Franklin Wong, 39, proprietor of Wong’s Supermarket died hours after he was shot during a robbery at his family business in Diego Martin yesterday.

The mid-morning drama unfolded shortly after 10 o’clock when two gunmen walked into the supermarket located at corner St Lucien’s Road and Majuba Cross Roads

Police said one of the gunmen attacked one of Wong’s sisters who was in the supermarket when they walked in and as Wong attempted to wrestle her away from the gunman, he (Wong) was shot in the chest.

The other man, police said, grabbed the cash register and ran out, however, he dropped it a short distance away and escaped in a waiting vehicle.

Wong’s sister ran out on the road for help and was assisted in conveying her wounded brother to the St James Medical Complex. However, Wong died while undergoing treatment.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, one of Wong’s acquaintances said they went to school at Trinity College in Moka and described him as a “very cool” individual.

A neighbour, who wished not to be identified, said that she knew the Wong’s very well and recalled that they were “always a target to the bandits in the area,” “but they always remained hardworking and loyal to us. They never once packed up and left. Frankie (referring to Wong, as he was fondly called) was so friendly, always willing to help and if you had short money he always said don’t worry about it.”

Several years ago, Wong’s father, Francis, was shot and wounded during a robbery. He died a few years later leaving the family’s business to his wife, Moi; their two daughters and Wong.

Up to late yesterday, investigating officers were said to be reviewing surveillance footage captured during the robbery.

This latest incident followed two other unrelated shooting incidents that occurred over the weekend where two men were killed and four injured.

Yesterday, at about 8.30 am along Good Session Drive, Patna Village, two men were seated in a parked vehicle when a white Tiida pulled up alongside them. The occupants in the Tiida, police said, after a brief conversation, opened fire on the men. Andy Bailey, 36, was killed, while the other man, Kerron “Not Nice” Paul was wounded. He is said to be in a serious condition at hospital.

On Sunday, at 7.20 pm a group of men was liming at Quarry Street, Diego Martin, when they were approached by gunmen, who opened fire on them. Shaquille Nicholls, 19, was killed on the scene, while three others were wounded.

The wounded were identified as Shaquille Farrell, 21, Shannelle Goodridge and Christian Gittens, 21. Farrell, police said is the son of a police sergeant. He was shot in the left thigh. Police recovered a loaded 9mm pistol on the scene.

A relative connected to one of the killings blamed police officers for what is happening to their “little black boys,” The relative, who was at the Forensic Science Centre, wished to remain anonymous.

“The police don’t care what happening to we children that is why they getting shoot and kill every day. If the police do what they have to do it wouldn’t have none of this,” the relative shouted as she walked away in disgust.

However, a senior police officer at the Western Division took offence and said that people have to report their children to the police for being involved in crime and criminal activities, “They know their children dealing with drugs, have guns and killing and robbing people yet they remain quiet and hiding for them but when it hit home and their children get killed they blaming the police…No, it doesn’t work so…people have to be responsible and report the wrong,” the senior officer said.

Students of the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of T&T (COSTAATT) expressed fear yesterday that one morning they will wake up to hear the college is no more.

However, COSTAATT’s president Dr Gillian Paul gave the assurance that no such thing would happen, even though its six campuses had been operating with tight cash flow.

Paul, in an article in Monday’s T&T Guardian, spoke about the college being faced with financial challenges as it recorded an overall 10-12 per cent decline in enrolment as a direct result to changes to the GATE programme.

At COSTAATT’s Melville Street, Port-of-Spain, campus the few students who showed up yesterday to finalise registration for the new semester next Monday admitted that they had no idea that COSTAATT was such in a financial bind.

A second-year journalism and communications student said while Paul had indicated that COSTAATT was rethinking its business model to align its offerings to the economic diversifications pillars, she hoped all was well.

“The last thing I want to hear is that COSTAATT is on the verge of collapse.”

Pursuing a diploma in supervisory management, a female student said while the University of T&T was on a job cutting exercise any number could play at COSTAATT.

“We can wake up one morning to hear that COSTAATT is no more.”

One graphic design student said COSTAATT needed to lay their cards on the table and level with students.

Told that yesterday’s Trinidad Guardian article headlined “COSTAATT contracts” had created fears for some students, Paul said they would do everything to help their students succeed.

COSTAATT offers 110 certificate, diploma and bachelors programmes.

Paul said they had been asking its faculty to critically examine some of its bachelor programmes which take between four to six years for students to complete.

“The faculty has come forward with a huge number of suggestions for relevant training.”

She said lecturers and staff were passionate and dedicated to their jobs.

“I have been communicating with them as to how we have to get through this passage. I asked the full-time faculty if any of them would offer to teach across free so we do not pay them additional money…and we have managers who are coming forward…. faculty who are coming to teach gratis for the college because they know that this is a little difficult time. They are committed to the institution.”

Paul said COSTAATT’s lecturers are paid far less than UTT and University of the West Indies lecturers.

COSTAATT has 165 full-time lecturers as well as part-time lecturers.

One lecturer who requested anonymity said declining enrolment would not affect classes significantly.

“There might be fewer classes offered now. If some classes see an enrolment of fewer students then they might close that section entirely.”

The lecturer said a good thing about the college it was never a lavish place.

Questions about Government’s procurement of the Galleons Passage will not delay submission of a draft report of Parliament’s Joint Select Committee (JSC) on Land and Rural Development on procurement of the Ocean Flower 2 and Cabo Star last year.

Chairman Independent Senator Stephen Creese said the JSC will meet this morning to go through the draft report.

“As soon as we agree on it, we will lay it before the Parliament,” he said.

Creese said nothing that has occurred since the Committee last met in September 2017 should delay the report. However, another JSC member said there are two reasons why the draft report could be delayed. One has to do with the report submitted by businessman Christian Mouttet, the sole investigator appointed by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to look at the acquisition of the vessels, and the “compendium of documents which he submitted without reading them to the Committee.”

Reports are that Mouttet did not come to any conclusion but just interviewed people and recorded what they said.

“It was a compilation of interviews that he conducted. It is now up to us to go through that to determine whether there is need to extend the inquiry based on what we discerned from that report, or whether it will stretch the inquiry too long and frustrate people,” the JSC member said.

There is also concern about the procurement of the Galleons Passage which was purchased by the government for US$17.4 million. Creese said any investigation its procurement should not delay the JSC’s report.

“We can deal with that separately. Remember this is a standing committee and we are free to investigate any other matter,” said Creese who added that he is aware of public concerns about procurement of the Galleons Passage

The JSC chaired by Creese includes five members of the ruling Peoples National Movement and two members of the Opposition United National Congress. No timeline has been set for submission of the draft report to the Parliament, since today’s talks are open to discussion and decision.

Adding his voice to concerns about the purchase of the Galleons Passage is chairman of the Eric Williams Memorial Committee Reginald Vidale

“While I can appreciate and understand the urgency of purchasing a ferry be it used or new, going ahead and purchasing the ferry in the absence of consultations is a gross disrespect which should not be tolerated,” he said.

Former transport minister Devant Maharaj has twice written to Chairman of the Integrity Commission Justice Melville Baird calling for an investigation into the procurement process used for the purchase of the vessel. He claims statements by Finance Minister Colm Imbert on the issue left more questions than answers.

The Chief Justice of the Turks and Caicos yesterday described the loss of Paula-Mae Weekes, this country’s President-elect, as a member of the court of appeal in that country as a “significant loss to the jurisdiction”.

In an interview yesterday, Chief Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale says she is “devastated by the loss.”

Weekes could not be reached yesterday but well-placed sources told the T&T Guardian that she was in the country last Friday when she was elected as the country’s sixth President by the Electoral College.

The source said that “Madame Justice Weekes was humbled by the unanimous election by members of parliament, and the outpouring of love and well wishes extended from various sectors of the community on her election. She views this as another opportunity to serve the country albeit in a different capacity.”

Weekes was sworn in as an appellate court judge in the Turks and Caicos Islands in February last year, a position which she was appointed to in September 2016 for a three-year period.

Ramsay-Hale recalled that just over a year ago “I was very pleased to announce that Paula-Mae Weekes was joining our Court of Appeal as the first female court of appeal judge.”

She described Weekes as an “exceptional jurist and a woman of exceptional character,” adding that Weekes’ ascension to the position of President of the Republic of T&T “just goes to show how right I was to recommend her for consideration on the Court of Appeal.”

Addressing the opening of the law term on January 17, in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Ramsay-Hale congratulated Weekes on her new post, informing the legal fraternity: “I regret to announce that Madame Justice Weekes has been appointed as the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Easy come, easy go,” she said.

Ramsay-Hale said she was “devastated by the loss,” but that she had been “honoured to have had her in our court even for so brief a time and we wish her every success,” the Chief Justice said.

President of the Turks and Caicos Islands Bar Association Jonathan Katan told the T&T Guardian that while he never appeared before Weekes in any matter: “What I can say is that by virtue of her reputation her appointment to the Court of Appeal of the Turks and Caicos Islands was welcomed and her departure, particularly after such a short time, is a significant loss to the jurisdiction,” Katan said.

The Guardian was unable to get details on matters which Weekes heard while she sat at the Court of Appeal. Another Trinidadian retired Justice of Appeal Humphrey Stollmeyer also sits on the Court of Appeal in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Stollmeyer, a former Appeal Court judge, resigned from the Judicial and Legal Service Commission of T&T on June 30, last year after concerns were raised about the role of the JLSC in the appointment and subsequent resignation of former Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar as a High Court judge.

Reports from the Turks and Caicos Islands indicate that when Weekes was appointed it was the first time that the Court of Appeal had four judges. Three judges sit at any one time in the appeal court, which meets only three times a year in January, May and September.

Meantime, checks with the Parliament yesterday revealed that no arrangement had as yet been made for the President-elect to be given her instrument.

OATH OF OFFICE

Under section 32 of the Constitution an instrument, which in the case of an uncontested election for the Office of President is signed and sealed by the Speaker and states that the person named in the instrument was the only person nominated for the election and was, in consequence, declared elected.

Before entering upon the duties of the office, a President must subscribe the oath of office set out in the First Schedule of the Constitution.

The Presidential oath is administered by the Chief Justice or such other judge as may be designated by the Chief Justice.

The first schedule details the oath or affirmation for the President.

In taking the oath the person identified them self and swear by a religious book, in Weekes’ case the Holy Bible will be used. Weekes will “solemnly affirm,” that she “will bear true faith and allegiance to Trinidad and Tobago and to the best of my ability preserve and defend the Constitution and the law, that I will conscientiously and impartially discharge the functions of President and will devote myself to the service and well-being of the people of Trinidad and Tobago.”

Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds is hoping that the police pay close attention to the threat by Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal to break into the Dr Roodal Moonilal Ramai Trace SDMS Primary School.

Responding to last Friday’s protest by Moonilal, parents and pupils of the school, Hinds said that that country was already too lawless and statements made by Moonilal made the situation worse.

For five days in last week, there were protests over the stalled construction work at the school, which is being rebuilt since 2015.

With approximately 90 per cent of the school completed, Moonilal said last week that if the school remains closed, a decision may have to be taken at the community level to open the school themselves and occupy that building that belongs to the people of Ramai Trace.

Hinds said that he was amazed to hear a Member of Parliament publicly threaten to commit a criminal offence at the school.

“Dr Moonilal, who along with his colleagues on the Opposition bench, refused to support the Anti-Gang Bill recently and to strengthen the police’s effort to fight the criminal gangs and protect us, citizens, is now encouraging other protesters to join him, go to the yet un-opened Ramai Hindu school and threaten to break the gates in forcible and unauthorised entry. Apart from the sheer stupidity of this, I cannot understand why would a person, sworn to uphold the law and the Constitution, want to behave in this way?

“It is my hope that the police leadership take this threat seriously and take the necessary steps in order to prevent this publicly-issued diabolical and criminal threat. I hope that if prevention fails and Dr Moonilal’s threat becomes real, the police are able to properly investigate and quickly determine who were the criminals and place them swiftly before the courts. This country has been already far too lawless for the likes of Dr Moonilal to worsen, rather than contribute to a solution to our problems. If he or his blind supporters carry out this threat or attempts so to do, I say lock them up,” Hinds said.

Currently, the pupils are being accommodated at the Hanuman Milan Mandir at Penal Rock Road, Penal.

Education Minister Anthony Garcia has assured that the school will be completed by year’s end.

Fisherman Tyronne Marryshaw appeared in court yesterday charged with the murder of another fisherman following a dispute of a missing boat light.

Marryshaw, 30, of L’Anse Noire Village, Toco, appeared before Sangre Grande Magistrate Debra Quintyne yesterday.

Marryshaw is accused of murdering 38-year-old David Callender of Unity Lane, Anglais Road, Cumana, on January 14. The charge was laid by Sgt Sookdeo of Toco Police Station.

Marryshaw bowed his head as Quintyne read the charge to him. He was represented by attorneys Patrick Godson Phillip and Nadia Scott.

Marryshaw was remanded in custody at Golden Grove Prison and will return to court on February 19.

On Monday, Marryshow appeared before the same magistrate charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition.

He was granted $70,000 bail on that charge but was rearrested before leaving the holding cell at Sangre Grande and charged with murder following instructions from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

RALPH BANWARIE

The Diego Martin business community are said to be bracing for the worst, following the murder of Franklin Wong, 39, proprietor of Wong’s Supermarket.

Yesterday, some managers of businesses called emergency meetings with their respective staff to discuss what they should or should not do in an event of a robbery or some other form of attack.

On Monday, Wong was at his supermarket at the corner of Majuba Cross Road and St Lucien’s Road when two armed men walked in saying it was a hold up.

Wong was shot in the chest after he tried to defend his sister, who was at the time being attacked by one of the men. Wong died while undergoing treatment at the St James Infirmary.

That incident was in fact the second robbery in just a matter of days apart. In the first incident, a businessman was shot and wounded on the leg after he was robbed.

A manager of a supermarket along the Diego Martin Main Road, who wished not to be identified, said that she spoke with her staff and instructed them to do nothing should bandits enter while they are on duty.

“I told them that their lives are more important than anything else and just to give up anything that these bandits want and not to fight, it’s not worth it,”she said.

She added that Wong’s incident has shaken up the entire area, “It is a lot of mixed emotions…I just want my workers to remain calm in any given situation like that. We can only do all we can with cameras and burglar proofing but we need praying people to go down on their knees and pray for this nation.”

Another businesswoman said she feels very unsafe and called for more police patrols, both mobile and on foot.

Over at St Lucien’s Road, manager, Onika Wilson said both business people and residents are feeling the pain, “but how do we go about eliminating these rogue elements one by one? Crime just spiked out of control and all this has stemmed from the social issues that exist.”

Two Bagatelle young men— Nicholas Britto, 38, and Wendell Williams of Bagatelle said they strongly believe that white collar crime must be dealt with first before any other crime. “Who it is buying the guns and drugs for the youths to go out there with? Not the rich people? Fish rottens from the head you know but nobody cares about anybody again. The rich cares for themselves,” Britto said.

However, Williams said he believes that there is hope, “everyone has the responsibility of their children in their own home. I have three boys and I have trained them well. I am also a tailor by trade and there should be programmes to involve the youths not take those programmes away? It don’t work so.” One of Wong’s neighbour’s said he remains very shocked and scared.

“Today when I look at the time it was almost the same time when the robbery went down and I got very scared, I locked up inside. I feel like packing up, selling out and moving out of this area. Here never used to be like that but it get terrible now and the police doing nothing,” the man said.

In the second consecutive day of protest action by some members of staff at the University of T&T (UTT), the Minister of Education, Anthony Garcia, has agreed to meet with the representing union and UTT officials.

The meeting was confirmed shortly after protest action at UTT’s campus— John Donaldson, at Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain. Having a list in hand of 287 names of workers to be retrenched from the academic and non-academic fronts, UTT’s protesting staff demanded answers even in the latest turn of events which claims that UTT has a new strategy.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, OWTU’s second vice president, Sati-Gajadhar Inniss said that staffers are attempting to rally support, “as it pertains to their tenure of employment…they are really scared and yes, we do have a list but we need more information.” “One of the major questions to be answered is how UTT is going to operate? Just by saying you sending home 287 workers is not the answer. In fact, no worker should go home until proper discussions take place as to what is the strategic plan for the university as this point in time,” she added. Inniss said that the order of the union’s business is to “ensure that the institution continues to be viable.

“If we can have the true picture as to what is the expectation of the university and its plans it would be better for us,” Innis said.

In March, UTT workers, who have been working for the past ten years and more on contracts will be having their day in court in an attempt for permanency status. On January 11, president of UTT Professor Sarim Al-Zubaidy sent a proposal to the union on its restructuring process.

That proposal stated that 287 workers would have to be retrenched, a move to have an estimated annual cost savings of approximately $41.5 million.

In the first phase of restructuring where job cuts were done in the academics front, according to Al-Zubaidy, there was a cost saving of $35.5 million.

Further job cuts in the future will have an estimated cost saving of $20 million. On Monday, a protest of similar nature was held at UTT’s O’Meara campus in Arima where staffers shouted that Al-Zubaidy “has to go.”

In response, Al-Zubaidy said he has no other motive but making the university sustainable for decades to come.

UTT recorded a deficit of $33 million in November 2017 while its reserves currently stand at $2 million. UTT usually gets a monthly subvention of $16.7 million, however, for the past three months, they only received $10 million for each month.

As the NLCB’s Play Whe International Soca Monarch competition heats up, Jerome Precilla also known as “Rome” will be performing in first place at the semifinals to take place at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain tomorrow.

Contacted yesterday Precilla said, “It is more exciting than nervous to be in the first place. I get to set the pace so the other guys will have to keep up.”

He added it was the first time he had qualified for the semifinals.

The draw took place at the the NLCB’s box office held at the Queen’s Park Oval yesterday. Sergio “Singer Boy” Camejo, who was initially selected as a semifinalist, opted not to compete resulting now in 34 artistes vying for a spot in the finals.

Carded to sing in second place is Sherwin Jeremiah known to his fans as M1 or Menace and Marvin “Swappi” Davis will be performing in third place.

New comer to the Soca Monarch stage and youngest competitor Aaron Duncan, who would be singing in 11th place, said he was not daunted to come up against seasoned performers such as Dexter “Blaxx” Stewart and Dawg-E-Slaughter who would be singing in places 34 and 6 respectively.

“I feel very confident and I would be putting on my best show.

Kevon “Yankey Boy,” Asten Isaac and Rikki Jai would be singing their popular tune “Blue Soap” in 24th place.

The competition is being sponsored by Guardian Media Limited (GML).

This year’s cash prizes saw a reduction from $500,000 to $300,000 for the first prize and $300,000 to $200,000 for the second prize.

The finals would take place on February 9 (Fantastic Friday) at 8 pm.

The following is the order of appearance for the Soca Monarch semifinals

1 ROME D KEY/WHOLE SELF

2 M1 UPS AND DOWNS

3 SWAPPI BED

4 EDDIE CHARLES WET AND READY

5 SHRADAH LIT

6 DAWG E SLAUGHTER Aempmargin;DE TRIBUTE (JOOK & JOOK)/ EASE UP (FUH WA)

7 LFS MUSIC NO WEAPON

8 DEV IS JAM

9 FARMER NAPPY WIFEY

10 MARZ VILLE GIVE IT TO YA

11 AARON DUNCAN BETTER DAYS

12 OMARDATH MARAJ ME OR MEH MOTOR CAR

13 ORLANDO OCTAVE LOVE YOU SO

14 QUIN-C AH NEVER

15 CASSIE ;empmargin;DROWN DEM WITH SOCA/ PLAY MEH SELF

16 MIGHTY & SUBANCE mempmargin;BACK BEND REMIX/BAD IN BUM BUM

17 TRINIDAD GHOST BUBBLE N DIP

18 KERLZ DRIP

19 S.O. KING BAP BAP BAP

20 MARVAY ADRENALINE RUSH

21 HOLLYWOOD HP DRAMA

22 BANJELA Bempmargin;AH LOVE MEH ISLAND/BLAZE FIRE

23 AMBI AH SOCK IT AHREADY

24 ;empmargin;ASTEN ISSAC, YANKEY BOY, RIKKI JAI BLUE SOAP

25 FOLUKE DOH HOLD BACK

26 MARLON ASHER KEEP UP

27 MOTTO PARTY LIT

28 JADEL DOMINATE/ ROUND N ROUND

29 TURNER CHAMPIONS/SHE BAD

30 CHINGEE AT LAST

31 KRIS KENNEDY DEVOTION

32 5 STAR AKIL FEEL RIGHT

33 SLAMMER-CUTTER SHE HUSBAND MONEY

34 BLAXX HULK

Prison officials are being praised after their diligence stopped what they claim was an attempted jail break of a top priority prisoner on Monday morning.

According to prison officials, a group of police officers showed up at the Port- of- Spain State Prison armed with a warrant to take Rajaee Ali to the Arima Magistrates’ Court for an ongoing matter where he is charged with possession of a lappe’s carcass, outside of the hunting season in 2014.

Ali is currently in prison for allegedly murdering special prosecutor Dana Seetahal SC and conspiracy to murder radio personality Kevaughn Savory.

In 2007 Ali escaped from the Maximum Security Prison, Arouca. Sources said there is a TT$6million reward for anyone who could free Ali.

Following the illegal removal of Vicky Boodram from prison last year, using what appeared to be legitimate court documents, prison officers have been vigilant.

Constable LeVon Sylvester, along with Special Reserve Woman Police Lisa Navarro, were jointly charged with dishonestly and fraudulently aiding and procuring Boodram’s unlawful release from the Golden Grove Women’s’ Prison, Arouca.

The two officers were also charged with misbehaviour in office by uttering a forged court note, namely 1503 of 2012, in the matter of PC Edwards versus Vicky Boodram, facilitating her unlawful release on November 27.

Sources said Ali is scheduled to appear in court next week and when the officers showed up to take him to court, a red flag was raised. The officers at the prison contacted their seniors who ordered them not to release Ali in care of the police. The officers left empty handed.

The incident was reported to an Assistant Commissioner of Prisons and not the police the T&T Guardian was told, for fear of a cover-up.

Prison sources added that their suspicion of an illegality is not enough to take to the police and have chalked the incident up to diligent work of the warrant officers attached to the prison.

Yesterday, in a direct response to the attempted jail break, prison officers cordoned off parts of Frederick Street and searched the prison.

Other arms of the security services were called in for assistance, including the police. When the T&T Guardian called Prisons Commissioner Gerard Wilson yesterday he denied that the search was in relation to the attempted jail break but was a “routine search” at the prison.

When contacted, general secretary of the Prison Officers Association Gerard Gordon said the officers should be commended.

He added that in the age of technological advancements, a sheet of paper should not be all that is needed to remove an inmate from the prison. He added that there should be some electronic tracking of prisoners that is accessible to the courts, police and prisons and that the documents be traceable and not “ any old sheet of paper”.

Following a deadly jailbreak in 2015, Ali claimed in a signed statement that he told the Port-of-Spain prison supervisor, acting Superintendent of Prisons Wilbert Lovell that he knew something “dangerous and foolish” was being planned.

In that incident Ali, it is alleged, was supposed to have been part of the escape. It was reported that 15 minutes after his warning, prisoners Allan ‘Scanny’ Martin, Hassan Atwell, and Christopher ‘Monster’ Selby, shot their way out of the Port-of-Spain prison. Atwell and Martin were killed by criminals and police respectively shortly after their escape. Selby, who was awaiting trial for murder surrendered to police and is facing a second murder charge for the death of Sherman Maynard, 27 who was killed during the escape.

Fifty five years after it was formed by legendary calypsonian Lord Kitchener, the Kalypso Revue tent is set to close due to financial constraints.

The announcement was made by the tent’s head Michael “Sugar Aloes” Osuna during a press conference at its traditional home at SWWTU Hall on Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain, yesterday afternoon.

Osuna explained the show was affected by a number of factors including meagre corporate sponsorship, small audiences and a reduction in Government funding.

Osuna said that the tent required $500,000 in Government funding by tomorrow in order to revive the show for the remainder of the Carnival season as it was already making losses, two weeks after opening.

Last week, the tent was offered $100,000 from the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts.

Osuna said: “This situation puts me in quicksand because the more I wiggle the more I sink. If I can’t pay the first salary I would not want to owe four. That will be a very embarrassing situation.”

The closure is expected to affect 65 calypsonians, backup singers, musicians and other support staff, who were all in its employ for the Carnival season.

Osuna repeatedly referred to a similar situation involving the Chutney Soca Monarch competition and its private organiser Southex Event Management.

Earlier this month, the company threatened to cancel the competition after it was offered $300,000 in sponsorship from the National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB).

The show was put back on after Finance Minister Colm Imbert admitted that there was an error as it was due to receive $1 million.

“I know that we are in a deficit where the budget is concerned, but I feel if you could find $1.5 million for chutney, you could give Revue $500,000,” he said.

He went on: “This seems to be the beginning of the end. I think it is very unfair to us.”

Asked if the comparison between the tent and Chutney Soca and International Soca Monarch competitions was unfair as the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (Tuco’) Calypso Monarch competition is also State-funded, Osuna said no.

“I have to because they are also private enterprises and they are well cushioned where sponsors are concerned. Revue hardly has sponsors,” Osuna said.

He also said that his tent operates across T&T for over four weeks, while both competitions take place over two nights (semifinals and finals).

Reigning Calypso Monarch Dr Hollis “Chalkdust” Liverpool also called upon Government to intervene in the situation.

Liverpool said: “The calypso tent has done a lot for T&T not just corn soup but for nurturing calypsonians and developing their art. You cannot let the calypso tent die. The calypso monarch could die that is all right.”

Lord Kitchener’s former manager Errol Peru suggested that his former associate would be disappointed by the tent’s closure over half a century after it was founded as Kitchener’s Revue.

“When he was awarded the honorary doctorate from the University of T&T (UTT), I believed that he could now rest in peace. Today he is again turning in his grave,” Peru said.

Minister Responds

Contacted yesterday evening, Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said that the figure offered by her ministry was what was approved by Cabinet.

“The Government, which has already allocated more than $7 million to calypso in 2018 against falling revenues, is doing its best to preserve the art-form and traditions. We must all do our part,” she said.

The figure offered represents two thirds of what it (Kalypso Revue) received last year, as with all other competitions that receive Government funding.

Gadsby-Dolly, who visited the tent last weekend, said she was disappointed by the small audience.

“What disturbs me the most is that this tent, a staple on the Carnival landscape, with such a proud legacy, is not attracting significant patronage,” she said.

Gadsby-Dolly also suggested that additional funding was not sustainable.

“Even if the Government was to underwrite the entire cost of production, it would not solve this more fundamental problem.

“This may be a signal to all tents that a change in modus operandi is required to improve their brand and attract more corporate sponsorship,” Gadsby-Dolly said.

January is usually one of the bloodiest months for the year and with 48 murders already recorded, 2018 seems to heading in the same direction.

For the same month last year there were 52 murders while in 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013 the Police Service recorded 49, 30, 48 and 38 murders respectively.

Criminologist Dr Randy Seepersad believes that the economic hardships in the period between Christmas and Carnival may be responsible for the high crime rate in the month of January.

Seepersad, in an interview said, “People spend more than they should during the December month so they feel the pinch by January. Economic deprivation creates frustration in people. Crimes are more violent nowadays and robberies can lead to homicides.”

Saying there is anger and a sense of hopelessness among people, Seepersad said research shows this contributes to crime.

“We have found in the research that once people have that type of frustration, it generally tends to translate into higher rates of violent crimes. Carnival may also be a factor in January being the bloodiest month. To play mas is expensive and January is smack in the middle of two periods where there is high expenditure. People will go to any lengths to get extra cash,” Seepersad added.

He said job instability and uncertainty among people was creating pressures that has led to criminal behaviour.

However president of the Penal/Debe Chamber of Industry Rampersad Sieuraj said poverty and joblessness were excuses for criminals.

He said even though the economy was stagnant, people were inclined to commit crimes because there were no repercussions. “When the head of the fish is rotten, the rest of the fish is rotten. There is too much corruption at the top and this is what is causing crime,” Sieuraj said. He added that people had lost faith in politicians who use race to divide the society, triggering crime and chaos.

T&T’s lowest crime period- 1995- 2000

Twenty years ago when Basdeo Panday was Prime Minister, T&T had only 98 murders for the entire year, compared to 494 murders last year. It was the lowest murder statistic the country had ever seen in two decades and Panday believes motivation and accountability in the T&T Police Service went a long way in reducing crime.

Panday said under his tenure he recognized the importance of motivating police officers, giving them equipment to fight crime and holding managers to account. Even though times have changed now, Panday thinks the only way to solve crime is to get rid of waste, corruption and mismanagement. He also said the educational credentials of entry into the TTPS must be upgraded.

“When I became Minister of National Security I would call all heads of government every Friday morning to discuss ways and means of dealing with problems. I also held people to account. I became manager of all managers and we met regularly to discuss what the managers were doing and what they did not do. None of them wanted to be ashamed. It was a management technique,” Panday recalled.

He said the enforcement and implementation of the law was given priority and under his tenure capital punishment (death penalty) was enforced.

“There is no point in passing laws without enforcement. You also had to choose the best people for the job and the only way to stem corruption is to have management and enforcement of the law,” Panday said.

Former Attorney General Ramesh Maharaj said under his tenure intelligence machinery were put in place to detect crimes.

“This was backed up with international cooperation. We had major reforms in the Police Service and based on intelligence the right police officers were put in the right place. The death penalty was implemented and a case Management Unit was set up in the AG’s office where the TTPS was being monitored by the Ministry of National Security,” Maharaj said.

Saying criminals were prosecuted and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions was well staffed, Maharaj said all of these programmes deteriorated from 2000 to now.

“The witness protection programme has become non existent and different forces, squads and units have changed. There is no effective machinery to take profit out of crime by dealing with the profits made by criminals. There is no detection, no conviction and criminals believe they can do whatever they want,” Maharaj said.

He added that a crime plan is not needed. Instead Maharaj said experienced passionate and dedicated individuals must be involved to win the crime fight.

Independent Senator Stephen Creese has caution against levelling accusations in the fake oil scandal at State- owned Petrotrin involving lease operator A and V oil and Gas.

Speaking on an Opposition motion in the Senate calling for the suspension of the lease operator’s contract pending an investigation Creese said, “We have to be careful we do not try people on the streets and here in the Parliament.”

Creese added, “Due course and due process must be followed.” But he said, “It is the business of the courts to try people for criminal offences.”

Creese said he had decided to participate in the debate “because it is not our role and we should not lend support to that wicked national pastime of trying people in the media, the press, the rum shop the street corner before the courts do.”

Creese said, “We have to be very careful always to give each other the benefit of the doubt and to allow due process to take its course, wherever that goes and however long it takes. It is peoples reputation and family and so on whose good name and comfort zone you are interfering with when you support an atmosphere in which rumours and allegations abound and people are not allowed a fair opportunity as is their right.”

The Independent Senator said he had noted what the chairman of Petrotrin was saying “in terms of how the company is proceeding and it is better to be a day slow than to destroy people the process.”

He was of the view that the DPP to whom the matter has been referred “has the authority to pursue matters, in which case from whatever he may glean publicly he may proceed and thereby subvert any other process that a company or whoever may engage in.”

He urged senators to “refrain from whipping up public hysteria, today is me tomorrow it could be you,” he said.

Creese also spoke to the Opposition criticism of the Prime Minister’s admission that he called the owner of A and V Oil and Gas when the scandal first broke.

He said, “Are we going to challenge our PM because a contractor somewhere is a friend or relative. We have to give people in all fairness the benefit of the doubt that when they operating publicly they operating within the four walls of their office until something else is established.”

The motion was defeated after 18 Government and Independent Senators voted against it, six Opposition Senators voted in favour while four other Independent Senators abstained.

“There is no crisis at Costaatt.”

So said Education Minister Anthony Garcia as he answered questions in the Senate yesterday in relation to recent media reports that plans are afoot by the University of T&T (UTT) to send home 287 of its workers by month’s end and if Government intended to retrench staff at the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of T&T (Costaatt) as it contracts its operation.

“The UTT is not about to retrench workers in the next few days. Discussions are ongoing with the OWTU… the workers representative union and UTT under my direction. And until we have completed negotiations and discussions no decision will be taken,” Garcia said in response to a question by Senator Wade Mark who asked whether Government intended to lay off UTT workers in the coming days.

As to when these discussions will conclude, Garcia could not say.

“I would like to inform this House that I have asked for a meeting of both parties next Wednesday,” Garcia said, referring to the OWTU and UTT’s officials.

In view of Costaatt contracting its operations in 2018, Mark asked Garcia if they intended to send any of its workers home.

“Costaatt has no intention of retrenching any workers in terms of the proposed contraction of operations for fiscal 2018.”

Garcia said such contractions can be expected in an economy that is experiencing a downturn.

“There is no crisis at Costaatt. The college will issue a media release shortly to address the issues relating to retrenchment of employees currently circulating in the public domain,” Garcia said.

The Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (Tuco) which has received an allocation of $6.5 million for Carnival 2018 has to repay a $4.2 million loan.

This was revealed by Culture Minister Nyan Gadsby-Dolly in response to a question raised yesterday by Opposition Senator Wade Mark in the Senate as to when Tuco will receive its subventions for Carnival.

Gadbsy-Dolly explained that Tuco was asked in late 2017 to submit their budget.

“However, Tuco has an outstanding loan which was taken against their 2018 subvention. And in the budget they presented…they presented no plan that took into account repayment of this loan to the NCC who has been forced to honour the loan.”

Gasby-Dolly said the NCC chairman wrote two letters dated January 5 and 11, 2018 asking Tuco for its urgent resubmission of its budget “given the fact that the competition (Calypso Monarch) is imminent and the indebtedness of the NCC must be taken into account when their budget is presented,” stating that the loan was taken against the subvention.

The minister said the matter had not been resolved at the moment.

She said Tuco received on November 7, 2017, two cheques totalling $200,000.

On December 21, 2017 the organisation collected an additional $400,000, while on January 19, 2018 they were paid $200,000 “all for recurrent expenditure as well as competition-related expenses.”

Gadsby-Dolly said while discussions are ongoing, Tuco has been receiving funding to assist with the implementation of upcoming Carnival events.

Asked when the Government would complete the payment of the remaining sum of $5.7 million to Tuco, Gadsby-Dolly said the balance of the allocation has to take into account the repayment of the significant loan that was negotiated by Tuco against this year’s subventions.

“As soon as Tuco is able to comply with the regulation that they must submit a budget that takes into account their repayment they would be able to supply their invoices as expected. However, that has not stopped them from getting disbursement of money.”

Mark asked the minister what was the quantum of the loan granted to Tuco.

“The amount of the loan taken against the $6.5 million 2018 subvention is approximately $4.2 million,” Gasby-Dolly said refusing to name the company from which the loan was sourced.

President of Tuco Lutalo Masimba said he was surprised that Tuco’s business had made its way into the public domain, stating that some of the information raised in the Senate was inaccurate.

Masimba denied that the 2018 Calypso Monarch was in jeopardy and they were still finalising a first prize for the coveted title, insisting that the organisation had been communicating with the NCC.

As for the loan which was approved by NCC, Masimba said it was taken “somewhere in 2016” so they would not be dependent on the Government.

Asked when the loan will be repaid, Masimba said Tuco has already discussed the matter with the NCC board.

“I don’t know why this would come up in the public arena,” he added.

YOUNG KINGS RESULTS

Place Song
1 Mark Eastman (De Ladies Man) Fantasy Island
2 Addelon Braveboy (Banjela) Trinbago Unite
3 Aaron Duncan One Nation
4 Heaven Charles (Snakey) A Tribute to Austin Lyons (SuperBlue)
5 Sheldon Nuggett Oh La Trinity
6 Nyol Manswell One Eye Monster
7 Marvin Lewis (Mr King) Not on My Watch
8 Dillion Thomas (Dilly Suede) Through the yes of a Prison Officer
9 Derrick Seales Pappy
10 Johann Duncan (Slasher) Chant For Freedom

A third attempt by the police to evict illegal occupants from the Housing Development Corporation’s (HDC) Clifton Towers proved unsuccessful yesterday as the people returned within mere minutes after the police left.

Legal tenants said the HDC now has to implement a “permanent strategy,” “to really get them out.”

At about 6.30 am six police vehicles arrived at the compound.Police officers went to the fifth floor of Tower 3 and the Sixth floor of Tower 4 where they removed the illegal tenants.

However, people illegally occupying the washroom areas of the four Towers and its ground floors were left alone.Shortly before 8 am, just after the team of officers left the area, the illegal tenants were seen moving back with their personal belongings.

Legal tenants said they are absolutely fed up and are calling on the HDC to implement a 24/7 police and army post.

They claim that illegal activities are being conducted by the illegal tenants and said their lives and the lives of their children are under threat on a daily basis.

On November 16 and 23, 2017, two attempts were made to remove the illegal tenants, but they too returned shortly after the police and soldiers left.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, during an address to the nation on November 24 2017, said some homeowners were being chased out of their homes while others faced house invasion by people who had no respect for law and order at Clifton Towers.

A HDC official said they would not give up the fight in removing the illegal tenants from all their compounds, including at its Clifton Towers. The official, however, did not want to comment further on the situation.

The Member of Parliament for Port-of-Spain South, Marlene McDonald, has expressed concern about the number of Venezuelans in the country but the acting Chief Immigration Officer says from the official number less Venezuelans came into the country through official ports of entry last year when compared to 2016 but admitted that she can only “surmise,” that people are “smuggled” into the country.

McDonald told the Joint Select Committee of Parliament on Foreign Affairs that her constituency included Woodbrook and St James and she had noticed over the last year “an influx of Venezuelans in every nook and cranny, restaurants and other places. I have also been reliably informed they are very prominent in the Chaguanas area.”

But acting Chief Immigration Officer Charmaine Gandhi-Andrews told the JSC that while “we are seeing large numbers, the official statistics show there is a decrease in the numbers arriving at the official ports of entry.

Gandhi-Andrews said the official figures show that 39,209 Venezuelans entered this country in 2016 legally of those 725 or 1% of those seeking entry were rejected because they did not meet the criteria for entry.

In 2017 she said, 27,611 Venezuelan nationals came in to the country legally. Asked how many of them returned to Venezuela Ghandi-Andrews said of the 39,200 who came in 2016, 38,339 left in that year. If someone comes in December she said they are allowed to stay to February the following year. She gave no statistics for how many left in 2017.

But she said in the five year period “the average number of persons who over stayed in the country represents 3%, of the numbers who arrived legally. That is what the figures over a five year period would have shown us, just about 3%.”

Gandhi-Andrews said “granted there are persons who may be smuggled into T&T there is no way for the Immigration Division to know how many persons have been smuggled into the country given the geographic location.

“So I can only surmise that there may be people coming in illegally , being smuggled into the country and once we are alerted or once we pick up any of those individuals then due process will take place,” she said.

Acknowledging that there are “pockets of Venezuelans throughout the country including Tobago,” she cautioned, however, that “not because there is a presence of persons all over,” means that they are “breaking the law.”

Gandhi-Andrews said the immigration department does not have the resources to “go out and determine all of these individuals have over stayed their time in the country and try to find them, “No country has the resource to do so,” she said.

McDonald told Gandhi-Andrews that she was concerned “because of what I see on the ground outside there.

They in everything, at all the eating places, the nursing homes, small establishments, wherever, families lives, they are entering and I think some mechanism should be put in place to monitor.”

Renegades scored the highest points among Large Conventional Bands in the preliminary round of the National Panorama competition. Results released yesterday by Pan Trinbago show that the Charlotte Street band scored 264 and was two points ahead of Skiffle.

Phase II Pan Groove and Tropical Angel Harps each earned 261 points, while Desperadoes and Supernovas were also tied with 260 points. Defending champs Trinidad All Stars was next in the rankings with a score of 259 points.

Among the Medium Bands Pan Elders took top spot with 265 points followed by Sound Specialists and Power Stars tied with 258 points.

The top 14 bands in each category move on to the semin-finals, popularly known as Savannah Party, at the Queen’s Park Savannah on Sunday.

kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt

With cases of influenza expected to increase this Carnival season, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh says he is disheartened by an article written by University of the West Indies’ (UWI) Prof Stephan Gift that condemns influenza vaccination.

Asked to respond to the concerns raised by Gift, Dean and the Faculty of Engineering, that vaccines do not work well and could cause serious health risks, Deyalsingh dubbed it as fear-mongering.

Speaking to the media at the Rochard Road Health Centre in Barrackpore yesterday, Deyalsingh said that vaccinations had been proven worldwide to be effective.

He urged those against vaccination to research the situations in England, the United States and Australia, where people were dying because they could not get flu vaccines.

Citing a case from England that happened a few years ago, he said there was fear-mongering that the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccines caused autism.

Following a study, the doctor who made the claim was found to be lying about his research. But the fear that it caused led to an upsurge in cases of mumps, rubella and measles.

“We in Trinidad have 70,000 doses of flu vaccines available free of charge. It is because of this, we had no deaths due to seasonal flu last year. But I am so saddened that an intellectual can jump on the fear-mongering of vaccines to discourage people from getting their vaccines and we will be having a very robust response to Dr Gift,” Deyalsingh said.

Also responding to Gift’s article, the T&T Medical Association said it consulted with various stakeholders, including the Caribbean Public Health Agency; UWI’s Faculty of Medical Sciences and the Paediatric Society of T&T on the issue.

It said that cases of influenza are expected to intensify during and after the carnival season with the influx of tourists from countries where the virus is entering the seasonal peak of its circulation.

“It is well documented that vaccinations for influenza and other vaccine-preventable diseases are safe, well tolerated and effective in the vast majority of the population.

Vaccine adverse effects are rare and the article in question fails to quantify how improbable and infrequent these side effects are, focusing instead on the potential range of rare events.”

The TTMA warned that influenza contributes to significant morbidity and mortality, especially among children, the elderly, diabetics and immune-compromised persons.

“The old adage ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ holds water for approved immunisation programmes, inclusive of the influenza vaccine and data regarding the safety of these vaccination programmes are available from reputable sources, including the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).”

The TTMA said that the ministry’s vaccination policy targets vulnerable groups while the Expanded Programme on Immunisation collects data on adverse events, possibly attributable to vaccination.

It said that the current vaccine, GC-flu, has been purchased and distributed by the World Health Organisation since 2012, with no adverse issues or deaths attributed to its use in our population.

More than 400 persons are facing an uncertain future today after the Caribbean Nitrogen Company (CNC) was forced to close its’ doors yesterday.

In a release, CNC CEO Jerome Dookie confirmed the closure of their ammonia plant at the Point Lisas Industrial Estate.

He said the immediate shutdown was as a result of an action taken by the National Gas Company, “To cut off gas supply to the plant.”

He said, “We had no choice but to shut down the plant to ensure the well-being of our people and protect our investment.”

“Unfortunately, this action by NGC will negatively affect the future of our 110 loyal workers.”

Dookie estimated the move could also affect as many as 300 additional workers who were indirectly connected to the operations of the company.

Dookie added, “The situation is highly regrettable given that CNC has been in a dialogue with the National Gas Company for almost a year.”

He explained, “CNC had even accepted multiple interim extensions of our gas supply until yesterday (Tues) at a detrimental cost to itself.”

“These extensions were implemented to facilitate further discussions between CNC and NGC to agree on the terms of a long-term gas supply contract. The NGC has, however, been unresponsive to the many concessions CNC has made, and unrealistic as to the global forces affecting not only CNC’s exports but Trinidad’s exports of ammonia, which must compete in the international marketplace.”

“The NGC is unfortunately making Trinidad the world’s marginal producer of ammonia with its uneconomical pricing policies.”

Dookie also referred to the government’s intervention in the matter.

“We acknowledge the efforts of the Government to assist in the resolution of this matter and the key role that it plays in maintaining the stability and sustainability of this vital sector in the national interest.”

He said it was CNC’s sincere hope that government understand their wish to protect the interests of employees, partners, customers and shareholders.

Dookie concluded, “The company regrets the negative impact the shutdown will have on everyone involved,” but, “While we remain committed to solving all outstanding issues with the National Gas Company, we will also continue to explore all available options to protect our interests.”

In an immediate response, NGC advised that effective January 24, the Gas Sales Agreement between the two companies had expired.

Responding to questions via an unsigned release, officials said, “Regrettably and despite NGC’s best efforts, no agreement was reached with CNC on this matter.”

They went on to assure that, “NGC will continue to exert all reasonable efforts to try to secure a mutally-acceptable agreement.”

However, they stressed, “These efforts are predicated on the new reality of higher gas acquisition costs and the need for improved efficiencies across the value chain.”

Officials said NGC would continue to honour its obligations to all contracted customers and consistent with existing agreements.

Pointing out that all contract discussions were privileged and subject to the strictest confidentiality, officials declined to offer any further information.

They concluded that both the government and the NGC were mandated to act in the best commercial and interests of the people of T&T, and that Tuesday’s action was consistent with their mandate.

Contacted on the issue, Energy Chamber CEO Dax Driver reserved comment while calls to OWTU president general Ancel Roget went unanswered.