A 26-year-old homeless man who stole a tail light from a van parked in front of a police station has been jailed for 12 months.

Ramesh Gayapersad pleaded guilty to larceny when he appeared before San Fernando Senior Magistrate Cherril-Anne Antoine in the First Court on Wednesday.

Prosecutor Cleyon Seedan said on Tuesday night Gayapersad stole the tail light, valued at $2,500, from a Nissan Navara, which is an exhibit in a criminal matter. It was parked in front of the San Fernando Police Station.

PC Vishal Ramsaroop and other officers, who had noticed the crime being committed, chased after Gayapersad and held him a short distance away with the light in his hand.

“I get a wuk to steal the tail light,” he told the officers.

His criminal record revealed he had 10 previous convictions in the last ten years.

Gayapersad told the magistrate his parents died and he has been living on the streets. But the magistrate told him there were charitable organisations which assist the homeless who ask for help.

She told him he did not have to resort to stealing.

A single parent who had planned to apply for a loan to buy presents and goodies to make this Christmas a special one for his children is now faced with the sad prospect of being rejected.

The father, an estate constable attached to the National Maintenance Training and Security Company Limited (MTS), is blaming his predicament on his company.

Like many of his co-workers, the father has an agreement with his company to deduct any loan and/or mortgage instalments or any other deductions from his salary before it is sent to the bank and transfer the payments to the respective institutions. The workers are paid fortnightly.

However, the workers are complaining that for the past four fortnights the company has not paid the instalments.

“Our payslips are showing that the deductions are being made, but MTS is not sending the money to the institutions. So what they doing with our money?” the officer asked.

As a result, the workers have been incurring arrears and bad credit ratings.

An employee complained, “This is not the first time the company did this. Earlier this year for six fortnights our instalments were not paid, even though our payslips showed that the deductions were made. MTS eventually paid the instalments, but not the arrears.”

“The thing about it is that the company not even talking to us about this. We found out after the institutions started calling us. People have loans in the credit union and the banks, people have HDC instalments and now we cannot even get Christmas loans. This is not right and it is not fair,” another worker said.

When contacted on the issue, MTS corporate communication’s manager Adrian Raymond said the company continues to pay workers’ salaries, despite financial difficulties, and will be paying all outstanding deductions.

In a release, Raymond said, “MTS, like many organisations, has been forced to take stringent measures to manage its cash flow in light of late payments from several of its clients. The delay in the servicing of deductions was an absolute last resort action and is not at all the normal practice of the organisation.”

He said the company is in constant communication with several financial institutions to keep them principals aware of “temporary situation” as a means of ensuring some level of comfort to employees.

“Management is steadfastly working to ensure that there is a swift resolution to this issue and is committed to paying all outstanding deductions in the shortest possible time period. All outstanding deductions must and will be paid,” he said, adding the company has been communicating with employees to keep them updated and to give them the assurance the matter is receiving priority attention.

A 57-year-old Petit Valley man was questioned and released yesterday following an accident which claimed the life of pensioner Etta Reid.

According to police, the driver was heading south along the Diego Martin Highway around 5.15 am, when on nearing the traffic lights at Four Roads and Morne Coco Road, he collided with 66-year-old Reid.

The driver of the gold-coloured Nissan B13 stopped and tried to help. However, Reid died before an ambulance arrived.

Police said the driver said he swerved to avoid hitting a man who was crossing on the opposite side of the road and struck Reid.

Police warned pedestrians not to dart across highways and where available use walkovers and pedestrian assisted crossing lights.

The Opposition United National Congress (UNC) blanked Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s call for a conscience vote on the anti-gang bill because the UNC wanted the legislation for 18 months rather than four years which Government proposed, Opposition whip David Lee confirmed following failed debate early yesterday.

“Government was fixed on a four-year clause, but we won’t be bullied,” Lee added.

Twenty-one Government MPs voted for the bill and 12 UNC MPs against. Opposition COP MP Prakash Ramadhar abstained, although he said afterwards he supported blanking the bill.

Prior to the vote, Rowley had implored the UNC to support the legislation.

“Let’s come together to fight against crime,” Rowley said, telling the UNC MPs he didn’t want to think they’d be campaigning on crime.

“You have families, mothers, brothers, sisters ... we need four more votes - now is the hour.”

Post-debate, however, Lee said, “We proposed several changes, two of which Government didn’t agree to. They removed an aspect tying the bill to sedition law, but didn’t agree with wanting warrants for police search/arrest.

“The real sticking point was the length of time for a ‘sunset clause’, the period by which we felt the bill should end and be reviewed for the country to know how effective it was.

“Government wanted five years first, then said four years. We proposed two years and finally 18 months. I even asked the Attorney General (across the floor) for three years. He said, no. Although the Prime Minister ‘implored’ us to support it, he was adamant on their four-year sunset clause and wasn’t prepared to change.”

Lee added, “It’s an onerous bill, but we’d have supported it with a sunset clause. We said we were prepared to work with this but Government had to report to T&T on the bill after two years.”

Lee said the Opposition always felt the bill wouldn’t be effective as it hadn’t been in the last five years when his PP government presented it.

More people in T&T will die as a result of the Opposition United National Congress’ refusal to support the anti-gang bill in Parliament yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has said.

“What we saw was MPs refusing to use their vote to save lives and protect communities,” Rowley added on the defeat of the bill after marathon 14-hour debate.

“How many more must die? ... we can do no more. This is worse than Section 34 since it affects all citizens.”

After debate, which started at 10 am Wednesday and ended at 12.55 am yesterday, T&T was still without law to deal with the country’s 211 gangs and 2,459 gang members. The bill was meant to maintain public safety and order through discouraging membership in criminal gangs and suppression of criminal gang activity.

Despite amendments by Government and Opposition proposals, both were gridlocked on a “sunset clause” period by which time the bill would end and be reviewed. Government wanted four years; the Opposition, 18 months.

In the end, 21 Government MPs voted for the bill and 12 UNC MPs against. Opposition (COP) MP Prakash Ramadhar abstained.

Stung, Rowley and most of the Government MPs walked out of the Parliament Chamber calling the Opposition “unpatriotic...”

Ending the session, House Leader Camille Robinson-Regis said, “Despite the Opposition’s unpatriotic display, we’ll continue to act in the people’s interest.”

Nine hours later, Rowley summoned media to the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, where he trashed the Opposition’s action for almost two hours

“T&T’s business has been gutted and undermined in the Parliament,” he declared.

“Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her UNC gang voted to maintain the status quo, where those who are recruiting children in schools are arming them with guns, taking them from their mother’s breast and putting them on the streets to kill innocent citizens.”

He said even Wednesday Piarco International Airport $5m robbery failed to impact on the Opposition’s consideration of the crime situation.

“Every single objection they raised, we gave in to,” he said.

Rowley added he did something he normally doesn’t. He met the Opposition whip behind the House Speaker’s chair to ask what was needed for support and both matters were done

Accusing the UNC of seeking obstacles, he said the a new issue arose with the sunset clause. However, he said police couldn’t eliminate the gang scourge in 18 months and time was needed for personnel to enter gangs and get evidence.

He accused the UNC of refusing support and preserving the status quo on gangs and crime for political purposes: in the hope crime worsens and voters will be disgusted with the current administration and put the UNC into office.

“You have to get them to act for you, you put them there; right now they’re acting for themselves,” he said.

“I ask the Opposition, I ask every mother, father, family, I ask every pastor, pundit and imam to ask the UNC, what it is about making gang activity illegal that’s so offensive to the UNC?

“If the bill saved only one life, got one gang leader or prevented one child from joining a gang it would be worth it - but they (UNC) virtually said, ‘go to hell.’”

Citing the UNC’s action as the “politics of crime,” Rowley said, “The PNM has done its part, we’ll serve the Lord...”

Government’s next step is to remain resolute, Rowley added, because T&T would at some time have to criminalise gang activity as the gangs wouldn’t offer this country any respite.

“Meantime, we’ll continue to redouble efforts to stem crime, using other laws,” he said.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi meanwhile said the anti-gang bill cannot be returned to Parliament for another six months. He said there wasn’t any UNC objection on the bill until the final vote.

“When they said ‘No’ It was shell shocking after 14 hours of work,” Al-Rawi said.

A directive from acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams to stop all extra duty is not sitting well with his junior charges, who say the money the make from this is what they use to pay the majority of their bills.

But while officers in several divisions complained about the directive, the Police Social and Welfare Association (PSWA) said yesterday officers must put their job before anything.

Extra duty is work given to the police to provide security to private entities at events. Citizens pay the TTPS a fee depending on their manpower request and the officers are paid a fraction of this according to their rank. They are allowed to use police vehicles, uniforms and firearms in carrying out these duties.

In an unsigned warning advisory issued in the Southern Division on Wednesday, officers were told that with immediate effect, “extra duty must not be performed at any store, grocery, bar, club or at any other business places during the Christmas period, 2017, as instructed by the Commissioner of Police on Tuesday 5 December, 2017. Also, persons who paid money for extra duties must be refunded as soon as practicable and notified in writing of the aforementioned instructions.”

It further stated, “You are therefore warned that failure to comply with this instruction would result in disciplinary action being instituted against you.”

Stations were told to advise business owners to hire private security.

Senior officers told the T&T Guardian Williams issued the directive to all divisions as he wants all officers thoroughly rested while off duty, as the service will be upping the ante on crime prevention.

On Tuesday, acting National Security Minister Stuart Young said there would be an increase in law enforcement activity in the build-up to Carnival 2018 in light of the recent spike in murders.

The directive now means officers can miss out on an additional $1,000 to $2,000 in supplemental monthly income.

“Officers are frustrated. They feel helpless because they will be unable to meet certain financial needs and for those with children,” an officer who spoke on condition of anonymity told the T&T Guardian.

“Also, they feel as though the CoP is not concerned with their welfare so they are not motivated. Christmas duties are usually stressful with the number of increased patrols and many officers have not been receiving their overtime payments because the service is saying it has no money to pay, so officers have to depend on extra duty to make ends meet.”

But PSWA secretary Anand Ramesar cited officers’ lack of ability in managing their resources properly as part of the reason they have to rely on extra duty. Ramesar suggested Williams provide a platform for officers to access financial training to better manage their monthly incomes.

He said the association is aware there is a higher demand for officers for patrols during the Christmas season and given the current surge in murders, he believes it is necessary to increase police presence.

“A policeman’s entire time must be available to the police service. If there is a competing interest between the strategy of the police service and the need for a citizen to have extra duty, then the needs of the police service must override that need for extra duty.”

Within hours after officials from the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), accompanied by armed soldiers and police officers, evicted illegal tenants from the Clifton Towers in east Port-of-Spain yesterday they returned to the apartment complex.

The return of the alleged illegal tenants and their families have instilled fear into the lives of the legal tenants.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, a tenant, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the situation has reaffirmed that the HDC officials do not care about their safety.

“They don’t care about our safety. We have been asking for relocation and HDC have refused us…maybe not until one of us is killed,” the tenant said.

Shortly before 8 am five vehicles, including a truck, belonging to the T&T Defence Force (TTDF) carrying soldiers and four police vehicles, also carrying armed officers, accompanied HDC officials and movers to the compound to begin the second major eviction exercise.

Illegal tenants were removed from all the four Towers, totalling 12 people.

On Wednesday, HDC officials removed the iron gate to the property. The gate was controlled by the illegal residents who often locked it and refused legal tenants entry to the compound.

Yesterday’s eviction was much more peaceful than a similar exercise done on November 23, where some of the illegal tenants clashed with police officers and tried to lock the gate on them.

One tenant pleaded for a permanent security post at the premises.

“They should have a soldier post for us here now so that when an eviction takes place the people wouldn’t have time to move back in like what they did today,” the tenant said.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, during an address to the nation last month, said some homeowners were being chased out of their homes by people who had no respect for law and order at Clifton Towers.

Vidya Deokiesingh, the Petrotrin employee named in an internal audit into the so-called fake oil scandal is back at work on the job after a two-month absence.

Well placed sources at the State-oil company told the T&T Guardian that Deokiesingh has been transferred out of the Exploration and Production Department to the Maintenance Department.

Deokiesingh had submitted leave to the company in September.

Only this week Opposition Senator Wade Mark called on Petrotrin’s Human Resource Manager Neil Derrick to explain how Deokiesingh was promoted from being a Hospitality Officer to the company’s Exploration and Production Unit, where he was responsible for “determining how much money is paid for oil sent to the company.”

An internal audit report in August revealed that Petrotrin paid $80 million for hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil which it did not receive.

Employees who spoke with the T&T Guardian expressed shock and surprise that Deokiesingh was back on the job.

Some senior officials said they were unaware that he had returned to work, while others said they did not even know he had not been on the job. Petrotrin’s HR Manager could not be reached for comment.

But Petrotrin officials told the Guardian that proper process has to be followed in dealing with all matters in the interest of the company. Union officials say procedures for discipline are well documented in the collective bargaining agreement.

The Guardian understands that Petrotrin’s HR department had written to Deokiesingh informing him that he was under investigation and detailing the reasons for the investigation and asking him to come in and answer the questions, in keeping with good industrial relations practice. But he never did.

When the Guardian contacted Deokiesingh he requested that the newspaper reporter call him back but subsequent calls to his mobile phone went unanswered.

Chairman of the Manpower Audit Committee into the T&T Police Service (TTPS), Prof Ramesh Deosaran, yesterday said the alliances between politicians, gang leaders and community leaders have been undermining the operations and morale of the TTPS.

Deosaran said because of such relationships, the gang leaders feel so empowered they even challenge the police in executing their duty.

He made the revelations before a Joint Select Committee (JSC) on National Security at the Parliament, Port-of-Spain.

In his opening remarks to JSC chairman Fitzgerald Hinds, Deosaran admitted the TTPS, which has a strength of 7,800, was faced with a number of deficiencies, among them corruption, indiscipline, low detection rate, favouritism and low morale.

Deosaran said there was need for a serious review of the alliances between politicians, gang members and so-called community leaders.

“The issue is serious enough. With that kind of alliance you create an evil monster that has turned into a Frankenstein, which puts the security services and the public generally on the defensive by these so-called gang leaders and community leaders.”

He said we know what has been happening from one government to the next “to be bold enough to put this troublesome issue on the agenda, because it does subvert effective policing. The police become caught in the middle of this horrendous growing Frankenstein.”

Hinds asked Deosaran to explain how the relationship between politicians and gang leaders affects policing.

“When you have these alliances, for example, in the specific case of engineering certain contracts for appeasing potential or current criminals, I think let the police investigate a crime committed by any one of such criminals. The police either get side-tracked or obstructed in several ways. That is, you are entering into a terrain that is almost untouchable,” he said.

Deosaran said it was surprising that such alliances could have been organised for such a long time.

Also addressing the committee, ACP Harold Phillip said historically there has always been a degree of perception that gang leaders are rewarded with government contracts.

“They (gang leaders) seem to have resources to allow them to continue being involved in criminal activities. They invest quite a substantial number of their resources into criminal activities,” said Phillip, as he supported Deosaran.

Deosaran said while the public’s general complaint was that the police do not respond to emergency calls, there was need to improve the public’s trust and confidence.

“But the more troubling demand that we have to face now as people representing the public, especially Parliamentarians, is how to improve public confidence in the police service. If that confidence is not improved, as low as it is now…disturbingly so, you would not get evidence for your court cases, you would not get an effective community policing programme and so on. The negative views and opinions about the police service must be attended to.”

Preliminary investigations into Wednesday’s $5.5 million heist at the Piarco International Airport have revealed employees there may have had support from co-conspirators with military training, police said yesterday. Up to last evening, seven people initially detained for questioning in relation to the robbery remained in custody.

Police sources said two of the detainees, who are security personnel, are believed to hold the key to them making a major breakthrough in the case, which is now deemed “high-profile.”

The source added that they got information that people currently enrolled in the T&T Defence Force teamed up with ex-army personnel and criminal elements from the Maracas/St Joseph area to carry out the heist, which they said was planned over the past four to six months.

Investigators received information that “strange” people were seen loitering in and around the cargo loading area where the robbery took place for several weeks before Wednesday’s heist.

“Information was given that no security personnel from the Airports Authority frequenting that particular area, at any given day or at any given time, carried any licensed firearm…so any one loitering observing the operations and the security precincts would observe this closely,” the police source said.

“It is said that strange people not coming there to clear cargo were seen hanging around within the past four months, some were notified to the police, also when strange vehicles were seen reports were also made…there is the theory that these people may have been scoping out the scene and operations - all in the planning of this well-executed robbery,” the source added.

The next step for investigators is to request surveillance footage from businesses and homes in the area, within a certain distance at all access points to the airport’s perimeter, in the hope of finding other clues to solve the case.

On Wednesday at about 11.25 am, the thieves struck at the cargo loading area along the Golden Grove Road, Piarco, as the money was being transferred from an Amalgamated Security vehicle to be loaded onto a Caribbean Airlines plane.

An airport security reportedly stopped the Amalgamated officers from completing the loading process onto a cargo bin due to a security concern. This period allowed four masked men armed with high-powered rifles and dressed in army fatigue to exit a heavily tinted Toyota Hilux pick-up, licensed TDN7020. The men ordered those around to lie face down on the ground. The gunmen then loaded the cash onto the pick-up and escaped with the loot. The getaway vehicle was found parked at Building 1A, Oropune Gardens, Piarco, about an hour after the incident.

Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is accusing Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley of misrepresenting her party’s position on the controversial Anti-Gang Bill.

In a telephone interview with CNC 3 yesterday evening, Persad-Bissessar claimed Rowley’s statement, over her party’s alleged failure to raise objections over the legislation’s four-year sunset clause at the final stages of the Parliamentary debate (committee stage), was untrue.

“The Prime Minister continues to mislead the population and therefore the actual footage of what transpired at the committee stage is very important,” Persad-Bissessar said.

Responding to Rowley’s claims over the Hansard records, Persad-Bissessar said video recordings would tell a more complete story of what transpired.

“Sometimes the Hansard does not carry the actual words, especially where the Prime Minister was not a speaker on the floor,” Persad-Bissessar said, as she claimed that it was Rowley who pushed the vote on the sunset clause through despite objections from Opposition members.

“It was very clear that we were in favour of the two-year period, but the Government was very stubborn and did not want to compromise,” she said.

She also questioned why the Government was adamant in its position for a four-year clause.

“If this is so important and urgent, why do you need four years to gather evidence?” she said.

Persad-Bissessar claimed that a shorter clause was necessary because the legislation suspended the constitutional rights of citizens.

“We could not allow that in the best interest of the people of this country, to have such an abuse of power by the State for over two years,” she said.

She also suggested that the proposed impact of the legislation was overstated by Government.

“Quite frankly, we are of the view that this would not help in the fight against crime. This is really not the answer,” she said.

She also denied allegations that her party’s position was a personal attack on Rowley, as she said: “The Prime Minister does not need me or the Opposition to assassinate his character because he is doing a great job of that by himself.”

Not so, Kamla.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has accused Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar of orchestrating a “malicious character assassination” against him by misrepresenting events which occurred during recent debate on the defeated Anti-Gang Bill.

“I’ve never experienced the manner of objectionable and vile attack such as the one that I’m now being subjected to,” Rowley said in a statement to Parliament yesterday.

“I categorically reject any assertion or suggestion that I refused to negotiate or was uncooperative during deliberations on the Anti-Gang Bill. The bill which was first read was substantially amended to give effect to the many requests made by the Opposition.”

Rowley was responding on comments and statements concerning his participation in final stages of debate on the bill earlier this week.

The bill, which required Opposition support, was defeated after both sides failed to agree on a sunset clause period by which the legislation would end.

But yesterday, Rowley said, “During the consideration of the bill, several issues were discussed and compromises reached. In fact, the inclusion of a sunset clause as a proposed amendment was a result of my own initiative.

“It was included after I listened to the Opposition’s views, held discussions with the drafters and Government MPs - and more particularly, made a personal intervention with the Opposition Whip.

“After exhaustive discussions and exchange of ideas on the duration of the sunset clause, which I insisted should be inserted into the bill to give effect to the Opposition’s concerns, the question on the inclusion of a sunset clause for a period of four years was put. Absolutely no Opposition MP voted against that proposal as this specific clause was put.”

He said it’s been his experience and understanding that when an Opposition feels strongly about any particular issue during consideration of a bill in final (committee) stages, they’ll usually register disagreement when the question is put on the particular clause.

“This didn’t happen on this occasion,” he said.

Rowley said Parliament’s official report of debates - called the Hansard - will show the question for the inclusion of a new sunset clause was put to all members three times.

“On each occasion there was not one single dissenting voice. So it’s indeed shocking to hear the Opposition leader now seeking to defend her actions (not not supporting the bill) by claiming this position was motivated by my refusal to include a sunset clause,” he said.

Rowley said he felt “affronted and offended” because he’d “extended himself and made a very concerted effort” to ensure Government “reached across the aisle” to give serious consideration to Opposition concerns on the bill.

Since Parliament’s Hansard is the official record of what is said and done, he added, “I now leave it for the people of T&T to read the Hansard and view the footage of the debate to arrive at the true position.”

Employees of Petrotrin’s Field Maintenance Equipment Department (FMED) staged a protest yesterday, demanding that the company remove Vidya Deokiesingh from the department.

As the T&T Guardian reported exclusively, Deokiesingh reported for work on Wednesday after a two-month vacation period and was posted in the FMED in Santa Flora.

But angry workers said Deokiesingh was given a supervisory position and started “throwing his weight around.”

“Imagine they appoint him to give us instructions. We could not deal with that and told the management we want him out,” one worker related.

Deokiesingh was the Field Custody Transfer Officer at the time when Petrotrin is reported to have overpaid some $80 million for oil which it did not receive from the Catshill Field.

Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union president general Ancel Roget confirmed yesterday that the workers were upset Deokiesingh was given a supervisory position although he was under investigation. He said the union’s position is that “he should be removed totally from that department.” He said the union did not want Deokiesingh “displacing anybody who would be entitled to a position simply because they want to find something for him.”

The FMED is in charge of all the equipment with respect to exploration and production, including heavy equipment, drill rigs, pumps and field equipment.

Roget said following the protest the workers were told “he should not interfere in the affairs of the department. The workers were told that he was only housed in an office there and he has no responsibilities.”

But workers said they are concerned he will continue to “try to throw his weight around. He feels that because of his connections with people in high office he is untouchable.” They said if it was anybody else the company would have suspended them while they investigated.

Roget said Deokiesingh is not a member of the union and had not come to them for any advice since the allegations made in the internal audit were made public.

Company officials told the T&T Guardian that they have been following industrial relations practice. Under the company’s disciplinary procedure, Deokiesingh was sent a letter indicating he was under investigation and listing the areas of the investigation. He will be given an opportunity at a date and time for hearing and on the basis of the outcome the company can then determine whether disciplinary action will be taken.

The proposed 10 per cent tax on winnings from National Lottery games will be implemented early next year— rather than this month— and will only apply to winnings over $1,000, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said yesterday.

Imbert detailed the development in Parliament, piloting a Finance bill to implement measures in the 2018 Budget.

The 10 per cent tax on winnings from games under the National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) was listed in the Budget to be implemented on December 1, this year.

But Imbert said it will take the NLCB, lottery vendors and agents some time to get accustomed to the regime of withholding taxes and remittance procedures. He said Government has set a target of early January to proclaim this Budget clause and to start the tax.

In the interim NLCB, vendors and the Board of Inland Revenue would undergo training to get acclimatised with remittance of the tax.

He said the tax will only be imposed on winnings over $1,000, which is a lower level than the tax which Jamaica, for instance, has on its lottery games.

Government is also “holding” on the initial proposal for the Works Minister to limit the number of maxi taxis on any route. He said that will not be done “at this time”.

He said talks have been held with maxi taxi associations and owners and the proposal won’t be implemented. He said talks would continue with stakeholders and the matter will be addressed later.

In his Budget speech, Imbert had proposed the removal of restrictions for banded maxi-taxis to operate on a particular route.

Imbert also announced yesterday that the environmental tax of $20 on tyres will come into force from next week.

He said the private sector has approached Government for a public-private partnership on a recycling initiative. He said receipts from the tyre tax will fund that plan.

The 35 per cent tax on commercial banks will start from January. He added this is part of the burden-sharing adjustment thrust. He noted Central Bank’s report that banks showed a $4.2b profit in 2016.

“They’re making super profits, we felt since they’re making billions, we should impose the tax,” he said.

A $37m investment made by the National Insurance Board (NIB) 2014 to purchase the building housing the Apsara and Thamnak Thai restaurants around the Queen’s Park Savannah found its way into the Parliament yesterday when members of the trade union movement and the Employers’ Consultative Association appeared before the committee to discuss to 9th Actuarial Review of the NIB.

JSC member Terrence Deyalsingh said an independent valuation of the building $16.5 million, “but NIB paid the owners $37 million, so they overpaid for the properties by $20.5 million.”

The restaurants are owned by Sharif Mohammed and Marie Kavanagh who pay a $96,000 monthly lease for the property until 2024 and have the option to renew the lease it for another five years.

In addition, he said, the NIB “spent $5 million of employees contributions, to repair the building, not for the use of the NIB, but then leased it back to the owners.”

Zooming in NIB’s investment policy and the duty which the investment committee has to investment workers funds in instruments which maintains investment capital value, Deyalsingh questioned: “What would have driven that type of investment decision?”

He said if the NIB made “wise investment decisions as the Trinidad and Tobago Heritage and Stabilisation Fund and the Norway HSF, it could have a very positive impact on the employees we seek to protect. But what drove the investment in 2014?” he asked.

NIB had previously stated that it acquired the property, on one of the most valuable strips in the country, as a strategic move to provide the company with a corporate head office. NIB said then it was interested in the property, not the restaurant.

President of the Employers’ Consultative Association Keston Nancoo said while the NIB has a balance of three representatives from employers, government and trade unions “the government holds the chair.”

Asked by Deyalsingh whether he was saying the decision to purchase at $37 million was a government decision, Nancoo said: “I am not saying that I was making the point that as a tripartite body blame ought not to be passed.” Second Vice President of National Trade Union Centre (Natuc) Nirvan Maharaj felt that “the investment question fell out of the remit of the trade unions.”

A woman, her son and a minor were among five people who appeared in court yesterday charged with committing sexual assaults on two girls—ages 10 and 12, in separate incidents.

Shellyann Springer, 40, her son Tarik Alleyne, 22, Jonathon Cummings, 19, his cousin Tyrell Cummings, 20, and a 17-year-old, all appeared before Princes Town First Court Magistrate Michelle Maharajh-Brown. The 12-year-old victim is four to five months’ pregnant, police confirmed.

Springer and her son Alleyne are accused of carrying out the sex acts on the ten-year-old girl in Princes Town on dates unknown between January and December 2015.

Springer is charged with two charges of sexual touching and one charge of sexual penetration while her son is charged with two offences of sexual penetration.

They were all denied bail and remanded into custody for tracing.

In the matter of the 12-year-old pregnant girl, Jonathan, Tyrell and the 17-year-old are accused of sexually assaulting the girl between July 1 and August 31 this year in Princes Town.

Jonathan is charged with sexual penetration while Tyrell is charged with three charges of sexual penetration and one charge of sexual touching. The 17-year-old is charged with two charges of sexual penetration and one charge of sexual touching. He was also charged with committing another act of sexual penetration on the girl between January and December 31, 2016. They were also remanded into custody for tracing.

Tyrell gave himself up to the police yesterday morning while the others were arrested during a police exercise on Thursday night. They were called charged by Ag Cpl Nicole St John of the Child Protection Unit.

They are to reappear in court on Tuesday for the magistrate to consider bail.

Almost two weeks after pundit Sunil Ragbirsingh was murdered during a robbery at his Arouca home, his mother-in-law and his former worker appeared in court charged with the crime.

Kumarie Maraj, 60, and 22-year-old Salim Goberdhan, of Eastern Main Road, Arouca, appeared before Senior Magistrate Indrani Cedeno in the Arima First Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with murdering Ragbirsingh.

They were not called upon to plead to the charge and were remanded into custody.

According to reports, on November 25, Ragbirsingh was at his home at the corner of First and Sampath Streets in Arouca, with relatives including Maraj, when four intruders entered.

The men, one of whom was armed with a gun, robbed the family of $20,000 and US$5,000 in cash and an undisclosed quantity of jewelry.

Before fleeing the scene, the gunman shot 45-year-old Ragbirsingh. He died on the scene.

Goberdhan, a handyman, had been employed by Ragbirsingh in the past, police said.

Maraj and Goberdhan were charged by PC Ricardo Ramdial of the Region Two Homicide Bureau.

They will reappear before Cedeno on January 5.

Phase One of the Maracas Beach Facility Improvement Project has been completed within budget, at a cost just over $61 million, despite challenges faced by the contractor - Coosal’s Construction Company Limited.

The project includes a 350-vehicle carpark, five bus spaces and eight spaces for handicapped people.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday at the handing over ceremony, Group Executive chairman, Sieunarine Coosal said the project faced numerous coordination and logistical challenges.

“It was never an option (to close off the area) and pedestrian traffic and public safety was a major element in the day-to-day planning of construction activities,” Coosal said.

Another major challenge, he said, was the unexpected inclement weather pattern and flooding.

Minister of Works and Transport, Rohan Sinanan praised Coosal’s for its timely delivery despite the challenging rainy season.

“There were many landslips but Coosal’s still stood out to bring the project within the time and budget…and we see the standards…this is not a simple contract, it is very technical to get material up here especially road paving material but we stand very proud that Coosal’s was able to deliver,” he said.

Coosal’s commenced works in May 2017 after construction company - Kall Co was terminated from the $120 million Maracas Beach Facility Improvement project, in June last year. An audit was ordered into the scope of works done.

Coosal’s contracted scope of works included but was not limited to the following elements; clearing and grubbing; relocation and utilization of client issued stockpiles; demolition of existing structures; excavation and fill; construction of access approaches; road widening; roundabout; carpark; drainage; pedestrian walkways and all ancillary works such as handrails; lighting; signage road and carpark markings.

NIDCO chairman Herbert George said that all major works would be completed by end of January. The new wastewater treatment plant will, however, be completed by May.

A 58-year-old unemployed man from Belmont has been granted $150,000 bail after appearing in court charged with raping a mentally disabled child.

Elvis “Cat” Sitney, of Upper Belmont Valley Road, Belmont, was granted the bail after he appeared before Magistrate Adia Mohammed in the Port-of-Spain Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

A release from the T&T Police Service (TTPS) described the victim as a child, deemed to be mentally subnormal, but did not state her age.

The offence allegedly took place last Sunday. As part of the conditions of his bail, Sitney was ordered not to make direct or indirect contact with the victim or come within 500 metres of her.Sitney reappeared before Mohammed yesterday and will reappear in court in January, next year.

Sitney was charged by WPC Elnora Wright of the Port-of-Spain Child Protection Unit.

Forced to live under the steps of an abandoned Housing Development Corporation (HDC) building with her six children and grand daughter, single mother Allison Dick is appealing to the authorities to help them with a home, especially in this Yuletide season.

“I want to make an appeal to whoever in authority, the Government, I am not blaming the Government for my situation, but what I’m saying is if they could just soften their hearts a little bit, if not just for the sake of the children,” Dick said between tears yesterday.

She has made several previous appeals to the authorities which have fallen on deaf ears.

Dick’s family was among 25 families thrown out of the HDC apartment buildings at Harmony Hall, Gasparillo, nine months ago. Soon after that eviction, she moved her belongings and her children under a tent on the compound.

Following the bad weather caused by Tropical Storm Bret in June, which almost blew down the tent, Dick and her children, aged 20, 18, 16, nine and two seven-year-old twins, and her four-year-old granddaughter, sought shelter in a very small, dark space under the step of one of the buildings. Her 20-year-old daughter is also nine months pregnant and was staying a relative in San Juan, but returned recently because her due date is approaching.

During the interview, a lit mosquito coil was her only means of keeping away the mosquitoes. Two mattresses, a stove and a gas tank and a fridge were under the step.

Hurt by the harsh and demeaning comments made about her on social media, Dick said this is not the life she wanted for her children or herself, but her poor health, which caused her to stop working, had forced her into this situation.

Dick suffers from sleep apnea (a disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing while you sleep), anaemia and hypertension, depression, a low blood count, and has to do three surgeries unrelated to those conditions.

“The thing is people not understanding. Okay, I did not ask myself to get sick, I mean sometimes things happen no one could predict life. For all my life I work and mind my children from day one. I saw on Facebook where they talk about I make children and I want my son to mind them, that is not the way,” Dick said.

“I maintained my children from day one, is only when I started to get sick and started to pass out in work and thing is when I realise I could not work any more. Sometimes when I lie down it grieves me because I cannot work to take my children out of this situation. No parent wants to see their child in this situation you know.”

Dick worked 12 years as a security officer, but was forced to stop five years ago because of her health complications. She now receives public assistance and financial help from her oldest son, who also works as a security officer

Explaining how she landed in this situation, Dick recalled that in July 2006, her home in Moruga, which she built, was destroyed by fire. Her three-year-old son Atiba died in that fire.

She then moved to St Joseph where she was renting. By that time, her relationship with Atiba’s father, who also fathered her four eldest children, ended. She met her twins’ father, but when they were one month old he too left her. She was on the verge of being evicted when in 2010 the HDC stepped in and assigned her an apartment at the Harmony Hall development where she is at presently. Two months after, however, she began experiencing infrastructural defects within unit. Dick, who was not working as she had just given birth and undergone surgery, asked HDC to relocate them. After four months she moved to another apartment with her children and granddaughter without being allocated the unit by the HDC. In March, she and several other families were thrown out by HDC for illegal occupation of the condemned units.

Yesterday, she admitted: “It is horrible here. I am fearful for our lives.”

Despite her situation she ensures her four of her children attends school. But her granddaughter is not attending a school.

Contacted on the issue, HDC managing director Brent Lyons confirmed they contacted Dick on her problem. He said they were encountering challenges in locating an appropriate, adequate and affordable unit for her, but are working feverishly to help her.