Former National Security Minister Gary Griffith has sent a pre-action protocol letter to Bliss Seepersad, the new chair of the Police Service Commission (PSC), arguing that the PSC under former chairman Maria Gomes was in breach of several legal notices used in the process to select Deodat Dulalchan as Commissioner of Police.

He is arguing that because the process used was flawed, the recommendation is null and void and he wants the commission to rescind the list by June 22, 2018.

The pre-action protocol letter, sent to Seepersad by Griffith’s attorney Christian Chandler, noted that the attempt by attorneys of Dulalchan to justify their client being appointed as Commissioner of Police was totally inaccurate, since the controversy, according to Griffith, was far more “than allegations about a land probe” but had more to do with the PSC breaching several legal notices.

The breaches, according to the pre-action protocol, include what was deemed “the wrongful and biased criteria” used by PSC for the merit list.

Griffith said the PSC admitted it used three main factors in their personal assessment, Command and Control, Police Experience and Security Vetting. But the letter accused Gomes of drafting criteria “to provide points for candidates based on Policing Experience and not Law Enforcement Experience” which, according to Griffith, “shows that she and the PSC’s final interview had blatantly showed a high degree of bias and operated in total contrast to the stipulation for candidates eligible to apply for the post as in law.”

Griffith also accused the Gomes-led PSC of showing “blatant disregard for the law and showing bias against anyone outside of the Police Service who applied for the post.”

He said it was “this attempt used by the PSC to have my points altered from 81.94 per cent, after I was graded by experts in the firm, using law enforcement experience as stipulated in law, to then have the PSC conduct their own biased process and drop me over 23 per cent, using a system that they wanted to get their own result, and not what was mandated by our legal notice.”

Griffith said the PSC had “no right to have conducted their own assessments and grading,” since the legal notice was clear—that the task of the PSC in the process was to accumulate the points of each candidate, submitted by the firm (KPMG) based on the assessments, and then accumulate it to then provide a merit list for onward transmission to the President.

Had this been done, Griffith said his name “should have been submitted to the President, as I acquired the most points for those who applied for the post of Commissioner of Police.”

By law, he said a firm was to be appointed to conduct a stringent evaluation of candidates and this was done using “international best practices used to appoint persons in similar posts in other countries, and with the assistance of international experts in the assessments.”

Based on the comprehensive assessments, Griffith said he placed first among all who applied for the post, with the second place applicant being current acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams.

He said Dulalchan, who did not apply for the substantive post of CoP, was first among those who applied for Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Griffith’s letter details the comprehensive systems and assessment done by KPMG to acquire points for each candidate, which included their resume, a comprehensive medical test, security and financial vetting and background checks, an interview, psychometric testing and submission of a detailed National Security Operational report in preparation for a major event.

He noted that any altering of the merit list after this would have been done solely for the final interview by PSC and nothing else, as no other process for assessment took place, which should then mean that the results should not be vastly different.

He said the one point he agreed with from Dulalchan attorneys is that a commissioner should be appointed and that the current process not be scrapped.

But he said to appoint a commissioner based on wrongful and illegal procedures by the PSC would do “more harm than good, as someone appointed under such a cloud would never be able to acquire the respect and trust both by the public and the many officers under his command, and without this, he would fail before he starts.”

A 31-year-old man was killed in a mid-morning drive-by shooting along the Eastern Main Road in Laventille yesterday.

According to reports, around 10.30 am, Kern Joseph, of Picton Road, Laventille, and his uncle were walking near to the Laventille Technology and Continuing Education Centre when a black car drove alongside them.

One of the occupants fired several gunshots in their direction before the driver sped off. Joseph was struck several times while his uncle ran away and managed to escape. The relatives were said to be on their way to a funeral of another relative in Manzanilla.

The incident caused massive traffic gridlock for commuters using the Eastern Main Road to exit Port-of-Spain, as Joseph had stumbled unto the road before he collapsed and succumbed to his injuries. Police cordoned off the scene to gather evidence. The flow of traffic was eventually restored, shortly after midday, when a District Medical Officer (DMO) ordered that Joseph’s body be removed to the Forensic Science Centre in St James. An autopsy is expected to be performed on Joseph’s body, this morning. Joseph’s murder comes on the heels of a spate of murders in east Port-of-Spain, on Monday.

In the first incident, Kevon “Fish” Joseph (no relation) was killed along Belmont Circular Road in Gonzales, as gunmen ambushed a car that he was the backseat passenger in. Hours later, his nephew Abraham Quamina was murdered in a drive-by shooting outside a bar at Main Street, Beetham Gardens. Alvin Gyan, 37, and 57-year-old Derrick Huggins, both of Beetham Gardens, were also struck in the melee. Gyan died, while Huggins survived.

There were reports of several shootings in Belmont yesterday evening, in which a car and two houses were allegedly shot at. No one was injured.

Investigators are yet to confirm if the shootings were related to the string of murders on Monday and to Kern Joseph’s yesterday.

Detectives of the Region One Homicide Bureau are continuing investigations into the murders.

Police are seeking the public’s help to identify the body of a woman who was found dumped off Morne Coco Road, Maraval two weeks ago.

The woman was described as being of mixed descent, light brown complexion, medium built, approximately five feet eight inches, in the early

30s, with naturally long dark hair and healthy teeth.

The body was found by CEPEP workers who were working along the roadway around 9.30am on May 24.

There are nine tattoos on the woman’s body, including musical symbols to the left side of the neck, across on the stomach area, the name ‘Anderson’ with three stars on the inside of the right wrist, roses on the left forearm, the name ‘Gwen’ on the left wrist, the words ‘Kedon’ and ‘Yudi’ on the centre of the back.

A tattoo with phrase ‘La Sangre De Cristo Tiene Poder’ with a Rosary is to the upper right side of the back and a colourful butterfly on the upper left side of the back.

Anyone with information can contact the Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region 1 at 625-8234 or 624-5230, the police at 999, 555, 911, any police station or call 800-TIPS.

And officers attached to Arima Crime Investigation Department need help to identify a man who was found nude and unconscious at the side of the road in Arima around midnight on Tuesday.

The man had gunshot wounds to his leg, arm and face.

He was described as being African-decent, light-brown in complexion, and about five feet, seven inches in height.

He was taken to the Arima Health Facility where he remains warded. Police officers said the man gave his address as Diego Martin to the nurses.

Anyone with information should call Cpl Ramdhanie at Arima CID or any police station 667-3563.

The T&T Police Service is not aware of any gang war pending in the Port-of-Spain division - such as between Beetham and East Port-of-Spain- but police have an action plan to deal with any gang-related activities nationwide, says National Security Minister Edmund Dillon.

He spoke about the issue in Parliament yesterday responding to Opposition queries about an anticipated “all-out gang war” between Beetham Gardens and East Port-of-Spain communities and said that police was monitoring activity there.

Dillon said he was not quite sure there was evidence of an “all-out gang warfare” in the two areas.

“Based on advice from the Commissioner of Police while there have been recent homicides in the Beetham and Belmont areas, the TTPS is not aware of any gang war pending in the Port-of-Spain Division.

Nevertheless, the Port-of-Spain Division has a clear plan of action designed to deal with criminal activity including those related to gangs,” he said.

“The division is supported by the Inter-Agency Task Force, Guard and Emergency Branch, Court and Process Branch, Organised Crime and Intelligence and CID units. TTPS is sufficiently prepared to treat with any issue concerning gang violence in T&T,” Dillon said.

Police have also prepared and trained with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to handle the Anti-Gang law recently coming into force “and they are prepared to deal with any eventualities related to gang-related activity,” he added.

Dillon’s assurance came on the eve of tomorrow’s visit to PNM’s Port-of-Spain South constituency by President Paula-Mae Weekes as part of a Laventille outreach programme. President’s House officials said the visit is on.

A third-year student of the University of the Southern Caribbean was yesterday adjudged the winner of the Guardian Editor of the Day initiative.

Abigail Frances Gittens, 20, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis on Communications could not contain her joy and screams when told of the good news.

Equally excited was Sapphire Alexander, 15, a student of the St Augustine Girls’ High School, who won the title of British High Commissioner For a Day.

The initiative was a joint venture by Guardian Media and the British High Commission who invited young women on International Women’s Day-March 8 to post videos of themselves on social media, giving their views on why girls’ education is important and how education can empower them.

Gittens and Alexander will fill their roles as editor and high commissioner next month when school term comes to a close.

Having received several entries for the positions, Gittens and Alexander were selected as the overall winners last month.

Incidentally, both women see our country’s first female President Paula-Mae Weekes as their ideal role model.

The news was relayed to Gittens and Alexander in their classrooms by the commission’s political, press and public affairs officer Siddel Ramkissoon and a Guardian Media team.

Gittens plans to pursue a Masters in Mass Communications and Journalism in Jamaica after graduating.

“I thought Mr Ramkissoon came to the school to ask me a few questions about my video. I never expected CNC3 to take live footage of my reaction. I was honestly taken by surprise. I am so thrilled,” said an elated Gittens, who has aspirations of becoming a foreign correspondent journalist. She said being offered this role would serve as a great opportunity.

In her video, Gittens spoke about an African proverb, which states that when you educate a man you educate one person, but if you educate a woman you educate an entire family.

“But in T&T, our new President... she will educate our nation,” Gittens said.

Gittens said she was ready to take on the challenge of being an editor for the day, knowing fully well that the task will be daunting and time-consuming.

“Everyone knows I like a good challenge,” she said.

As a consumer of news, Gittens if she would like to see more success stories and articles on women being empowered and breaking the glass ceiling.

“There are so many women who do great work for the country and yet they are not recognised. Their life stories and accomplishments should serve as a beacon of hope for other young women in our country which the media should give a more prominence to,” Gittens said.

Alexander, a Form Four science student of St Augustine Girls’ High School, in her video presentation, stated that there are many disadvantages in not educating girls, which can range from domestic abuse, low-paying jobs to exploitation.

“We need to educate more women to fill positions in fields such as engineering and ICTs.”

While Alexander sees her mom, Sparkle Alexander, as her role model, she also viewed Weekes as a perfect exemplar who she would one day like to emulate.

“We have dreamed of having a female President for a long time and we have finally gotten someone with her knowledge and expertise. I think it is so inspiring to women like me, to show us, that we can achieve these things. We can go to these places that were formally dominated by males.”

Alexander said she was grateful for Weekes for bridging the gap in today’s society.

A pundit made a public plea yesterday urging villagers to help the police find the killers of farmer Dipchand Heeralal and Radha Baldeo.

Pundit Roopnarine Maharaj told mourners at Heeralal’s funeral that the double murder brought back memories of Dole Chadee’s quadruple killing 24 years ago in the quiet village of Williamsville.

Maharaj said justice had been served to Chadee and his clan after they killed Deo Baboolal, his wife, Rookmin, and their children, Hamilton and Monica but he questioned whether the killers of Heeralal and Baldeo would ever be found.

“When the Baboolal family were killed we saw justice being brought on to Chadee and his men after that family was executed. The laws were applied. Will we get justice for these two people? We don’t know who is next. We are not aware if the murderer is here with us or not. That is why we are afraid,” Maharaj said.

He told villagers, “You need to speak out. Are you going to hide and hush? A double murder has happened and no one has information? Are you scared? Yes or no? What are you going to do? Will you wait until your loved ones are gone to talk out?”

He said more innocent people would continue to die if citizens did not stand up and demand justice.

Maharaj said many people were afraid to leave their homes, describing the spate of crime in T&T as horrendous.

Heeralal’s brother-in-law, Romillus Madoo, said the entire family was scared. 

“We don’t know if the killers will come for us. Dipchand was a good man. A good father figure and uncle to many people. He did not deserve this. He never interfered with anybody. He was hard-working and we are all hurt and sad,” he said.

During the funeral, Heeralal’s common-law wife Darcy Hosein held back tears as she looked at his body.

Having lived with him for 30 years at their Williamsville home, Hosein’s lips trembled and her hands shook as she viewed the body.

Her name was omitted from the funeral programme.

Hosein had told Guardian Media that she never knew Heeralal was involved in a relationship with Baldeo. She said he had moved out of their home five years ago after getting a two-acre plot of Caroni land and it was only after he died that she found out Baldeo had been living with him. She said Baldeo came to her every morning to collect a charged battery, market goods, and food but nobody, not even her own children, had told her Baldeo was living with him.

Heeralal and Baldeo were shot dead at his American Flat ranch in Williamsville last week Sunday. No one has been charged with the double deaths.

Baldeo’s son Rayshaun Baldeo said the family wanted justice. Baldeo’s funeral will take place today at Scale Road, Williamsville from 10 am.

In the build-up to the 2015 general election the People’s National Movement (PNM) had a “more targeted and aggressive” social media campaign focused on the “undecideds especially the youths” and also the marginal constituencies.

And this social media strategy eventually resulted in the political party being voted into office, Dr Indrani Bachan-Persad has said.

Although the United National Congress (UNC) also increased its social media presence in the build-up to the general election that party “targeted mostly traditional, mature voters,” Bachan-Persad said.

Bachan-Persad made the statements as she delivered the findings of her paper “The Growing Influence of Social Media in the 2015 National Elections in Trinidad and Tobago” during a forum held by the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies yesterday.

Bachan-Persad’s paper was a follow up to her book “Mediatized Political Campaigns: A Caribbean Perspective” which focused on the role of mainstream media in five election campaigns in Trinidad and Tobago from 2000-2010.

The 2015 general election campaign saw the increased use of social media platforms in reaching large communities across the country, Bachan-Persad said.

Bachan-Persad said between the 2010 and 2015 general elections the PNM gained 91,000 votes.

She said this was as a result of the PNM’s “targeted and sophisticated” digital campaign using Facebook and YouTube.

The PNM utilised the services of Washington-based company Vestige Services in the build-up to the 2015 general election, Bachan-Persad said.

Apps such as Nation Builder and Organiser were used to assist in the eight marginal constituencies.

“These apps create profiles of users, links social media profiles to email addresses in database and target supporters and send personalised information to them,” she said.

Bachan-Persad said one of the issues that affected the UNC was that they used approximately five advisory groups in the build up to the 2015 general election.

“The mixed messaging which emerged from the UNC campaign suggests that these varied groups had contradictory viewpoints,” she said.

“The use of multiple foreign campaign advisers and strategists also posed challenges of understanding the complexity of small island politics with its intertwining/ intersecting and interlocking relationships within a multi-ethnic society and had an adverse effect on race relations in an otherwise harmonious society,” Bachan-Persad said citing the “No Rowley” campaign.

Bachan-Persad said traditional media played a “mediated role in managing relations in the country in the way they reporters on elections in the past”.

At the forum, journalist Curtis Williams spoke of the impact social media has had on mainstream media.

Williams said because social media allows users to go live and immediately post information, the “fixed timelines” of mainstream media have been challenged.

“Traditional media must ensure that they remain the source of reliable news and not be tempted to compete with social media only on the basis of breaking news. Traditional media will have to be keenly aware of the prevalence of fake news and use their best journalism training to ask the right questions,” he said.

“The mainstream media must separate themselves from the citizen journalists by the quality of the research and stories they come up with and in the process must be protected to investigate and bring forth truth in the public’s interest,” he said.

Also presenting yesterday was UWI lecturer Dr Scott Timcke while Dr Hamid Ghany the Director of SALISES chaired the forum.

Minister in the Office of the Attorney General Fitzgerald Hinds has described the failed process to find a commissioner of police by the Police Service Commission as a “national failure, we need a police commissioner.”

Speaking at a People’s National Movement public meeting in at the Barataria Community Centre, Hinds also dismissed claims that race played a part in Government’s rejection of Deodath Dulalchan as the PSC’s top nominee for the job.

Hinds said he was “perturbed “ to hear a citizen “who is a pundit” describe what happened in the Parliament as a “race” issue.

Hinds said in making the decision, Government did it because “we saw flaws that were fatal to the process and the PNM did what was right.”

The Government, he said, did what it had to do “with no consideration of race,” but in the best national interest. (See Page A11)

He said the Parliament decided to send it back to the PSC “and we will review the order. We have seen best practice and we promise to review it in keeping with modern standards.”

What the PSC did, he said, “is a breach of the law.”

“What they did could never equate with best practice. We saw flaws where people who did not even apply ended up on the list,” Hinds said.

Hinds said the crime situation, which is “burdensome,” requires a motivated police force, but he said law enforcement also requires a more efficient and effective judiciary.

Referencing to a recent case where someone with millions worth of cocaine got a small fine, he said Government could not be passing stringent law and criminals were getting a “slap on the wrist.” He appealed to the judiciary “to have a better sentencing policy so criminals don’t just get a slap on the wrist.”

A magistrate, he said, could give up to ten years in jail for such offences but it not happening.

“We need swifter justice and harsher sentences,” he said.

Hinds also announced that legislation is being prepared to make it a criminal offence for people to occupy other people’s homes illegally.

“Senior citizens are victims of criminals who throw them out of their homes. I know where they fire-bomb homes and the persons flee and when persons go to the police to make a report the police ask for deed.”

It is because of these crimes that Hinds said legislation is coming.

“If you in somebody’s house and they arrest you and take you to court is jail,” he said.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert, who also addressed the meeting, meanwhile assured that pensioners will not have to pay Property Tax. The minimum tax, he said, is $40 a month.

The Law Association was yesterday forced to apologise to its members for sharing an invitation to a human rights convention in Texas which turned out to be a sham.

The T&T Guardian was yesterday contacted by several lawyers who shared the invitation email, which was sent on Tuesday and subsequent apology issued yesterday.

In the first email, the association indicated that the Child Care and Human Rights Organisation would be hosting a conference themed “Child Abuse, Human Trafficking, Women Molestation and Global Terrorism: A Challenge to Economic Growth” from August 6-11. The event was expected to be held at the Majestic Hughes Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

“The sponsors of this event shall cover your round-trip flight tickets from your country and we shall also provide visa assistance with the US Embassy in your country of residence. The hotel accommodation booking cost will be your own responsibility,” the email said.

However, the association also issued a disclaimer in the email that it was merely passing on information for the event.

“Please Note: This is not a Law Association event and therefore we are not responsible for registration or providing further information,” it said.

But in the subsequent email sent yesterday morning, association secretary Elena Araujo admitted they had received complaints about the conference which suggested it was not a genuine event. She noted that members were unable to contact the alleged organisers or the hotel on the telephone numbers provided. There was also very little information on them online. In fact, some members realised that it was an international money transfer scam after they followed the instructions for online registration in the first email and were told that they were required to make a payments via money orders.

The T&T Guardian could not confirm whether any lawyers were duped into making the payments but was told the few who were interested chose to contact the association for confirmation before going through with the payments.

Araujo said the association did its own investigations and learned that the organisation’s website was created last month, the hotel did not exist and that it used a fabricated website which had pictures stolen from a reputable hotel in Texas.

“We therefore caution you that this event may not be a bona fide one and apologise for any inconvenience caused by our circulation of the information regarding the event,” Araujo said.

Several lawyers who spoke to the T&T Guardian questioned the error by the association. Despite the initial disclaimer that the event was being hosted by a third party, they claimed the association should have done more stringent background checks to verify its authenticity.

“It was sounding a bit fishy but I thought that because it came from the association it would have been properly vetted,” one lawyer said.

“It’s very funny that the association got conned like that. One would expect that, as lawyers, they would be more cautious before circulating it to thousands of their colleagues,” another said.

Former Police Service Commission chairman Nizam Mohammed says the body is “totally dysfunction” because there is “far too much political interference” in the commission.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian yesterday after the Parliament rejected the nomination of PSC top nominee Deodat Dulalchan for the Commissioner of Police post and referred the matter back to the PSC, Mohammed said the “malfunctioning of the PSC is only one example of the breakdown and the virtual collapse of national institutions and government agencies.”

He said there is the need for “re-examination of the structure of the commission and the way it operates.”

Mohammed said some years ago “the PSC was taken out of the umbrella arrangements of the Public Service Commission” and under the new arrangement it allowed for “too much political interference and such interference has caused the Police Service Commission to be totally dysfunctional.”

He said serious consideration should be given to “restoring the Police Service Commission to its original framework of operations, even though it may be expedient to have it function independently of the Public Service Commission.”

That will require Legislative change by the Parliament, he said.

However, Mohammed is of the view that “the continuing failing system suits the politicians.”

But he said if the commission is to meet its mandate the legislative framework must be reviewed “with a view to making the Police Service Commission properly constituted to be functioning on a full-time basis.”

Mohammed said a “properly constituted PSC with the requisite independence can be capable of selecting a police commissioner from time to time and other senior executive posts.

He said the commission, in its current form, has “clearly demonstrated that a part-time casual approach to its responsibilities is unworkable.”

Former national security minister Gary Griffith, who has threatened legal action against the Police Service Commission over breaches in the selection of a Commissioner of Police nominee, says the PSC has been given a “get-out-of-jail card” by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, who has said “don’t scrap the process but go back, do your homework and get it right.” If this is done, Griffith said, the country could have a commissioner “in a couple of weeks.”

On Wednesday, Griffith sent a pre-action protocol letter to new PSC chairman Bliss Seepersad threatening action if it did rescind the list sent to the President. Through attorney Christian Chandler, he said the PSC “had no right to conduct their own assessments and grading, since the legal notice was clear that the task of the PSC in the process was to accumulate the points of each candidate submitted by the firm (KPMG) based on the assessments and then accumulate it to then provide a merit list to be sent to the President.

Speaking on CNC3’s Morning Brew yesterday, Griffith expressed confidence that Seepersad, who has succeeded Dr Maria Therese-Gomes, will rectify the problem.

Reiterating that the PSC had no authorisation to amend the requirements for the position, Griffith accused two PSC members of interfering in the process to his detriment.

The PSC also had no authority to interview “someone who never applied for the post of commissioner,” for the job, he said in reference to the fact that DCP Deodat Dulalchan did not apply for the position but still became the PSC’s top nominee. Griffith said the PSC “had no qualification or expertise in the process of selection of a commissioner” and needed to “adhere to the merit list drafted by KPMG,” which he said was done by international experts in line with international best practice.

Instead of compiling the points from the KPMG assessment, he said, “they totally disregarded it and an individual who got 81 points they decided to reduce it by 23 points because they did not want somebody who was not a police officer.”

Griffith insisted that in the KPMG assessment, he was the “top candidate with 81.94 per cent.” He insisted this has nothing to do with him being appointed CoP, adding they were free to “bypass me and go to Stephen Williams who was second or Seales who was third.”

Asked how long the process may now take for selection of a CoP, Griffith said, “This could be done in a matter of weeks.”

The process, he said, had nothing to do with the politicians. He said while the Opposition appeared to support Dulalchan for the post, “what I noticed yesterday, the Government showed they had no horse in the race.” He denied Government was supporting him for the job.

But Griffith said he was not surprised the UNC did not support him because “I was fired for speaking the truth.”

Deodat Dulalchan, the man who has made headlines over the past several months after he was nominated for the job of Commissioner of Police, says although Parliament has rejected his nomination he remains “committed” to the oath he took 38 years ago as an officer “to protect and serve” and to make Trinidad and Tobago a “safer place.” However, he admitted yesterday he will not put himself through the process again.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian yesterday hours after the Parliament vote, Dulalchan said he still had “trust and confidence in the institutions of the land.”

July will make it 38 years since he has been in the service and Dulalchan said, “I am not going to take on no unnecessary headache at this time. That is why I had a legal team advising me as to the way forward.”

It was just after midnight Wednesday that the Parliament rejected the Police Service Commission’s nomination of Dulalchan as the country’s top cop. Saying he knew the issue had to be decided by the Parliament, he said, “The Parliament has made a decision what can I say.”

On Tuesday, Dulalchan, through his attorneys, wrote to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley asking him to approve his nomination as CoP. But on Wednesday, the Parliament, having heard from the members of the Special Select Committee chaired by Minister in the Office of the Attorney General Fitzgerald Hinds, deemed the procedure used by the PSC as “unsound, unsafe, unsatisfactory and illogical.”

Dulalchan said he is now “just trying to get it a bit clearer as to what may happen now going forward.” But he said despite the outcome, “I remain committed to work hand in hand seriously and diligently with the executive to see how we can meet our mandate to make Trinidad and Tobago a place where all of us and our children and grandchildren can live much more safer.”

While the United National Congress and Pundit Satyanand Maharaj brought the issue of race into the Government’s rejection of the nomination, Rowley made it clear on Wednesday night that neither race nor religion were factors in the decision and Dulalchan himself did not want to believe it was a factor.

“I see everything objectively and I see good in every human being and I don’t go along that line at all on whether I not being given the nod had anything to do with that. I don’t want to comment. I don’t want to get there. I don’t want to think about that,” Dulalchan said.

Asked whether he felt he had been treated unfairly, he admitted it had been a “difficult time” for him because “when my name popped up a lot of things start to appear, persons were having their views publicly without being informed.”

While noting things had “somewhat simmered down,” Dulalchan said, “In life, you don’t get everything you want. In life, everything is not fair. But that’s life. There are certain things you have no control over, you just can’t bother with it you know.”

However, he said he will definitely not apply for the CoP job again.

“No, no, definitely not. I don’t think I will go through that situation again,” Dulalchan said.

In fact, he reiterated he had never applied for the post but was asked as part of the interview.

Asked if he would apply for deputy commissioner if the opportunity arises, he said, “Depending on what time it comes around I will have to do my own personal assessment and so on and see if at that point it makes sense.”

Dulalchan said he would be “dishonest” if he did not admit that the whole issue of the length of time it’s taking to appoint a CoP was affecting morale in the police service.

“It is something that we all wish for. Appointment of a substantive commissioner will indeed impact on morale in a positive way.”

He described his relationship with acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams as excellent.

“As an executive, we are very much cohesive, in fact, I report to Commissioner Williams every morning,” he said.

Police Social and Welfare Association president Inspector Michael Seales meanwhile offered no comment on the decision. In fact, he would only say “everything is in God’s hands.”

He admitted, however, that the morale of the service has been affected since the start of the selection process because of the “rumours and speculation arising out of the conduct of the selection process.”

Seales said officers “look forward and anticipate that whosoever is the person elected will be a person that gives them that type of motivation and the ability to perform to that high standard.”

Morvant police are investigating death threats made against the life of People’s National Movement councillor Franz “De Lamo” Lambkin.

The death threats came just over one month after he was robbed of a quantity of cash and other valuables, including important documents containing his personal information.

In this latest case, officers received information that on Wednesday at about 2.30 pm, two men were seen lurking around his home in Morvant. The men were also overheard saying: “His car not there…we have to get him to spray him down with bullets.”

On May 3 at about 8.20 am, Lambkin was driving his vehicle along the Lady Young Road in Morvant when, close to the Hilton Trinidad, he stopped to pick up a man he had seen before on the compound of the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation. After a few minutes, the man asked to be dropped off. But when Lambkin stopped his vehicle the man grabbed a pouch containing money and documents, including bank debit and credit cards.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, Lambkin said he strongly believes that both incidents are connected. He added that during the May 3 incident he had conversed with the man about employment opportunities which would have become available soon at the regional corporation.

Lambkin said he lodged official reports on both incidents and given this latest one, he has been assured that police patrols will be heightened in and around his community, especially around his home.

Investigations are continuing.

— Rhondor Dowlat

A high-powered assault rifle was among a cache of guns and assorted ammunition that was found on the Munroe Road, Chaguanas property of the Masjid-ul-Muttaqeen yesterday morning.

Police said at about 8.30 am, a team of workers who are currently conducting maintenance works on the ceiling in the ladies section of the mosque, found several black garbage bags stashed away in the ceiling. The workers retrieved the bag and to their shock found the weapons and ammunition. The workers went to mosque’s office and reported their findings to Maulana Saeed, who contacted Imam Shiraz Ali. Ali then contacted officials at the Ministry of National Security and T&T Police Service.

A party of police, including Central Division Task Force and CID officers, went to the mosque and retrieved the bags, which contained two shotguns, two pistols and an assault rifle together with an undisclosed amount of assorted ammunition.

In an immediate reaction to the find, a staff member at the mosque sent out a voice message to Darul Uloom staff informing them of the find and asking that they not be alarmed. The male voice indicated that “it was no little find like little gun and thing…it was big.” He then ended the voice note by saying: “May Allah guide us…Assalamualaikum (a Muslim greeting that means Peace be unto you.”

The Masjid subsequently issued a statement saying the illegal firearms and ammunition were secreted there by persons unknown and condemned the act.

“This organisation does not condone any form of illegal activity. Those persons who planted these illegal items in our place of worship did so without the knowledge of the spiritual and administrative leaders of the masjid and our membership,” the statement read.

The administrators also gave assurance that they will co-operate with the police “in every way possible to discover the identities of those person or persons who are responsible for bringing illegal guns and ammunition into the masjid.”

It also noted that the doors of the masjid are open to all Muslims and non-Muslims and added that it has no formal security arrangements in place as it is “a place of worship where our members engage in fellowship, pray and social activities.”

With the holy month of Ramadan in its last ten days of the 30-day fast, Masjid officials said they were in shock.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, an official, who wished not to be identified, said they asked the police to conduct a thorough search of the entire compound to ensure no other guns, ammunition or other illegal items were hidden on the premises. Asked if the find hindered fasting Muslims from coming to the mosque to break their fast after 6 pm last evening, the official replied: “No...the usual numbers came out. People expressed concern because it is normal but we are all hoping that the people behind this are caught. Allah knows best.”

An investigating officer extended kudos to the workers and the mosque’s officials for informing them of the find.

“This could have gone otherwise and by them not hiding this by itself proves a lot,” the officer said.

Asked if the find had any connection to do with the increasing gang activities and shootings between members of the Unruly Isis and the “Muslims,” the officer replied: “We have no such information. This could be an isolated incident.”

The Imam of the Masjid-ul-Muttaqeen yesterday sent a strong message to those responsible for hiding high-powered guns and ammunition on the mosque’s Munroe Road, Cunupia property, saying stay away from his mosque.

“Take it elsewhere…don’t bring it to the mosque,” Maulana Saeed Ali said as he again distanced his mosque from the find and effectively banned the perpetrators from returning.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian, Ali said they did not want to reach a point where they would have to lock their doors to people.

Instead, he said, he would prefer to send out a stern warning to the people responsible for hiding the weapons on the compound to never return.

“Everybody is willing to attend prayer here at this mosque but whoever wants to be involved with this kind of illegal act do not make us part of that.

“This is a place to pray and worship, let it remain like that…don’t bring it to the mosque. We have a 24/7 hour policy here and we do not want to be forced to lock our doors,” Ali said.

The T&T Guardian was told by a worshipper at the mosque, who wished not to be identified, said the persons who hid the weapons in the ceiling in the women’s section seemed to have good knowledge of the compound.

The ladies section of the mosque, the worshipper added, was a place where there was not much “woman traffic.”

“So whoever is responsible for hiding the weapons there would have known this because there aren’t much women coming here on a daily basis, especially at nights,” the worshipper said.

On Thursday at about 8.30 am, workers conducting maintenance works found several garbage bags stashed away in the ceiling of the toilet in the ladies section of the mosque.

In the bags were an AK-47 assault rifle, two Beretta pistols, two pump action shotguns, a quantity of assorted ammunition, a ski mask and a firearm holster.

Along with the guns, were 23 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 16 rounds of .40mm ammunition and 15 12-gauge cartridges.

Yesterday afternoon, a team of five investigating officers returned to the mosque where they conducted interviews with the Imam and recorded several statements from staff and workers.

No arrest was made in connection with the finds and investigations are continuing.

The mosque shares the compound with the Guiding Stars Academy Primary and Pre-School, but when the find was made on Thursday pupils and staff were not affected. The school is housed in the southern building on the compound, next to the mosque.

However, in an immediate attempt to calm concerned parents, the principal sent out a message assuring that the safety of the children was of utmost importance.

“Please be reassured that we always do our utmost to ensure the safety of our kids, to the extent of restricting unknown persons and even parents from using the facilities upstairs where our Std 1-3 classes are held,” the message read.

It ended by saying: “Jazaakumallahu khairaa for your continued support and understanding. Remember us in your du’aas on this blessed night of Ramadhaan.”

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says raids on mosques over the Carnival period were justified after “lethal weapons, arms and ammunition” were found at the Masjid-ul-Muttaqeen Mosque in Cunupia on Thursday.

Addressing a People’s National Movement political meeting in Barataria on Wednesday night, hours after the find by security forces, Rowley recalled that when the security forces raided the mosques prior to Carnival, “there were those who told the country the Government is anti-Muslim, anti-this and telling the international community how the Government capriciously was doing this and doing that to places of worship.”

“Today, one of the very mosques we had to raid at Carnival time, on credible information that the security services had, we have found within that place of worship lethal weapons, arms and ammunition,” Rowley told supporters.

Given the find, he wondered what those who had “carried a conversation that the Government was anti-Muslim and we were, in fact, desecrating places of worship would say.”

Rowley said the message which they had sent to the population was that “if you know there are arms and ammunition finding their way into places of worship, whether is Baptist, Orisha, Hindu or Muslim, the police must not act because if the police act those loudmouths with their own personal agenda will stir up racial strife.”

He told the Muslim community and especially the leaders in the Muslim community: “None of us have anything to gain by encouraging that kind of development.”

The Prime Minister said: “It is important that we tell our young people who may be wanting to go down that road there is nothing but sadness and sorrow at the end of that pathway.”

As he wound up his near one-hour address the PM turned to the issue of race, which he said had been raised by the Opposition in the Parliament during the debate on the report of the Special Select Committee on the nominations for Deodath Dulalchan as Commissioner and Harold Phillips as Deputy Commissioner of Police, accusing the UNC of trying to “create racial strife,” in the country.

Rowley said it was Tabaquite MP Dr Suruj Rambachan who, during the contribution of St Joseph MP Dr Terrence Deyalsingh, accused the Government of not wanting an “Indian Commissioner.”

He said after the United National Congress walked out of the Parliament and the Parliament decided to send back the process to the Police Service Commission, the singular statement which came from the UNC the next day from its public relations officer Anita Haynes was that “the PNM contrived last night to remove the Indian nominee and did not do anything about the African nominee in the Parliament, so Dulalchan blocked but Phillip was not.”

Rowley said there was no truth to the allegation since the position was that the Government would not support the notification which the President had sent to the Parliament on the basis of the recommendation of the PSC.

“We said the process was flawed and from that flawed process nobody could be appointed,” he said, adding that decision “affects Mr Dulalchan in a particular way because he cannot be Commissioner and Phillip cannot be Deputy Commissioner.”

But Rowley said even without the process “Phillip is already the deputy. So why is the UNC lying to the country to create racial strife, to say we took an action that was selective against Dulalchan and to favour Phillip?”

However, the T&T Guardian confirmed that both Dulalchan and Phillip hold the substantive positions of Assistant Commissioner and both are currently Acting Deputy Commissioners.

Rowley said the outcome of the debate was that the whole matter would go back to the Police Service Commission to deal with and that the commission did not take instructions from the Government, but was an independent commission.”

He accused the Opposition of being “prepared to play fast and loose,” and “always playing the race card,” but that when he responded, “they jump up to accuse me of race because I responding to them.”

He questioned allegations of racial discrimination in the country, asking, “Where is racial discrimination happening in Trinidad and Tobago?”

He said: “As a country, we all in danger of those who will use race to destroy Trinidad and Tobago, they don’t want us to speak about it but they want to use it to drive their politics.”

Kevon Felmine

Communications Minister Stuart Young says photographs showing People’s Partnership (PP) executives flying in a private plane with Construtora OAS executives have been sent to the police for an investigation.

Young made the claim yesterday as Government commissioned two segments of the Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension to Point Fortin Project. The segments had been delayed because of rains but were finally completed last week. The team of dignitaries also turned the sod for work from the Mosquito Creek Bridge at Paria Suites to the Godineau River Bridge, South Oropouche.

During his speech, Young defended the delays saying it was essential for citizens to know the problems Government faced in getting the project up and running.

“It is absolutely shocking what has taken place with this company that was hand-picked by a former administration and they don’t like us to remind you the public as to what took place in the past…

“We have sent to the Commissioner of Police photographs of executives of the former administration in a private plane, flying all over the world with the now-jailed executives of OAS on their way to the World Cup in South Africa, where the then Minister of Works and Transport at the time was located globally,” Young said.

Consultations for the highway project began under the Patrick Manning-led PNM administration, but it was under the PP that construction started.

Young said tenders were invited prior to the May 2010 general elections and tenders were received in April. However, the PNM did not award a contract because the bids they received were significantly higher than the engineer’s estimate of $3.6 billion. An engineer’s estimate is the detailed cost estimated for a project, computed by estimating the cost of every activity in a work breakdown structure, summing up these estimates and adding appropriate overheads.

It was in March 2011 that the PP, through the National Infrastructure Development Company, awarded a design/build contract to OAS for TT$5.2 billion, which was $1.6 billion more than the engineer’s estimate, Young said. The contract was for four years at $5.6 billion and was supposed to be completed in 2015.

He said among the questionable practices they found upon taking over Government was that the PP changed the advance payments terms customary with FIDIC contracts from 10 per cent to 20 per cent. This amendment resulted in OAS receiving approximately $856 million as opposed to $428 million as an advance. He said even before contraction began, the PP paid OAS over $1 billion, as the project was being funded directly from the treasury as opposed to IDB financing, which has proper check and balances. By the time the PP left office in September 2015, Young said over $5 billion was spent with only 49 per cent of the construction completed. He said the payment did not include the hefty cost of land acquisition.

In law, OAS was considered to be bankrupt in March 2015, meaning the Government was within its right to terminate its contract. But Young said by March 2015, the PP should have immediately invoked a clause to terminate OAS on the grounds it was bankrupt.

“On Sept 4, 2015, the last working day before a general election, the UNC government, rather than use an opportunity to terminate the contract in a clean, cost-effective, non-contentious manner, they secretly and corruptly entered into a written agreement with OAS whereby that government waived the ability to terminate the contract on grounds of OAS bankruptcy.

“Instead, on Sept 4 the UNC government reaffirmed in writing, their desire to keep a company that was bankrupt in Brazil and the subject of the largest corruption scandal in the world within recent times as their preferred contractor for the Point Fortin highway.”

The OAS contract was terminated under the PNM in July 2016 and the Attorney General’s office successfully defended the State against arbitration brought by OAS for termination of the contract. The State was also able to recover standby letters of credits and bond.

Addressing Young’s claims yesterday, however, Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal said it was the PNM who recruited the OAS. He said this was done hours before the PP won the 2010 general elections.

“Before Mrs Persad-Bissessar could have been sworn in they obscenely recruited OAS. They left us with OAS as the ‘preferred contractor’. We worked with OAS and accelerated this project. They stopped it for two years until they re-negotiated in their favour, as they did with the Point Fortin hospital.”

He added: “At the end of our term, OAS faced problems and the PP government acted to secure the project, which we did. If any law was broken, they had three years to report to the police and take action. That they have not suggests that the Partnership’s action was legal.”

kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says the problems Government is having with local contractors are similar to those it faced with the boldfaced approach of Brazilian firm Construtora OAS SA.

At the commissioning of two segments of the Solomon Hochoy Highway to Point Fortin Extension Project at the Mosquito Creek, South Oropouche, yesterday, Rowley said just as OAS took the Government to court for ludicrous claims after being terminated, so too were local contractors. However, he said it was Government’s duty and intention to defend those legal actions.

“The same way for the last 24 months that we were drawn into legal battles with a foreign contractor who had the gall to want to fight to win when they were in the wrong, having in their control millions of dollars of our taxpayers’ money, hoping to use a long and drawn out process to get away with it, we have similar arrangements with some of our local contractors,” he said.

In 2014, Brazilian and international authorities began investigating OAS’s parent company, Grupo OAS, in a major corruption scandal at state-controlled Petróleo Brasileiro SA. This led to several company executives and state officials being charged. In 2015, the organisation requested court protection from creditors for nine of its units as it struggled financially. On July 5, 2016, the PNM Government terminated OAS’ contract for the Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension Project, months after the bankrupt firm demobilised for the Christmas holiday and never restarted. OAS then took legal action against the Government for terminating the contract. The Government also made a counter-claim and was able to recover close to $1 billion which it reinvested into the project.

Rowley said upon taking office in 2015, his administration found there were a number of instances where some local contractors were treated more generously than they should have been.

Rowley said with Government owing contractors over $4 billion, he has asked them to provide him with details of the projects and the money owed.

Contacted on the PM’s comment yesterday, Contractors Association president Ramlogan Roopnarinesingh said his members were not engaged in making ludicrous claims for projects and taking the Government to court.

Roopnarinesingh said the Construction Oversight Committee being chaired by Rowley will receive a list of claims by his members through the association’s representative, Emile Elias, in an upcoming meeting.

If you must be part of a gang, be part of a gang that does good things, President Paula-Mae Weekes has urged.

Weekes made the statement on Friday night as she visited the Sea Lots area as part of the Laventille Nights initiative organised by radio station I95.5fm.

"A gang is a group of people, and there are gangs that can do good things, so maybe if you change gang from the four letter word meaning only bad things, that call for anti-gang legislation, into gangs that do good things, gangs that do projects, gangs that help each other and the young ones coming after, then you could have made some useful contribution to the society and helped to change Sea Lots, or at least change the reputation of Sea Lots to something that is more hopeful for those people who live here and the community and country in general," Weekes said.

Weekes spoke to the crowd, which comprised mostly young people, at Sea Lots on Friday night.

She told of being born in Belmont, spending the first four years of her life at Newtown, and eventually moving to Petit Valley.

Weekes said when she sat A'Levels at Bishops Anstey High School she did the combination of History, Economics, and French.

"A lot of my schooling was about having a good, fun time and I did but what I would be proof of is you could have a lot of fun and do a lot of work as well. You can enjoy your school days to the max and still put in the work that is necessary," Weekes said.

Eventually Weekes went on to study law at the University of the West Indies.

Weekes said she was not particularly interested in being a lawyer but she wanted to choose a career path where she could be self-employed.

She urged children to read at every opportunity.

"I will say to all the children here whether you like it or you don’t like it read, go to the public library, join the library ask your parents to get you a book, get books anywhere you can get them and it does not matter what type of book it is, it could be a comic book because from a book you can learn a lot of things that you might not be able to do or to see, or to experience yourself but you can learn about them and books give you an idea of what is out there, what you can do one day so please read at every opportunity."

'T&T Pres has a very limited role or no role at all'

Weekes said citizens need to understand exactly what the position of the president entails.

"I think people need to understand what the president can and cannot do under our Constitution because there are presidents in many different countries and because of our exposure to the American experience a lot of people in Trinidad and Tobago hear president and assume the president here can do things like the president of the United States. Not so," she said.

"So under our Constitution our president has a very limited role or no role at all in the provision of resources directly to citizens, so the President can't say to WASA give the people water in a particular area, the president does not call up a minister of government and say what are you doing about crime, those are things for the executive in our system so the president, some people describe it as a ceremonial role, some people say that the president has no power, I think that depends on what your understanding of power is," Weekes said.

She said she will have to agree that the president has little or no power.

Almost half of the gang members believed to be operating in this country can be found in the Western and Port-of-Spain Police Service divisions, according to gang statistics.

There are approximately 2,450 suspected gang members and 211 gangs operating in this country as of 2017, statistics show.

The T&T Police Service's (TTPS) Western Division is said to account for 533 of those gang members.

There are 49 gangs operating in the Western Division, which spans from Carenage to St James.

While there are said to be eight less gangs operating in the Port-of-Spain Division—the division which includes areas like Belmont and Besson Street—accounts for the most suspected gang members in this country.

There are 41 gangs and 574 gang members operating in the Port-of-Spain Division.

The TTPS' Northern Division—which spans from Arima to St Joseph—has the third highest number of suspected gang members in this country. There are said to be 23 gangs operating in the Northern Division.

The North Eastern Division—which spans from Morvant to San Juan—has 256 suspected gang members. There are only 15 gangs said to be operating in the area.

The Central Division which has been a hot spot of gang activity in the country is said to only have 106 suspected gang members with ten gangs operating in the area.

While the Central Division and accounts for the least number of gang members in the nine police divisions in this country, according to statistics from the TTPS the area accounted for the most number of murders in the first four months for the year. According to statistics from the TTPS, the Central Division accounted for 39 murders in this country.

The TTPS' Eastern Division has the least number of gangs—nine—in the country with a total of 121 suspected gang members.

The Southern Division accounted for 19 gangs and just over 200 suspected gang members.

The South Western Division accounted for 21 gangs and 178 suspected gang members.

There are said to be 24 gangs operating in Tobago with 190 suspected gang members.

In 2014 it was estimated that there were 92 gangs operating in this country with 1,500 suspected gang members.

The number of gangs eventually increased to 179 the following year to 211 in 2017.

The number of suspected gang members operating in the country increased from 1,500 to just 2,450.

BOX

The Anti-Gang legislation

Two Mondays ago, the Anti-Gang legislation came into effect, giving the police the all clear to pursue and prosecute all members from criminal gangs.

The Sunday Guardian dated May 27 reported that sources said the Organised Crime and Intelligence Unit (OCIU) of the TTPS have been keeping close tabs on approximately 2,459 suspected gang members nationwide whose names, whereabouts, and alleged activities are known to authorities.

Meant to strengthen the criminal justice system and assist law enforcement in its fight against crime, the act was passed in Parliament on May 4 and assented by the President on May 15.

However, it did not come into force immediately as Section 2 of the act stated it shall come into operation upon proclamation.

HOTSPOTS—Western and POS divisions

Division Gangs Suspected members

Western 49 533

Port-of-Spain 41 574

Tobago 24 190

Northern 23 324

South-Western 21 178

Southern 19 202

North-Eastern 15 256

Central 10 106

Eastern 9 121