Three days after alleged fraudster Vicky Boodram escaped from the Women’s Prison at Golden Grove, Arouca, she was recaptured in Penal last night.

Officers from the Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit, acting on intelligence, went to a house at Sunchine Drive off Lachoos Road, just before 7 pm. They later found Boodram, 35, hiding in the house.

Boodram was subsequently taken to the Penal Police Station where she was questioned.

A 32-year-old female occupant of the house was also detained and faces charges of harbouring a fugitive.

Around 9.05 pm, after officers had interrogated Boodram for close to two hours, she was taken away in a convoy of police vehicles.

Police said residents in the area claimed Boodram was seen earlier on yesterday eating at a fast food restaurant along the SS Erin Road. A member of the public who recognised her reportedly alerted the police.

After gathering more intelligence, officers also tracked her down by tracing a cell phone signal after she tried to use a sim card previously registered in her name.

Meanwhile, a man who reportedly fell in love with Boodram is said to have assisted in her plot to escape from the Women’s Prison at Golden Grove, Arouca, on Monday.

According to police sources close to the case, the two met years ago but had lost touch. However, after meeting by chance at the Tunapuna Magistrates’ Court, where Boodram has some of her 175 pending cases, the two rekindled their love and kept in contact.

The man is alleged to have grown intimately closer to Boodram thereafter and frequently visited her at prison. As their relationship grew, the man allegedly could not stand to see his love incarcerated and began to devise a plan for her to escape.

Around 5.15 pm on Monday, two police officers went to the Arouca prison in a marked Nissan X-trail and presented prison authorities with what appeared to be a court order requesting Boodram appear before a Tunapuna magistrate. Sometime between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning, someone contacted the prison and said Boodram had secured bail. The prison service became concerned when no court documentation affirming this was presented.

Boodram was scheduled to appear before both Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ and Siparia Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday. Her Port-of-Spain matters have been adjourned to next month.

It was alleged both Boodram and a male companion arrived at the Siparia Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, where she told a clerk that she had been granted bail and asked that her lawyer ask for an adjournment of her matter there.

Boodram, whose last known address was 34 Gambal Street, Siparia, had been on remand since March 2016 after being denied bail on an additional 39 fraud charges. She has 175 fraud matters before the court beginning in 2011.

The Board of Petrotrin is expected to submit a plan to Cabinet this month on restructuring of the energy company based on recommendations for establishment of three operationally independent business units.

This was confirmed by Energy Ministry officials yesterday after the report of a seven-member team, headed by permanent secretary Selwyn Lashley, was laid in Parliament on Tuesday. Last February, the team was mandated by Cabinet to make recommendations for restructuring of the company.

The team recommended establishment of three operationally independent business units within the company—Trinmar Land Exploration, Production Refining and Marketing. They also recommended that each unit be led and managed by persons who will be responsible for organising all the financial, human, physical resources within each unit to achieve established targets.

Petrotrin’s president will be responsible for ensuring implementation of policy across all business units.

Energy officials said the report is with Petrotrin’s board which has been mandated to present a plan to Cabinet soon.

The Lashley report stated that absorption of Trinmar into Petrotrin’s amalgamation of companies has compounded problems “and has been, at least in part, reason for the deterioration in the performance of those assets.”

“Petrotrin is a large, complex and unwieldy entity that frequently has had senior management changes and mandates,” the report stated, adding that this hybrid suffers “an identity crisis that needs urgent correction, clarification and structural intervention.”

“The confusion of purpose has led to collapse of governance, lack of transparency in performance and accountability, resulting in the Company’s performance falling to the bottom of benchmarks of comparable companies. Further impediments to commercial success have resulted from frequent changes in board and management.”

The report alluded to “poor choices for board members and management” and related skills/competency issues.”

“These mandates and board changes have created an environment of uncertainty making it difficult to attract and retain the best available talent. Petrotrin has significantly underperformed over the years.”

The team further stated: “Petrotrin’s mandate as a business must be unambiguous and it shouldn’t be used as a vehicle for advancing other objectives. Management is unable to focus on key strategic areas and accountability is adversely affected.

“Disaggregation is therefore necessary to form more manageable business units and facilitate a higher levels of transparency, leadership and accountability.”

According to the report, Petrotrin’s cash flow “is tight, its working capital is eroded, margins are negative, salaries are estimated at 50 per cent of operating costs, and the company has an over leveraged system.”

Noting that the salary level is too high against any benchmark, the reported continued: “It’s a management problem resulting from long-term failure to address culh1ral and operations systems and practices. Significant change on all these fronts are required if it’s to survive even in its current state.

The report stated that an unsustainable high debt profile and “alarming lack of returns on investments in capital-intensive projects such as the Gasoline Optimization Programme have strangled Petrotrin,”

However, it warned putting more money into the company will not resolve the problems “unless it has the right governance model; the appropriate organization structure” and other improvements.

Financiers and investors must have confidence in Petrotrin’s ability to manage large capital projects within budgets and dead lines, and to achieve appropriate return on investments, it said.

“Viable future depends on a departure from low levels of efficiency. “

OTHER RESTRUCTURING RECOMMENDATIONS

• Board members to be selected through a process which provides for comprehensive and transparent input and feedback from key stakeholders to ensure members possess the relevant experience and capabilities to address priority matters.
• Petrotrin adopts/adheres to laws and regulations that apply to publicly listed companies, especially with respect to transparency and accountability.
• Board of directors’ terms of office are cycled in such a manner as to ensure that at all times there is continuity of membership of at least 50 per cent of the board.
• Following December 2013 and May 2017 oil spills,, Petrotrin can no longer ignore its poor asset integrity. Infrastructure is a serious problem and high priority area.

The Public Services Association (PSA) is yet to come to a settlement with one of the four slates contesting its executive elections, who last week obtained an injunction stopping the election.

When the lawsuit filed by members of Team Fixers came up for hearing before Justice Nadia Kangaloo in the Port-of-Spain High Court yesterday, their attorneys and those for the PSA indicated that they were still locked in negotiations.

The position remained the same when they returned before Kangaloo several hours later, when the parties indicated that they had made some headway but still had some issues to resolve.

They did not reveal any details of the negotiations including whether they had decided on a new date for the election.

Kangaloo adjourned the case to next Thursday, when the parties are expected to report back on their progress.

The courtroom, which is designed for chamber court hearings between a judge and attorneys, was filled beyond capacity for the hearing as the claimants were joined by the members of the other slates contesting the election.

Due to issues of limited, some of the members had a verbal confrontation with Kangaloo’s staff during the initial hearing.

The incident was addressed by Kangaloo before she adjourned the case.

“All I want in this is humility and respect and it would be returned,” Kangaloo said as she warned the PSA members that they were required to comply with her staff’s instructions whilst appearing before her.

In their lawsuit the group is contending that the list of voters is fundamentally flawed due to a decision taken by the union’s general council on October 5, to allow PSA members with union dues arrears to be allowed to vote if they cleared their arrears before the election.

Almost 300 members reportedly made use of the allowance. The PSA has approximately 14,000 members.

The group contends the decision is illegal as the PSA’s constitution only allows members, who are in financial good standing for over a year, to vote.

As a secondary issue, the group is contending that the elections committee acted unfairly as it failed to publish the locations of all polling stations.

In granting the slate an injunction last Friday, Justice Frank Seepersad ruled that the slate had raised a valid claim which had to be determined before the election is allowed to take place.

Incumbent PSA president Watson Duke will continue to hold the post until the lawsuit is settled or determined and the election is allowed to take place.

The group is being represented by Raisa Caesar, while John Heath and Lionel Luckhoo is representing the PSA.

Former government minister Sadiq Baksh was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital yesterday after he collapsed while testifying in the ongoing inquiry into allegations of corruption surrounding the construction of the Piarco International Airport.

Baksh, who is charged with other former government ministers and businessmen, was in his fifth week of giving evidence in his defence. Just after 10 am Baksh collapsed in the courtroom and later began vomiting. He was made to sit on a bench while Senior Magistrate Ejenny Espinet contacted the Emergency Health Services. As he was being attended to, the 67-year-old puked brownish coloured liquid into a bag and said he was not in any pain. Espinet said the EHS advised he eats or drinks nothing and if he has to lay down that he do so on his side. A court official said Baksh had complained to them that he had been feeling unwell for the week, while some of his co-accused said he may have the flu.

At 11 am, Baksh was taken away by EHS while his co-accused contacted his family. As soon as Baksh was picked up off the ground in the courtroom the matter was stood down and recalled after 11 am to be adjourned to next Wednesday.

One of Baksh’s co-accused, businessman Tyrone Gopee, was excused from attending as that will be his 73 birthday. Gopee, while attending to his co-accused, joked that it was the case which has been going on for close to 13 years is making people sick. At least three other men have absented themselves from appearing in court due to illness. They are businessman Ishwar Galbaransingh, former public servant Peter Cateau and former chairman of the Airports Authority Ameer Edoo.

The men, along with former government minister Brian Kuei Tung and Galbarasingh’s former employee Amrith Maharaj were implicated between 2004 and 2005 for alleged corruption and bid-rigging in the $1.6 billion dollar airport project between 1995 and 2001. Galbarasingh’s Northern Construction Limited and Ferguson’s Maritime General Insurance are also implicated as parties in the inquiry.

In 2011, High Court judge Ronnie Boodoosingh quashed proposed extradition of Galbaransingh and Ferguson to the United States to face similar charges. Boodoosingh ruled that the inquiry before Espinet was the best forum for the prosecution as the substantive crimes were alleged to have occurred in this country.

The men were also unsuccessful in their application under the controversial Section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Offences) Act to have the case dismissed. The legislation gave people charged with specific offences who had waited more than 10 years to be tried to apply for their matters to be dismissed.

The group challenged the decision to repeal the legislation but their claim was rejected by the High Court, Court of Appeal and eventually the Privy Council.

Caribbean Airlines (CAL) and the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) have agreed to set up a joint committee to monitor the efficiency of the $50 change fee.

CAL chairman Shameer Ronnie Mohammed led a team from the airline which included CEO Garvin Medera to a meeting with THA Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles and key officials of the THA on Thursday where agreement was also reached on other measures.

Airline officials maintained that the sale of open tickets ceased as of November 29 and changes, including the fee change, will take effect on December 12. However it was agreed that passengers seeking same day or emergency travel between Trinidad and Tobago who are not in possession of a ticket or reservation, can go to the airport and be placed on the stand by list for that day. Once a seat can be assured for the passenger, payment will be taken for a ticket without the $50 charge.

The airline confirmed that new operational procedures will be in place to treat with the changes, including extension of the opening hours of airport ticket offices to accommodate first and last flights and separate check-in counters for stand by passengers.

It was also agreed that if CAL is responsible for a passenger’s change of travel due to delay or cancellation of a flight, the passenger will be allowed to make a new reservation and there will be no change fee.

CAL officials also agreed to give “reasonable consideration” to a suggestion by Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles for passengers who exercise the courtesy of giving prior notice of change to their travel date to be rewarded.

The THA team at the meeting included Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles; Councillor Nadine Stewart-Phillips, Secretary of Tourism, Culture and Transportation; Raye Sandy, Chief Administrator – THA; Ingrid Ryan-Reuben, Administrator of Tourism, Culture and Transportation; Louis Lewis, CEO – Tobago Tourism Agency Limited; Alvin Pascall, Senior State Counsel and other THA officials.

CAL’s team was led by Mohammed and included CEOGarvin Medera; Nirmala Ramai, Project Manager; Dionne Ligoure, Head Corporate Communications and Neil Gajadhar, Executive Manager Airports.

President of State-owned Petrotrin Fitzroy Harewood has resigned. His resignation takes effect on February 28, 2018 and comes weeks after a report found that the so-called “fake oil scandal” was real.

In a circular to employees yesterday, Petrotrin chairman Wilfred Espinet said Harewood had submitted his resignation on Thursday and it was accepted by the board of directors.

The circular read, “The board of directors has accepted the resignation of Petrotrin President, Mr Fitzroy Harewood. Mr Harewood submitted his resignation on November 30th and it will take effect on 2018, February 28th to allow for a smooth transition.”

The sudden announcement is said to have taken employees by surprise.

In was on August 17 that a Petrotrin internal report had raised concerns about the amount of oil that was received by the refinery from A&V Oil and Gas compared to what the company claimed it had produced and sent to the refinery.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar then raised the issue on August 17, alleging there was corruption at the state-owned company, calling it fake oil scandal and seeking to link Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and his Government to the issue.

Two external audits have also since confirmed the internal audit that there was a discrepancy between reported oil production in the exploration and production operations in the Catshill Field operated by A&V Oil and Gas and the actual production receipts at Pointe-a-Pierre discovered by Petrotrin’s Internal Audit Department in the period January to June 2017.

The findings of the internal audit report as confirmed in a forensic audit report submitted by Kroll Consulting, of Canada, and also in a report commissioned from global gas consultants Gaffney Cline, which found that the Catshill reservoir was “not capable of producing the volumes in question.”

Figures provided in the internal audit report for the period July 1-12, signed by Petrotrin’s chief audit executive Rajkumar Bissessar, showed a daily average of 3,589 barrels per day had dropped significantly in the period July 13-31 and August 1-10, when production declined to 1,369 barrels and 1,396 barrels of oil. The shortage reported for July, according to the report, was 36,302 barrels, down from 111, 006 barrels in June.

The internal audit team estimated production for the month of June would have been “over-stated by about 90,000 barrels, which works out to an overpayment of US$2.97 million.” For the six-month period January to June, it was estimated that “Catshill over stated its production by at least 350,000 barrels and Petrotrin would have overpaid US$11.5 million (TT$80 million).” As a result, Petrotrin was said to have paid royalties of approximately US$1.86 million to the Government for crude oil “not received during the period 2017 January to June.”

Harewood was appointed in November 2015 by the then board led by Andrew Jupiter. At time of his appointment, the Opposition had raised concerns about whether he was the best man for the job. In addition, the Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) has been calling for his removal.

Alleged fraudster Vicky Boodram’s plan to escape prison seems to have been well orchestrated, as she was being helped by a former prison-mate among many others.

However, Jennifer Atwater, the mother of the 32-year-old woman at whose Penal home Boodram took refuge, said yesterday her daughter was not harbouring a fugitive. In fact, Atwater said her daughter probably did not know the woman staying in her house was, since she was doing a favour for her elder sister.

She said Boodram and her elder daughter became friends while both were inmates at the Women’s Prison at Golden Grove, Arouca. Atwater said Boodram only came into their community on Thursday to spend the night, as someone was expected to pick her up.

Sources said Boodram was expected to be taken to an illegal point of exit in Cedros where she would have been smuggled to South America.

Atwater said her younger daughter worked at a nearby bar as a lotto booth vendor. Contrary to a police report, she said her younger daughter was returning home when she was snatched by police.

Police said at 6.40 pm on Thursday, officers of the Organised Crime and Intelligence Unit and the South Western Division went to the woman’s workplace and told her they had information she was harbouring a prisoner. The woman then led the officers to her Sunset Drive, Latchoos Road home where Boodram was found seated on a chair in an upstairs apartment.

Yesterday, Atwater said her younger daughter was innocent and if she had known it was Boodram staying in her home she would have called the police earlier. She said her younger daughter does not engage in criminal activities.

“It was just that my (elder) daughter asked for her (Boodram) to just stick around until this person came for her. She (younger daughter) never saw her (Boodram) before you know,” Atwater said.

“I don’t know if my daughter knew it was Vicky. Maybe she did not even know it was Vicky. The other one knows her good.”

Boodram was being questioned at the Barataria Police Station last evening, while Atwater’s daughter was at the Belmont Police Station.

Boodram, 35, is the former owner of Boodram Travel Tours and Ship Ahoy Cruises Ltd at Dumfries Road, La Romaine, which she operated along with her estranged husband Ravi Arjoonsingh. Between 2012 and 2016, Boodram and Arjoonsingh were charged with 175 and 109 counts of fraud respectively. It was alleged they took $1.5 million from people through fraudulent means and transferred the money to accounts belonging to Boodram, Arjoonsingh and the business. Some offences were in relation to accepting bookings for a cruise that never happened. Boodram has been on remand since 2016.

Around 5.15 pm Monday, she was taken from the prison by two police officers attached to the Tunapuna Police Station. The officers, a male and a female, presented documents that were purported to be a court order. They left in a marked police vehicle.

The male officer returned to the station where he dropped off his colleague and left with Boodram. The female officer was questioned by officers of the Professional Standards Bureau. On the next day, the male officer was arrested at his Arima home. He had reportedly told his colleagues he had no idea he was assisting Boodram to escape, but under interrogation confessed to brainstorming the plan to allow Boodram to escape because he was in love with her.

Police were also still seeking a third suspect believed to have been involved in the escape plot.

It was reported that Boodram was seen eating at a restaurant along the SS Erin Road, Penal, on Thursday evening. However, when the T&T Guardian visited the restaurant yesterday, staff said they were unaware as they were not on duty when Boodram was alleged to have been there.

PSB YET TO QUESTION BOODRAM

Fraud accused Vicky Boodram remained at the Barataria Police Station last night, but had not been questioned by officers of the Professional Standards Bureau as they continued their investigation into how she escaped from the Women’s Prison Monday afternoon.

After being recaptured on Thursday night, Boodram was taken to the Penal Police Station before being transferred to Barataria.

Sources said Boodram was left alone yesterday and not questioned by officers of the station except when she had to be fed. She was, however, visited by her attorney.

The woman in whose Penal home she was found also remained detained at the Belmont Police Station last night.

Instead of spending the last night of his trip liming with friends, Canadian citizen Vishnu Narine was shot dead and dumped at the side of the Usine, Ste Madeleine Pond.

Weeping relatives declined to speak to the media yesterday, but police believed Narine, 57, was robbed of the $10,000 he had when he left the family home at St John’s Village, San Fernando.

Relatives told police they last saw Narine alive around 7 pm Thursday when he left to go to the Starlite Recreation Club in Palmyra Village, San Fernando. Around 7.15 am yesterday, however, two men working on a site earmarked for the construction of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries’ South Regional Office found Narine’s body in a gravel road leading into the pond. They contacted police, who responded and found Narine with a gunshot wound to his face.

Lodrick Headley, who was working nearby, believes the body was dumped there overnight.

“My next co-worker, he was the one who saw the body after he came and parked up here. He called the police and remained here while I was out there. When I came across, I realised there was something on the ground... Every morning we pass here so it had to be something that happened overnight. This is a dead-end right here so perhaps someone dropped the body here,” Headley said.

The body was taken to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, for an autopsy.

Homicide detectives are also investigating the death of a Chaguanas shopkeeper who was shot by bandits yesterday.

A report stated that Ashram Ramnath, 32, was asleep when two bandits broke into his Chandanagore Old Road, Chaguanas, property around 3 am. Ramnath wrestled the bandits but was shot in the chest.

Two weeks after he ran away from the psychiatric ward of the San Fernando General Hospital, a Marabella man stabbed his childhood friend to death yesterday.

Anderson Babwah, 24, and the suspect grew up like brothers, his mother Angela Regis said yesterday.

Babwah was stabbed several times and died while undergoing emergency treatment at the San Fernando General Hospital.

Babwah was one of five people killed in a span of less than 24 hours between Thursday night and yesterday evening, taking the toll for the year to 452.

Recalling the last moments she spent with her son, Regis, a mother of six, said around 6.30 am she called her son on the phone to wake him up.

She said Babwah, who ran a mini mart opposite their home at New Haven Avenue, had a job interview yesterday morning.

When he came across to the mini mart, she said they had a normal conversation.

“We were talking. We say God bless this day, today is a good day it will be successful and nice because he had an interview. We hug up, normal thing.”

She said after a few minutes the suspect called him and he went to meet him.

“He was going to start the car to take it out the yard. A little while after I heard bawling,” said Regis, who recalled hearing Babwah’s girlfriend shouting, “’No, no, stop that.’”

Regis said when she came out she saw her son bleeding on the ground. She heard the suspect say, “’Who next from around here.’”

Regis, his girlfriend and sister then rushed Babwah to the hospital in a car. She was told his lungs

got punctured.

Describing her son as a loving and helpful child, Regis said he had a great future ahead of him. She said the suspect, who lived on the same street, only recently started tripping off.

“I done forgive he for that already,” said Regis.

The suspect has been arrested. Investigations are continuing.

Known jeweller Roshan Lutchman yesterday became Tobago’s 12th murder victim for 2017.

He was found at his Cove Estate, Canoe Bay home around 2.30 pm. His body was found in a badly decomposed state in a ground floor bathroom.

Police officials said his hands were tied and his head was bashed in, evidenced by a mark left on the wall where the body was found. Sources said they believe he was tortured to death. Residents told police Lutchman was last seen alive on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters at the scene yesterday, Senior Supt Joanne Archie said the island recording its 12th murder was not a good feeling and was quite unusual compared to other years

“I certainly can’t feel good about this, because this is quite unusual for Tobago and we just recorded the last two in the last month and what we are saying is that we continue to call on the residents, when you see something, say something,” she said.

While police are yet to ascertain a motive, Archie said officers were told there have been disputes at the location before.

“We are not sure what would have happened here, but I am told the person there is a jeweller and we received certain information that persons visit from time to time and there’s always some dispute, maybe about transactions being conducted,” she said.

Residents in the area also revealed there had been an ongoing feud between Lutchman and his neighbours, and police had to be called in on several occasions to mediate

No one has been held in connection with the crime.

District Medical Officer Dr. Maxwell Adeyemi ordered the body removed to the Scarborough General Hospital mortuary. An autopsy is expected to be conducted soon.

Tobago Homicide Bureau is continuing investigations.

A Morvant man was shot dead at his home just after noon yesterday, leaving police confused as to a motive for his death.

Police said Kevin Baptiste, 35, of Cipriani Avenue, Morvant, was at home with his brother when his two gunshots rang out around 12.15 pm. Baptiste’s brother later found him dead in a storage room of the house. Police said and residents reported that two men were seen fleeing the house following the shooting.

Baptiste, a Ministry of Works and Transport employee, is said to have had an altercation in the area, which may have led to the killing.

ACP Persad, Snr Supt Surrendra Sagramsingh, Inspector Maharaj and Sgt Beharry responded to the shooting and conducted preliminary investigations before handing it over to Homicide Bureau officers.

In an unrelated incident, Collin Henry, 24, who was shot along with his cousin Aaron Warner, 31, last Saturday night, died at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope. The two were ambushed at the NP gas station near the Maritime roundabout.

Police are also seeking assistance in identifying the body of a man found on Thursday night at the National Insurance Board building in Tunapuna.

Police said they were notified of a man’s body being seen around 9.15 pm and believe he fell off the building. However they are unable to say whether his death was malicious or accidental.

The man is said to be in his mid-20s or early 30s and was wearing a brown and white striped t-shirt, blue jeans and black sneakers. He also had a black book bag. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Tunapuna Police Station.

As the group Fixin’ T&T renewed its call for the boycott of Angostura Holdings Limited’s products following the firing of the female executive who raised allegations of sexual harassment against the chairman, Dr Rolph Balgobin, a polygraph test has surfaced. According to head of Fixin’ T&T, Kirk Waithe, the test was done by the female executive.

“Understanding the uphill battle she would face for making allegations against a perceived “powerful man” in the male dominated chauvinistic world of corporate T&T, the now fired female executive at Angostura…readily submitted herself to a polygraph (lie detector) test dated November 4, 2016,” Waithe said.

Fixin’ T&T is insisting on the immediate removal of Balgobin as chairman pending the outcome of a thorough, transparent and independent investigation into the sexual harassment allegations levelled against him.

The group is also categorically rejecting the attempt made by Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi to deflect attention from the issue of the sexual harassment allegations.

“The Government controls AHL. The Government and Board of AHL, by their handling of this matter, continue to demonstrate insensitivity to women’s issues and disrespect for women,” Waithe said.

Cautioning the company and others against any attempts to malign the character of the fired female executive, Waithe remained adamant that the woman is a hero, “Her strength and courage has finally brought the scourge of sexual harassment to the national forefront. FIXIN’ T&T abundantly thanks her.”

Two years later, a union that rooted for the PNM to win the 2015 election is now taking a back step.

The Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) says it has had enough with Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and his Cabinet.

Members of the trade union who held a candlelight vigil on Friday evening had a message for the Prime Minister.

Scores of protesters gathered at Mandela Park, before making their way to the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair.

JTUM President Ancel Roget said “As the one who requested the job to lead the country and to give us good governance and today we are seeing the most amount of ungratefulness unleashed on the people.”

The Prime Minister was not the only one who was criticised; no one in the Government was spared.

Roget said the people of this country had had enough.

“He raised gas prices once, there was no riot, he raised it again, there was no riot, he raised it a third time and he's expecting no riot. Well, if he was looking out for riot, let us not disappoint the Minister of Finance,” Roget said.

He said the union was on a forward campaign seeking justice for all.

I ponder the rocky road that Vicky has travelled in her lifetime and while many have deemed her as one of the most notorious fraudsters and have delivered judgement even before her court trials have begun, because of my acquaintance with her I reserve my judgement. Vicky came as an only child into the common-law relationship of Ramjass Boodram and Indra Lall about 35 years ago. Her father and mother doted on her night and day. Ramjass was a primary school teacher in the Presbyterian school (we taught at the same school) and also played the tabla in the BWIA Indian Orchestra. He was a fanatic for East Indian music and culture and quickly associated himself with the top politicians of the day including the Mohammed family. He dreamed of Vicky becoming an East Indian megastar. As early as age five, he had her performing, miming, and singing on stage. However it was tainted with a demanding schedule that was playing havoc with the petite, frail child.

Ramjass had once described the abject poverty and 'flour bag' underwear he had to wear to school and the slippers manufactured from motor car tubes, the ridicule and humiliation he suffered from his classmates. It was this fear of poverty that was to haunt him and his family for three decades. He described himself as the original 'El Cheapo'. Vicky's schedule did not permit socialising or childhood pastimes. It was about how much money could be secured for a performance. He created a fantasy and delusion in her mind from birth that 'she was better than all her teachers.' The brief encounters I had with Vicky as a child told me of her devotion to her father but the terrible sadness of her life. She skipped through high school but again the obsession of money, a home mortgage, small salary, Vicky became not a child or daughter but an object of financial exploitation.

An object of financial exploitation

She used to go to Carrera and Maximum Prisons women where she used to dance and sing for inmates. She had a stint as a judge on the children of Mastana and several slots as a radio announcer and TV presenter. However, Vicky's first dangerous sojourn into a world of deception came with a slew of certificates—O' levels, A' levels and university certificates. She was good, in fact, very good... The dollars kept rolling in but these big name companies never denounced her publicly. No disclaimers were ever put in the media and she became more and more adept at deception. Vicky even secured a job as an economic writer in a daily newspaper.

I listened in shock when one day she announced that she was now a professor lecturer at a Gate supported tertiary institute. Vicky even had an immersion into the political area and touted as a possible candidate for a political party. Her TV personality gave her a sense of credibility when she launched a series of advertisements for American cruise lines and allegedly a slew of forged documents. Is this a notorious criminal who fooled major organisations or did Vicky Boodram exist in a manufactured fantasy, a fantasy fuelled not by greed but ambition without structure and foundation? A child trapped by her upbringing to seek shortcuts to her success? Vicky is the cherry on the cake called Trinidad and Tobago. A person who has tested the institutional integrity of almost every sacred cow. She has left behind her many questions about our society.

How many of our dollars are whittled away in forgeries and deceptions, false contracts, fake oil, fake gravel and cement, false invoicing, deals and wheeling. How many thousands employed in high ranking jobs before and now have forged academic qualifications? How much false advertising and frauds in Licensing Office, ID cards and passports are taking place? Vicky needs not tar and feathers but psychological and medical help to escape the surrealist landscape in which she exists as will many in the upcoming months. Does environment shape us or do we shape the environment? Let us be compassionate about the story that is unfolding.

A little girl with a lot of potential—First Year teacher

Patricia Mohammed, Boodram's First Year teacher said "she seemed a well adjusted, very polite, well mannered well disciplined little girl with a lot of potential. She participated in all cultural activities. Her primary education was at Erin Road Presbyterian School. She was in one class higher than Angelo (Bissessarsingh) who attended the same school.

"Her father being a musician with Harry Mahabir Orchestra on the Mastana Bahar show encouraged young Vicky to perform at a very tender age singing calypsoes he wrote."

About Vicky:

•She was just seven years old when she attempted to sing her first calypso on stage at the Erin Road Presbyterian School—“Tassa Tempo”.

•She later became popular on stage and radio

•As a child, she was a judge in the "Children of Mastana” television series

•She also judged the Indian Cultural Pageant in 1995 and ’96

•She went from being calypsonian to professional radio announcer

•At 16, she became the youngest radio announcer, reading the news and also writing for her own radio programme

•Vicky also taught business classes and lectured at private colleges for students who are pursuing an associate degree in marketing and business

•She was six years old when she entered the National Calypso Queen competition and became a finalist

•Her songs “Sweet Soca Baby” and “Mother’s Love” , "Mamacita" and "Tassa Tempo" were popular, particularly in her home town

•She did a jingle for the roll-out of VAT under the NAR, singing the "ABC of the VAT"

Vicky Boodram's father, Ramjass Boodram, was driven to make her a child star as a way out of poverty says her mother, Indra Lall, yesterday.

Speaking to the Sunday Guardian, Lall said “Since I met him he was always saying how poor he was, it was getting to be a little too much. I didn't have a say, or ask a question, express my opinion on any topic on raising her. I did not want to speak out at the time, sometimes you may say something at the wrong time and cause a big explosion. I didn't want a volcano. I learned to keep my peace over the years and just look on and say nothing.”

She said she accompanied Vicky when she was very little with her father to do shows at Mastana Bahar, Carrera and the women's prison where she used to dance and sing for inmates.

Lall said she would do her part as the mother but “they” were in control of Vicky.

She said it was on the rare one or two times that she went with Vicky and her father to Canada and the US for a holiday, after that it was only Vicky and her father.

Lall said she used to help Vicky with her homework up to Standard 5, then her father took over until she wrote exams as she didn't know about advanced studies and after that everything else was history.

She said she saw her daughter's potential and talent and knew where Vicky's father was coming from; he took control of everything pertaining to her.

When asked if she was mentally at ease knowing that her daughter was safe and unharmed back in custody, Lall was overcome with emotion and said as a mother it was too much to bear. She said while she did not have enemies, no mother should have to go through this ordeal.

Going beyond last week’s prison break, there needs to be the development of an integrated database comprising all arms of the criminal justice system—the Judiciary, the T&T Police Service (TTPS) and the T&T Prisons Service.

This will enable tracking of offenders from the time of arrest to the movement in and out the prisons—from within the prison walls to the courts.

Most importantly, it will allow authentication of documents upon verification via a computerised system that is also incorporated with a barcode reader, where a printed barcode on any physical document can be verified.

Last Monday, Vicky Boodram, 35, who is currently before the courts on fraud charges, staged a daring escape from the Women’s Prison at Golden Grove, Arouca, to attend an alleged “night court” session. She was accompanied by two police officers attached to the Court and Process Branch of the Northern Division. The two officers allegedly had stamped and signed documents which they used to facilitate her removal from the prison. Boodram was, however, recaptured at a house in Penal on Thursday at about 7 pm.

General Secretary of the Prisons Officers Association Gerard Gordon explained to the Sunday Guardian how easy the present system is to manipulate and disclosed that for years they have been lobbying for a “single-share database”.

“This is where the request for prisoners to come to court would come directly to the prison. It would then go to the police, who has the responsibility to bring them to the court and in this way the authenticity of any request via that network is in check,” Gordon said.

“This can be done through barcoding, in this age of technology where printed documents would have a bar code that when put under a bar code reader can be authenticated through that single-share database,” he added.

Gordon also suggested a unique number system, an assigned number when a person is arrested, “whether it be a file number, the case number of the court so that when they come to us they would not be given another number as it is now…that assigned number to the offender would now go straight in the database.”

He further explained that the database would include lots of information, as well as updated photos of the prisoner on a frequent basis as his or her features can change while incarcerated. "The features of Remand prisoners who are there for years changes, some may grow a beard, a dreadlocks hairstyle, gotten darker, lost weight, etc, so with this system digital photos would be mandated on a monthly basis. Also, whosoever logs into this system a unique identifier should be given so that this information would be recorded on the server—all of this in that verification process.”

Acting National Security Minister Stuart Young, during the post-Cabinet media briefing on Thursday, said investigators were pursuing whether the “court documents” used in Boodram's escape originated within the judicial system and who authorised it.

Young also queried how someone could get hold of the stamp used in court documents.

Recommendations from UN prison handbook

According to the United Nations’ Prison Incident Management Handbook, it was revealed that in many prisons, staff members who are escorting a prisoner outside the prison are not provided with documentation or a photograph identifying the prisoner, although these may need to be provided to police should the prisoner escape.

•The handbook suggested that prior to conducting an external escort of a dangerous or high-security risk prisoner, a Threat Risk Assessment (TRA) should be completed by a senior prison officer.

•The TRA should consider: the consequences of the threat being realised (personal injury/seriousness and degree of harm, etc); the likelihood of risks based on past experience, the prisoner’s profile, etc; the escort location (crowded public place/remote location, etc); Basic external escort procedures should not change irrespective of the circumstances; or the security risk posed by the prisoner.

•Every TRA should determine how the escort is to be conducted, including: number of staff involved; escort purpose and destination; staff actions at the escort destination (hospital, court, etc.); search requirements; use of restraints and frequency of checks; communication and reporting frequency; escort times; type of transport and travel routes; documentation to be carried, including photographs; staff and prisoner clothing

criteria for terminating the escort and confidentiality of escort details.

“Corrections advisers should assist prison management in developing a TRA approach in planning all high-risk security escorts. This should form part of an ongoing review of prisoner escort practices, particularly in relation to high-risk prisoners,” the handbook stated.

Timeline on Vicky's escape, Monday November 27

4.30 pm—PC LeVon Sylvester picked up SRP Lisa Navarro at her Arouca home and told her she was needed to secure the release of an inmate at a female prison.

5.15 pm—The two arrived at the Women’s Prison in a marked Nissan X-Trail and presented prisons officers with what appeared to be a court order requesting that Vicky Boodram appear before a Tunapuna magistrate.

Shortly after 6 pm—CCTV footage showed Sylvester parking the police vehicle at the back of the Tunapuna Police Station. There were no signs of Boodram.

Therefore, within 30 minutes, Boodram was taken out of her cell and handed over to the police officers, clearly showing that there was not enough time for proper checks and balances and to verify the authenticity of the documents produced by the officers with the court.

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM UN PRISON HANDBOOK

According to the United Nations’ Prison Incident Management Handbook, it was revealed that in many prisons, staff members who are escorting a prisoner outside the prison are not provided with documentation or a photograph identifying the prisoner, although these may need to be provided to police should the prisoner escape.
• The handbook suggested that prior to conducting an external escort of a dangerous or high-security risk prisoner, a Threat Risk Assessment (TRA) should be completed by a senior prison officer.
• The TRA should consider: the consequences of the threat being realised (personal injury/seriousness and degree of harm, etc); the likelihood of risks based on past experience, the prisoner’s profile, etc; the escort location (crowded public place/remote location, etc); Basic external escort procedures should not change irrespective of the circumstances; or the security risk posed by the prisoner.
• Every TRA should determine how the escort is to be conducted, including: number of staff involved; escort purpose and destination; staff actions at the escort destination (hospital, court, etc.); search requirements; use of restraints and frequency of checks; communication and reporting frequency; escort times; type of transport and travel routes; documentation to be carried, including photographs; staff and prisoner clothing criteria for terminating the escort and confidentiality of escort details.
“Corrections advisers should assist prison management in developing a TRA approach in planning all high-risk security escorts. This should form part of an ongoing review of prisoner escort practices, particularly in relation to high-risk prisoners,” the handbook stated.

Angostura Holdings Limited yesterday announced changes in its management structure.

In an advertisement published on page A 11 of yesterday’s Guardian, it announced that with effect from November 29, Bernadette Sammy was no longer employed with the company.

The ad, which was titled: “Angostura Holdings Limited; Material Change Disclosures; Pursuant to Section 64 (1) (b) of the Securities Act, 2012, advised the following change: “With effect from 29.11.2017, Ms Bernadette Sammy is no longer employed as the Chief Financial Officer of the company.”

The ad was signed off “By order of the Board Secretary.”

Ten weeks after surviving a horrific accident in which her father lost his right arm, two-year-old Candy Loubon was shot in the head while standing outside her Moruga home.

Up to late yesterday, surgeons at the San Fernando General Hospital were trying to remove a slug from the child's neck while her 31-year-old cousin Wendell Mike was also being treated for gunshot wounds to his head. Moruga police led by Cpl Ramsingh, Southern Division Task Force led by Cpl Ramdial and the Canine Unit were searching the forest for a 63-year-old male relative who fled after firing the shots with his home-made shot gun. The shotgun was recovered in nearby bushes.

Police said Mike and the relative had a long-standing dispute. It climaxed around 7 am yesterday when Mike went to a garden outside the suspect's home along the Penal Rock Road, Moruga. On seeing the suspect pick up his shotgun, Mike ran off. However, the suspect fired a shot and Mike was hit in the shoulder and temple.

Loubon, who was standing in the yard next door, was struck in the neck and left leg, which was damaged in September's accident. Mike's cousin Shane Lemo, 26, who was standing in the road, was also struck in the left leg. Paramedics were able to remove the slug, which was lodged just under his skin. The suspect ran off.

Candy's aunt Nicole Buchoon said the suspect and Mike had a dispute for many years. She said even when Mike visits his mother, he is chased away by the suspect.

On September 18, Candy, her father Jamie, 28, mother Cassie, 21 and siblings Emmanuel, four and Jamieson, one year, were injured when a T&T Regiment SUV crashed into their Nissan Sunny B-14. Doctors had to amputate the badly crushed arm of Jamie during emergency surgery. Candy suffered fractured limbs.

Buchoon said it was only a month ago that Candy was discharged from the hospital and she now walks with a limp.

"She is too small to be going through all these thing. I told them we need to keep a prayer," Buchoon said.

The Childrens' Authority of T&T received 5,522 reports of child abuse in 2016 requiring investigation and approximately 6,000 additional reports of abuse anticipated for this year, 2017. The situation was detailed in the authority's 2016 report, laid in Parliament on Tuesday.

The 2016 and projected 2017 figures show continuing strong child abuse trends in T&T.

In May 2016, Catt director Sharifa Ali-Abdullah cited 5,500 cases reported over May 2015 to May 2016.

In Catt's report for 2016, sexual abuse victims were largely female children while victims of neglect and those physically abused were mainly male children.

Districts of San Juan-Laventille and Tunapuna-Piarco recorded the highest number of reports of children suspected of being in need of care and protection in 2016.

Catt stated the 5,522 cases reported by the end of 2016 "far exceeded earlier projections of 1,200 cases per year", creating heavy demand on the authority resources.

With the anticipated 6,000 additional reports of abuse in 2017, Catt put service agencies on notice to receive cases and provide requisite services.

Reports of children in need of care and protection emanate from all across T&T, the report stated.

"However the administrative districts of San Juan-Laventille and Tunapuna-Piarco recorded the highest number of cases for any district—14 per cent and 13.3 per cent respectively."

Point Fortin (1. 6 per cent); Rio Claro-Mayaro (2.7 per cent); Mayaro and Tobago (2.5 per cent) logged the least number.

More than half (57.4 per cent ) of all cases brought to Catt's attention in 2016 involved female children, and 41.8 per cent males.

More girls sexually abused

Highest reported types of abuse were neglect, sexual abuse and physical abuse of children.

Just over half of all reports concerned neglect and sexual abuse of children—26.5 per cent reports concerning neglect and 24.7 per cent regarding sexual abuse. (See Box)

Reported cases of physical abuse was 16.2 per cent of total reports.

Some 50.2 per cent of physical abuse reports involved male children and 49.4 per cent, female.

However, the report noted, "Female children remained significantly more vulnerable to being victims of sexual abuse than males—84.6 per cent of all victims of sexual abuse being female."

In 2016, more than one third (35.7 per cent) of all female children brought to Catt's attention were reported as being victims of sexual abuse.

"The reports of the sexual abuse of female children greatly outnumbered those for male children, with only 9.3 per cent of all male children brought to Catt's attention being reported as sexual abuse victims. "

Children ten years and older were most susceptible to sexual abuse, with 23.9 per cent of all children reported as sexually abused being between the ages of ten and 13 years; 24.9 per cent between ages 14 and 15 years; and 22.4 per cent between ages 16 and 17 years.

Children at risk in 2016

• Highest number of cases reported in March 2016 (599); Lowest, July (294).

• Neglect reports - 26.5 per cent.

•Physical abuse - 16.2 per cent.

• Sexual abuse- 24.7 per cent

•Children begging/receiving alms - 0.6 per cent.

• Children needing supervision/beyond control - 7.6 per cent.

• Emotional abuse- 10.1 per cent

•Lacking care/guardianship - 9.7 per cent.

• Lost- 0.3 per cent.

•In moral danger- 1.8 per cent

• Other - 1.4 per cent.

• The team successfully completed investigation of 849 cases in 2016; commenced investigation into 366 additional cases at year end.

Investigations are continuing into the murder of Andre “Beenie” Prince of Arima. Prince was gunned down yesterday morning.

According to a police report, at about 2.30 am Prince was at an area in Arima known as the Congo when he was approached by a masked gunman who opened fire on him. Prince fell to the ground where he died. Police said they are yet to determine a motive for the killing.

A close friend of Prince, who wished not to be identified, told the Sunday Guardian that Prince was killed out of envy. He described his friend as a “humble, kind and loving person”.

“He was very respectable to the people around him. He was well-known as Bee and Beenie,” Prince’s friend said.

Woman held with gun, police jackets

A woman has been arrested for having in her possession guns and authentic police jackets during a police exercise in Cumuto.

According to a police report, on Friday night officers acting on information went to a house in a remote area off Four Roads, Tamana, where they conducted a search. The officers recovered two shotguns, an undisclosed amount of live 12-gauge cartridges, one bullet proof vest and two jackets belonging to the T&T Police Service. The exercise was spearheaded by Sgt Williams and included Cpl Gordon and PC Nicholson of the Eastern Division. Investigations are continuing.

In an unrelated anti-crime exercise in the Northern Division on Thursday, police officers recovered 1,122 grammes of marijuana and five grammes of cocaine at a house in San Juan. Also, at Maraj Street, El Socorro, officers recovered a .38 mm revolver. The exercise was coordinated by Snr Supt Sagramsingh, Supt Pragg, ASP Soka and Insp James. It was supported by members of the North Eastern Division Task Force including acting Sgt Guelmo, Cpl Majeedand Cpl Lavia. Police said arrests are imminent.

Investigations are continuing.