Chief Justice Ivor Archie is publicly admitting he forwarded the names of people to the Housing Development Corporation for assistance to get state housing. But he says the list did not include Dillian Johnson.

As he broke his silence on allegations against him in the public domain yesterday, Archie also insisted there was no discussion with judges on the retention of a private security firm to provide security for judges.

In a press release, the CJ said in 2015 he forwarded the names of people he described as “needy and deserving persons” to the HDC, but insisted he has never “recommended Mr. Dillian Johnson for HDC housing.” He described the allegation as “patently untrue,” suggesting those saying otherwise were engaging in “purposeful mischief making.”

The CJ was referring to the allegation he approached the HDC to fast track applications for people, including a convicted fraudster Kern Romero. No mention was made of Romero in the CJ’s response.

On allegations he held discussions with Johnson on security for judges, the CJ said it was “false and indeed irresponsible to suggest that at any judges’ meeting, the Chief Justice or any other judge discussed the retention of any private security firm for the purpose of providing the said personal security.”

He said specialised units of the protective services and the Judiciary Security Unit “are the only entities responsible for assessing and implementing arrangements for the personal security of judges and magistrates.”

The CJ also responded to the shooting attack on Johnson at his Gasparillo home two weeks ago, noting there has been “discussion in the public domain about the attack.” He said he “expects the relevant authorities will urgently conduct a necessary and thorough investigation into this incident.”

Johnson has told police he has information on individuals who conspired in the attack and who want to kill him.

Archie ended the release with a terse,“This is all that the Chief Justice is at liberty to say at this time.”

It was only on Thursday that the Law Association described as “reckless” Archie’s continued silence on the allegations which have questioned his conduct in office.

But the HDC allegations do not sit well with Martin Daly SC, who yesterday described it as “a complete constitutional perversion to expect a judge to function if he is or appears to be beholden to the political executive for favours, or for preferential treatment, or for having obtained goods and services either for himself or for a third party.”

Speaking on CNC3’s Morning Brew, Daly suggested the CJ should pack up and go due since the allegations had caused irreparable damage to the Judiciary.

Daly also described the allegations of the death threat made against Johnson as “alarming.” He said “there are allegations of criminality, they are in the public domain. These matters have to be dealt with. If there was a group of conspirators to harm someone that means that the rot in society is a very, very high level.”

He said the Government “cannot keep burying their heads in the sand,” adding “it is pathetic of the Government to keep talking about separation of powers in the peculiar circumstances of this case.”

Oropouche East MP Dr. Roodal Moonilal made a scandalous allegation against Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and the owner of A&V Oil and Gas Hanif Baksh in Parliament last evening. However, moments after making the statement, Moonilal was forced to withdrew it.

Contributing to debate on the Miscellaneous Provisions (Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, Proceeds of Crime, FIU of T&T, Customs and Exchange Control) Bill, 2017, Moonilal had alleged corruption on the part of the Prime Minister.

Earlier in his contribution, he told the House of Representatives that he recently visited Florida to “conduct research” and would later reveal his findings.

“I pray what I am reading here is not right,” he asserted as he prepared to reveal his findings.

Moonilal read from an email after he said Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi “invited” him to read the contents of the documents in his possession.

But soon after reading the contents of the email, which triggered shocked expressions by Opposition members, Al-Rawi interrupted on a standing order.

“What is falling from the Honourable Member is nothing short of a direct indictment,” Al-Rawi said, adding, Moonilal must “take direct ownership of his statements.”

House Speaker Brigid Annisette George then ruled that a member must take ownership for anything that is said in the Chamber, and asked Moonilal to retract the statement that he was invited to read from the documents. Moonilal told the Chamber he presented the information after what he believed to be an invitation by the AG.

“I have heard, and my colleagues have heard, that the AG asked me to read the cheque and read the information. I cannot unhear it,” he said.

That’s when he retreated and told the House, “If he did not invite me, I didn’t read it. So we can just withdraw everything.”

During a heated exchange between the two thereafter, Annisette-George interrupted and informed the AG that Moonilal had withdrawn his statement.

The speed limit along four major highways was officially changed to 100 kilometres per hour yesterday.

The change was effected after President Anthony Carmona assented to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) (No 2) Act of 2017 and Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan signed the requisite Speed Limit Orders. The amended legislation was debated and passed in the Senate on November 28.

While motorists were left confused with the installation of signs of the new limit earlier this week, the new regulations only took effect after they were gazetted and published in daily newspapers yesterday.

The implementation was announced in a press release issued by Sinanan’s ministry yesterday afternoon.

Under the new limit, motorists driving private vehicles and goods vehicles, whose maximum gross weight (M.G.W.) does not exceed 3200 kilos, are allowed to drive at 100 km/h along the Beetham, Churchill Roosevelt, Uriah Butler and Solomon Hochoy Highways.

The previous speed limit of 80 km/h still applies along the Audrey Jeffers Highway, Diego Martin Highway, the Valencia Stretch and Reinzi-Kirton Highway and South Trunk Road Extension in south Trinidad.

In Tobago, the old speed limit will apply to the Claude Noel Highway, Shirvan Road between the highway and Grafton Road and along the Auchenskeoch-Buccoo Bay Road from Shirvan Junction to Montgomery Road.

In the release, the ministry said it will be erecting signs to explain the new limits to motorists.

It also noted that the T&T Police Service received nine additional LIDAR speed guns in November increasing its capacity to 15.

Re-evaluate your stance in the interest of security and public safety.

National Security Minister Edmund Dillon yesterday gave these words of caution to prison officers who want to seek asylum in Canada.

He did so responding to Opposition questions in Parliament. This followed reports that some prison officers recently visited the Canadian Embassy seeking asylum.

On November 2, Dillon said, approximately 25 officers formed a contingent which visited that Embassy seeking information concerning procedure on how to seek asylum in Canada.

The Prison Officers’ Association, in media reports, said the move was sparked by Government’s inaction over requests for law to deal with attacks against officers. This followed murders of two officers in October.

Dillon said his ministry was mindful of concerns of prison officers and other law enforcement officers,”and remains committed to treating with their safety and security.

He added: “While measures to treat with concerns are being explored, the prison officers who formed this contingent are being cautioned to re-evaluate their stance and consider the strain on criminal justice system agencies and the threats to public safety which may occur, should they follow through with their vocalised intent,”

“Any application for leave of absence or request to terminate employment services must go through standard human resources channels. If and when approvals are granted, officers will then be unrestricted in determination of their next course of action,”

In the event, actions of some officers may seem to lead to possible shortage of staff, he said, T&T’s Prison Service has a number of short term workforce planning strategies.

These involved retraining existing staff, task-shifting and redeployment.

Measures included:

•Approval for officers to work extra hours.

•Sanctioning that officers take up extra duties.

•Authorising a temporary reduction in the number allowed to go on vacation leave.

•Augmenting staff with officers resuming duties after leave, placing them in areas where demand is high.

The service admitted 284 male and female recruits in September and will complete another exercise to short-list candidates (male officers and drivers) in early 2018.

Dillon added that discussions are continuing between the Commissioner of Prisons and Police Commissioner on a request for protection for prison officials.

He said this was made on November 7 at a meeting between the National Security Ministry, Attorney General’s office and Commissioner of Prisons and Prison Officers’ Association.

The Prisons’ Commissioner was advised to engage the Police Commissioner concerning those officers whose lives were deemed to be under threat.

Dialysis facilities will soon be increased at the North West and South West Regional Health Authorities as Government moves rapidly to lessen dependence on private sector dialysis services.

Confirmation came yesterday from Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh.

The development follows recent issues where St Clair Medical Centre (Medcorp Ltd) halted dialysis treatments on patients due to Government’s non-payment of subsidies for this.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Deyalsingh said Medcorp is owed $1.2 million. The total owed by Government to all dialysis centres is $16.6 million.

Deyalsingh added: “We’re paying part of all of these outstanding monies over the next week. Medcorp will receive approximately $400,000 within the next week.”

“But what we owed Medcorp has to be taken into consideration with the fact that from 2014 to now we’ve paid Medcorp $7.5million (for dialysis), $20.6 million (radiotherapy) and $576,000 (other surgical procedures),”

“We’ve done $30 million-plus worth of business with Medcorp from 2014. So it’s a bit of a surprise that we have this long rich history with Medcorp, and they would have taken this action. But we’re committed to paying them.”

He said Medcorp also benefitted from a portion of $65.1 million paid for heart surgery to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex and Medcorp.

“We ask everyone to be mindful of the economic situation,”he added.

The 40 dialysis patients, who had been at Medcorp, were transferred to Port-of-Spain General Hospital and other dialysis centres and none went without treatment, he said.

Deyalsingh said the centres to which patients were taken from Medcorps were glad to do it He said they’d sympathised with Government and assured they wouldn’t take the action Medcorp did, “That’s the kind of patriotism we need in T&T now,” he added.

Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams said following the killing of one of his officers and the wounding of another during two separate robberies, his officers are not afraid and will continue to put their lives on the line for the country’s security.

Speaking after the funeral service of Richard Babwah who was murdered as he attempted to foil a robbery on Monday night, Williams said policing is a calling.

“Policing is a calling so when you join the Police Service you know for a fact there is a high risk and that risk involves the ultimate, that your life can be on the line. So if a police officer is shot and killed, a police officer is shot and injured, it goes within the domain of what you do. So, if an incident like this occurs, it’s not about being frightened. At the very onset of this incident, the police officers were hunting the criminals. So it’s not about going into fear. So we have to understand the profession, so when we stand on the outside we don’t understand the profession. It’s being on the inside you understand that you go out there fearless and you put your life on the line. So, anybody talking about ‘police in fear,’ police not in fear. Police put their lives on the line on a daily basis, that’s what the job is about,” Williams said.

Williams added that policing is a challenging profession and there is a need for assistance from the public. Referring to the sermon delivered by Apostle Andrew Ramjattan, Williams said there is also a critical role for the church.

During the funeral service, which was attended by National Security Minister Edmund Dillon, Ramjattan said that the church has failed the community and needed to do more about the crime scourge in the country. Ramjattan said he is willing to partner with the Police Service in achieving a better society and called on the congregation to reach out to the criminals and criminal minded to offer them hope in times of despair.

Ramjattan spoke at the Faith Assembly Church, Arouca, just across the street from where Babwah worked as a homicide officer. Ramjattan said he knew Babwah growing up and the father of two girls wanted to make the world a better place and so joined the Police Service. He said when a police officer is killed it highlights the vulnerability of the country.

Ramjattan added that in four days time Babwah’s mother, Arlene, will celebrate her birthday, but it will not be a joyous one.

Speaking on behalf of his officers, Supt Windel Flaviney said Babwah was a shining example of what a police officer should be. The Special Reserve Police officer had four years service and his dedication to the job made the Homicide Bureau seek him out. Flaviney said he spoke with Babwah one hour before he was killed and the next call he received concerning him was that he died.

During the eulogy, Babwah’s cousin Xavio Julien, said his cousin earned the nickname “Popey” because of his regular attendance at church in his childhood days. Like all those who spoke of Babwah, Julien said the 40-year-old was a family oriented man. He added that Babwah loved protecting people and he did this up until his last breath. Julien said Babwah lived for his daughters and encouraged those who cared for him to honour that and create an atmosphere that they will be raised in that will make Babwah proud.

Babwah was killed by one of two bandits who tried to rob a Chinese restaurant in Arouca. He wounded one of the bandits during a shoot-out in the restaurant, but all three suspects were subsequently apprehended.

Four days later, PC Anand Ram, who is attached to the Gasparillo Police Station, was shot in the abdomen when he responded to a robbery.

Isaac Simmons, a 15-year-old Form Two student was killed by police during a shoot-out. Two other suspects, including a 17-year-old, was apprehended following the robbery.

A High Court judge has refused a legal challenge from one of the five suspects in last week’s $5.5 million robbery at the Piarco International Airport.

Lawyers representing the 32-year-old suspect ofLongdenville filed the habeas corpus writ in the San Fernando High Court on Thursday evening.

Under the writ the lawyers were questioning the lengthy delay in charging their client for the crime.

The suspect, a mason and a father of two, was arrested at a supermarket near his home last week Thursday, a day after the robbery.

The T&T Guardian understands that immediately following the filing of the writ, investigators released the suspect’s two brothers, who were also arrested and interrogated by police.

When the case came up for hearing before Justice Frank Seepersad in the San Fernando High Court yesterday morning, investigators testified that the probe into the heist was at an advanced stage.

They claimed that they were awaiting confirmation from the Central Bank on whether $250,000 recovered in their investigation formed part of the stolen loot and for the Police Service Cyber Crime Unit to analysis the remaining suspects cellphones.

Investigators are expected to approach the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) this weekend or early next week to determine if charges could be laid against the three remaining suspects.

Giving an oral decision, Seepersad said police were justified as they had shown they were acting with due diligence.

“The matter under investigation is unique and given the locale at which the robbery occurred and the nature of same there are issues of national security that arise,” Seepersad said as he ruled that the suspect’s detention was not arbitrary.

The well planned and orchestrated hit targeted a First Citizens Bank load which was being sent to Tobago via Caribbean Airlines, and took place mere metres away from the Piarco Police Station.

The suspect was represented by Kiev Chesney.

Soca superstar Machel Montano and music producer Kernal Roberts have won their appeal against their convictions for assaulting a group of friends at a nightclub, almost a decade ago.

However, their legal victory was bittersweet as the court felt that a retrial was appropriate in their case.

Delivering a 87-page judgment at the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain yesterday morning, Appellate Judges Alice Yorke-Soo Hon and Mark Mohammed ruled that their convictions could not stand as former magistrate Maureen Baboolal-Gafoor, failed to give reasons for her decision.

“It was necessary for the magistrate to explain, in adequate detail without any need to be over-elaborate, how she determined th credibility issues in respect of the prosecutions witnesses in arriving at her decision to convict the appellants,” the judges said.

They went on: “The absence of written and/or oral reasons in thi regard has therefore prejudiced the appellants in advancing their appeal and has deprived this court of its ability to perform its appellate review function.”

Baboolal-Gafoor could not have been called upon to give reasons retroactively for the appeal as she had retired before it came up for hearing.

Montano was not present for the hearing and was represented by his mother.

Immediately following their decision, the court invited submissions from defence attorneys and prosecutors on whether a retrial was necessary.

Montano’s lawyer Jagdeo Singh submitted that over a decade had elapsed since the incident had occurred and evidence would be in a state of disarray.

Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) George Busby disagreed as he pointed out that the case was significantly smaller as soca stars Joel “Zan” Feveck and Rodney “Benjai” Le Blanc, who were charged and freed by Baboolal-Gafoor, would not face retrial.

He also noted that he had spoken to the alleged victims last week and they were ready and willing to testify once again.

The court agreed with Busby as it ruled that the retrial was in the public’s interest.

Stating that both Montano and Roberts were national icons, Yorke-Soo Hon said: “It is unquestionably in the public’s interest to have these matter resolved.”

Before ending the hearing, Yorke-Soo Hon placed both men on $50,000 bail with their mothers Valerie Green (Roberts) and Elizabeth Montano (Montano) being named as their surety.

Montano and Roberts were also represented by Keith Scotland, Larry Williams, Daniel Khan, Kiel Tacklalsingh, Criston Williams and Ananda Rampersad.

ABOUT THE CASE

The charges arose out of a brawl at the Zen Nightclub at Keate Street in Port-of-Spain on April 20, 2007, while Montano was celebrating winning that year’s Road March title.

Montano, Roberts, Le Blanc and Feveck were all charged with various crimes based on their alleged involvement in the fracas.

All four were charged with assaulting Russell Pollonais, while all except Le Blanc were charged with assaulting Brandis Brown.

Montano was solely charged with assaulting Janelle Lee Chee and Gerard Bowrin and for using obscene language.

Montano and Roberts were convicted of their charges, while Le Blanc and Feveck were found not guilty.

Montano was slapped with a $13,000 fine and ordered to pay the victims $13,500 in restitution, while Roberts was given a $13,000 fine and $11,000 in restitution.

SASCHA WILSON

Sharon Rowley, wife of Prime Minister Keith Rowley, says she will like to see an improvement in the economic and crime situation in T&T. That is her Christmas wish for the country.

Rowley, who was accompanied by her daughter Tonya Rowley-Cuffy, spoke with members of the media at Sacha Cosmetics in Freeport, during a one-day sale which attracted hundreds of customers.

Rowley said, "I hope for a better T&T, an improved situation economically and also with regard to crime. I hope that we are able to address the crime situation and I feel that if we all walk together into 2018 with spirituality in mind, then we can improve our situation because we can do nothing without our trust and our faith in God to help us along the way."

Rowley said she found out about the sale from her daughter who saw it on Instagram.

"I’m very old fashioned, I would have had to look in the paper to see the advertisement, so she saw it and told me and I said we would come because one, we use Sacha and we buy local and two, because the products are excellent."

She encouraged people to buy local.

Noting that some of the products are sold on the international market, she said, Sacha products standards are equivalent to well-known foreign brands.

"So of course, because I am buying local, because it is then cheaper, I will tend to use the products and they work well. As you get older you need to get a little more coverage and there are specific Sasha products that I would use, Sacha Kamaflage, as the name says it camouflages the little things that we want to hide so that I would support buying products here. Buy local once it’s a good product."

Maharaj: Letting go workers is not the solution

Company director Kamla Maharaj said the sale was held three times a year and it was a way of giving back to their customers.

Maharaj said while there was a dip in production, they did not reduce staff. "What we would do is cut the amount of hours that you work, but you get back in. But letting go people is not the solution and I always say half a bread is better than none."

Maharaj said the company has been doing well. "We have our four stores in Panama, we are doing our registration in Colombia, we sell online and we have Amazon as a distributor. We recently got through to Amazon in India so that is a very big market for us."

Maharaj's Christmas wish for the T&T is for the country to become a safe place. Crime "has to stop", he added.

"Safety and prosperity". These are the two things that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley wishes for the country for Christmas.

And Rowley said his Government was working "very hard" to make those wishes come true.

Rowley made the statement yesterday as he spoke to members of the media following a children's Christmas party at the Diego Martin South recreational ground.

"I wish the country two things—one, safety and two, prosperity. If we get those two things everything else will be alright," Rowley said.

"So hopefully, we are working very hard on trying to improve the level of safety and security, working toward people feeling more and more safe and we are beginning to see some improvement in respect to the response and the success of the police," he said.

Rowley said the Police Services' information gathering was definitely improving and there is more cooperation among the security agencies.

"I anticipate that in 2018 the security services will be more successful in managing," Rowley said.

However, apart from the law enforcement agencies, Rowley said he would really like parents to help more in the fight against crime.

"Because there is no person who can talk to a person more than a family member and if a lot of parents and uncles and aunts and neighbours can get into the act talking to people who choose crime as a way of life that would help along the way," Rowley said,

Rowley said he was distressed to see recent situation of the security agencies having to engage in a shoot out with a 15-year-old bandit.

During that incident Isaac Simmons was shot dead while PC Anand Ram was injured.

"The whole idea of a 15 year old wanting to engage the police tells me that something was not right with how he saw himself as a child and why would a 15 year old want to think that he could engage the police," Rowley said.

"It is not just a question of locking them up after they commit the crime or killing them when they engage you, there is something that is missing and it has to be what goes into those children at the very beginning and how they are brought up. How they see others, how they see life, who they respect, what is authority and what do they want out of themselves in life.

"I think we need to call the parents and community towards some role in this."

While police investigating the murder of Samantha Isaac were yesterday were closing in on her killer they heard a gunshot coming from his home.

Around 5.30 am, Isaacs, 26, of L'anse Mitan, Carenage, was found unresponsive at the side of the road in the vicinity of the Ocean View hotel after she was thrown out of a vehicle.

She had gunshot wounds to her head and legs.

Isaacs was rushed to the St James Medical Complex where she succumbed to her injuries.

Footage from Closed Circuit Television cameras showed Isaacs was thrown out of a grey Hyundai Elantra motorcar.

After viewing the video footage police went to the Upper Haig Street home of Kahriym Garcia to question him.

On their way to Garcia's home, they heard a gunshot.

When the officers kicked down the door to his home they found Garcia dead on the ground.

Isaacs and Garcia have a three-year-old son together.

However, their relationship was said to be tumultuous with Isaacs making reports of domestic abuse against him.

On Friday night, Isaacs was at a birthday lime with friends when Garcia and another man reportedly barged in.

Garcia spoke to Isaacs at the lime.

Security eventually put Garcia and the other man out of the party.

When the party was over a driver dropped Isaacs home.

Garcia is said to have been lying in wait for her.

He slapped her and dragged her into his car.

Investigations are continuing.

The third suspect in the shooting of PC Anand Ram in Marabella has been identified. However, up to late yesterday he was still being hunted by police.

Ram, 27, remained warded at the San Fernando General Hospital up to late yesterday where he is being treated for a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

The incident took place on Thursday after Ram and his three colleagues from the Gasparillo Police Station responded to a report of a robbery at a house at Gopaul Lands around 4.30 pm.

On arrival at the scene they saw the suspects running away.

Ram and other officers chased after student Issac Simmons, 15, who ran into some bushes at Fahey Street. Simmons opened fire on the officers when they ordered him to stop. He was shot several times.

After the incident, the police arrested a suspect and recovered some of the stolen items. The suspect has not given police a statement. The other accomplice is still on the run.

However, he is likely to be charged with robbery-related. Investigations are continuing.

Cataract surgeries valued over $250,000 will be done free tomorrow for 25 patients who are in dire need and deemed to be “financially constrained”.

This early Christmas gift is sponsored by Dr Ronnie Bhola of the Trinidad Eye Hospital (TEH). The “Gift of Sight” project will be conducted in collaboration with Good Health Medical in Port-of-Spain and several other sponsors.

Bhola, 48, is the director and consultant ophthalmologist at the Caribbean Vitreous & Retina Surgery Limited (CVRS Ltd) and currently, the chairman of the Trinidad Eye Hospital.

He is a British-trained eye consultant with sub-specialty training in vitreous and retina surgery and is currently an associate lecturer with the University of the West Indies and an adjunct professor with the Moran Eye Institute.

Speaking with the Sunday Guardian, Bhola said all year long, many patients postpone or cancel their eye surgery appointments due to lack of funds to pay for their operations.

“Some lose their eyesight simply because they remain on waiting lists in desperate need of operation. These patients struggle with everyday needs and are forced to be dependent on others because of avoidable visual impairment,” Bhola said.

Bhola's drive to help others is not only about his compassion and empathy towards patients, but it is in keeping with the Ministry of Health's plan to reduce the backlog of cataract surgeries and the World Health Organization’s global initiative to ‘Eliminate Avoidable Blindness, VISION 2020: The Right to Sight’.

Since 2013, Bhola has coordinated a team of surgeons, nurses, healthcare professionals and sponsors to give back on an annual basis by performing cataract surgeries for free. This year is no different; he has so far done over $2.5 million in surgeries free of charge.

Bhola will be having a similar charity event next year called “Christmas in July!”

“The management and staff of Trinidad Eye Hospital are grateful for this opportunity, taking example from many other medical practitioners who have used their skills throughout the year to do charitable service in patient communities across our country,” he said.

Bhola, who grew up in Fyzabad, attended the University of the West Indies Jamaica (1993-MBBS), Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh (1999-FRCS), University of Sheffield (2006-Dip Ed) and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists London (2007-CCT).

A grateful recipient praises Bhola

One of this year’s recipient of Bhola’s gift, Fariza Khan, of Carapichaima, praised Bhola on his “good deeds” and urged other doctors to follow suit. “It is a major sacrifice that he is doing and it shows that he is grateful to the people and the community by him giving back in this form and if other doctors should do the same, this country will be a better place in terms of where healthcare is supposed to be at.

“I am grateful to the doctor for having me be part of this…it is a miracle come true for me and I cannot wait to see perfectly again in my left eye…May Allah continue to bless him,” Khan added.

Help poor parents! The 2017 year of Parliament ended last Friday with an appeal from UNC MP Ramona Ramdial for Government to ease the burden on poor parents by exempting baby and child care products from Customs duties.

The message of seasonal spirit—also in sync with the economic climate—came during Ramdial's contribution to debate on a motion. This sought to exempt from Customs duty items ranging from industry to tourism and agricultural products.

That debate took place during the last sitting of Parliament for 2017. The Upper House ended the year last Tuesday when it was adjourned to a date to be fixed. Last Friday's Lower House session was also the last for 2017. Parliament resumes early January 2018.

During the debate on the motion, Ramdial noted that only baby milk is exempted from Customs duties.

She, however, cited recent reports of thieves stealing baby milk from a grocery, but not money or alcohol.

Ramdial added, "It's disheartening to see that baby milk was the targeted item. It shows a changing trend—including how criminals operate.

"We've seen increases in single mothers. Government should exempt from Customs duty all products concerning child rearing and baby care.

"It'll at least help your campaign," she urged Government.

"When we (PP administration) were in office, we had the Baby Grant. Every single mother could afford to buy baby milk."

Ramdial said the PNM administration after two years in office couldn't continue blaming the past Government for problems.

"Up to recently, I saw the Prime Minister playing 'victim' saying his character was attacked during the anti-gang debate. But Government has a duty to citizens to deal with what's necessary. However, we're not seeing improvements."

She called for Government to say if the planned Sandals resort will be a 2018 plan since the Prime Minister has said T&T is now lower down Sandals' priorities. "I hoped Sandals backed down because the Prime Minister drove a hard bargain in T&T's best interests at the negotiation table."

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has challenged Opposition MP Dr Roodal Moonilal, who he described as a "corkscrew and a creep", to come outside the Parliament and repeat the scandalous claims he made and eventually withdrew in the Lower House on Friday.

Rowley said he will approach Speaker Brigid Annisette-George at the next sitting of the House of Representatives to respond to Moonilal and clear the Parliament's records.

On Friday Moonilal, the Oropouche East MP, linked Rowley to alleged corruption with A&V Oil and Gas Limited's owner Hanif Nazim Baksh.

During his contribution to the Parliamentary debate on Friday, Moonilal told the House of Representatives that he recently visited Florida to conduct research and would later reveal his findings.

He then proceeded to read an email.

While he read the email, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi interrupted on a standing order and called on Moonilal to "take direct ownership of his statements".

Annisette-George ruled that a member must take ownership for anything that is said in the chamber and asked Moonilal to retract the statement.

Moonilal eventually withdrew the statement.

During the children's Christmas Party held at the Diego Martin South Recreational Ground yesterday, Rowley was asked about the situation.

"I wasn't there but I wasn't surprised. It is not the first time and it would not be the last time (Moonilal) uses the cover of Parliament," Rowley said.

"I will approach the speaker to respond to him in the Parliament at the next sitting of Parliament if only for the records of Parliament but all I would say otherwise I will tell that corkscrew, that creep to come outside the Parliament and make any similar allegation against me," he said.

Rowley called on Moonilal to come out to the nearest street and repeat what he said.

"Don't stay inside the Parliament and make it, come out to the nearest street and make any similar allegation against me that is what I want but I will respond to him in the Parliament."

Three people are to be charged with obstructing the free flow of traffic following a protest along the east-bound lane of the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway in Maloney yesterday, the Police Service has stated.

Around 8 am yesterday, residents from Maloney Gardens protesting water woes in their area blocked off a portion of the highway and other streets inside their community, including Flamingo Boulevard.

Discarded Appliances and other debris were thrown on to the roadways.

Vehicles using the affected roadways were unable to proceed.

Police responded to the situation and cleared the roadways and arrested several people. Around noon, the area was declared safe.

Several Maloney residents also gathered along the roadside and clapped and chanted for the return of a regular service of pipe borne water to the area.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Jacob and Snr Supt Daniel along with a contingent of officers from the Northern Division were on the scene.

People can express their opinion but not in a way that's illegal—MP

Arouca/Maloney MP Camille Robinson-Regis arrived on the scene around noon to listen to the residents’ woes.

Speaking to the Sunday Guardian after, she said “Wasa had sent water trucks to the area, I understand when trucks came some residents turned back the trucks.

“It makes me a little concerned about that, but I understand the anxiety. I was disappointed that they felt that they had to protest because it was not necessary.

“But people have a right to express their opinion but not in a way that is illegal, so I can’t condone an illegal action.”

She said she gave out her cellphone number to several people in all parts of her constituency which included Maloney, Bon Air, Trincity and Arouca to call in case of emergencies.

Robinson-Regis said she did a walk every Sunday morning and Thursday in some parts of her constituency and that she was approachable.

The Government is yet to outline any specific plans to address its growing debt to contractors. In the meanwhile, the association representing the group has advised its members to take legal steps to get money owed to them.

In an interview with the Guardian last week, Contractors’ Association President Ramlogan Roopnarinesingh estimated that the growing debt to contractors was over $4 billion.

The government agencies responsible for the majority of debt to contractors are the Education Facilities Management Company (EFCL) with a reported debt of between $800 million and $1.2 billion dollars; the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) with a reported debt of between $700 to $800 million; and the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), which faces a billion-dollar debt to contractors and suppliers.

In 2017 Finance Minister Colm Imbert budgeted $1.8 billion for the payment of debt to contractors but this reporter could find no similar amount allocated for fiscal 2018.

While Government, in an out of Parliament, has blamed the country’s economic problems for some of the delays, several contractors are considering legal action over breach of contract due to non-payment.

According to Section 3 of the Limitation of Certain Actions Act contractors only have four years from the breach of contract to take any action, and for several of them, 2018 is the fourth year.

However, sources said it was unlikely that Government would use this defence.

Even as contractors are considering legal action, some have already brought projects to a standstill with more reported to stop in 2018 as they demand payment for work done.

‘Businesses forced to close, people losing job’

Roopnarinesingh said Government’s lack of detailed information about payments was a major concern.

“If you are in charge and you don’t know when this debt will be paid, how will contractors know? How long can we tell the bank we have money outstanding and not getting paid? The bank will foreclose on you.”

Roopnarinesingh noted that Government had made some payments in 2017 but said he was not aware of how much was paid or to whom.

“Under the law, you are allowed four years to take action. If you send an invoice and you haven’t been paid you can take the other party to court.

“The thing about it, we have advised contractors they have a four year period that they could take the Government to court to get their money. We have advised members that they could pursue that avenue.”

He said contractors were dissatisfied with the pace at which Government was moving.

“There are a lot of contractors who closed down and lost businesses and properties and that means decreased employment for more and more people.

“Think of it like this, if you are working and not getting paid, your expenses would continue but you are not being paid. All your bills continue. Eventually, something is going to give. A contract is basicall a job.”

He said while many people thought contractors made a lot of money, what they saw reported in the news was the worth of the contract and not what contractors are paid.

In a Public Accounts Committee meeting last week, WASA officials admitted that the authority had a $300 million exposure due to litigation from contractors and a security services contract which was terminated.

While this reporter was unable to reach Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte via his mobile phone last week, both Education Minister Anthony Garcia and Housing Minister Randall Mitchell responded to questions.

PM: Please be patient

PM Keith Rowley, meanwhile, has called for patience from contractors as the country tries to tackle some of its outstanding debts while taking on new projects.

“We pay them on the basis that we don’t satisfy one person and starve the other. We don’t have enough money to wipe off all the debts because the Government is carrying a large debt and at the same time we are entering into new contracts so you have the old debt from the work that was done and the new debt from the work that you are engaging in,” Rowley said.

He said the entire situation was a balancing act.

“If we don’t pay the old debt those contractors could die and if you don’t have new contracts then you have no economy so it is a balancing act we are doing and until we have enough revenue to smooth out the situation away from this peaks and troughs arrangement then we are going to have these problems but I am sure that we are going to get over it,” he said.

Rowley said the Government will continue to engage with contractors to correct all outstanding issues.

In terms of the country’s financial situation, Rowley said he hoped the population would begin to understand that the Government is trying to do as much as it can with very limited financial resources.

“Nobody is trying to hurt anybody or trying to harm anybody nobody is being wicked we are just trying to work with the limited resources that we have,” he said.

“We’ll get a new house so we could start a new life and be happy.” Those were the words of 11-year-old Akel Alexander yesterday after his grandmother collected her allocations package from the Housing Development Corporation at a key distribution ceremony in Port-of-Spain.

Akel, who accompanied his grandmother to receive a package, which represents the final step toward home ownership, was all smiles and bouncing with energy as he spoke.

“I wish we could go there now,” the child said while holding his grandmother’s hand.

In reality, Akel and his grandmother Marcia Wells will have to wait approximately six weeks to finalise their arrangements with the T&T Mortgage Finance Company (TTMF) for the new Carlsen Field home.

For Wells, six weeks is no time at all when compared to the 20 years she has been praying and hoping for a call from the corporation, after dropping off her initial application.

“I had children then. Now I have grandchildren. In that time I maybe could have paid off for a house already but I am so elated, just so happy that this is finally happening for my family. I’ve been paying rent and the space we had was just too small for all of us so I am happy we have gotten something.”

For Wells, it also means a new start for her grandchildren away from the crime and negative influences associated with East Port-of-Spain.

She said since getting the call from HDC, her grandson had asked about the house every day.

“He would come every day and ask ‘Are we still getting the house?’ and ‘I am just so glad that soon we will be able to pack up our lives and start somewhere new.’”

Wells was among 140 people who yesterday received packages to begin their new lives in HDC housing developments in Carlsen Field, Chaguanas; Cypress Gardens, San Fernando; Fairfield, Princes Town; Oasis Greens, Chaguanas; and Testrail, D’Abadie. Members of the Protective Services were among the recipients.

This final ceremony for the year means the HDC has surpassed its target of 700 for the last three months of the year and allocated close to 1,200 houses in 2017.

Housing Minister Randall Mitchell said allocations are expected to continue in the new year.

Almost two weeks after a daring $5.5 million robbery at the Piarco International Airport, four people, including a woman, are expected to appear in court today on charges connected to the incident.

The 38-year-old Longdenville woman and the men, ages 35, of Longdenville, 42 and 38 of Diego Martin, were charged on Saturday night, following instructions from Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Joan Honore-Paul.

They are expected to appear in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates Court where the woman and the 35-year-old man will face a charge of money laundering. The woman was also charged with knowingly receiving stolen money.

All three men were charged with robbery with aggravation while the Diego Martin suspects were also charged with possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

The charges were laid by ASP Edwards. The police have recovered $250,000 of the loot.

The charges followed investigations led by DCP Crime Harold Phillip and included ACP Radcliffe Boxill and Sgt Anthony Williams along with other officers of Criminal Investigations Department, Port-of-Spain.

On December 6, around 11.25 am four masked men, armed with high-powered rifles, dressed in camouflage clothing, alighted from a darkly-tinted Toyota Hilux pick-up in the cargo bond area, Golden Grove Road, Piarco.

They held up the security officers guarding the cargo cart with the money belonging to First Citizens’ bank. The money was being transported to Tobago banks.

The getaway vehicle used in the robbery was later found abandoned in Oropune Gardens, Piarco, a few minutes away from the crime scene.

With Christmas just a week away, the sliver of happiness Allison Dick felt at the prospect of her six children and grandchild not spending the holidays under a staircase of an abandoned building is slipping away.

“I am so worried. I was hoping my children will not have to wake up to this on Christmas morning,” said a sombre sounding Dick in a telephone interview with T&T Guardian yesterday.

Last Monday, Dick and her 18-year-old son met with officials at the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) in Port-of-Spain about trying to locate an HDC unit for them. She said HDC officials told her they will have to decide whether her son, a security officer, met the requirements to qualify for a unit.

On that same day, she met with officials from the Ministry of Social Development. They told her to locate an apartment and the ministry will pay her rent for three months. Dick told T&T Guardian for the first time in months she felt hopeful and happy.

Contacted yesterday, Dick said: “I was hoping that I would hear something from HDC so at least we will know if my son qualifies or not but I have not heard anything yet.”

She also checked at least six places to rent thus far, but she was turned down.

“They (Social Services) told me to ask them if they will be willing to wait for a little while for the cheques. But, they all told me they not interested because the government doesn’t pay,” said Dick as her voice broke up.

The single parent lost her house which she built, in a fire in 2006 which also claimed the life of her three-year-old son. She has been renting since then and her health has also deteriorated. The two men who fathered her children are no longer in their lives. Dick, who worked as a security guard for 12 years, was forced to stop working five years ago because of her health issues.

She 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. Dick was assigned an HDC apartment at the buildings at Harmony Hall, Gasparillo which have since been condemned.

However, she left the building because of infrastructural problems and moved in illegally to another apartment and stopped paying rent. She was among 25 families who were removed from the buildings by HDC in March.

Dick, her children ages 20, 18, 16, nine, seven-year-old twins, and her four-year-old granddaughter lived in a tent on the compound, but then moved to under the staircase of one of the buildings to shelter frOm the harsh weather conditions.

Dick’s eldest child is also due to give birth to her second child. Following a slew of criticism about her on social media, Dick wanted to clarify that she was not blaming the Government or HDC for her predicament but pleading with HDC to “soften their hearts” and help her family. The family survives on Dick’s public assistance, her son’s salary and a food card.