Another delay in the departure of the Galleons Passage from China as there has been a delay in the vessel getting the release from customs to proceed on its journey to Hong Kong.

The development confirmed by the National Infrastructure Development Company (Nidco) contradicted an update on the vessel which was posted on Twitter on Tuesday by Finance Minister Colm Imbert.

Imbert stated then that the vessel had left the port at Nansha, in the Guandong province and had entered Hong Kong waters just after 4 pm local time on Tuesday.

Checks on various tracking sites yesterday confirmed that the vessel was still moored in Nansha.

The T&T Guardian sent questions to Imbert seeking clarity but got no response. The same questions were sent to NIDCO which subsequently issued a brief statement saying that the Galleons Passage had a “slight delay” in clearing customs in China and that it will continue its transit to Hong Kong today.

Last Friday, Nidco had estimated the arrival date of the vessel in T&T waters as April 28.

According to Nidco statement yesterday, the vessel departed the shipyard in Nansha, China on February 27 as planned en route to Hong Kong but was required to make a stop for the final release from customs, but there was a “slight delay.” There was no explanation as to what caused the delay

Imbert said Chinese New Year celebrations delayed the processing of the necessary permits needed to facilitate the journey. After leaving Hong Kong, the vessel will travel to Honolulu, Hawaii and then to the Panama Canal. The journey is expected to take two months. There is only one ferry, the T&T Express, currently servicing the Tobago route. On the Carnival weekend, that vessel had to be pulled off the route because of insurance issues and rough seas. Ferry passengers were accommodated on the State-owned Caribbean Airlines at no additional cost.

A second ferry, the T&T Spirit, which has been on dry dock undergoing repairs since June, last year, is not yet ready to return.

The one-year contract for the cargo vessel, the MV Cabo Star, at a daily rate of US$22,000, ends in July.

US$.4m to upgrade new ferry

In other developments, taxpayers will spend close to US$400,000 (TT$2.7m) to install more toilets, seating upgrade and a covering for the sundeck on the Galleons Passage before it takes up service on the seabridge.

The cost of the upgrades was confirmed by Imbert during an interview on i95.5fm yesterday.

Imbert dismissed claims by Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar that the boat, purchased at a cost of US$17.4 million (estimated TT$120m), had no toilets.

He said that the vessel had three decks and “although there are several toilets throughout the boat, the sundeck did not have toilets on it,” as a result, he said, after looking at the vessel the Government “took a decision to install toilets on the sundeck.”

Imbert said the vessel was designed with a sundeck because “in the part of the world where the vessel was to operate there are passengers who like to sun themselves.”

The vessel had been ordered to be used by a Venezuelan company but because of the economic and social upheaval in that country, the contract was terminated. Imbert said, T&T moved in on the opportunity and was able to secure the vessel at a cheaper rate.

Having discussed what was needed to enhance the boat, he said, “a decision was made to fully cover it because it was partially covered and to replace the outdoor seating with bucket type seats and so on.” A decision was also taken to install male and female toilets on the sundeck.

The work which is required will be done at the Damen Shipyard in Santiago, Cuba. The work is expected to take ten days. Imbert said that the items required “are currently being fabricated,” at the Cuban shipyard “and will be installed there,” before the vessel arrives in T&T by the end of April.

The Galleons Passage has a seating capacity of 700 and currently, 600 of those seats are on the other two decks—which are air-conditioned. When the work was completed in Cuba, the 100 seats on the sundeck, Imbert said, would also be in an enclosed area and the seating would be enhanced.

While he admitted that the additional work could have been done locally, Imbert said that “the seller has a relationship with this shipyard in Cuba, which is the Damen Shipyard. So since they have a responsibility for doing some of the upgrades, they are sending the vessel to Cuba and we decided to take the opportunity while it is there,” to do everything there because there was “no point in doing double work.”

Imbert estimated that the cost for the installation of the cover on the sundeck, installation of the male and female toilets and improving the seating accommodation was between US$350,000 and US$400,000.”

There is also the additional cost of US$800,000 to fund the journey from China to T&T.

ABOUT DAMEN SHIPYARD

Damen is a Dutch shipbuilding firm from which this country purchased 12 vessels for the T&T Coast Guard in May 2015. Its Caribbean base is Santiago, Cuba.
The four coastal patrol vessels—two utility vessels and six interceptors—were to enhance this the country’s maritime security, were acquired at a cost of TT$1.358 billion.

Police said Roger “Bongo” Harrikissoon, who was gunned down hours after being released from prison on Tuesday, was involved in the drug trade and had links to Venezuela.

Under the guise of being a fisherman, police said they had information that Harrikissoon, 47, who was killed alongside his accomplice, Ronnie Gittens, 27, would smuggle drugs into the country via several fishing vessels he owned, especially at Embacadere, San Fernando, where he lived.

While police said they had Harrikissoon under investigation they were never able to gather sufficient evidence to catch him in the act.

Harrikissoon was granted bail at the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court on Monday for possession of 400 grammes of marijuana along the beach at Embacadere back in January and was granted bail.

After securing bail and being released from the Remand Yard Prison in Arouca on Tuesday, he along with Gittens went to Penal. Around 5 pm, police said the men were seated in a Nissan Tiida sedan which was parked along Bajnath Street, off Latchoos Road, in an area known as Dogpatch.

Eyewitnesses reported that another car drove next to the Tiida where Harrikissoon and Bongo were seated and the occupants unleashed a hail of gunfire.

A former police officer, who confessed to soliciting $2,500 in bribes from a woman to forgo pressing charges related to a motor vehicle accident in 2004, has been sentenced to two years in prison.

In passing the sentence on Anthony Wilson in the Port-of-Spain High Court yesterday, Justice Gillian Lucky rejected submissions from his lawyer who asked for him to receive a non-custodial sentence based on his clean criminal record before he was charged with two corruption charges.

“As a police officer, you violated and harmed persons you were expected to protect and serve. You must face consequences for your actions,” the judge said.

While she admitted that Wilson had received positive testimonials from his neighbours and citizens, whose cases he assisted in solving during his career, Lucky noted that the court has a zero-tolerance approach to corruption cases.

“This was a very unfortunate misstep in your career which may have erased all the good you may have done,” Lucky said as she noted that such incidents negatively affect the public’s trust and confidence in police officers.

“Far too often there are complaints about police officers abusing their powers...You have let yourself, the T&T Police Service (TTPS), and most of all your country down,” Lucky said.

Lucky determined that a five-year prison sentence was appropriate in the case but reduced it to three years and four months after she applied a one-third discount awarded to prisoners who plead guilty to crimes and avoid a trial.

Wilson was given an additional one year and four months discount on his sentence based on the fact that he did not re-offend while he was awaiting trial for over a decade. The sentences for both charges are to run concurrently.

According to the evidence in the case, the charges were based on a series of interactions Wilson had with the victim after she was involved in an accident in May 2004. The victim was then a teacher at ASJA Girls’ College in Tunapuna.

Wilson approached the victim for a bribe after she made a report of the accident to him after she was discharged from the hospital.

He told her that he had found that she was liable for the accident and other party was willing to drop the case against her if she paid them $2,000. Wilson volunteered to be an intermediary.

The victim initially ignored the request but reported it to detectives of the Anti-Corruption Bureau after Wilson repeatedly visited her workplace to follow-up on the requested payment.

He was arrested during a sting operation at the school where the teacher gave him a downpayment of $500 in marked bills. Wilson was slapped with two corruption charges—one for soliciting the bribe and the other for when he received the downpayment.

Lucky criticised Wilson for his actions as she described his unrelenting pursuit of the victim as stalking.

Wilson was represented by Ulric Skerritt, while Giselle Heller-Ferguson prosecuted.

The State has agreed to pay a little over $400,000 in compensation to eight men from east Port-of-Spain, who were detained under the Anti-Gang legislation during the 2011 State of Emergency (SoE).

On Tuesday, State attorneys settled out-of-court the malicious prosecution and false imprisonment lawsuits filed by Akiel Sherwood, Kerwin Isaac, Kadeem and Richard Weekes, Jules Eligon, Derek Miller, Ronald Cobham and David Williams.

The orders were approved by High Court Judge Frank Seepersad.

Under the agreement, each man is expected to receive either $41,054.69 or $65,447.91, based on the length of time they were remanded into custody before their cases were withdrawn by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) because of insufficient evidence.

As part of the agreement, the men’s attorney agreed to withdraw their claims for malicious prosecution.

The State is expected to make more payouts over the next month as similar consent orders are expected to be done for six other men on March 27.

During the SoE, which lasted from September to December 2011, hundreds of suspected gang leaders and members were rounded up by police and charged under the controversial Anti-Gang Act. All were eventually freed by the DPP’s Office because there was no evidence submitted by the police to support their detention.

Most filed lawsuits after their release as the legislation denied them bail for 120 days.

The legislation eventually expired in 2013 due to its two-year sunset clause.

Parliament is currently deadlocked over the reintroduction of the legislation, with Government opposing the Opposition’s demand that a sunset clause be inserted once again.

The legislation requires a two-thirds majority.

Despite being adamant that the Government does not associate with criminals when he fired Marlene McDonald as a minister last July, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says everyone, including McDonald, deserves a second chance.

“In her last outing there was some lack of judgement and we all deserve to get a second chance,” Rowley said during as tour of Bamboo Village, Cedros, as he defended his decision to bring her back into his Cabinet a third time. (See Page A4)

“I think she understands that a prime minister has to do what a prime minister has to do. I think Ms McDonald is a very good representative, she is experienced and she is hard working, and I am sure that she will do very well for her community and for the nation.”

He added, “She has been appointed to do a job and I think she can do a good job of it.”

The appointment was criticised across several sectors yesterday, but Rowley said there would always be those who disagree with Government’s decisions.

“We have 1.3 million people in this country and we’re likely to get one million views.”

He said once Government was reasonable with its decision making, he was confident the majority of “right thinking people” would support the decisions they make.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says all residents on the seaward side of Bamboo Village Extension, Cedros, near the site of a major coastal landslip, are in danger and will have to be evacuated.

During a visit to the disaster site yesterday, Rowley said the Government was taking steps to relocate them to vacant lots close by. He said in the interim, those who lost their homes in Monday’s landslide will be relocated to the Lake View Housing Development in Point Fortin.

Having studied geology at university, Rowley said the landslip was a phenomenon called mass movement, which is based on the rock type in the area, which in this case was mostly sand. He said the sea will naturally damage the bottom of the hill, causing the top to fall, but the current incident was exacerbated by the loose soil type in the region.

“People can’t be expecting to stay in those houses, because the thing about this kind of movement and this kind of geology is that the action can be very sudden.If they hang around there too long and this continues, they might not be so lucky,” Rowley said.

“These houses collapsed and we did not have any loss of life or limb so to avoid that possibility, we are going to have to evacuate that little strip there and I understand there are about eight families to be evacuated so we will take that on board.”

He said it also made no sense to attempt the restoration of the road as there was no longer a foundation and anything else built there would suffer the same fate as the crumbled homes.

But earlier yesterday, residents expressed disappointment at the lack of relief coming to them after two more homes were evacuated as earth movements continued around the landslide caused by major coastal erosion.

Pensioner Maude Parmel-Francis, who has lived in the village for the past 60 years, said tears filled her eyes when fire officers requested they evacuate.

“There are a few cracks on the posts and a little crack downstairs on the wall and as this thing come and happen now, they said it is undermining my house. I have moved out some things today and I’m going to stay by my daughter,” she said.

“I really took this thing on, I cried and I had to settle myself because it is better I am alive. I still thank God nothing happened to my neighbours when their houses just collapsed.

It is a good thing it happened in daylight because you don’t know when you are sleeping what can happen. It hurts, we grieve but we can’t do anything, that is the Lord’s work.”

Siparia Regional Corporation chairman Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh described as unfortunate having to inform the nation residents were still awaiting help with food and clothing. He said the corporation was already restricted by inadequate funding and did not have much money to purchase more hampers.

“We are calling on corporate Trinidad and Tobago to step in because the economic climate is tough. Things have been very harsh and brutal on this community...

“Can we get the corporate sector, the banks that declared all this profit, to assist these people? We are appealing to the national community,” Ramadharsingh said.

So far, the residents have received a food card for one month valued at $540.

Third time’s the charm?

It was a smiling Marlene McDonald who was sworn in as a Minister in Public Administration and Communication yesterday—her third ministerial posting in the Government’s term.

And Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley who has hired her as a minister twice before—and fired her as many times—was smiling right back, congratulating her after she took the oath of office at President’s House, St Ann’s. Both will be working very closely together from now.

Rowley has handled the Public Administration and Communication Ministry since substantive minister Maxie Cuffie fell ill last September. Consequently, the PM is now McDonald’s boss in that ministry.

Last night, McDonald, a People National Movement deputy leader, told T&T Guardian, “I’m eternally grateful and very happy! My work has just restarted. What was in the past is the past—I’ve crossed that bridge and moved on a long time now. It’s time to be future centred on issues.”

McDonald, who entered the Rowley Cabinet as Housing Minister in 2015, was removed in March 2016 pending Integrity Commission and police probes on certain allegations. She, however, created political history in 2017 when Rowley rehired her as a minister on June 30 and fired her again shortly after on July 1.

In the July dismissal, Rowley confirmed she was fired because of her decision to invite Cedric “Burkie” Burke (a constituent), who has been charged for being a gang member by police, to her swearing-in ceremony at President’s House. He also cited the discussions on this in several quarters of T&T. For her third appointment yesterday—almost two years from the March 2016 date when she was first dismissed—word of McDonald’s latest job came from the Office of the Prime Minister at 11.30 am. The OPM said Rowley had advised President Anthony Carmona to appoint McDonald as a Minister in the Ministry of Public Administration and Communications to assist the PM, who was continuing to hold on for Cuffie.

The statement added, “In making the appointment, the Prime Minister said ‘Ms McDonald can make a valuable contribution to the ministry and I am confident that she will meritoriously perform the duties required as a minister in the ministry.’”

“Ms McDonald, in accepting the appointment, pledged to dedicate herself to the business of the ministry and said she was committed and motivated to perform. Ms McDonald is an experienced parliamentarian and her contribution to the ministry is welcomed.”

At a brief swearing-in function a couple hours later, McDonald attended alone, a contrast to her last controversial swearing-in function. Apart from Rowley and President’s House officials, the only other guests were Public Administration and Communications Ministry officials.

Dressed in black, McDonald was congratulated by Carmona with a handshake after she took the oath. Rowley then shook her hand, smiling broadly. Neither McDonald nor Rowley took media questions after.

Marlene's Career

An attorney, Marlene McDonald is one of a handful of experienced people in the Dr Keith Rowley-led People’s National Movement administration. More than three quarter of the PNM MPs are Government “newbies.”

Those who’ve previously functioned at senior ministerial level (in the Patrick Manning PNM) are Rowley, Colm Imbert, Camille Robinson-Regis, Franklin Khan, Paula Gopee-Scoon and McDonald.

NOVEMBER 5, 2007: McDonald was first elected to Parliament as PNM’s Port-of-Spain South MP. Appointed Minister of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs.

2010-2015: Opposition PNM whip.

SEPTEMBER 7, 2015: Re-elected to Parliament.

SEPTEMBER 11, 2015: Appointed Minister of Housing and Urban Development.

MARCH 17, 2016: Removed from Cabinet following allegations of employing a close relative in her PoS South office and using the Housing Ministry to assist persons. Probes by the Integrity Commission and police on allegations also concerning the Calabar Foundation and other matters.The commission exonerated McDonald in December 2013 on the Calabar Foundation issue. In March 2015, the commission reopened investigation, citing new information.

JUNE 30 2017: Appointed Public Utilities Minister after being cleared on “substantial body of” Integrity matters. On October 25, 2016, the Integrity Commission wrote McDonald exonerating her on certain allegations. However, she remained the subject of commission investigation on an unknown matter.

JULY 1, 2017: Fired from the Public Utilities post four days after being appointed after alleged gang leader Cedric Burke attends her swearing-in ceremony at President’s House.

MARCH 1, 2018: Appointed Minister in Public Administration and Communications.

Let’s debate the Anti-Gang bill today.

This was essentially Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s response yesterday to Prime Minister Keith Rowley’s acceptance of the Opposition’s proposed two and a half year sunset clause for the bill.

Debate on the bill failed last December due to lack of Opposition support without a sunset clause. But Government and Opposition have been talking recently on the crucial legislation which seeks to increase police powers to deal with gang-related offenders.

Following talks two weeks ago, the Opposition agreed to support waiving Parliamentary regulations which bar a failed bill from being debated for six months after failure. The UNC’s waiver allows for debate earlier than June.

Rowley at a media briefing at Piarco on Wednesday night after his return from a Caricom meeting in Haiti was told of the Opposition’s new position. He accepted the Opposition’s proposal for a two and a half year sunset clause.

Subsequently, the Opposition Leader issued a statement yesterday saying: “In all of the circumstances, including Government’s insistence on the importance of the law proposed in the Anti-Gang Bill in fighting crime, I call upon government to move post haste to bring the amended Bill containing the agreed provisions and, have same taken through all its stages and passed at the next sitting of Parliament (today) and, thereafter at the next sitting of the Senate on Tuesday”.

Attorney General Faris Al Rawi also commented on the latest position yesterday saying now that there is agreement on the sunset clause the Anti-Gang Bill will be brought back to Parliament “as soon as possible,” but he said there are some procedures relating to the waiving of the Standing Orders which must be addressed before it returns.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian following yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Al Rawi said the country is “anxious” to get it done and government remains “resolute” in its commitment that the proposed legislation becomes law.

Criminologist Professor Ramesh Deosaran is urging that the proposed legislation “be handled as expeditiously as possible,” now that the hurdle of the sunset clause has been crossed.

Deosaran said while there were issues of beefing up the “police intelligence so as to satisfy the requirements of the legislation,” which means there is need for “effective surveillance and the cooperation and support of citizens,” he believed that the legislation will provide “a deeper reach for the police to get into the gang culture, for example by merely having an association with a gang rather than waiting until the person actually commits a crime or criminal act.”

He said the question of trust and confidence in the Police is also critical, “so in some ways it is not only having the laws, but you must have a police service that is efficient, effective and enjoying public confidence.”

In 2011, during the State of Emergency, hundreds of people were arrested under the then anti-gang laws but were all released because there was no evidence to support their continued detention. Many of the people have won lawsuits over their illegal arrests.

As of December last year, the Attorney General reported there were just under 2,500 gang members whose activities were known to the police. Last year, the US State Department report on Crime and Safety said there were 100 gangs operating in this country.

If you plan on heading into the capital city today for work, business or pleasure expect a significant traffic disruption as one of the main arteries used by motorists, the Lady Young Road, in Morvant is unlikely to be reopened.

Engineers worked overnight to clear mounds of rock, trees and silt which posed a significant threat and are hoping to reopen at least one lane of the roadway today.

Alternative routes into and out of the city are the Eastern Main Road and the Beetham Highway.

Drivers can also take the scenic, but longer route, through Maraval and Santa Cruz.

Rocks began tumbling off the mountain on Wednesday, close to the lookout, and the roadway was closed shortly after 3 pm as workers cleared the site. The roadway was reopened around 10 pm on Tuesday but another rockslide took place at the same location shortly before 3 am yesterday.

Early risers who were affected sought alternative routes through St Francois Valley Road and Maryland Hill but reported that they were pounced on by bandits and police advised motorists to avoid those areas.

For most of yesterday traffic into and out of the city was moving at snail’s pace with many drivers complaining about the lack of traffic management by the police and other authorities. Some motorists opted to beat the jam by driving on the shoulder of the highway. Taxi drivers complained that they were unable to make their usual quota.

But Brent Batson, coordinator of the Road Safety Project of the T&T Police Service (TTPS) warned motorists to refrain from using the shoulders of the roadways or risk getting a ticket which carries a $1,000 fine.

Geotechnical engineer Dr Derek Gay, who was on site yesterday, said: “We need to get to the top of the mountain and remove the one third of the way up, we have to cut that out, we have to get an excavator, but we can’t get to the top because that is dangerous, we’ll have to cut our way across, go to the side, set up a bench and remove the overhanging debris.”

Gay said that is the part of the slope where water has infiltrated over time and washed away the sediments that kept the rock cohesive.

He said the overhanging rocks, which were almost at a vertical angle to the roadway, had to cleared before it fell naturally.

Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan last night promised that more police officers will be stationed along the access routes around the Lady Young Road, Morvant, in order to prevent a repeat of yesterday’s gridlock traffic.

He also said the traffic arrangements put in place, including the opening of the Priority Bus Route to light traffic from Morvant Junction to Abattoir Road, Port-of-Spain, would remain until further notice.

Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambhrat said the Forestry Division was also working to help alleviate the situation.

“During the wet season there were a number of rockslides particularly in the area between the Hilton Hotel and the lookout,” Rambharat said.

“We are also assisting with advice on forestry techniques to reduce erosion in some areas,” Rambharat said.

“The erosion requires a few solutions—removal of tree trunks which because of their weight cause slides in wet conditions; benching — which is like terracing to reduce slides; monitoring to take pre-emptive action when there is continuous rainfall,” he said.

RHONDOR DOWLAT
AND AKASH SAMAROO
 

North Eastern Division police officers will be cracking down on high absenteeism among primary and secondary school students in the Morvant district.

After hearing about the problem from a group of school social workers at a town meeting in the district on Thursday night, division head Supt Nazrudeen Pragg promised to deploy community police officers to visit schools and get lists of frequently absent students. He said the officers will visit the students’ homes to speak with their parents and guardians.

The issue was among several pertaining to the welfare of children and families in the community raised by residents and other stakeholders during the meeting at the Morvant Fire Station.

Natalie Robinson Arnold, speaking on behalf of social workers assigned to schools in the district, said absenteeism was approaching chronic proportions and there were also serious problems with habitual lateness and truancy.

“How can the police support us in enforcing the law?” she asked senior police officers presiding at the open forum.

Arnold further stated: “When absenteeism becomes the norm for students, that leads to them becoming dropouts and then getting involved in criminal activity.”

The gravity of the situation was later reinforced by community activist Akende Rudder, founder of the Traditional African Women’s Organisation (TAWO), who said she had been trying without success to establish partnerships with community police officers in the area for programmes to support single mothers and children.

Offering her own theory on the high levels of absenteeism, Rudder said: “Some children’s names are on lists of people to be shot. That is why they are not attending school.”

That statement drew gasps and murmurs from residents who had earlier heard from the social workers that the problem had been identified at the Morvant Laventille Secondary. In January a student of that school, Joshua Andrews, 15, was fatally shot by gunmen as he travelled home in a PH car.

Supt Pragg said it was the first time he was hearing about the problem. He promised police intervention, including teaming up with the social workers and other school personnel on an action plan.

Senior Supt Surendra Sagramsingh was asked to convene a meeting with Rudder and community police officials to identify areas of co-operation.

On another concern related to young people, resident Matthew Camejo asked whether there were any youth clubs in the area. Acting ASP Michael Sooker, head of operations in the division, identified two active clubs in Morvant and Laventille Extension and took the opportunity to introduce the officer in charge of the Morvant club. He also encouraged parents to enrol their children.

Thursday’s meeting, part of an ongoing series in the various police divisions, was attended by Laventille East/Morvant MP Adrian Leonce, Morvant councillor Franz “DeLamo” Lambkin, scores of residents and senior police officers, ACP Patsy Joseph, acting ASP Anthony Harford and Insp. Russell Maraj.

The Ministry of Education is encouraging employees to access the confidential psychological and support services available through its Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).

The programme is serviced by Elder Associates Limited and is available free-of-charge to all teachers and employees of the ministry—24 hours a day, seven days a week.

A statement from the Ministry of Education yesterday quoted Minister Anthony Garcia as saying: “People are crying out for help on a daily basis. We want our employees to know that help is available to them and their families. The EAP is meant to support employees in managing personal challenges in their life. The programme is strictly confidential and I want to give employees the assurance that your private business does not come back to us.”

Executive director of Elder Associates Limited Dr Patrica Elder said in addition to counselling services the organisation provides a range of other services which employees can access.

The statement quoted her as saying: “We provide workshops to equip persons with additional skills for managing life. Our services include stress management, financial management, parenting and critical incident stress debriefing where we come to you at the location of the incident to provide the necessary support.”

She added: “We also conduct supervisory training to help those with oversight of others to recognise certain behaviours and identify and refer persons for assessment and counselling.”

The ministry said in recent years it saw a decline in the use of the service and wanted to raise awareness among legacy and new employees that the service is operational and available.

All ministry employees including those at schools, district offices, head office can access the services of the EAP via phone at 622-6594 or at any of the following locations across the country:

• 30-32 Picton Street, Newtown

• 67 Battoo Boulevard, Battoo Lands, Marabella

• 43 Cane Farm Road, Tacarigua

• 13 Robinson Street, Scarborough

Marvel’s Black Panther movie has ignited a renewed sense of pride across the globe, as people of African descent are being portrayed as heroes and conquerors in a major film for the first time.

In T&T, it was even more special as one of the lead actors, Tobago-born Winston Duke, the protagonist in the movie, has become a role model to many young people.

Buoyed by the feel-good sentiments, T&T Guardian journalist Joel Julien was inspired to arrange a free viewing of the film for students of schools located in crime zones.

He shared the idea in a Facebook post two weeks ago and the response was overwhelming, with Guardian Media, bmobile and MovieTowne giving support to the project.

Yesterday 85 students from schools in East Port-of-Spain, Morvant and Laventille got to see the film.

“Two Sundays ago I had a dream to take students from secondary schools in the Morvant/ Laventille area to see the Black Panther movie. Today it was done. And I thank God for putting me in contact with some amazing people to get this done,” Julien posted on Facebook yesterday. He also shared a series of selfies with the students.

*Be sure to view CNC3 News report on this event on the television station’s mobile App.

Opposition MP Barry Padarath says Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has questions to answer on his reappointment of Port-of-Spain South MP Marlene McDonald to his Cabinet.

“We don’t expect this ‘reshuffle’ to change anything for the Government. More importantly, does the PM believe the population will so easily forget that he hired Ms McDonald twice and has had to fire her twice also? Can he say why he’s rehired her again?

“Has the Prime Minister been told that there are no Integrity or police matters against her any more? Will he make any findings public?”

Padarath noted that the PM, in firing McDonald last year, had signalled it was because of her closeness to people allegedly engaged in criminal conduct and that if his Government was to be able to respond to crime, it had to cut such affiliations. Padarath asked if the PM had changed his position since then.

“Is he willing to accept those affiliations in the context that the Government is so unpopular now it needs to do so?”

Political analyst Winsford James agreed Rowley needs to explain why he is intent on bringing McDonald back. Asking whether there was no one else suitable enough or showing ministerial potential to hold on in the absence of ill MP Maxie Cuffie, James said, “So these are questions for which we need answers and if we don’t get answers we are going to start speculating in very dangerous ways.”

He said the PM owed it to the public to fully explain why he was persisting with McDonald, he having taken the very “strong action” of dismissing her months ago because of her association with the underworld.

Another analyst, Dr Maukesh Basdeo, expressed similar sentiment, adding PM also failed to tell the country whether there had been closure and resolution to the issues which caused him to revoke McDonald’s appointments on the last two occasions.

He said the appointment also raised questions about Cuffie’s recovery, noting there were now issues about whether McDonald is “a caretaker coming in? What is happening with Cuffie? If he comes back will he be back in the Cabinet?”

He said it was interesting McDonald had been given a junior portfolio.

Property owners will be charged 10 per cent interest on property taxes which remain unpaid by March 15 annually, Finance Minister Colm Imbert indicated yesterday.

It’s among proposals to amend the Property Tax Act announced yesterday, as Imbert piloted this and amendments to the Valuation of Land Act in Parliament.

The Property Tax Act pertains to collection of the tax while the VOL Act involves mechanisms for value of land.

Before debate began, Opposition MP Ganga Singh unsuccessfully sought to halt debate on the bills, as he said the matter was in court under action filed last year by the United National Congress’ (UNC) Devant Maharaj. But Imbert said the mater wasn’t sub judice, since the issues in the amendments aren’t the same as Maharaj’s matter.

Imbert said the property tax is necessary, as T&T was experiencing financial challenges and had lost over $1 billion in the last nine years of the property tax waiver.

Property tax amendments mandate that the tax will be due payable by September 30 annually. Notice of unpaid taxes will be issued by March 15 annually. A 10 per cent interest fee will be incurred on taxes not paid by that date, Imbert added.

The Board of Inland Revenue can examine objections and decide if to increase or lower taxes. Refunds will be given if there are overpayments and the BIR will be mandated to make a refund within 60 days of an overpayment, he noted.

Imbert added that amendments will also close a loophole whereby some people have been paying tax on land and claiming the land.

Schools - including occupied tertiary institutes - charities and similar bodies will be exempt from the tax. Also exempt are elderly people unable to pay the tax. But if they die, the position of the people who inherit their property will be reviewed every two years to see if they’re entitled to a tax waiver. As an example of the tax, Imbert said a property whose rental is $3,000 monthly (with annual rental value of $36,000) will incur a property tax of $972 annually or $81 monthly.

Imbert said the VOL act used antiquated systems, caused much confusion and was “arbitrary” and there had never been complete valuation rolls in T&T. He cited different rates used for different parts of T&T. Imbert said once 50 per cent of properties in T&T are valued, the collection of the property tax will start.

Property owners - including those outside of T&T - will be notified by post of valuations. He said the VOL act had been silent on a basis for valuation for owners of town-houses, condominiums and multi-owner structures and they could have avoided paying property tax in the past. But he said amendments will ensure they pay in future. How they will be assessed and how tax will be collected will be done through the Property Tax amendments.

A new format for Valuation Return forms - allowing for more information and better due diligence - will be introduced. He said other forms lacked categories for commercial-industrial buildings. Penalty for failing to file returns will be increased from $500 to $5,000.

Owners will be allowed to file objections based on six areas, with a Valuation Tribunal before any court action. He said while he as Minister will appoint the tribunal, he cannot give them directions.

More burden on taxpayers - Rambachan

More burden on overtaxed population.

That was the view of United National Congress MP Suruj Rambachan on the two bills, which he said were very contentious. Rambachan predicted “a lot of reaction,” since he said Government hadn’t done a good job of educating the public on this.

Rambachan noted that Imbert said Government wanted to collect $503 million in property tax in 2017 compared with $71m collected in 2009. “That’s 700 per cent more in tax revenue. Where is that 700 per cent to be spread across, who’ll bear the burden?” he asked.

“Statistics show that 76 per cent of the population earns less than $6,000 monthly and if they have to pay $972 more in taxes - even paying $81 monthly - it’ll be a strain.”He added: “The cost of living and transport have gone up, people can’t get CDAP drugs and have to buy them. That $81 monthly is very important. People are paying higher health surcharges, personal income taxes, corporation taxes, Green Fund increases, tax at the gas pump, stamp duty, online tax - a plethora of taxes in T&T!”

Rambachan questioned how the interest on arrears of property tax would be handled. He said people already have to wait long periods for tax and VAT refunds.

“Let’s look at the other side of things and see how this is affecting the people!” he urged Government.

The police probe into the Calabar Foundation matter involving People’s National Movement Port-of-Spain South MP Marlene McDonald - newly-appointed Junior Minister in the Ministry of Public Administration and Communications - is still ongoing.

That confirmation came yesterday from head of corporate communication of the T&T Police Service Ellen Lewis. Lewis was contacted by Guardian Media about the probe yesterday. However, Lewis couldn’t say at what stage the inquiry is currently, or when police expect the investigation would conclude.

The probe was initiated in March 2016 after Fixin’ T&T’s Kirk Waithe formally requested a police investigation into the establishment and running of the Calabar Foundation, monies paid to that entity and its operations.

The Calabar matter has dogged McDonald since then, when Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley removed her from the Cabinet pending probes by the Integrity Commission and police on various alleged issues, including allegations about the foundation.

The Integrity Commission had exonerated McDonald in December 2013 on the Calabar Foundation issue, but reopened the matter in March 2015 citing receipt of new information. On October 25, 2016, the Integrity Commission had written to McDonald exonerating her on certain allegations. However, she remained the subject of a commission investigation on an unknown matter. Subsequently, in June 2017, Rowley appointed McDonald Public Utilities Minister after she was cleared on a “substantial body of “ integrity matters. But she was fired by the PM shortly after when community leader Cedric Burke attended her swearing-in ceremony at President’s House. Rowley distanced his Government from this.

Subsequent to McDonald’s dismissal then, the T&T Guardian learned that the commission had been asked the status of the “unknown” matter last August. There have been reports the matter was concluded, but a spokesman from the commission Registrar’s office said on Thursday that “all matters before the commission are confidential.”

The commission was contacted after Rowley appointed McDonald to a ministerial post for a third time on Thursday, to assist him in the ministry of the ill Maxie Cuffie, who suffered a stroke last year.

Contacted after McDonald’s latest appointment, Waithe said, “As fas we we’re aware, Ms McDonald remains subject of an active police probe.

“Clearly, Dr Rowley has seen the refurbished building for which Calabar Foundation hurriedly received $375,000 in 2010 from the ministry then headed by Ms McDonald. The PM must also have been provided irrefutable evidence of the assistance given to various youth organisations from the $200,000 again hurriedly received by Calabar Foundation in 2010 from that same ministry headed by her.”

Senior PNM officials last night dismissed Waithe’s claims. McDonald wasn’t available for comment on the continuing police probe.

New House seat for Marlene

Along with her new ministerial portfolio, Port-of-Spain South MP Marlene McDonald is no longer occupying the last seat on the Government’s backbench in the Parliament and has been “promoted” several seats up the row.

McDonald had occupied the last seat on Government’s backbench since March 2016, when she was removed by Rowley from the Housing Ministry.

When she was appointed to the Public Utilities Ministry by Rowley in June 2017, she was shifted up the Government backbench to the middle seat. But she was bounced back to the last seat again when she was fired by Rowley a few days after her Public Utilities appointment last year.

Now, once again a minister, McDonald has been given the middle seat on the PNM backbench - the same she used briefly as Public Utilities minister in June 2017.

As a result of yesterday’s change, other government backbenchers moved a seat down. Laventille East MP Adrian Leonce replaced McDonald on the last seat of Government’s backbench.

McDonald wasn’t on hand for the start of yesterday’s Parliament session. Officials said she’d been busy settling in for her first day at the Public Administration Ministry and might have tried to get to Parliament later.

Public Administration Minister Cuffie has been at the Walter Reed Hospital in Washington since last November undergoing rehabilitation. Yesterday, House Speaker Brigid Annisette George announced Cuffie had sought leave from Parliament for the month of March. Cuffie said two weeks ago he’d return home once his doctors approved his travel.

Former temporary Independent Senator Albert Sydney was released on $100,000 bail after appearing in court charged with two sexual offences against a 17-year-old girl yesterday.

Sydney, 43, of Diego Martin, appeared before Magistrate Adia Mohammed in the Port-of-Spain Seventh Magistrate’s Court charged with sexual assault and sexual penetration of the teen. He was not called upon to plead to the charges, which were laid indictably.

Members of the media were barred from the courtroom for his brief appearance, as only relatives are allowed inside for sexual offence cases because the victim’s name and personal details are sometimes mentioned.

The charges stem from an alleged incident at last Thursday. According to reports, the victim was staying with relatives who live in downstairs portion of an apartment complex. She allegedly went upstairs to borrow an onion from another tenant, when he allegedly attacked her. She later told relatives who took her to the Four Roads Police Station to report the attack.

As part of the conditions of his bail, Sydney, who was arrested by investigators yesterday morning, was ordered to refrain from contacting the victim via telephone or social media and from coming within 500 metres of her.

Sydney served as an Independent Senator between February to October 2012 and from June last year to January, this year.

Sydney was represented by Chase Pegus and will reappear in court on April 5.

A police corporal was arrested on Thursday during a sting operation at Maracas Bay.

The operation was conducted by Professional Standards Bureau officers who acted on information that the officer was going to meet with someone of interest to collect a $10,000 bribe.

The person of interest, police said, is a man who is well-known to them and has drug and firearm-related charges before the courts.

At about 6 pm, the police corporal reportedly went to the pick-up point near Uncle Sam’s bar. However, as he was handed the package containing the money he was nabbed by PSB officers. The police corporal was expected to be charged with misbehaviour in public office and appear before a Port-of-Spain magistrate.

Investigations are continuing.

Chief Justice Ivor Archie will have to wait until Tuesday to learn if the Law Association will be barred from continuing its investigation into allegation of misconduct levelled against him.

High Court Judge Nadia Kangaloo reserved her decision yesterday, as she said she needed time to consider the lengthy submissions presented by attorneys for Archie and the association in the Port-of-Spain High Court.

In his judicial review lawsuit and corresponding injunction application, Archie is contending the association does not have any power under the Legal Profession Act to investigate him, as such power lies in Section 137 of the Constitution. Under Section 137, the President appoints a tribunal after misconduct allegations against a CJ are referred by the Prime Minister. The tribunal, which includes a chairman and at least two other members, all with judicial experience in Commonwealth jurisdictions, will investigate and then make recommendations.

Presenting submissions on Archie’s behalf yesterday, Ian Benjamin claimed the association’s approach was misguided.

“Parliament gave you the power to look at lawyers not judges,” Benjamin said.

He also accused the association of being biased based on the no confidence motion it passed against Archie and members of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (JLSC), over their handling of the short-lived judicial appointment of former chief magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar in June last year.

“They have not been treating us fairly since,” Benjamin said.

He also claimed the investigation was unfair, as Archie was never provided with the association’s report on the allegations it is investigating when he was asked to respond.

In response, the association’s lawyer Christopher Hamel-Smith said the association was allowed to scrutinise Archie’s conduct like any other citizen.

“If we are unable to look up at judges and analyse their conduct, then we do not live in the democratic society we were promised in the Constitution,” Hamel-Smith said.

While he admitted Section 137 provided the only avenue to bring disciplinary proceedings against Archie, he noted that the association’s investigation was simply to determine if the allegations were sufficient to refer them to the Prime Minister to trigger the impeachment process.

“It is the responsible thing for the association to do what it can to ascertain the facts related to the allegations,” Hamel-Smith said, as he pointed out the association may conclude the allegations against Archie were without merit.

Archie sat to the side of his legal team throughout the hearing, was seen gesticulating at them whenever he felt they needed to clarify or emphasise a a point, or object to a statement made the association’s legal team.

Archie is also being represented by John Jeremie, SC, Kerwyn Garcia and Keith Scotland, while the association is also being represented by Jason Mootoo, Rishi Dass and Robin Otway.

ALLEGATIONS AGAINST ARCHIE

The controversy surrounding Archie arose late last year after a series of media reports which accused Archie of attempting to persuade the judges to change their State-provided security in favour of a private company in which his friend and convicted fraudster Dillian Johnson worked. Archie was also accused of attempting to fast track Housing Development Corporation (HDC) applications for persons. Archie only responded to the allegations once, where he denied discussing judges’ security but admitted to suggesting persons for HDC housing.

In November last year, Council of the Law Association called on Archie to respond to the allegations. But Archie has repeated refused the association’s request to directly respond to the allegations.

The association’s council has since appointed a sub-committee to investigate the allegations and sought the legal advice of two eminent Queen’s Counsel to determine if the allegations are sufficient to trigger impeachment proceedings under S137 of the Constitution.

Dr. Francis Alexis, QC, of Grenada and Eamon Courtenay, QC, of Belize, received the investigative report last week and are expected to deliver their advice, which would be relayed to the association’s membership at a special general meeting. In the event that Archie is refused an injunction, the meeting is expected to be held at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s, on March 15.

While the nation is currently focusing on the current coastal erosion disaster afflicting residents of Bamboo Village, Cedros, yet another community has been plagued by the same woes long before now.

Perched on a cliff above the Atlantic Ocean, the remnants of Paul Rattan’s house in Guayaguayare stand still. The windows are cracked and the back porch and gazebo, where Rattan’s children once played, have fallen into the sea.

For the first time since he abandoned the house a year ago, Rattan returned yesterday and he broke down in tears when he saw the state of his beloved home.

About 25 houses at Old Guayaguayare Road, Guayaguayare, are being ravaged by the encroaching sea and while geologists and environmentalists blame climate change, the residents say infrastructural development on the East Coast exacerbated coastal erosion. About 100 feet of the Old Guayaguayare Road has been claimed by the sea and during high tides, the ocean near Seawall washes into the residents’ homes.

Rattan, 73, a former Port Authority worker, said his dream was to build a house near the sea. His five children were born at the house and Rattan said all of his best memories were there.

“I don’t like to come back here. When I see what has happened it is very difficult,” Rattan said.

He explained that about 50 feet of land behind his home has already fallen away into the sea.

“I had orange trees planted here and a gazebo. The sea took everything. When the water started cutting away at the foundation, my wife and I had to leave and go to live with my son,” Rattan said.

His neighbour Theophilus Mitchell, 85, faces a similar predicament, but unlike Rattan, Mitchell said he had no desire to leave his house to live with relatives although he knew his house could easily fall into the sea. Saying he has already lost over an acre of land over a 25-year period, Mitchell said if he received safe lodging near his home he would gladly move, but if the Government did not move him he would stay in his crumbling house until it was gone.

At nights, Mitchell says he hears chunks of the cliff falling away into the sea. The waves crash on the open cliff but he says he tries to block off the terrifying sound.

“What could I do? I cannot put my house on four wheels and roll it down the hill. It will go one day. People don’t understand that the water and the land have a bond. If you fill up the sea the water has to go somewhere,” Mitchell said.

He explained that a 700-foot channel was backfilled a few years ago to accommodate an infrastructural project and since then land erosion has sped up.

Neighbour Avalon Timothy said last month she did a petition and submitted it to their MP, Rushton Paray, calling for a detailed investigation into the cause of the erosion. Timothy said they needed immediate relocation for 10 residents directly affected.

Saying there was a Housing Development Corporation settlement in Coconut Grove, Rio Claro, Timothy suggested it was time for the residents to get assistance.

“Many Parliamentarians have visited here and they all agree that relocation is needed as soon as possible, but nothing is being done,” Timothy added.

At Sea Wall, Shaquille Bryan said their home was also being undermined. He said during high tides the water splashes on their back wall, eating away at their foundation.

RELOCATION CRITICAL, MP

Contacted yesterday, Paray called on Government to relocate the families. Saying the rate of erosion was about one metre per year, Paray said emergency housing must be provided for at least four families who have been forced to evacuate their homes. Having raised the matter in Parliament, Paray called on Government to investigate the destruction and compensate families for loss of property.

“While I understand the infrastructural works required to stop the erosion is a long term assignment, the welfare of residents should be a high priority. Temporary relocation and permanent resettlement is a high priority for my constituents and I urge Government to take immediate relief in the shortest possible time,” Paray said.

Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein said yesterday that he will visit the area next week.

He said the Coastal Protection Unit, which falls under Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan, will also investigate. Efforts to contact Sinanan on his cellphone were unsuccessful and he did not respond to Whatsapp messages yesterday.

Restorative works on the Lady Young Road in Morvant is taking longer than expected due to the steep terrain and hard rocks embedded in the landscape, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management said yesterday.

The roadway, which is a major artery into and out of Port-of-Spain, was expected to be fully reopened to the public yesterday, but ODPM head Captain Neville Wint said they were unable to complete the work due to the problem and now hope to do so today.

On Thursday, after the rubble was cleared following the second landslip, Ministry of Works and Transport officials noticed there were overhanging rocks that could come down at any time.

A decision was then made to bring the debris down manually before it happens naturally.

But Wint said they had to bring in an excavator to do this and on Thursday night work was done to establish a platform on which the excavator could operate.

Wint told Guardian Media the intention is not to just clear the rocks but to create steps or ‘bench’ the slope so as to do away with its steep gradient, which could allow for more land slips.

One lane of the road was still opened yesterday morning and afternoon during peak traffic time.