2018.”

Asked the cost of the project, Sinanan said that was being worked on. “We also have to look at the issue of land acquisition.” Sinanan said the project was not just “important” to the tourism product in Tobago but the overall development of the island. He said the development of the Eastern seaboard was also part of the plan to create other avenues for increasing activity between Trinidad and Tobago.

He explained that the highway from Wallerfield to Manzanilla will extend to Mayaro. Sinanan said the plan was to take the highway from Sangre Grande to Toco “where there are plans for a passenger ferry port to Tobago”. Consultants he said are currently working on the plan for the Toco Ferry port. Sinanan said this was all part of the diversification drive. “It is all inter-connected. If we don’t do this that Eastern seaboard will never develop to its potential.”

Hindu devotees and followers of a well-known Pundit in central Trinidad, Head Pujarie Sunil Ragbirsingh were yesterday left in shock and indescribable grief after learning that their beloved leader was killed during a home invasion at his home at Five Rivers in Arouca on Saturday night.

Ragbirsingh had just returned to his Sampath Street home when he walked into a robbery in progress where three of his relatives were tied up and robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash and jewelry. He had conducted three prayers during the day for devotees and had just reached home. The incident occurred just after 10 pm. Ragbirsingh was the first person to answer the call for a Kali Yatra in T&T.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, one of the victims, who wished not to be named, said he remains traumatised over the incident.

He said he locked up all doors and windows to the house before retiring to bed, “actually I was still waking when I heard strange noises coming from outside my bedroom door but inside the house. I listened for a while and then decided to go and check. That is when I saw two men with guns standing there. They tied up my wife and I with extension cords and then took us to a room where my daughter (Ragbirsingh’s wife) was already tied up.”

“It is very strange to me how the men— there were three of them—inside my house. I was sure that I locked the door. They were talking to another man who was standing on the road in front of the house,” he added.

The victim said that when the thieves were leaving that was when Ragbirsingh came through the front door into the living room area, “I feel, maybe when they were leaving, the men, who had on face coverings, must have removed it when they were leaving and when Sunil walked in he probably saw their faces and that was when they shot him once in the chest. He fell right there and died.”

Ragbirsingh had no children and was only married three years ago. He was described as “the best husband ever,” and “the most humble and kind person.”

“He was a full time Pundit and loved what he did. Imagine he just came home from conducting prayers and was killed. How sad. How terrifying is this to happen in your own home,” Ragbirsingh’s relative said.

Ragbirsingh’s last prayers was conducted at the Endeavour Temple. A devotee, who attended that prayers wrote: “Last night (Saturday) at the Endeavour Temple, Pundit Sunil Ragbirsingh sang the Hanuman Chalisa praising Lord Hanuman…this was his last glory to the Lord before he left the Mandir to go to his home in Arouca were he died.”

In separate incidents, police are also investigating another murder that took place in Champs Fleurs and a shooting incident in Morvant which left two men critically wounded.

In the Champs Fleurs incident, according to a police report, at about 11 pm an unidentified man was gunned down while standing at the Corner of Eastern Main Road and Mt D’or Road, Champs Fleurs.

In the earlier incident, at about 7 pm two men were ambushed while filling gas in their car at a gas station near the Barataria roundabout.

The victims were identified as Collin Henry and Aaron Warner, of Coconut Drive, Morvant.

Police said they were both shot multiple times and are remain warded in critical conditions at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital.

Investigations are continuing into all incidents.