A 17-year-old was among three men, who were killed during a shootout with police in Diego Martin, yesterday.

According to reports, shortly after midday, Western Division police received a report that a group of men in a silver Nissan B15 were on their way to commit an armed robbery.

Within minutes, officers of the Western Division Task Force (WDTF) intercepted the vehicle at Broome Street, La Puerta, Diego Marin.

One of the occupants reportedly pointed a firearm towards police and there was an exchange of gunfire.

All three of the suspects were shot several times. None of the police officers was injured.

Two of the suspects died on the scene, while the third was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital for treatment.

He remained warded under police guard before he succumbed to his injuries while being treated.

The suspects were identified by police as 17-year-old Kirk Stewart, of La Puerta, Joshima Oxley, 24, of Bagatelle and Akile McGilvery, of Four Roads, Diego Martin.

Autopsies will be performed on their bodies at the Forensic Science Centre in St James today.

Crime scene investigators recovered a Mac 10 sub-machine gun and two pistols in the suspects’ vehicle.

The weapons will be taken for ballistic testing to determine if they were used in recent murders or shootings.

The trio is the first to be killed by police in the execution of their duties for the year.

As with all incidents involving police officers using deadly force, a senior First Division officer from another division will be appointed to investigate the fatal shooting.

Officers of the Port-of-Spain Task Force had to be rescued by their colleagues on Wednesday night after coming under heavy gunfire at Picton Road in Laventille.

A video which recorded the sound of the shooting at Dan Kelly, Laventille is was shared on social media and forms part of the police investigation into the incident.

Senior officers said officers of the Port-of-Spain Task Force was on patrol and were “pinned down under heavy gunfire.”

Officers called for assistance and officers of the Inter-Agency Task Force responded.

In the video, the rapid exchange of gunfire could be heard in the dead of night. Some of the explosion came from high-powered weapons, police said.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Radcliffe Boxhill said yesterday that the matter was “a serious situation and we have to take appropriate action.”

“When the police go out there in some places there is a proliferation of firearms. This action took place in a residential area and we have to be mindful as to how we respond,” he said.

Boxhill said the TTPS intends for their response to be measured with whoever was responsible.

“We will be looking seriously at it. I got the report this morning and action will be taken. No officers were injured in that situation,” he said.

TTPS Public Information Officer Cpl Michael Jackman said the source of the video was under investigation.

After almost seven years of work and expenditure of $7 million of taxpayers’ money on the search for a Police Commissioner, the country will have to wait further as Parliament yesterday announced a Special Select Committee will now probe how the Police Service Commission arrived at their selection of acting DCP Deodat Dulalchan for the post.Local firm KPMG, who assisted in the process, will also face a probe by the body. The committee will obtain evidence, additional information and documentation regarding the criteria, methods, considerations and the processes used in the selection of candidates for police commissioner and deputy police commissioner. It is expected to deliver a report by March 31.Members of the committee include Fitzgerald Hinds, Terrence Deyalsingh, Ganga Singh, Roodlal Moonilal and Nicole Olivierre.Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s call for the probe was immediately supported by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar in Parliament yesterday, as both agreed the issue had raised more questions than answers.In addressing the House, Rowley said the troubling information in the public domain about Dulalchan had made it critical that the process be reviewed.

“It is with great disappointment that we have to acknowledge that we are not in a position to conclude this process to the satisfaction of the wider national community,” Rowley said.

He said problems the Police Service currently faced were a lack of confidence in the service and an absence of trust between the service and the population “It was our anticipation that with the coming of a police commissioner that these two impediments would have been addressed in some small measure to begin to build a need-to-know in T&T and to restore into our community, a Police Service whose leadership is beyond reproach,” the PM said.“Without answers to the question that have been raised is for the House to proceed without appropriate information as required for the House to act appropriately and for that trust to be based on a foundation that all is well in the state of T&T.”

He said the selection process had come “through a number of hoops, a number of hurdles, in a time where the streets of T&T are killing fields and the Police Service is in dire need of revolutionary leadership.”Saying Government had been waiting for an opportunity to “close the matter” for quite some time, Rowley said it was with a “certain amount of expectation and anticipation” that the public receives some answers.“If there is any development that indicates the dysfunctionality in certain aspects of the Government, this particular matter highlights such dysfunctionality,” he said.He said when he was Opposition leader he deemed the selection process unacceptable and recommended change.On becoming PM, Rowley said the first thing he discovered with the process was that there “appeared to be nobody really responsible for it.”“As you tried to push the stone up the hill monumental exchanges appeared...it wasn’t the Prime Minister’s Office, it wasn’t the DPA (Director of Personal Administration), it wasn’t the commission...the end result was that the process took a very long time to get to where we are today,” Rowley said.“In the mean time we had a situation of acting appointments and a lot has been said about that, but it had the effect of contributing to the under performance of the Police Service.”

He said it was not in dispute that the agency of the State responsible for policing the State was the Police Service, adding every citizen had an interest in the effective functioning of the service.Rowley said like the man in the street, he as PM became aware of the troubled selection process via the media, as he got no inside information about the process.“The process is closed and it appeared for the first time before me today (yesterday),” Rowley added.The last time there was a full time police commissioner was in 2012 when Canadian Dwayne Gibbs was at the helm. Since then Stephen Williams has been acting in the post.

The Regulated Industries Commission will be consulting with members of the public in late April or early May on a proposed rate increase for the T&T Electricity Commission (T&TEC) and by the end of July or early August will hold public consultations on recommended increases for the Water and Sewerage Authority.

And although there is no guarantee that the recommended increases will be implemented those with the authority to implement the recommended increases are being urged to consider the current economic challenges before asking citizens to pay more for the utilities.

The issue of rate increases for the two public utilities came into focus yesterday when officials of the Regulated Industries Commission (RIC) appeared before the Local Authorities, Service Commissions and Statutory Authorities of Parliament yesterday to discuss the RIC’s efficiency and effectiveness.

Part of the mandate of the RIC is to recommend rate increases for WASA and T&TEC, but it also has the authority to monitor the providers of water and electricity to ensure there are efficiency and reliability of supply to consumers and that those charged with the provision of those services operate within set quality standards.

RIC chairperson Hyacinth Guy said the process for rate increases started in September last year and the Commission is on target for the time-frame set for determination which is June for T&TEC and August/September for WASA.

While members of the parliamentary committee, chaired by Independent Senator Ian Roach, expressed concern that implementing any such rate increase in the current economic circumstances will affect the most vulnerable citizens, executive director of the RIC Dr James Lee Young said the last rate increase for WASA was in 1993, that is 25 years ago.

In that time, he said, inflation had grown and so too had the utility’s customer base which now stands at over 400,000 consumers.

Lee Young said it was “unacceptable” that there had been no rate increase for more than two decades, saying “we should be doing rate reviews every five years to keep current, but that has not happened.”

The end result, he said, is that WASA has suffered revenue shortfalls.

On the other hand, he said, the last T&TEC rate review was in 2006 which he said: “put them in a relatively good place to finance activities and pay its way.”

Asked by Roach why there was no rate increase for WASA for such a long time, Lee Young said that in 2012 the RIC “attempted to put forward a rate review” and did the technical work in-house for T&TEC and WASA, but he said “the proposal was put to the board at the time and not carried forward.”

He could not say why since he only joined the RIC in August last year.

Asked how soon after the rates are determined they will be actualised, Lee Young said actual implementation is up to Corporation Sole and the Government. In 2006, he said, the RIC recommended increases for T&TEC in June or July but the increases for consumers were implemented two years later.

The Public Service Association (PSA)’s leadership election has been postponed for the second time in less than three months.

The postponement of the election, which was carded for February 19, came yesterday as High Court Judge Nadia Kangaloo ruled that there were irregularities in the voter’s list compiled by the association’s elections committee in October, last year.

Kangaloo ruled that the committee would be unable to rectify the errors on the list and publish it before the proposed election date.

“The publication of a list prior to an election on February 19, with the myriad of issues would be impossible,” Kangaloo said.

As part of her decision, Kangaloo ordered the committee to correct the list before March 2, and report back to her four days later. A new date for the election can be set once the new list is approved.

In their lawsuit, one of the slates challenging the elections, Team Fixers, contended that the list of voters was fundamentally flawed owing to a decision taken by the union’s general council on October 5, to allow PSA members with union dues arrears to be allowed to vote if they cleared their arrears before the election.

Almost 300 members reportedly made use of the allowance. The PSA has approximately 14,000 members.

The elections were initially scheduled for November 27 but were postponed after the slate was granted an injunction pending the determination of the lawsuit.

She also ordered that the union’s election committee pay the applicant’s legal costs amounting to $82,500.

In an interview after the judgment, head of Team Fixers, Solomon Gabriel said the outcome vindicated his team’s decision to mount a legal challenge.

“It is a victory not only for the PSA Fixers but for all PSA members. Our union is in shambles. I always keep saying we don’t have a union,” Gabriel said as he called on incumbent president Watson Duke to immediately resign.

The slate was represented by Raisa Caesar and Reshma Ramsingh, while John Heath and Lionel Luckhoo represented the PSA.

Responding to the ruling, Duke said he was also pleased.

“The ruling was fair and balanced. The judge did what she had to do and I am satisfied with it.,” Duke said.

Questioned over Kangaloo’s criticism over meetings of the conference of delegates and the failure to provide audited financial records, Duke said her comments were “minor points” in the case.

Duke, who is seeking a third four-year term in the elections, also rejected calls for his resignation.

The Trinidadian captain of the Galleon Adventurer, the barge which sank in the waters off Grenada in the early hours of Thursday, is still missing despite searches by both the Grenada and local Coast Guard officers.

The Galleon Adventurer was on its way to Grenada with a supply of concrete slabs when it ran into problems. There were six Trinidadians on board, five crew members and the captain.

The first hint that the vessel was in distress was received by the T&T Coast Guard, which is the rescue co-ordinating Centre for the Caribbean. On receipt of the distress call, the TTCG immediately contacted the Grenada Coast Guard which then sent out a broadcast for vessels in the area to assist.

Coast Guard officials told the T&T Guardian that the first vessel to arrive was the Elizabeth 2, whose crew members rescued five of the six Trinidadians on board the Galleon Adventurer. The men were taken to the Grenada Coast Guard base by another vessel.

However, the captain of the vessel went to retrieve some documents from the sinking ship and has not been seen since.

An official of the Grenada Coast Guard told the T&T Guardian that the Galleon Adventurer, was transporting concrete slabs to Carriacou, but because the seas were “extremely rough, the slabs shifted.”

He said the Adventurer started “taking in water and the small pump was not pumping the water fast enough,” and the vessel started going down.

Lt Sherron Manswell, of the local Coast Guard, who told the Guardian that “we did go up to Grenada today to see if we could recover the vessel or the captain, but without success.” The searches, he said, are “ongoing.”

Manswell said the five Trinidadian nationals who were rescued were interviewed by immigration authorities in Grenada yesterday and he was awaiting word on their return.

The Trinidad and Tobago Inter-Island Transport Service reported on Thursday that the cargo ship Cabo Star had gone off route after leaving the Port of Scarborough on way to Port-of-Spain when it received the distress call and veered off course to Grenada to assist in the search and rescue mission involving the Galleon Adventurer.

But a Coast Guard official told the T&T Guardian the Cabo Star did not assist in the search and rescue.

The Cabo Star, with about 100 passengers, eventually docked in Port-of-Spain just after 3 pm on Thursday and made a return trip to Tobago on Thursday night and sailed again on yesterday.

Sogren Trace in Laventille will have a $4.5 m community swimming pool by the end of the year. Laventille West MP Fitzgerald Hinds says the development of the new Laventille Community Swimming Pool was a “gift to the people of Laventille”.

Hinds was speaking yesterday at the sod-turning for Laventille Community Swimming Pool facility which was hosted by the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs and Housing and Urban Development in conjunction with Udecott at Sogren Trace.

Hinds spoke at the event on behalf of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley who could not attend due to urgent matters.

“We are pleased to demonstrate our love, concern and governmental focus. It is well-deserved gift to the people of Laventile and long-awaited.”

“The swimming facility will provide an opportunity for elders among us to come bathe, enjoy themselves, remain fit, and be healthy and alive,” he said.

Hinds said Laventille was not a “perfect” place with crime and violence. Sogren Trace has been the scene of several murders in the past. The MP said people of the community were afraid “because of ignorant boys with guns and we are trying to address it.”

Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Darryl Smith said he spoke with the Ambassadors of Chile and Cuba who were interested in teaching aquatics in the country.

Port-of-Spain mayor Joel Martinez said it was a “significant project” that would be used as a tool for the use of the burgesses and the community. “I believe sporting-based activities are agents of change,” he said.

Housing Minister Randall Mitchell said the pool will be completed in eight months and would help develop community relations.

Police were up to last night still searching for the relative who brutally attacked Tobago kindergarten teacher Kayla Marie Solomon-Caine with a hammer, dealing her several fatal blows yesterday morning.

The man attacked Solomon-Caine, 24, of Lowlands, in front her two daughters and mere metres away from the Dorothy Moses Nursery School in Lambeau where she worked. Parents who had just dropped off their children also witnessed the attack, while the little students inside heard the last distressed screams of their teacher.

Police believe a domestic dispute led to her killing.

According to reports, around 8.20 am yesterday, Solomon-Caine and her daughters were just leaving her home, which is one house away from the school, when she was confronted by the man. The man, armed with a hammer, accosted her and dealt her several blows to her head and chest before running away. Solomon-Caine died at the scene.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian hours after the attack, Dorothy Moses Nursery School board member Jerry Ali said it was very sad and heart breaking. He said Solomon-Cane was well loved by her students, adding some of them would have heard the screams during the violent attack and were traumatised by it. However, he said the necessary counselling would be given to both parents and children.

“It is sad that we continue to be faced with situations like these...,” Ali said.

“The children would have heard some screaming and the persons who would have gotten some level of what was happening were parents who were dropping off children. Those parents were really traumatised, one parent couldn’t even drive, they had to send a driver for her, so they would have witnessed to some extent what transpired. We called the TRHA via Ms.Ali and they have agreed to send counsellors immediately to counsel children and parents.”

Classes were suspended yesterday and are scheduled to resume next Wednesday, with counselling sessions scheduled to be held on Monday for students, parents and staff.

Senior Supt Joanne Archie said the exact cause of the attack was still unknown to them.

“My information is that she was staying at the home of a friend on the street here at the said house where the incident occurred. We have not received any further information from any other relatives. The information we have received so far is from the friend whose home she was staying at and persons who would have seen a man leaving the scene,” Archie said.

“The incident would have occurred in the yard at the foot of the stairs, however we are still conducting investigations to determine really what would have been the cause of the dispute...it is my information that there had been a report made by her, we are still to check that report to see whether or whom that report was made against.”

Staff from the Division of Education’s Student Support Services and officers from the Community Policing Unit visited the school to lend technical support.

District Medical Officer Dr. Okali ordered the body removed to the Scarborough General Hospital mortuary and an autopsy is scheduled to be performed soon.

The Tobago Homicide Bureau is continuing investigations into the island’s second homicide.

This was the second incident in which a woman was killed in close proximity to their workplace in an apparent domestic dispute. In July last year, Romelda King was chopped to death by her husband Hilton King in view of her co-workers near her job site at Congo Hill Trace, Moriah. Hours later, police discovered Hilton King a house a short distance away frothing from the mouth.

The police constable accused of stealing three firearm holsters and two bulletproof vests from the Couva Police Station has been granted $50,000 bail.

Marlon Baptiste, 22, who has one year service, appeared before Couva Magistrate Suimongal Ramsaran charged with three larceny offences yesterday. He pleaded not guilty to stealing the holsters, but he was not asked to plead to two charges of stealing the bulletproof vests. The charges alleged he stole the items belonging to the service between December 2016 and January.

Baptiste was arrested on January 29 after Princes Town CID officers stopped a Mazda pick-up with three occupants along Ramlal Trace, Barrackpore. It is alleged that Baptiste was in possession of the two bulletproof vests, each valued at $5,000, which went missing from the station in 2016 and 2018. It is alleged that during a subsequent search of Baptiste’s Penal home the police found three holsters, valued at $675, with the markings ‘Couva TTPS’ on them. The holsters were discovered missing during an inventory check at the station last month.

The two other occupants were released after the police found nothing illegal at their homes.

Baptiste, who was on probation at the time of his arrest, was charged by Insp Rudolph Bhagwandeen on Thursday. He was subsequently granted bail by a justice of the peace at the station.

Noting that Baptiste was granted $20,000 bail each on two of the charges and $10,000 on the third charge, the magistrate yesterday requested to see the bailer to inquire his financial status and whether he had met the bail requirements. Ramsaran also requested that the matter be dealt with expeditiously given the nature of the charges.

Prosecutor Sgt Lincoln Bonnett said the file had to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a state attorney to be appointed. Saying he would not entertain the matter staying before his court for three or four years, Ramsaran said the DPP should treat the matter with importance. Rejecting a request for the exhibits to be returned to the police, the magistrate said if the police need these items “then we in a bad way.”

The manhunt continues for a Diego Martin man who was engaged in a sex act with a child in the Diego Martin community.

Officers of the Cybercrime Unit investigated the video after it was released. The video was initially believed to have originated in Jamaica, but it was later discovered to be local after a relative saw the video and made a report to officers at the Four Roads Police Station.

However, there are also now conflicting reports from the child and her relatives about the incident. The child claims to have not been involved in any sex act, although her grandmother claims she was when she took her to the police. The child’s mother meanwhile claims the person who was identified by the grandparent to the police is not the man in the video.

The T&T Police Service immediately issued a media release on Thursday strongly urging members of the public to desist from posting pornographic material involving children or sharing it on social media. The Children’s Authority also said the public public should send all videos regarding child protection concerns to their email at registry@ttchildren.org or info@ttchildren.org or a report can be made to our hotlines at 996 or 800-2014. 

Investigators from the Children’s Authority and the Child Protection Unit are continuing the probe into the physical abuse of a 16-year-old Tabaquite boy.

Police say charges of negligence and wounding will be laid pending the completion of investigations. Since the boy was taken from the abusive house on Thursday, investigators have taken preliminary statements from a couple who lives there. They also plan to interview neighbours, including Faith Ramcharan, who intervened after seeing the boy being beaten on numerous occasions. On the last occasion, the boy was slashed on his forearm with a knife. However, police said despite the accusations no charges have yet been laid.

“We cannot lay any charges without first getting a detailed statement from the boy. Based on that we will determine if charges can be laid. Most likely, we expect charges of wounding and negligence could be laid.”

Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar says the country must be assured that there was no compromise in the selection of DCP Deodat Dulalchan as police commissioner.

Dulalchan’s nomination has been viewed with much scepticism after allegations of land grabbing and a purported relationship with a member of the Police Service Commission surfaced in the media.

Acting Deputy Police Commissioner Harold Phillip was also selected to fill the vacancy of top cop.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday, moments after she supported Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s call to appoint a Special Select Committee to probe the selection process, Persad-Bissessar said she hoped the body would clarify the selection process.

She agreed with Rowley that the post of police commissioner was too high an office holder in the country to have so many troubling issues with the selection process unanswered.

“It raises questions whether persons applied for the post or did not apply for the post. Did that really happen and if it did was it lawful? There are issues concerning the quorum...they are saying that three people is not a quorum,” Persad-Bissessar said.

She said there may also be different interpretations of the Constitution regarding a quorum.

The Opposition Leader said it was imperative the process regarding any nomination for the posts of police commissioner and deputy commissioner be transparent and methods used must be fair and to preclude any tainting or interference.

“That is what the law provides and that is why the select committee is so vital, because there has been all kinds of allegations in the public domain ... there are allegations about many of us in the Parliament which are totally false ... there are allegations coming about high offices, low offices,” Persad-Bissessar said.

She added that if there was any tainting on the process there would be no trust in the process, urging that the facts be established.

It was only last week that Persad-Bissessar declined an invitation by the PM to discuss the parliamentary appointment of a police commissioner.

Persad-Bissessar had said then that the present constitutional arrangements do not allow the Government or the Opposition to compel the Police Service Commission to disclose the details of the process which was engaged in selecting the proposed nominees. She said meaningful dialogue could only occur if there was full disclosure to both Government and Opposition of the details of the process employed by the commission in selecting the proposed nominees. To achieve this, Persad-Bissessar suggested the President be approached to have the Police Service Commission make full disclosure.

The HIV/Aids awarenes unit at the Ministry of the People and Social development has become non-functional. Former minister of the people and social development Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh said many departments at the ministry were being closed. “At a time of Carnival, I understand the whole HIV awareness department is gone. This is a department that would have created programmes, awareness at this time for people to be safe at Carnival time. Many department are being closed surreptitiously in an attempt to get rid of any social support that is available.”

Ramadharsingh said the HIV awareness programme would have targeted areas of the population with the aim of ensuring that nationals avoid activities that would endanger their health. Ramadharsingh said as chairman of the Siparia Regional Corporation, he has an outreach programme that is being stifled by a lack of funding from Government. However, he said the issue of HIV/Aids will be tackled by the SRC using the medium of Facebook.

"Having worked in manufacturing for 47+ years, the present industrial relations laws are the greatest cause of indiscipline and low productivity in Trinidad. Once a worker gets a job, he/she falls in line with the culture, that means that once one is confirmed, it's almost impossible to get fired, so one does as little as possible at one's workplace.

"Constant absenteeism is also part of this culture. One has to have an aggressive well-managed Human Resource department constantly writing warning letters, which for small and medium firms can be a financial burden.

"Why is it that the same worker that is unproductive in Trinidad, once working in the US is a completely different person? My view is that the laws and culture in that country create a completely different work ethic. Basically, behaviour tolerated in Trinidad will cause the employee to be fired instantly if practised in the US.

"In my view therefore, Trinidad needs, for a start, to reform its industrial legislation (like what Emmanuel Macron is trying to do in France ) if it is to encourage people to invest and expand. There is a lot more that needs to be done, but that’s a first step.

"We need to remember Lee Kuan Yew’s comments in 1975 describing the Caribbean (but probably referring to Trinidad) as having a carnival mentality. We are very productive when it comes to partying. In fact, the development of Singapore from a poor backwater after the second world war, to one of the most developed nations in the world, is directly a result of his government model.

"Can we adopt his policies here? I doubt it. People are not prepared to sacrifice and there are serious cultural people differences that make it impossible.

"The IMF will help solve the problem when it does intervene, but they are an arm of Washington and the G7 group with no real interest in an equitable development policy.Two of my best friends from LSE (London School of Economics and Political Science), both senior economists, used to work there and in talking with them over the years, I was able to form my opinions as to the true aims of that organization.

"Finally, the medicine we need is like the old Buckley’s cough mixture ad—It tastes awful… but it works."

With crime increasing rapidly in T&T, citizens have had to adopt additional security measures such as alarm systems, surveillance cameras, access control, guard dogs and neighbourhood watch programmes.

The RealSpring Neighbourhood Association (RNA) in Valsayn, have implemented the use of new technologies in an effort to boost the effectiveness of combating crime in their area. Residents now have electronic eyes watching from above in the neighbourhood.

Aaron Gilbert, one of the street captains of RNA, has introduced the use of a high-end Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) or drone to offer the ability to take high quality 20 megapixel aerial photographs of subjects of interest. This may be an unprecedented use of a drone for crime surveillance by a neighbourhood watch group in the country.

Some of the drone's capabilities include capture stunning 4K video surveillance footage with optional night vision sensory, the ability to track a target for up to four kilometres or 3.10686 miles, the ability to respond to a distress call within ten minutes of receiving location.

Gilbert's UAV is registered with the T&T Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA) and follows its guidelines whenever flying anywhere within the country.

He uses this state of the art equipment to monitor the neighbourhood for any unusual/suspicious activity and alerts residents via the association's group chat.

“Yes RNA, there is an angel looking out for you,” Gilbert said.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles have been around since the 1900s with advancements within the last few decades, all resulting in the ease of mobility and capability of these craft.

The association is proud to be the pioneers of the introduction of this innovative community monitoring and response solution.

Real Spring resident Dr Varma Deyalsingh said "The RNA is the first neighbourhood association which has an 'eye in the sky' for aerial security like former prime minister Patrick Manning's blimp.

"If a neighbour reports a suspicious event, Gilbert can track from the safety of the sky, the drone can follow a bandit, take pictures of car numbers and record a crime if happening.

"We had a meeting on January 21 discussing issues such as flooding and security. If this catches on it is a safe way in our efforts against crime, as a drone is a silent way to monitor from a distance."

He said Gilbert also offered this service free of charge to the association, as the area was a small community of 170 houses.

A San Juan schoolboy became a social media sensation yesterday after advising other young people to choose making "honest money" instead of selling drugs and breaking into people's homes to make a living.

The video, which is just under three minutes long, was filmed outside the popular Uncle Beddoes supermarket in San Juan, where the young man who identifies himself as Ajay Aberdeen was selling peppers.

In the video, Aberdeen said that he grows the peppers himself.

"Good morning, my name is Ajay Aberdeen, I have my own pepper garden and what inspired me to start to sell peppers is that it have youths today who on the block selling ganja which is illegal, and it has those who want to break into houses and distress people. I not on that, I want honest money so I came out here to sell peppers."

Aberdeen said he got the idea to start his garden from his uncle who is also a farmer.

Aberdeen, who attends San Juan North Secondary School, said he placed first in Auto Mechanic. He then talks about other subjects he is doing, including his difficulties in Technical Drawing.

"When you want money, get hard-working and honest money, stay in school. Stay in school and look for honest money," Aberdeen said.

Aberdeen wants to be a professional technician with his own garage when he gets older.

Within hours of the video being post on Facebook, it had been shared more than 14,000 times with over 7, 500 reacting positively to it.

Many applauded Aberdeen for being an inspiration.

"Disgraceful, mischievous and prejudicial".

That is how Terrance Beddoe, president of Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) yesterday described a statement by Works Minister Rohan Sinanan that the injunction granted by the High Court stopping road work near the Aripo Savannas is costing the State $1 million a day.

Beddoe said FFOS filed its claim on September 29, 2017, when no contract had been awarded to KALLCO.

"Common sense and financial prudence demanded that the Government not rush to engage KALLCO whilst the case was pending, but instead show some respect for law and order and the legitimate concerns which FFOS have raised about this imminent environmental massacre," Beddoe said.

Beddoe questioned whether Sinanan knew he would be putting taxpayers money at risk by allowing the Government to contract KALLCO to start works in case the court granted an injunction?

"FFOS supports road connectivity and is not in any way opposed to national developmental providing it does not violate the sanctity and protection of the Environmentally Sensitive Species and Area Rules, does not defy the National Environment Policy (NEP) and is in compliance with the Environment Management (EM)Ac," Beddoe stated.

Beddoe also said "Minister Sinanan needs to be reminded that FFOS is not a 'one man show', and has been recognised by the Privy Council as a "non-profit organisation, concerned with the protection of the environment in Trinidad and Tobago” and with "an impressive record of some ten years of giving advice, guidance and assistance to the national community”.

"FFOS is apolitical and is not influenced by ethnic, family, gender, creed, class or corporate bias. FFOS continues to be an unencumbered advocate for voiceless communities."

Mentally challenged people are being allowed to stay in the prisons because they are being refused by the mental institution.

This was disclosed by Commissioner of Prisons Gerard Wilson, who welcomed the initiative—“Mental Health First Response Leadership and Coaching" sponsored by the British High Commission (BHC) in T&T.

According to Wilson, it allowed 16 prison officers assigned to the Prisons’ Infirmary to undergo the special training, which was geared towards providing training in an effort to expand and improve support for both prisoners and staff.

In an interview, Wilson said the training session was well attended by officers from the rank of PO1 to supervisor.

“It would give the officers the competency to deal with mental health issues amongst inmates,” Wilson said.

“Mentally challenged people are allowed to remain in the prisons as the mental institutions do not like to keep them, so training is needed otherwise it would have confrontation.”

The commissioner recalled an incident where an officer had a confrontation with a mentally ill prisoner, who collapsed and died. He said that the officer was subsequently charged for murder. “Mental health is not just about sanity but also wellness. Mental health is important and this training could not have come in a better time.”

The training of trainers (ToT) programme was facilitated through the non-profit organisation CreateBetterMinds, established under the guidance of The UWI Professor of Psychiatry, Prof Gerard Hutchinson, as a mental health and disability organisation, functioning at many levels.

The five-day programme, which took place from January 29 to February 2, is internationally accredited by the ILM (City and Guilds Group business) in the UK.

Reigning Soca Monarch Aaron "Voice" St Louis ignited a fire of love which resonated through Skinner Park yesterday, sending the crowd into a frenzy during his performance at the Calypso Fiesta in San Fernando.

Dressed in a black suit, St Louis, accompanied by a choir of back-up singers as well as dancers, performed for the first time at the calypso monarch semifinals, but his song "Year For Love" was definitely a crowd favourite. He started off his performance with a man speaking on a podium calling on citizens to take back the country from criminals and corrupt individuals. He was one of 40 contestants hoping to be among 15 people to qualify for the finals at the Dimanche Gras on Sunday. Although there was a smaller crowd than last year, the contestants did not fail to deliver great performances singing about corruption, crime and other social ills.

And unlike previous years when artistes were assaulted with toilet paper and boos for anti-People's National Movement (PNM) songs, calypsonian Winston "Cro Cro" Rawlins' rendition was greeted with cheers and applause. Dressed in all blue, Rawlins' rendition "Belated", was lapped up by patrons who were waving and even singing the lyrics which criticises Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and other ministers for not answering his calls after he supported them.

Even accused fraudster Vicky Boodram's daring escape from prison made its way onto the stage.

Calypsonian Maria Bhola left the crowd in stitches with her performance "Let Her Go", which was based on Boodram's escape. Dressed in a male police uniform, Bhola sang about her love for Boodram which was rejected because Boodram only loved "ship".

Devon Seales, another favourite, kicked off the competition at 12.50 pm with his rendition "Not Red or Yellow" under overcast conditions. Armed with their umbrellas, the crowd did not disperse during a heavy downpour around 2.30 pm and many were seen sitting and swaying in the rain.

Delivering a passionate performance, former calypso monarch Karene Asche, in her rendition "Song of Inspiration", was hopeful that her song would bring a tidal wave of peace. Also delivering an enjoyable performance was Helon Francis with his song "Change", while Terry Lyons, in her song "Unnatural causes", bemoaned that people are no longer dying of natural causes, but through violence.

During the first half intermission, guest artiste Nailah Blackman kept the crowd entertained and hyped up the crowd for the second half line-up of artistes, which included Singing Sandra, Winston "The Original de Fosto" Scarborough, Kurt Allen and Brian London. The successful candidates will compete against reigning 2017 Calypso Monarch Dr Hollis "Chalkdust" Liverpool, who has won the title nine times.

Police have launched a manhunt for a prisoner who escaped after he broke a hole in a wall at the La Brea Police Station on Friday.

The 25-year-old man, of La Brea, made his daring escape around 1 pm, shortly after he was arrested in connection with outstanding warrants, firearm and robbery related offences. The man who had not yet been processed was put in a cell at the station. Police said he broke a toilet in the cell and used a piece of iron to break a hole in the wall. Police went in search of him, but he could not be found.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, a 21-year-old Mt Lambert man was arrested for possession of drugs. He escaped from police custody and also remains at large.