The mother of 23-year-old poultry farmer who shot dead at the scene of accident site in Aranguez on Christmas Day is pleading the police to solve the crime.

Akeil Mannette, of Avacado Drive, Le Platte Village, Valencia was shot dead at the El Socorro Extension overpass around 4.30 pm Tuesday while a wrecker was removing his car ran which skidded off the road.

Police said Mannette was standing at the side of the road when a gunman emerged from some bushes and shot him and escaped in a waiting vehicle.

In a telephone interview with the T&T Guardian yesterday, Mannette’s mother, Camille Joseph, said her first-born and only son was heading to his poultry farm in Santa Cruz with his girlfriend Curlene Greenidge when he crashed. She said Mannette called someone to pick up Greenidge to take her to the poultry farm and he remained at the accident scene.

Joseph said her son lived for his two-year-old daughter, Asia-Marie, and admitted while he had in the past been involved in fights, he had changed his life the moment his daughter was born.

She said her daughter-in-law celebrated her birthday on Christmas Day and those celebrations turned to grief when she learned of her son’s killing via social media.

“All I want is for this murder to be solved. There are too many unsolved murders. I just want closure for myself and my family. I hope the police do all they could to find the killers” Joseph said.

Joy turned to sorrow for a Couva family after a nine-year-old child was killed in a crash which left his mother and sister injured as they returned home from a wedding in Chaguanas on Boxing Night.

Tyler Edwards, a Standard Three student of Carapichaima RC Primary School died after being thrown out of a black Nissan Navara around 7.30 pm.

His mother, Antoinette Diamond Edwards and sister Tamiya Edwards, 14, a student of Miracle Ministries High School remained warded at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex last night. Police said Tamiya suffered head injuries and was expected to undergo a CT-scan yesterday, while Antoinette suffered injuries to her limbs.

Police said the family of Orange Valley Road, Couva were heading south along Perseverance Road, Chaguanas after attending a wedding at Chaguanas Community Centre when tragedy struck.

Investigators said they were passengers in a Nissan Navarra driven by Antoinette’s friend, Oba Bruce, of Richard Lane, Enterprise Street. On reaching the Caparo Bridge, Bruce collided with a Nissan Integra driven by a man of Connector Road, Chaguanas.

Tyler was thrown out of the vehicle and landed on the river bank. He died on the spot.

In an interview yesterday, Antoinette’s best friend, Cindy Bandoo, said she was at home when Antoinette called her crying uncontrollably.

“She seemed delirious like she didn’t know what she was saying. She told me that she wanted me to bring Tyler back to her because they were in an accident and she was not seeing him. Then she told me that he passed,” Bandoo said.

She said Tyler got a remote-controlled van for Christmas and was excited about the new year.

“He came over and my sons were playing with him. They played football on Boxing Day and then they left to get dressed for the wedding,” Bandoo said. She said that the family stopped at Saith Park, Chaguanas to take photographs before reaching the wedding.

Tyler’s death brings to 112, the number of people who died for 2017. This represents a decrease from last year’s figure of 135.

The parents of a woman who was knocked down and killed by a police vehicle while crossing the Priority Bus Route, in Curepe on Boxing Night, are calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

Rosemary Mark and Marvin Edward said yesterday they had received conflicting information from eyewitnesses and a police officer who was involved in the crash that claimed the life of their 20-year-old daughter Gabrielle Regina Edward.

In tears, Mark who works with the T&T Police Service (TTPS) finance branch and Edward demanded answers during an interview at Guardian Media yesterday.

“We want clarity and the truth on the issue. If there was negligence on the part of the officers involved I want justice. We want the Commissioner of Police to probe our daughter’s death because something is not adding up,” Mark said.

The couple also plans to lodge a complaint with the Police Complaints Authority.

Mark said Gabrielle left her Picton Street, Sangre Grande, home on Boxing Day to pick up duties as a cashier at the Unipet Station at Curepe Junction.

She was scheduled to work the 10 pm to 6 am shift.

Hours later, Mark said someone called her cellphone telling her that Gabrielle was struck by a police vehicle while crossing the PBR in Curepe and things looked grim.

“When I arrived on the scene my daughter had already passed away,” Mark said.

After speaking to several eyewitnesses, Mark said she was given one story.

However, after speaking with one of the occupants of the police vehicle involved in the accident she was told Gabrielle had crossed on a green light.

The police claimed that around 1 am, a marked police vehicle driven by PC Richardson in company with PC Gooding was heading east on the PBR, when a pedestrian ran across the road from south to north and collided with the front of the vehicle. She was thrown to the roadside upon impact.

Edward queried why his daughter was not taken to the hospital immediately for medical treatment.

“They just left her there on the ground even though she was alive. Even if my daughter was wrong or right they could have taken her to a hospital. If this was done I believe my daughter would have been alive today. I still had faith that she would have been alive since God is a miracle worker. I didn’t believe I was going to meet her dead body on the road,” Mark said.

Edward said the attitude of the police left much to be desired as they showed no compassion to the grieving family.

“At one point they ran us from the scene when Rosemary began to cry after seeing Gabrielle’s lifeless body,” Edward said.

Mark said Gabrielle, a former Bishop’s Anstey East Secondary School student who attained five distinctions at the O’ Level examinations, never liked the idea of being unemployed.

“We didn’t like the job she was doing but she always tried to keep herself occupied by doing something constructive. She was an ambitious person,” she said.

One of three bandits who robbed a Santa Cruz mini-mart was arrested yesterday after the vehicle he was driving skidded off the road.

According to police, the man and two accomplices had moments before robbed a mini-mart in Susconosco, Upper Santa Cruz and made off with cash and jewellery along with other valuables.

Police were alerted and chased the suspects along the Saddle Road.

On reaching Undercover plant nursery, the car, a white Nissan B14 skidded off the road and overturned. The incident took place around 3 pm, police said.

Two occupants fled leaving the driver and some of the loot behind, police said.

The driver, who was injured, was arrested and later taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope.

A 33-year-old bartender was granted $200,000 bail yesterday after he appeared in court charged with sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl.

Sylvester Ryan appeared before Magistrate Aida Mohammed on two charges of sexually penetrating the child at a house in Port-of-Spain on December 13 and 14.

Ryan was granted bail to be approved by a clerk of the peace and ordered to reappear in court on January 25.

Constable Makeda Edwards, of the Child Protection Unit, laid the charges.

A week after the body of a man was found stuffed in a garbage bag, a security officer has appeared in court charged with his murder.

Christopher Alexander, also known as Kim, 35, was arrested at the scene of the crime. He stood silently as Magistrate Christine Charles read the charge to him in the San Fernando First Court.

The charge alleged that on December 18 at the National Energy Skills Center (NESC) in Debe he murdered 35-year-old Keil Lempsey of St Augustine during a domestic argument.

Police officers went to the NESC campus where they found Lempsey’s body wrapped in a sheet and stuffed in a garbage bag. He had been stabbed multiple times.

Alexander, of Corinth Settlement, Ste Madeleine, was charged by PC Smith following instructions from acting Director of Public Prosecutions Joan Honore-Paul. He was represented by duty counsel Indira Binda.

Prosecutor Sgt Denzil Alexander told the magistrate it would take about a week for the file to be sent to the DPP’s office for a prosecutor to be assigned to the case.

Alexander had several relatives in court, one of whom collapsed outside the court after the matter was adjourned.

The accused was remanded into custody to reappear on January 24.

Police intend to intensify patrols to enforce the law against people who use fireworks indiscriminately.

The warning from ACP Deodat Dulalchan comes following annual complaints during New Year celebrations where fireworks are set off in built-up areas, affecting the elderly, children and animals.

Dulalchan said according to the law, citizens should not set off any fireworks within 60 feet of a road in a town.

“We were asked to intensify patrols but nobody wants to come out and say and the most important thing. It is against the law to burst fireworks within 60 feet of the road. It is against the law and anyone light fireworks within the 60 feet near a road in a town...that is against the law,” he said.

Dulalchan said often when the police respond no one wants to identify the offenders.

“What is most important is to educate the public to let them know the hazards of the fireworks,” he said.

He said there are instances where children are seen using fireworks unsupervised without thought to people who have birds, animals or the elderly.

“They must take that into consideration. We want people to be sensitive and more importantly a lot of people don’t know police officers will be out there,” he said.

Dulalchan said the police officers will be working with the Environmental Management Authority’s (EMA) and intensify patrols to minimise the illegal use of fireworks.

“The bigger picture is the risk it poses to birds, animals, the neighbours and the sick,” he said.

Dulalchan said the police did not receive any reports for the year of citizens using of fireworks illegally or scratch bombs but believe those calls will come closer to the New Year.

“We will have strategies in place to mitigate and officers were warned to respond to those calls. Where persons were found where we can find the evidence we will be persecuting people,” he said.

What the law states

Except as prescribed by regulations under this act, any person who throws, casts, sets fire to, or lets off any fireworks within any town is liable to a fine of $1,000.

• In this section and in sections 100 and 101, “town” includes the City of Port-of-Spain, the City of San Fernando, and the Borough of Arima, and every part of the area within two miles of the boundaries of such City or of either of such Boroughs, and also any place or area declared by the Minister, by Order, to be a town or to be deemed to be included within a town for the purposes of the said sections.

• Any person who throws, casts, sets fire to, or lets off any fireworks into, in, or upon any street not being in any town, or into, in, or upon any place being within 60 feet of the centre of any such street, is liable to a fine of $400.

Newly-installed Archbishop of Port-of-Spain Jason Gordon, in his first official speech, last night lashed out at citizens who live in an “economy where we either get rich or die trying.”

Gordon referred to the title of US rapper Curtis Jackson’s breakout album as he noted T&T’s new manifesto was comparable to “50 Cent’s creed” as long as citizens continue to put money as our highest God.

“We will continue to experience every ailment that this society experiences. We have made money, power, honour and pleasure into a God, which we have put before God,” he said.

“Once we continue to worship and crave money everything else will devolve into violence,” Gordon said to a packed congregation gathered at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Port-of-Spain for the ceremony. He delivered his homily after being installed by former archbishop Joseph Harris. The event was delayed by 10 minutes after a power outage.

The country’s highest office holders, including President Anthony Carmona and his wife, Reema, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and his wife Sharon, were among those who were present for the event.

With the murder toll already surpassed last year’s figure and the fear of crime curtailing the movement of citizens, Gordon had this message: “The violence in the country cannot be fixed by the army or police. It has to be fixed by a conversion of the heart where we put God first.”

Long ago, Gordon said communities cared for each other but today this was no longer the case.

Gordon, 58, replaced Harris who submitted his letter of resignation to Pope Francis in March this year, upon turning 75.

Gordon is T&T’s 13th Archbishop and the third Trinidadian to lead the Catholic church following Harris and the late Archbishop Anthony Pantin.

Speaking to the media after the ceremony, Gordon was asked if he felt society had lost hope in the T&T Police Service and our leaders.

“Over the last 20 years, we have tried many different attempts to bring crime down. Has it come down?” he asked rhetorically.

Gordon said at the beginning of every year the murder rate spikes and noted the problem was now “out of our grasp.”

“It is bigger than any government,” he said.

Gordon said to confront the situation required a collaborative effort.

“If we want one person or group to solve this problem, this would not work. It’s our problem. We live here. And every single one of us has to get involved,” he said.

He said citizens have to become non-violent and of peace “promoting forgiveness and harmony.” People who are on the margins must be given opportunities for development and to flourish, he said.

Gordon said we can all look at T&T and see what was wrong.

“In communities, I meet people who do incredible things. Little people who have no power. Let us find those people…let us highlight those people. Let us highlight the hope that those people bring and the joy they celebrate.”

This, he said, can have a contagious expression and outpouring of hope for our country as we go forward.

“It’s not every citizen in this country doing foolishness. It’s the minority. A lot of us are looking on rather than participating towards the growth of our country.”

Asked his views on gay rights, Gordon said the church has a clear position on this.

“This first is a two-part position. Firstly every human being has been created in the dignity God has given to us at the creation.”

Gordon said every human being deserves to be treated with dignity.

“For us, marriage is a bond of a man and woman for the unification of the spouse and the procreation of children. We only accept or understand marriage as male and female in a bond that is exclusive and that is until death do us part.”

He said all human beings have rights and “so there are no specific rights for specific groupings we all participate in the rights of been a human being.”

While there have been challenges of getting new priests in the Catholic churches, Gordon said he will propose discipleship for everyone.

PREVIOUS ARCHBISHOPS OF PORT-OF-SPAIN:

• James Buckley (1819–1828)
• Daniel McDonnell (1828–1844)
• Richard Patrick Smith (1844–1852)
• Vincent Spaccapietra (1855–1859)
• Ferdinand English (1860–1862)
• Joachim-Hyacinthe Gonin, O.P. (1863–1889)
• Patrick Vincent Flood, O.P. (1889–1907)
• John Pius Dowling, O.P. (1909–1940)
• Patrick Finbar Ryan, O.P. (1940–1966)
• Gordon Anthony Pantin, C.S.Sp. (1967–2000)
• Edward Joseph Gilbert, C.Ss.R. (2001–2011)
• Joseph Everard Harris, C.S.Sp (since 2011)

ABOUT JASON GORDON

The new Archbishop of Port-of-Spain, Jason Gordon, was born on March 17, 1959.
After graduating from Fatima College, he inherited his father’s failing business and was able to turn it around.
It was during that time he became involved in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal as a youth member of the Living Water Community.
At age 22, he sold the now-profitable business and became a full-time member of the community.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Gordon began studies for the priesthood at the Regional Seminary of St John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs, Mt St Benedict. He continued his studies at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium, where he attained his BA and Master’s of Theology. He later completed his PhD in London.
Gordon was ordained a diocesan priest in March 1991 at the age of 32 and in 2003 he was made the parish priest for Gonzales. He received awards for a project to bring peace to that community through the participation of all the stakeholders, including gangs and their leaders and mediated between communities in conflict.
In 2007, then Archbishop Edward Gilbert appointed Gordon to the newly-created position of Vicar for Administration. Two years later, Pope Benedict XVI made him a Monsignor.
In 2011, he was appointed Bishop of Kingstown in St Vincent and Grenadines and Bishop of Bridgetown in Barbados. He received his episcopal consecration on September 21 of that year from Archbishop Joseph Harris with Robert Rivas and Malcolm Patrick Galt serving as co-consecrators in a ceremony held in a tent in front of the Bridgetown Cathedral.
Pope Francis accepted his resignation from Kingstown in 2015 but Gordon continued to serve in Bridgetown until he was appointed Archbishop of Port-of-Spain on October 19.
In March 2016, Gordon was charged with assaulting altar server Junior Blackman and appeared before the Magistrates’ Court that December where he pleaded innocent to the charges. Magistrate Kristie Cuffie-Sargeant dismissed the case on July 14 after Blackman indicated that he was no longer interested in pursuing the matter.
The new Archbishop is known for his opposition to the death penalty and strong support for peacemaking and bridge building in disputes and gang violence.

Chutney Soca artiste Nermal “Massive” Gosein yesterday registered to compete in the Chutney Soca Monarch (CSM) competition and he intends to sing his controversial Rowlee Mudda Count song.

In a statement on Wednesday, promoters George Singh and National Chutney Foundation president Dr Vijay Ramlal said they will not allow Gosein to perform the song at the competition. Singh said yesterday that Gosein was never banned but his selection would now be screened.

Gosein, however, said any attempts to block him from performing will be met with legal action.

Speaking with T&T Guardian after registering at Southex at Independence Ave, San Fernando, Gosein said he encountered no problems to register on the last day of registration for the competition.

Holding up his receipt for $200, Gosein said as a citizen and a taxpayer it was his constitutional right to participate in everything that is funded by the government.

“And I am happy to say that I have registered which means when they issued this receipt to me it means that they accepted my registration for the CSM 2018,” said Gosein.

Gosine believes God guided him to compose this song for the people. He said his song is neither disrespectful nor was it written with malice. He said when PNM singers sang about Kamla Persad-Bissessar, a mother and a grandmother, “it wasn’t disrespectful. How come some things are good for some and for others it’s just not good. What was right then, how come it is wrong now.” He said the song was about praedial larceny which is discouraging people from becoming involved in agriculture. He said in his song he is promoting agriculture.

Gosein said he neither feels intimidated by the mountain of criticism he has received nor does he intend to pull the song.

Hitting back at Camile Robinson-Regis and the PNM Women’s League who has called for the song to be banned, he said he was amazed by their position.

“Nowhere in this song deals with anything pertaining to politics, nowhere in the song did I say Dr Keith Rowley or by extension the Prime Minister of T&T, if anybody see that in my song call me, bring it forward,” he said.

Chutney Foundation: No ban on artiste

President of the National Chutney Foundation (NCFTT) Dr Vijay Ramlal says while he is not in support of lyrics that degrade women he did not say that chutney soca artiste Nermal “Massive” Gosein should be banned from competitions.
Ramlal issued a statement yesterday in which he weighed in on the controversy generated by Gosein’s 2018 composition. “It was never the policy of the National Chutney Foundation to ban anyone from any competition, that is up to the organisers of respective competitions especially when it’s a private competition,” he said.

Scores of people travelling on the domestic airbridge have been faced with lengthy delays over the past two days due to ongoing issues with its ATR aircraft.

The T&T Guardian understands that the cancellation of flights began around midday on Wednesday with some passengers, with confirmed flights, having to wait until after midnight before the airline provided a jet to clear up the backlog.

In a press release issued yesterday, CAL stated that it would also be consolidating flights yesterday due to “aircraft constraints” in its ATR fleet.

“These consolidated services are being operated by the airline’s Boeing 737 jet fleet and, customers holding confirmed tickets for the flights that have been consolidated, have been advised,” the release said.

Caribbean Airlines (CAL) says the presence of its 737 fleet to support the domestic airbridge, now means there is increased capacity of 660 above what was scheduled for yesterday.

The airline said while the number of seats scheduled on the airbridge for December 28 total 2,448, the airline increased capacity to 3,108 to minimise inconvenience to its customers.

The 737 fleet is being used to support its domestic operations as required, and the ATR fleet is expected to be fully restored and in service within 24 hours, the airline said.

However, when Guardian Media (GML) visited the Piarco International Airport yesterday, dozens of affected passengers claimed that they only found out about to the decision taken by CAL after arriving at the airport.

Some of the passengers said they were forced to sleep in the airport since Wednesday night after missing their flights that night.

Tobago House of Assembly (THA) minority leader Watson Duke was among the passengers who were affected yesterday and joined with them for an impromptu protest over the issue.

“A newborn baby slept on the floor with his mother and an 85-year-old woman just collapsed. This is unacceptable,” Duke said.

Duke and the protesting passengers also claimed they were forced to pay a $50 fee to change their tickets if were unwilling to travel on yesterday’s consolidated service.

The fee was introduced by CAL earlier this month as it claimed that it would improve inefficiency caused by passengers missing their confirmed flights.

“This was no our fault and we still have to pay the $50. This is unacceptable and must be fixed,” an irate female passenger said.

A passenger from the United States who spent the Christmas long weekend in Tobago had to wait almost four hours on Wednesday night. She was surprised over the long wait because of the short duration of the flight.

“It was a really long wait but we really didn’t mind because we had such a good time on our visit to the island,” she said.

The issue of inter-island transport dominated news headlines throughout the year as issues with the procurement of passenger and cargo ferries.

In August, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley appointed businessman Christian Mouttet to investigate the Port Authority of T&T (PATT) procurement of a short lease of two vessels—the Ocean Flower 2 and Cabo Star—from Canadian firm Bridgemans Services Group LP.

The contract for the Ocean Flower 2 was cancelled as it failed to arrive in T&T by the contractual deadline. A Cabinet sub-committee has since been appointed find a long-term solution.

A video being circulated on social media showing an intimate moment between what appears to be a government official and a woman has sparked a public outcry over claims of invasion of privacy and inappropriate behaviour.

Political analyst Prof John La Guerre said people in high offices should avoid having their private moments in public because this can run risks.

People such as ministers of government “should always be looking over their shoulder so they have to be extremely careful.”

La Guerre said if a minister had a misdemeanor before, they should be more aware of the fragility of their position as people in their positions are exemplars of the State.

“So this puts an even heavier burden on them. The Prime Minister should remind his ministers that since they are public officers of the State they have to be careful to distinguish between their public and private lives.”

Asked if such behaviour can warrant a dismissal, La Guerre said no.

“I don’t think it warrants a dismissal. There should be a discreet reminder to all members of Government that they are always under scrutiny and have to be ultra careful.”

La Guerre said there must be an unwritten code for public officers, Government ministers and representatives of the State.

Of all the vivid images of floods, landslips and damaged property and infrastructure in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Bret in June, the one that stood out were of pregnant mother Ramrajee Chance and her five children as they stood in their tiny home at Penal surrounded by murky flood waters.

Chance said she and her children spent several hours on a table of their home located on the edge of a lagoon at Sunrees Road watching their belongings, including food and clothes, being swept away by the floods. Eventually, the family was rescued, relocated to temporary shelter and received supplies including a mattress and other basic items.

The country did not feel the full impact of the tropical storm but the rains and winds were bad enough to damage several homes and leave many marooned. There were floods in parts of south Trinidad, including Penal, Debe, Marayo, Moruga, Barrackpore and Princes Town. In Central Trinidad, flood waters rose in Caparo.

Bret was indirectly blamed for the death of 40-year-old construction worker Andy Manyair who fell to his death after slipping on a makeshift bridge as he tried to run through the heavy rains to get to his home.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, who was in Tobago when Bret hit, thanked those he said had worked “tirelessly to prepare us for the storm’s passage and those who continue to render assistance to those who still require help.” He commended the Office of Disaster Preparedness (ODPM) for its coordination of relief efforts.

However, Rowley would be singing a different tune in October when torrential rains caused widespread floods in south and central Trinidad.

Commuters along the Solomon Hochoy Highway near Chase Village were stuck in traffic for hours after both sides of the highway flooded.

The ODPM was criticised for its poor response and Rowley was criticised for not visiting the affected communities. Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who went into some of the hardest hit areas to get a first-hand look at the situation, later reported that she had seen widespread destruction.

“It is truly heart-breaking to see the level of devastation as a result of the floods and to hear the cries for help from so many distraught families A disaster of this scope requires urgent action and we have heard little from the government on what is being done,” she said.

It did not help that ODPM Deputy CEO Colonel Dave Williams, at a news conference to discuss the situation, described the widespread flooding as “no big thing.” Although he admitted that communication issues had prevented the agency from verifying reports, and systems had failed, Williams insisted that the ODPM had not failed.

This prompted an angry reaction from the Prime Minister who said of the agency a few days later: “We do not have the correct personnel in there and that we are not prepared to respond.”

Three days later, Williams resigned. Captain Neville Wint, ODPM Relief Officer, is acting as head of the organisation.

If the Law Association of T&T (LATT) postpones the report on the matter concerning the Chief Justice today, it could appear to be subterfuge which might serve in his favour, senior counsel Israel Khan warned yesterday.

Khan spoke ahead of today’s meeting of the Association’s council to discuss and assess a preliminary report on matters concerning embattled Chief Justice Ivor Archie who has been dogged by several allegations in recent weeks.

The Association met with Archie recently on the situation and informed him of the intent to probe allegations ranging from seeking to expedite HDC housing for certain individuals to discussing judges’ security. He has denied the allegations although admitting he has from time to time recommended people for HDC housing.

Archie later left T&T on private business is due back soon, it’s understood.

The Association has a five-member committee handling the matter and has recruited two senior counsel to assess whether findings will require triggering processes seeking impeachment. The Association said it expected to have a report on the matter by today.

The report will have to be discussed by Association’s membership.

Khan said: “The CJ has a right to be heard but any delay in finishing the report may appear to be a subterfuge to give him more time. Also, discussions with LATT members will require time to set up such a meeting.”

He added: “The three most senior judges of both the Court of Appeal and first instance bench should form a delegation and seek an audience with the CJ to demand he publicly refute the scandalous allegations against him and they should give him an ultimatum that if he fails this, within seven days of meeting with him they would, via the Attorney General, call for his impeachment.”

On the AG’s recent comment that no one has requested triggering of Section 137 concerning impeachment, Khan said there was sufficient information in the public domain.

Khan said no one has requested a Section 137 tribunal as was done in the case of former Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma.

He explained that Section 137 of the Constitution didn’t contemplate that any person authority/entity must request of the Prime Minister to represent to the President that the “question of removing the Chief Justice ought to be investigated”, thus triggering the process of the President appointing a tribunal whose members are selected by the Prime Minister.

“The President has no choice but to appoint the members of this tribunal as advised by the Prime Minister,” he said.

The standard of proof required to establish the facts for removal of the CJ must be “cogent, compelling, convincing and credible,” Khan said.

“At a Section 137 tribunal hearing, he is entitled to retain counsel of his choice to test the veracity of the witnesses called against him. He is entitled to give evidence and call witnesses on his behalf. So why the reluctance to advise the Prime Minister to trigger Section 137?” he asked.

Fishermen moored their boats yesterday as a precaution as strong winds intensified rough seas in the Atlantic Ocean for the second day.

Matelot King Fishers Association spokesperson Anderson Zoe said fishing boats were moored and taken inland.

“We are experiencing extra heavy waves. It’s not that bad and we are taking precautions and we pulled them in,” he said yesterday.

David Bachan, director of the Felicity/Charlieville Fishing Association, said there was no damage to boats since the rough seas bulletin was issued by the Met Service on Wednesday. The rough seas conditions are expected to remain in effect until New Year’s Day.

“The fishermen know how to operate out there and are careful. There are no incidents I heard of and they know how important it is to be safe,” he said.

Bachan said he went out to sea yesterday and took precautions with the other fishermen in the Gulf of Paria.

Chairman of the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation Terry Rondon said he had contacted various fishermen along the northeast coast to warn them about the rough seas.

“We didn’t have no damage to boats and I called from Balandra to Matelot and they were able to moor their boats,” he said.

Chairman of the Diego Martin Regional Corporation Susan Hong said she did not receive any complaints from fishermen.

The spokesperson for lifeguards Augustus Sylvester said rough seas were normal at this time of year.

“It starts from October to April which is the tourist season. It is a normal thing. There is a lot of strong rip currents and some swells,” he said.

Sylvester said people still visited the beach and sea bathers went into the water despite the warning.

Moderate to rough seas are expected over the next three to four days, according to a Rough Seas Bulletin issued by the Meteorological Service. The bulletin warned sea bathers to exercise caution.

Residents of El Carmen, St Helena said they risked their lives to chase an armed bandit after police officers froze in apparent fear after being shot at.

According to the residents, who spoke with the T&T Guardian hours after two men robbed K&G minimart in the usually quiet village shortly after 10 am, the bandits were startled by a police patrol parked nearby as they bolted from the scene.

Eyewitnesses said one of the bandits who emerged from the shop first looked in the direction of the police and fired at the two officers before running away.

Residents said the owner of the minimart, Gita Harnarain, screamed at the officers for help.

The two officers, they said, were “frozen stiff, stiff, stiff” prompting the villagers into action.

It was only then that one of the two officers joined the chase, they said.

Moments later the second armed bandit emerged from the shop and began shooting at the villagers who were chasing his accomplice.

He also shot at the police officer who was seated in the driver’s seat of the police vehicle before “jogging away”, eyewitnesses said.

Villagers said the police officer in the vehicle ducked for cover as the gunman pointed the weapon at him and narrowly escaped injury.

Residents said soon after other the police vehicles joined the search of the fleeing bandits. One of them was later cornered in a dead-end street and killed by officers of the Central Division Task Force during a shootout, police said.

Police later identified the dead man as Gimmel “Boyo” Gordon, 23, who has 21 matters pending before the courts for sexual offences, robbery and narcotics possession offences.

Officers said was a member of a criminal gang in Enterprise, Chaguanas.

The shootout took place a short distance from the minimart at a bushy area at Santa Monica, just before noon. Police said they have the identity of the second bandit and assured that an arrest is imminent.

Speaking with Guardian Media, Harnarain, 53, said she was at her store when one gunman came in, shoved her to ground, gave her a bag and ordered that she hand over everything.

The woman, who says she has been operating the shop for the past eight years, said she placed cash, cigarettes and cellphones in the bag.

The other bandit went to the back of the business where she lives and tied up her husband, son and a female worker. That bandit, she said, told her family that they were going to kidnap her son and the female employee and called for their getaway driver to come closer.

“I thought I was going and dead. I put everything in the bag and then I run out the shop and went by the neighbour and called the police. I don’t know what else I could have done, they know the place have cameras. What more I could do? What I want to know is how come they getting guns but we not getting any?” Harnarain asked.

She said after the incident, which took place around 10.15 am, she went back in her store and was shaking in fear. Her business remained closed for the rest of the day and she planned to keep it shut for a few days.

“I have to prepare for them. We have to fight back. Is time to attack. They don’t know we work hard for we money. The Government have to do something about this crime,” Harnarain said.

She said the bandits came to the scene in a Nissan B-15 driven by another man who fled on seeing the police jeep approaching.

Head of the Central Division Snr Supt Kenny Mc Intyre said it will take more than the police to stymie the escalating murder toll, as four of the eight reported killings over the Christmas weekend took place in his area.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, Mc Intyre said the four murders, three of which stemmed from a triple killing classified as a domestic crime “dampened” the efforts of the Christmas patrols by his officers.

He said while the police are incapable of predicting crimes such as the triple murder as they focused their patrols on repeated offenders.

“These things put anarchy and fear in my division and this is the last thing I want. Nevertheless, it happened and I spoke with my juniors and seniors to get a handle on this. We have made some headway in the two separate incidents but it is in the hands of the Homicide Bureau but we are assisting when and where we can,” Mc Intyre said.

He said crime was a social issue and his officers have been speaking with residents about anger management and other issues that often result in violence.

Mc Intyre said the investigations into the two incidents that claimed four lives are at a sensitive stage but assured that they will be solved. He advised citizens to assist police in their fight against crime saying that it is a national issue that needed to be addressed and not solely by the police.

Roberta James, 27, Keston James, 28 and Wellington Thomas, 31 were shot dead while asleep at a small board house at Bridal Road, Jerningham Junction, Cunupia last Saturday.

Police suspect that a man related to James can help solve the murders.

On Wednesday, Isaiah Mitchell, 19, was gunned down outside the Jungle Fever pool party along Deonarine Junction Mc Bean, Couva.

The other murder took place in the Northern Division where the body of an unidentified man was found lying at the side of the road at Las Lomas #3 last Friday.

On Christmas night, Port-of-Spain Division recorded one murder after 57-year-old Robert Carrington was killed outside his Nelson Street home. One day later two men were killed in the Western and North Eastern Divisions respectively. Those men were identified as Dwayne Knights, 31, killed at Diego Martin Akeil Mannette, 23, killed in Aranjuez.

Latest

Last night, homicide officers were called out for yet another murder after a Laventille man was shot dead at Buller Trace, Laventille.

The dead man was identified as Assim “Boots” Peters. Police said the killing took place around 8 pm.

The latest killing has taken the number of people killed for the year to 492, according to police.

Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus presented letters of appointment to the members of the HIV Workplace Advocacy Advisory Board yesterday.

In an address at the ceremony, the minister and expressed her appreciation to them for accepting their new roles of public service. and advised them that as members of a multipartite board they are aptly poised to fulfil an important mandate to protect the rights of HIV infected persons in the workplace.

Offering a brief historical perspective on the origins of the board, Baptiste-Primus said a project advisory board was established in 2006 to oversee implementation of the International Labour Organization (ILO)/US Department of Labour (USDOL) HIV and AIDS Workplace Education Programme—An Accelerated Response: Trinidad and Tobago. It was a three year pilot project to address HIV/AIDS in the world of work in T&T.

Following the end of the project in 2008 and the official hand over to the ministry for continued implementation, Cabinet agreed to the re-designation of the project advisory board as the HIV/AIDS Advocacy and Sustainability Centre (HASC) Advisory Board for a period of three years.

In October, Cabinet agreed to the change of name of the HIV/AIDS Advocacy and Sustainability Centre to the HIV Workplace Advocacy Unit. The name of the board was then changed to the HIV Workplace Advocacy Advisory Board.

The new board is mandated to:

° Guide formulation and review of the National Workplace Policy on HIV and AIDS, HIV Workplace Advocacy Unit’s Sustainability Plan, Work Plan and the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework on HIV and AIDS in the world of work.

° Monitor, evaluate and report on the annual work plan in line with the monitoring and evaluation framework and recommend adjustments in the implementation of proposed activities and timelines.

° Ensure alignment of HIV Workplace Advocacy Unit activities with the goals and targets of the National Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS, regional and international conventions, recommendations and strategic frameworks as applicable.

° Facilitate mobilization of human, technical and financial resources to ensure the sustainability of work of the HIV Workplace Advocacy Unit.

° Advocate for necessary legislative changes towards creating a more enabling environment for persons living with HIV in the workplace.

Neighbouring Caribbean islands, including Dominica and Barbuda, were ravaged by Hurricanes Maria and Irma, two category 5 storms that cut a path of death and destruction across the region.
The Government announced plans to waive immigration regulations for six months to allow Dominicans to stay in T&T while their country rebuilt after the devastation. The Government also provided a helicopter and Coast Guard vessel to assist with the relief efforts.
Prime Minister Rowley said: “For the next six months Trinidad and Tobago will open our doors, our homes, our pots and I daresay our schools to the people of the Commonwealth of Dominica.”
T&T also rallied around the hurricane-affected countries.
Corporate T&T and ordinary citizens donated food, clothing, building supplies.
Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit travelled to Trinidad in November to thank this country for its support.He said the island was rebuilding with the help of international and Caribbean donors and schools had reopened.

$35m in Government assistance for affected victims

A final tally showed that approximately 2,300 households were affected by flood waters. Cabinet approved $35 million in compensation.
National Security Minister Edmund Dillon said the ODPM was reviewing its coordination and response to improve its effectiveness and efficiency.
Minister of Social Development and Family Services Cherrie Ann Critchlow-Cockburn announced that $20,000 housing grants and $1,000 clothing grants would be given to affected residents, in addition to a school supply grant and a $10,000 grant for those who lost basic household items.
The Agriculture Ministry said $12 million would be paid out to more than 600 farmers affected by Tropical Storm Bret in June.

Sport Minister Darryl Smith yesterday accused a relative of “leaking on social media” a video showing an intimate moment between himself and a woman in the privacy of his home.

The video, Smith said, was recorded on the same day that the “financial aspect of my divorce was finalised.”

In a Facebook post, Smith claimed it was not the first time the relative had “revealed personal information to try to destabilise the family unit in this matter.”

Smith broke his silence on the issue a day after the video began circulating on social media.

The 42-second video, which was posted on Expose TT’s Facebook page on Wednesday, showed Smith lying on a recliner while being caressed, hugged and kissed by a woman.

Smith said the video was recorded on December 22, from his home security system and leaked via social media. The minister said his marriage was dissolved by order of the Family Court more than seven months ago.

Smith’s ex-wife Danielle Campbell in a telephone interview with CNC3 yesterday said, “I have absolutely no comment to make on Mr Smith’s statement. He is free to say what he wants to say.”

The Women’s League of the ruling PNM has accused the Opposition of using social media to create false news against Government officials.

Among those targeted were Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, Attorney General Faris Al Rawi, Ministers Colm Imbert, Shamfa Cudjoe, Darryl Smith and Stuart Young, says PNM Women’s League chairman Camille Robinson-Regis.

But UNC activist Devant Maharaj, who has been named by the PNM as an alleged perpetrator, has instead pointed to the actions of certain ministers recently.

A statement by Robinson-Regis yesterday drew attention to “a disturbing trend emerging from the UNC opposition and its financiers.”

She added, “That is, the use of social media and dissemination of false news to attack PNM MPs in the most vile and personal manner.”

“The UNC has been using the following Facebook profiles and pages to launch and maintain filthy and defamatory attacks, based on untruths and lies: ExposeTT, KICK OUT the PNM, BuzzAlert, political memes and also by a journalist Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar recently publicly associated with and defended.”

“The League condemns the abuse of social media to promote false news and outright fabrications.”

In response, Maharaj said, “They should be very specific and identify what they’re referring to with me. I know nothing of any cowardly, malicious acts. The PNM Women’s League should direct their comments to their own ministers and their behaviour.”