A 48-year-old man was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct for heckling women on the streets of Sangre Grande.

He was one of several people arrested during an anti-crime exercise in the eastern town this weekend.

Police said the suspect was observed heckling women as they walked by and was cautioned. He resisted arrest when police intervened.

During the exercise, police arrested a 42-year-old truck driver who was driving recklessly along the main road.

He was administered a breathalyser test which had a reading of 123 microgrammes, an excess of 88 over the prescribed limit.

In another case, police said four burglars broke into a wholesale goods store on Picton Road and stole thousands of dollars in goods.

The men also held up a doubles vendor and escaped in his car around 5.30 am yesterday.

Police officers from Sangre Grande CID are continuing inquiries.

Not so fast!

The warning is to maxi taxi operators, Public Transport Service Corporation bus drivers and vehicles that are designed to carry more than ten passengers.

The speed limit on the nation’s highways remain 65 kilometres per hour (kmph) for those drivers even though the speed limit is now 100 kmph by law.

The speed limit for tractors remains at 35 kmph on the highways, while within a built-up area the allowed speed is 20 kmph.

This comes three days after the speed limit was changed to 100 kmph by President Anthony Carmona, who approved the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment No 2) Act of 2017.

The ministry, in a release on Friday, stated that under the new limit, motorists driving private vehicles and goods vehicles, whose maximum gross weight (MGW) does not exceed 3,200 kilogrammes, are allowed to drive at 100 kmph along the Beetham, Churchill Roosevelt, Uriah Butler and Solomon Hochoy Highways.

At the walkover in Sea Lots, director of legal services at the Ministry of Works and Transport Marvin Gonzales said motorists are advised to drive under the 100 kmph.

The previous speed limit of 80 kmph still applies along the Audrey Jeffers Highway, Diego Martin Highway, the Valencia Stretch and Rienzi-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 past, these roads and highways carried the speed limit of 65 kmph.

Giving more details of the new law, Gonzales said outside of the 100 and 80 kmph zones, the speed limit for all drivers except those driving tractors, remain at 50 kmph within built-up areas.

Gonzales said an omnibus, which falls into the class of maxi taxis and PTSC buses, have to maintain the 65 kmph on all highways because “they are carrying passengers.”

He said there has been no change to the speed limit for three classes of vehicles—omnibus, vehicles constructed to carry more than ten passengers and goods vehicles exceeding 3,200 kilogrammes in weight with or without a trailer.

Gonzales said vehicles which do not have a trailer attached, the speed limit would be 100 kmph. This also applies to motorcycles.

He said goods vehicles which do not exceed 3,200 kilogrammes in weight, and is not equipped with a trailer, as well as cars and motorcycles are permitted to drive at 100 kmph on the four outlined highways.

Such vehicles, he said are SUVs such as Range Rover, Kia Sportage, pick-up vans such as Navaras, Hilux, which he referred to as “light goods vehicles.” These vehicles previously had a 65 kmph limit.

Gonzales said he has requested the traffic engineers at the ministry to upgrade their signage “and just do not put 100 or 80 kmph on the highway signs” because it would give misleading information.

“It would give the impression that every vehicle can drive at that 100 kmph speed limit which is not the case. Different classes of vehicles require different speed limits,” he said.

What is needed, Gonzales said, was larger signage on the highways that would show the legal speed limit for different categories of vehicles. He said the ministry would embark on this, stating that these signs will cost a lot of money.

MORE INFO

DESCRIPTION OF VEHICLE MAXIMUM SPEED
Outside a Within a
built-up area built-up area
Tractor 35 20
Motor Omnibus 65 50
Vehicle constructed to 65 50
carry more than 10 passengers
Goods vehicle licensed MGW which exceeds 65 50
3200 kilogrammes with or without trailer
Goods vehicle licensed MGW which does not 65 50
exceed 3,200 kilogrammes with a trailer
Goods vehicle licensed MGW which does not 100 50
exceed 3,200 kilogrammes without a trailer
Private motorcar with trailer 65 50
Any other vehicle 100 50

Quick response by police officers led to the arrest of three bandits and recovery of cash stolen from a bar at Manzanilla yesterday.

The suspects are expected to appear before a Sangre Grande Magistrate today.

Police reported that around 1.20 pm, the two armed bandits held up bar owner Helen Jugmohan at the corner of Manzanilla and Plum Road. Two other men in the bar were also robbed.

They escaped in a waiting blue Nissan Almera car.

Manzanilla police, with the assistance of Sangre Grande CID officers, intercepted the vehicle a short distance from the bar. Three occupants of the vehicle were arrested and an undisclosed sum of money stolen from Junction Bar was recovered.

The suspects— whose ages range from 18 to 20— of Valencia and Macoya Settlement, Tunapuna, were arrested and charged with robbery with aggravation.

A 62-year-old mother of five walked out the Sangre Grande Magistrate’s Court a free woman on Friday after 12 years and six months awaiting trial.

Ingrid Durity, of Valencia, who was jointly charged with the unlawful killing of nine-month-old twins Tylin and Tyler Campbell, of Valencia, expressed relief as she walked out of the Sangre Grande First Court.

Durity’s trial came to an abrupt end on Friday after her attorney Jerry Holder made a no-case submission to Senior Magistrate Debra Quintyne.

The charge was laid by Insp Christopher Fuentes, who at the time of the incident in 2011 was a corporal.

Holder, in his submission, told Quintyne that at no time did his client have the duty of babysitting the twins.

Quintyne agreed on the no-case submission and discharged the case of unlawful killing, freeing Durity.

The twins, who were both US citizens, were reported to have drowned in a bathtub while being given a bath by their six-year-old relative at their Casaurina Boulevard, Valencia home in 2011.

Another woman charged in the case is still on trial.

A 60-year-old handyman and PH driver of Plum Road, Manzanilla has been charged with killing a 44-year-old mother of two, wounding her 18-year-old daughter and several gun-related offences.

Senior police officers said yesterday they received instructions from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution late Friday to charge the man with murder, four offences of wounding, shooting with intent, shooting to endanger lives, possession of a firearm and ammunition and discharging a firearm 40 metres from a road.

He is expected to appear before a Sangre Grande magistrate today.

Savitri Narine was killed and her daughter, Nirrmalaa and three other people were injured after the suspect opened fire at Bobby’s Bar on Plum Road, Manzanilla on December 9.

Bar owner Bobby Ramsaran, a relative of the murder victim, and patrons Kurt Browne and Ivan Mc Kenzie were also injured in the attack. They were all treated and discharged. The suspect surrendered to the Manzanilla police the day after the incident.

Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte will meet with the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) board this week to address two areas that customers have been expressing dissatisfaction about—poor customer service and communication.

This was confirmed by Le Hunte yesterday, one day after Maloney residents staged a fiery protest along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway demanding that WASA restore pipe-borne water in the community.

The disruption in supply was caused by two severe leaks in the North Oropouche transmission main, Le Hunte said.

He said Saturday’s incident signalled to him “as much as we think we are communicating, we are not communicating as well as we should.”

Le Hunte said while WASA sent out numerous press releases explaining what was causing the shortage of water in Maloney, the resident claimed they were not notified and were left in the dark.

“Communication is a two-fold thing. You could say you are communicating. You have to ensure that the people receive the message,” he said.

However, Le Hunte said there are many ways people can be informed through advertisements in the newspapers and public service announcements.

Asked if the people were justified in their actions, Le Hunte said to not have water was a serious thing.

Yesterday, WASA’s chairman Romney Thomas gave the assurance that WASA will ramp up its truck-borne supply to serve communities that are affected by any major disruption in supply.

Thomas said apart from WASA supplying water through its trucking service to communities, the company will also retain the services of a few contractors to deliver water as well.

“We recognise that people will be doing more cleaning for Christmas and will need extra water. We have put things in place,” he said.

Thomas said even though Maloney was not on the schedule to receive water yesterday, they still got pipe-borne water.

The largest fireworks importer in the country FireOne Fireworks is recommending Parliament consider regulations for specific days and times for setting off fireworks— in what the company believes may be a win-win situation for everyone.

CEO Andrew Abraham appeared before Parliament’s Joint Select Committee on Social Services and Public Administration on Friday telling the committee that the “law that governing the fireworks industry is an explosive law that is 100-years-old and has not kept up with the industry.”

It was committee member Christine Newallo-Hosein who raised the idea asking Abraham whether he felt regulations governing fireworks in this country should mirror that of the UK which outlines provisions for fixed times for the display and use of fireworks.

Abraham responded, “definitely yes to that.”

He said “having fireworks set off on specific days and times will solve everybody’s problems, it will make the jobs of the Police and Fire Services easier as they will not have to distinguish whether it is legal or not. Once it is set off outside of the time they can act on it. All it will require is a neighbour to take a picture.”

This, he said, would be a “win-win scenario. The people who love fireworks if we give them a couple of hours on Old Year’s night, Divali, Independence, just a couple of hours then people who have pets and senior members of society can make provisions.”

But he said this will require that the law be strict enough, “if you break the law there must be a consequence and people will obey it. Right now what is the consequence? The police running down somebody who lighting fireworks, they get a small fine. It needs to be stricter,” he said.

Chairman of the committee Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir requested that Abraham submit his company’s recommendations to regulate fireworks use to the body. He noted that Parliament had the power “to ban fireworks altogether.”

But Abraham said that would be a mistake, “if there were an outright on fireworks,” he said, “we will go back to 1994 where illegal items take over the market and a product that is not safe gets into the consumer’s hands and an entire black market is created.”

Mahabir noted that “right now the options are not working for citizens. The decibel levels are not working for persons and last year the police reported there was a fire in Port-of-Spain where a (handicapped) person died. It is unacceptable. We need to address what we can do to ensure that is not repeated.”

In addition, he said, “someone lost a finger with a scratch bomb, the devices are now causing harm. We want to ensure the harm experienced by the population can be minimised.” He said the Summary Offences Act states cruelty to animals is an offence, he said in reference to complaints from animal rights activists about the dangers posed by fireworks to animals.

Acting Commissioner of Police Deodat Dulalchan admitted that regulation is important, “for us to bring it under control.”

Regulating the use, he said, could also take into consideration whether “if you purchase fireworks whether it is an offence to keep it in your possession or whether it should be taken back to the dealer.”

He said the police are hampered in their investigations despite complaints about noise because when they respond people are wary of giving information.

People who are affected by fireworks, he said, should call the police hotline 999, he said.

The CEO of the Environmental Management Authority says the authority has no jurisdiction over fireworks but is responsible for noise pollution and people who have complaints about noise can contact the hotline at 680-9588. That hotline he said is 24/7.

Several families in Woodland, one of the areas worst affected by severe flooding two months ago, will not be celebrating Christmas.

The residents are pleading with the Government to give them an early Christmas gift by fixing their roads, constructing proper drains and, cleaning and dredging the watercourses.

They say no amount of compensation will help them recover from their losses.

When T&T Guardian visited the area only a few houses were adorned with Christmas decorations while several families still had furniture and appliances destroyed in the floods discarded in the front yards.

They said their “spare” money and savings were used to purchase new furniture and appliance and repair their homes.

“It shaping up real bad and is just a few days away,” said resident Annette Sugramsingh.

“We have no Christmas here,” she said.

Sugramsingh and her daughter, who lives to the back of her house, lost furniture, appliances, clothes and other items.

Their homes were also left with extensive infrastructural damage after six days of the flood.

“My daughter has spent thousands of dollars in renting cars to go to work in Arima because her car get damaged in the flood,” she said. Sugramsingh, who also cares for her 82-year-old mother, said the compensation she got could not even buy a decent couch set.

“The Government should dig the road and put proper drains for us and clean the drains because if we get a few heavy showers we will get flood out again,” said Sugramsingh.

Welder/fabricator Stephen Harduar, who lives with his parents, said Christmas was the last thing on their mind.

“Our Christmas not shaping up good. We lost a lot of things and we did not get any compensation,” said Harduar.

He said the main road is in a dilapidated state.

“The main thing is if they could put proper drainage and dredge the river, it will help with the flooding,” he said.

Deonarine Ramlal, 64, who was forced to sleep in a pirogue for six days after his house was swamped by floodwaters, said: “I can’t see Christmas.” Ramlal, who lives with his daughter and son in law, said, “We have no money. We could barely buy food when the day comes.”

Ramlal said: “The river dredge enough here. What we need is for the river to clean. The grass is so thick that you could walk on the grass to cross the river,” said Ramlal. However, it is unlikely that the residents would get their Christmas wish.

Rivers assessed by ODPM

Penal/Debe Regional Corporation Dr Allen Sammy said he was told that the Ministry of Planning and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management visited the area recently, but he has received no word about any plan to start work.

He said the major watercourses and the main road fall under the Ministry of Works Drainage Division and the Ministry of Agriculture.

In any event, he said the corporation does not have the funds to carry out the required scope of works.

Kizzy Bernard, the lone woman accused in the $5.5 million robbery at the Piarco International Airport, was yesterday denied bail by an Arima magistrate.

Bernard, 38, who is eight months pregnant, appeared before Magistrate Debbie Ann Bassaw charged with money laundering and receiving stolen money.

The charges arose from the December 6 heist.

The court was presented with a document verifying the Longdenville resident’s pregnancy to be in its third trimester. After being remanded in custody, Bernard’s matter was subsequently transferred to the Chaguanas Magistrates’ Court for today (Tuesday).

Meanwhile, three others who were charged along with Bernard - identified as Kenol Singh, 35, also of Longdenville; Abdul Mohammed, 38 and Kevon Findley, 42, both of Diego Martin, appeared hours after before the same magistrate.

They were all charged with robbery with aggravation, whilst Singh was additional charged with money laundering and Mohammed and Findley for possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

The four were charged on Saturday night by ASP Edwards following instructions from Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Joan Honore-Paul.

The police have reportedly only 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 officers from the Criminal Investigations Department in Port-of-Spain.

Singh, Mohammed and Findley were denied bail and remanded in custody to reappear on December

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

The security officers guarding the cargo cart with money belonging to First Citizens’ bank , which was being transported to Tobago banks, were accosted and the money loaded into the pick-up. The bandits drove past the the Piarco Police Station during their escape and the getaway vehicle was later found abandoned in Oropune Gardens, Piarco, which is a few minutes away from the scene.

Justice Frank Seepersad yesterday granted a request by the East Port-of-Spain Development Corporation (EPoS) to freeze the assets of an employee and two of his companies to the tune of over $15 million.

The corporation took the civil action after a forensic audit allegedly uncovered that unauthorised cheque payments close to $16 million were made to Kirk Services Ltd, a trading company, of which EPoS accountant Solomon Lamb is a director, over a four-year period.

Lamb, Kirk Services Ltd and Lamb’s company Solomon Lamb & Associates Internal Audit & Management Consultant were named as defendants one, two and three respectively in the lawsuit.

The corporation asked the court to deal with its application as a matter of urgency, claiming there were instances of forgery of authorised signatures, fraudulent accounts for these payments, apparent manipulation or concealment of relevant records by Lamb.

Last Wednesday, Housing and Urban Development Minister Randall Mitchell, the EPoS line minister, issued a press release in relation to the matter.

Mitchell stated that a report was made to the Fraud Squad, but EPoS would also pursue civil action to recover the monies that were allegedly misappropriated.

He said the forensic probe initiated in November was prompted by financial discrepancies which were discovered in October.

EPoS management brought it to the attention of the board, who in turn raised it with Mitchell.

Yesterday, Seepersad, via video conference from the San Fernando High Court, granted the application to freeze the assets of the defendants to the tune of $15,225,871. 97. The defendants were also ordered to disclose all the particulars in relation to their accounts. The judge directed the parties to file their affidavits and adjourned the the matter to February 20, 2018.

EPoS was represented by Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes.

A 48-year-old-man who was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct for heckling and harassing women on the streets of Sangre Grande, was yesterday fined $6,200 by a Sangre Grande magistrate after pleading guilty.

Don James, of Coalmine, Sangre Grande, appeared before magistrate Erica Baptiste-Ramkissoon in the Sangre Grande Second Court charged with disorderly behaviour and resisting arrest.

According to police reports, James was getting up into women’s faces, trying to hold their hands and attempting to kiss them. Some of his victims later reported their matters to the nearby Sangre Grande Police Station.

Sgt Vekash Ramkissoon, Cpl Hanooman, PCs Satnarine Sankar, Baran and WPCs Pardaissie and Sundar responded and attempted to arrest the man.

James initially resisted but was finally subdued and taken to the station where he was charged by PC Baran.

James was fined $6,000 for resisting arrest and $200 for disorderly behaviour.He asked Baptiste-Ramkissoon for time to pay the fine and was granted a period of one month or will face six months in jail.

The Law Association has retained two senior counsel to look into the issue of whether Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley can be approached to initiate impeachment proceedings against Chief Justice Ivor Archie. The association has decided to take the bold move because it says the public ridicule being heaped on the entire Judiciary as a result of the allegations are now so dire something needs to be done.

In a letter issued to members yesterday, a copy of which the T&T Guardian received, attorneys were told LATT president Douglas Mendes SC, senior ordinary member Elton Prescott and master Christie-Anne Morris-Alleyne met with the CJ to discuss the association’s concern over the current situation on November 30.

During the meeting, the CJ was told the association had taken note of allegations made against him, including that he allegedly discussed the matter of personal security for judges with a named person and that he had recommended/referred two or more individuals to the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) for accelerated housing grants.

The trio reportedly told the CJ the gravity of the allegations and his failure to respond to them up to then had brought his office and the Judiciary into disrepute. The CJ was also told the association’s council had “resolved to investigate the allegations to determine whether they are true or not.” The CJ reportedly told the trio he would think about the representations made.

Two weeks after the meeting and with accusations against him mounting, the CJ issued a brief public response in which he denied the allegations, although admitting he has from time to time recommended persons for HDC housing. Shortly after issuing the statement, the CJ yesterday left the country on private business.

In the statement to members yesterday LATT secretary Elena Araujo said the committee set up to investigate the allegations will report to the council on or before December 29 and two senior counsel will be retained to advise on the question of whether there is sufficient basis to refer a question of misbehaviour by the CJ to the PM for his consideration under Section 137 of the Constitution.

Araujo noted that upon receiving the advise from the committee, the association will convene a meeting of the general membership to “consider such advice and obtain directions as to the way forward.”

Meanwhile, there were calls for Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, as titular head of the bar, to recommend to the PM that Section 137 of the Constitution be invoked to set up a tribunal to investigate the allegations against Archie.

Contacted on the issue, however, Al-Rawi said, “There is nothing to cause the Executive to intervene in the matter.”

He added that there have been a series of allegations to which the Judiciary has responded.

Israel Khan Sc meanwhile told the T&T Guardian he did not believe the committee set up by the LATT “has the wherewithal to make any findings of fact in relation to the misbehaviour of the Chief Justice.”

Khan said it was “therefore incumbent on the Attorney General, in keeping with the oath he has taken to adhere to the Constitution of this country, to cause the Prime Minister to trigger Section 137 of the Constitution for the removal of the Chief Justice.”

If the AG fails to do this, he said “it will be an abdication of his responsibility and his duty.”

Almost two weeks after the death of transgender woman Keon Alister Patterson in Port-of-Spain, another transgender woman, Keil Lensay, was murdered in Debe yesterday.

However, police described Lensay’s death not as a hate crime but a crime of passion. Investigators said Lensay, 35, of St John’s Trace, St Augustine, was killed following an argument with her lover, who accused her of giving him Aids.

The killer stabbed her multiple times on the head, chest and neck before attempting to slit her throat. The incident occurred on the compound of the National Energy Skills Centre along the SS Erin Road. A witness who heard Lensay’s screams alerted police around 4 am and officers arrived in time to find Lensay’s body wrapped in a sheet and stuffed in a garbage bag. A 36-year-old security guard was immediately arrested by police.

When the T&T Guardian visited the scene, two female security guards sat on chairs opposite the NESC compound talking quietly. They said they arrived for duty around 6 am but were told a murder had occurred on the compound. Police cordoned off the area as Homicide processed the compound. Students who arrived for classes were also turned away.

Lensay’s death is the second transgender murder this month. On December 5, Patterson, 28, was shot dead at Nelson Mandela Park, Port-of-Spain. Her death was deemed a hate crime by police and Chief Justice Ivor Archie. However, one of T&T’s first transgender females, Jowelle De Souza, yesterday said she did not believe there were hate crimes against the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community in T&T.

“I have walked the streets as a transgender woman since 1987 and I’ve interacted with thousands of people and never once have I ever been the victim of a hate crime. I do not believe there are hate crimes in T&T against the LGBT community,” De Souza said.

She added that the deaths of Patterson and Lensay were sad, adding there must have been more which led to their murders.

But Colin Robinson, executive director of the Coalition Advocating for the Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (CAISO), who has been campaigning for the recognition of “sexual citizenship and gender justice,” yesterday renewed his call for legislation to give State protection to those with alternative sexual orientation. Saying violence is real, Robinson said many incidents go unreported because the victims are either too ashamed to go to the police or afraid of being exposed to their relatives.

He also said CAISO has been working with The UWI Institute of Gender and Developmental Studies, as well as the Police Academy, to bring about changes in how police treat members of the LGBT community.

Local authorities are moving to deal with issues concerning a group of Cubans - hoping for asylum in the US - after the group yesterday moved onto the United Nations’ property at Chancery Lane, Port-of-Spain.

Officials at the UN building called the police for the Cubans yesterday, but they did not budge at the end of the day.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi has called a meeting for today with the UN office, Cuban Embassy in T&T, Living Waters and the T&T Police Service to ascertain the facts of the issue involving a 25-plus group of so-called Cuban “dissidents.”

The Cubans have been demonstrating on the pavement outside the UN’s PoS offices for most of the year, seeking assistance to obtain asylum as “political refugees.” When they first began months ago, the demonstration was confined to less than a handful of men sitting on the pavement near the office, holding a sign stating, “We Are Cuban Dissidents.” They appealed to the United National High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to help them.

The UNHCR is mandated to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people, and assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to a third country. The UNHCR works via the local Living Waters community.

Over the year, the group’s numbers have grown, including women and children. Recently they settled into the Chancery Lane area, building small shelters with tarpaulins and boxes of possessions.

Yesterday, group spokesman Yusnel Reyes indicated security personnel attempted to move the group, which comprised 19 adults and five children, including babies. However, Reyes said they fled into the UN’s yard, staying there until late evening.

Last night, UNHCR protection officer Reuben Barbadio said the UN called the police yesterday morning as the group wasn’t complying with certain rules where invading private UN property was concerned. He said the group had peaceful right of demonstration “until now.”

“It’s been challenging, but it’s our responsibility to engage with them and ensure they don’t, for instance, put the children at risk. We kept on engaging them and they’ve now left (UN’s premises),” Barbadio said, admitting to a “stressful day.”

“We do our best to support them and help Government comply with UNHCR obligations.”

Reyes and other females in the group said they’d been demonstrating seeking UN assistance to be relocated to the US, since as dissidents they couldn’t return to Cuba.

One woman said they weren’t seeking resettlement here since they were aware T&T doesn’t offer political refugee asylum.

“We want to go to the US or Panama, Canada, Mexico,” she added.

Addressing the issue last evening, Al-Rawi said he’d called for a meeting today with the UN, Living Waters, Cuban Embassy and TTPS to get full particulars on this issue.

“Inconsistencies have emerged in some media reports. We know T&T is a point through which this group is passing and they want to move to the US. It’s a very interesting situation,” Al-Rawi said.

Barbadio, however, said some of the group want to integrate into T&T, but noted they have to go through a process with UNHCR to say why they came to T&T.

“They came to T&T for a series of reasons. We can’t grant visas for other countries - US, etc - our job is to help Government and Living Waters improve their situation while here.”

After dialogue, the NHCR will inform Government who’s been rejected or accepted as a refugee and who deserves protection or not.

After several promises and hundreds of millions of dollars in expenditure, the Red House restoration project should be completed by November 2018.

The $440m project, which is being managed by UDeCOTT, “is going according to schedule.”

The update was given during a tour of the building yesterday.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, who is also the chair of a Cabinet sub-committee overseeing several restoration projects, said he was “very pleased” with the progress made on returning the Parliament to its rightful home.

Work on the Red House began 19 years ago, with UDeCOTT assuming responsibility for the project in 2005. Six years ago, the Parliament relocated to its temporary home at the Waterfront Complex, Tower D, Port-of-Spain to accommodate much-needed repairs to the iconic building.

“I am very excited about the completion and what is going to be produced here,” Rowley told reporters.

He lamented the delays in completing the project and the amount of money spent over several years, saying “a lot of people got rich trying promising to refurbish this building.”

“Everything that is going on now is what should have gone on in the beginning,” he said.

A $600m administrative complex, scheduled to be part of the project, has been scrapped because of the State’s financial position. Instead, Rowley says Cabildo Chambers which is across the street will be converted to house administrative and other staff, as he acknowledged there is a need for additional space.

“The Red House alone cannot properly accommodate and service the Parliament,” he said, telling reporters once all tenants are at Cabildo have vacated, UDeCOTT will prepare the building to house the additional parliamentary support services.

Rowley admitted it was nostalgic returning to the building where he gave his first contribution when he entered politics, saying it took him a while to get his bearings.

The lone passenger ferry servicing the seabridge, the T&T Express, may remain in service until February, next year.

This as the vessel, which was scheduled to be taken off the route for dry dock today, has been granted approval to continue to operate by UK marine agency Lloyd’s Register, according to Port Authority officials.

The Guardian was unable to reach Port Authority chairman Alison Lewis on the issue but confirmation came from Micheal Annisette, of the Seamen and Waterfront Workers’ Trade Union.

There had been concerns that if the T&T Express went on dry dock as planned this week the Ocean Flower 2, twice rejected for the seabridge, would have been brought into service.

The initial contract for the Ocean Flower 2 was cancelled in August after it arrived late, and although it was part of the bid round in September, it was not selected. Since then, the Port Authority reported to the Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan that it had been unable to find a replacement vessel. A four-member ministerial team including Finance Minister Colm Imbert is now leading the search for a vessel.

Annisette said he has received information that the T&T Spirit the other passenger ferry on the seabridge will be repaired in time for when the T&T Express goes out of service in February. He said the crankshaft for the vessel has arrived and the turbocharger needed to complete the repairs is due to arrive soon.

“Stand in line!”

That’s Oropouche East Member of Parliament Dr Roodal Moonilal’s response to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s threat of legal action.

Moonilal says “we are going by alphabetical order CEPEP, EMBD and now Rowley.”

But he said after being forced with withdraw statements linked to a document which he read into the Hansard of Parliament last Friday, he is now “compiling more information, with the intention of approaching the US authorities because I have no confidence in the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago.”

Moonilal’s statements in Parliament has prompted angry reaction from the Prime Minister who described his statements as “false and malicious” with a threat to sue not just Moonilal but those on social media who have repeated the comments and whom the PM has linked to the United National Congress.

Speaking to the Guardian, Moonilal said he had “no problem with Dr Rowley. He was not in Parliament and was not properly briefed. I never said he had a bank account or received money.”

He alleged that when the AG asked the Speaker to invoke section 48-6 of the Standing Orders of Parliament “calling on me to take ownership of what I said it was with the intention of them sending me to the Privileges Committee and perhaps having me out of the Parliament until 2020.”

Section 48-6 of the Standing Orders states ‘No Member shall impute improper motive to any Member of either House.’

But, he said, it was not his job to investigate matters “I simply raised it to bring it to the AG’s attention for him to investigate and follow the money.”

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has instructed his attorneys to pursue legal action against anyone who have published “false and malicious” statements made in the Parliament last Friday by Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal.

The statements, which he said have been promoted via social media by people associated with the Opposition United National Congress (UNC), have to do with a statement Moonilal read into Hansard alleging corruption linked to the fake oil scandal at Petrotrin.

Moonilal said in Parliament: “The oil is fake, but the money is real, follow the money.”

However, as he read the contents of an email with details of a foreign bank account, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi intervened declaring that Moonilal had made a direct indictment on the Prime Minister. The Opposition MP reluctantly withdrew the statement.

In a media release yesterday, Rowley denied claims that either he or his wife had received wire transfers or cheque payments from or on behalf of A&V Drilling.

“Any and all statements, innuendoes or assertions however made by Dr Roodal Moonilal or any other person contradictory to this are nothing but patent falsehoods concocted by such persons as a deliberate slanderous conspiracy for self-serving political gain,” the release stated.

Noting that the board of State-owned energy company Petrotrin continues to deal with allegations of overpayment for oil, the release continued: “This Government’s track record against corruption speaks for itself and the Honourable Prime Minister assures that he will defend his family and his good name to the fullest extent that the law provides.”

Contacted for comment, Petrotrin chairman Wilfred Espinet said the investigation into the fake oil allegations is nearing completion and the company will be reporting soon on those developments.

The man accused of murdering his sister-in-law and shooting three other people in a bar almost two weeks ago finally appeared in court charged with the crimes.

Tarran Nannan, 60, of Plum Road, Manzanilla, was scheduled to appear before a magistrate on Tuesday but the information had not been forwarded to the court by the police.

Defence attorney Shivanand Dubay raised the issue about the failure of his client to appear in court on Tuesday because of the police failing charge documents in court.

Senior Magistrate Debra Quintyne, presiding in the Sangre Grande First Magistrate Court, took note of Dubay’s complaint and said the prisoner was denied his constitutional right. She remanded Nanan in prison custody to reappear on January 16, next year.

Nanan, a handyman and PH driver, was charged with the murder of 44-year-old Savitri Narine and three offences of wounding Narine’s 18-year-old daughter Nirrmalaa, bar owner Pradeep Ramsaran and patron Kurt Browne with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

The offences took place on December 9, at Bobby’s Bar, Plum Road, Manzanilla.

The charges were laid by PC Dhanny Moonsamy of Homicide Bureau Region 11, Arouca. Nanan wept as the charges were read to him and kept looking around to see if any of his relatives were in court.

From as early as 8 am, family members, friends and members of the public had gathered outside the courthouse awaiting the arrival of the accused. He bent his head as police led him into the magistrates court from the nearby police station.

Nanan surrendered to officers at Manzanilla Police Station a day after the shooting incident and had been in custody since then.

RALPH BANWARIE

Christmas came early for some 24 organisations and institutions who are sharing in an $839,678 donation from the Ansa McAL Foundation.

At a ceremony at Tatil Building ion Maraval Road yesterday, foundation chairman A. Norman Sabga praised the groups for their contributions to society, especially helping those in need. He also lauded members of staff for their efforts in helping neighbouring countries recently ravaged by Hurricane Maria.

“The Ansa McAL Foundation, and also the Ansa McAl Group, try to do what we can for society. Apart from these grants, the Group and our staff members also rose to the occasion to help our Caribbean brothers and sisters. Some 6,000 strong staff members rose to the cause,” Sabga said.

He said five containers filled with foodstuff and other much-needed items were distributed to Caribbean countries.

Last week the Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence announced four laureates for 2018: Arts and Letters—Prof Kei Miller, Poet, Novelist, Jamaica; Entrepreneurship—William Andrew Boyle, Guyana; Public and Civic Contributions—Chevaughn and Noel Joseph, T&T; Science and Technology—Dr Adesh Ramsubhag, Microbiologist, T&T.

The laureates were proposed by country nominating committees and selected by a regional panel. The Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Awards has been in existence since 2005.

The prizes are worth $500,000 each and laureates also receive a medal and citation at the awards ceremony which is expected to be held on May 5, next year, at a venue to be announced.

Sabga said each of the laureates had not only made valuable contributions to his or her homeland but had also shaped the region.

“Those awards give us tremendous hope for the region and we do have such great talent among us,” he said.

Sarah Elizabeth of the Holy Name Training Centre said the donation had come at a time when the facility is in need of refurbishment. The centre takes in underprivileged children, including those various homes, to teach them life skills so they are equipped for the world of work.

“Most of all we teach them to be independent so then they can take their rightful place in society. We also have children from the Children’s Authority and from homes throughout the country... once they are 15 and over.

“Right now our dormitory needs some repairs so we are definitely going to use the money for that so we can take in more children,” she said.

THROUGHOUT THE YEARS

The Ansa McAL Foundation has been in existence since 1993 and has donated several worthy causes in T&T. Among those who received grants yesterday were the Guardian Neediest Cases Fund, Rio Claro Heritage Fund, The Living Water Community, Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the University of Guyana, Holy Name Training Centre, Trinidad Theatre Workshop and the UWI.
Apart from Sabga, who is also the executive chairman of the Ansa McAL Group of Companies, the foundation includes Judy Chang, Ravindra Nath Maharaj, Diana Mahabir-Wyatt, Fr Ronald Mendes, Victor Mouttet, Linda Sabga-Hadeed and Nabeel Hadeed.