School children who deliberately choose to loiter before and after school hours will be closely monitored by police officers soon.

The officers will be part of the new Emergency Response Unit which will incorporate officers in over 140 police vehicles specially designated and dispatched to strategic locations, especially near schools.

This was yesterday disclosed by Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith during a media briefing at the Ministry of Education’s Port-of-Spain.

Griffith, along with a contingent of senior officers, had earlier met with Education Minister Anthony Garcia and his team in a strategic meeting discussing issues related to education, which lasted just over 75 minutes.

Speaking afterwards, Griffith explained that the patrols would fulfil part of the operational requirements in maintaining high visibility, ensuring rapid response and also serving as a deterrent to students who loiter.

“The vehicles will be GPS-equipped and monitored by our Operational Command Centre. They would be in their area of responsibility, placed in strategic locations outside those schools, especially in the areas where they believe there may be more concerns. It will provide a deterrent and ensure to keep an environment safe and secure,” Griffith said.

Asked how school children who are involved in gang activities and affiliated with gangs would be dealt with, Griffith admitted the issue was raised at the meeting and it was made known to Garcia that the TTPS had “operational initiatives” in place for that specific purpose.

“We do know exactly how we intend to deal with it…unfortunately, it would be impractical for me to state, for obvious reasons, what we intend to do but we are aware of the situation and we are aware of the threat. We have assessed and we are not denying it, but because of it we are fully aware of what we need to do at the right places and at the right time.”

Garcia added that because of national security, all details on these talks would be withheld. However, Garcia ruled out the implementation of metal detectors in schools.

At the end of the meeting, it was decided that two committees would be implemented to deal with bullying, behavioural issues, gang involvement, violence and other social issues/concerns.

Quick mobilisation and action by police officers of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) yesterday prevented an early morning protest by Beetham residents, following news that one of their own was shot and killed by police during an alleged shootout.

The protest, police said, would have caused chaos and gridlock traffic in and out of Port-of-Spain.

According to a police report, at about 4 am IATF officers were on patrol at Beetham Gardens, near 8th Street, when they noticed a man holding a firearm while walking the street. The report stated that the man, upon seeing the police, opened fire on them. The police returned fire, hitting the man several times.

The man, who was identified as Kerwin James, was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Police said James was also known as “Natty,” “Darkie,” “Russel James” and Alvin St Louis and resident at 8th Street, Beetham.

Police said he was well-known to them and was arrested for several drug and gun-related offences.

Beetham residents, on hearing the news of James’ death, attempted to take to the streets in protest, including along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway and Eastern Main Road. However, police quickly responded and were able to disperse them. The officers stood guard in the area for several hours afterwards, ensuring that no protest action took place.

Investigations are continuing.

Policeman Shaundelle Euin and La Brea welder Gregory James, who are charged with the kidnapping of Natalie Pollonais, will know today whether they will be granted bail.

Euin, 24, who was last attached to the La Romaine Police Post and James, 50, were remanded into custody yesterday so their families could produce certain documents in order for them to be granted bail.

Euin, who has four years service and James, also known as Roger Duncan, appeared before Senior Magistrate Cherril-Anne Antoine in the San Fernando First Court around 11.35 am. They were not called upon to plead to the charge, which alleged that on September 6 at SS Erin Road, Debe, they unlawfully, for ransom, seized and carried away Pollonais without her consent or without lawful excuse and held and prevented her from returning to her normal place of abode.

The charge was laid by Ag ASP Peter Ramdeen.

Asking that Euin is granted reasonable bail, attorney Carl Mattis said he had no previous convictions or pending matters. He said Euin was in a common-law relationship, has a one-year-old child and cares for his 13-year-old twin sisters. He said Euin has a passport but it has since expired.

Prosecutor Cleyon Seedan asked the magistrate to consider the seriousness of the offence. Seedan was also concerned that if the accused were granted bail they could hinder the ongoing investigation. Seedan also asked that Euin produce his passport in court or allow checks to be done at the Immigration Division to verify it had expired. Regarding James, Seedan produced a criminal record which listed three matters between 2013 and 2017—housebreaking and larceny, store breaking and larceny and warehouse and larceny—as pending. But James said those matters were dismissed.

James has to produce the court extracts to prove the matters were dismissed while Euin has to produce his passport before bail is granted.

Seedan asked that bail conditions, including that the men report to the police station and have no contact with the witnesses through social media or any third party, be set.

Earlier, Euin cursed and showed journalists his middle finger as he was being escorted from the San Fernando CID to the court. Pollonais, the wife of Ja­son Pol­lon­ais, a di­rec­tor of the South Oropouche-based Inland and Offshore Contractors Ltd (IO­CL) went missing after she left C3 Cen­tre, Ste Madeleine. On that night police found her BMW 5308 hy­brid sedan aban­doned in the park­ing lot of an HDC apart­ment build­ing at Cy­press Hills, Union Hall. The kid­nap­pers con­tact­ed her fam­i­ly and de­mand­ed a ran­som for her re­turn. Pollonais was rescued on the night of September 10 after police intercepted a white Nissan AD Wagon along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway near Courts Mega Store.

Another suspect in the case, a contractor, is expected to make his first appearance in court today charged with the same crime. Up to yesterday afternoon, the other police officer held in connection with the abduction was still in custody and inquiries were ongoing.

The Ministry of Health is concerned about media reports on the request for funding from the Children’s Life Fund for 18-month-Sheenece Jackson to undergo a life-saving liver transplant abroad.

In a release yesterday, the ministry stated, “We empathise with the family at this difficult time and reassure the public that the Children’s Life Fund Authority (CLFA) is in constant contact with the parents of Sheenece Jackson as they urgently seek a relative or other volunteer who is a willing, compatible and suitable donor. It must be noted that surgery is not being denied and the CLFA will continue to work with the family as they seek an appropriate volunteer donor.”

Noting that the family has only been able to source incompatible or unsuitable donors thus far, the ministry added, “There can be increased risks associated with performing this surgery without a suitable donor. Further, hospitals have not expressed willingness to perform this procedure given the lack of a compatible, suitable donor. The CLFA continues to make every effort to find a reputable hospital which is willing to perform the surgery under these conditions.”

The ministry also reaffirmed its commitment to fairness in the provision of grants for all children who need life-saving surgery abroad and qualify under the Children’s Life Fund Act.

Sheenece’s parents, Lystra and Sheldon Jackson, have a letter from Dr Carlos Luque of the Argentina-based Foundation (Fundacion) ETHE, expressing his willingness to do the surgery using with an ABO incompatible donor. The parents are asking Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh to intervene and allow Foundation ETHE to do the surgery, as Sheenece ‘s condition is deteriorating and finding a compatible donor has been very challenging thus far.

However, the CLFA said as far as it is, aware Foundation ETHE does not have any experience with liver transplants having ABO-incompatible donors.

“Again, all the cases that have been sent through this organisation have had compatible donors,” the CLFA stated in a previous statement.

Responding to claims by the parents that the CLFA has suspended its business with Foundation ETHE, the CLFA said some concerns have been raised with the institution and they are awaiting a response.

The Maxi Taxi School Transport Concessionaires of Trinidad, which provides daily transport to thousands of primary and secondary students across the country, is threatening to take the Education Ministry to court for an outstanding $20 million owed to them.

The threat was made yesterday by the association’s president Rodney Ramlogan, as scores of placard-bearing drivers protested outside the ministry’s south office, threatening if they are not paid by the end of this week they would be heading to court.

“This is what they have brought it down to. Our time for scrapping the bottom of the barrel is over. If we are not paid by the end of this week we will be heading to court early next week,” Ramlogan warned.

“You are asking us to provide a service to students for this new term and we are still awaiting our monies for last term. We can’t financially do this anymore. The drivers have not been able to service their loans, pay their mortgages and maintain their families. This is overbearing now,” Ramlogan said.

He said three times the current Government increased diesel prices which they have been absorbing, insisting that they could no longer operate with the old fares paid by the ministry.

In going forward, Ramlogan said they intend to put forward new rates, when they next meet with the ministry.

However, Education Minister Anthony Garcia, in a telephone interview with the T&T Guardian, said he was hopeful that the drivers will receive their payments next week.

Garcia said while March bills were paid, payments for April and May were still outstanding, as they were being processed.

He said the ministry was yet to receive July’s invoices from the Public Transport Service Corporation.

“We have already permission from the Finance Ministry to make the cheques payable once we have completed that exercise. I can’t put my head on a block, but I am reasonably certain that by next week all the outstanding bills will be paid,” Garcia assured.

The 300 drivers who are owed for the periods April to July have been providing transport to over 32,000 primary and secondary students.

They were promised to be paid by September 14, which they claimed was not fulfilled, as they only received one payment of $1.7 million on Monday.

Ramlogan claims he is owed $75,000.

Having withheld their transport services in the last few days, Ramlogan said this has resulted in many students not being able to attend classes.

“I would estimate that at least two thirds of the students we transport have been affected,” Ramlogan said.

This was, however, refuted by Garcia who stated based on the information received, “the extent of absenteeism on the part of the students is not much.”

Today, (Thursday) Ramlogan said they will deliver a letter to the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair and stage a protest outside the ministry’s head office, Port-of-Spain, with parents and students to get swift action.

Ramlogan said in 2015 they protested against then People’s Partnership government over failure of payments as well.

“So nobody could say we have a political agenda. It has nothing to do with politics. All we are asking for is what is rightfully due to us.”

Things took an ugly turn in the People’s National Movement’s (PNM) internal elections meeting on Tuesday night, with claims that workers in the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP), who are members of the PNM, are being threatened with losing their jobs if they do not vote for the URP programme manager Indar Parasram in the upcoming election.

Parasram, however, has strongly denied the accusations calling the claims an act of desperation by his opponents.

Parasram is contesting the post of Election Officer on the Red & Rowley slate which is being led by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.

On Tuesday, several independent candidates contesting the upcoming internal election visited the Sangre Grande constituency office to advance their case for election.

Darian Marcelle, who is also contesting the election officer post, was one of them.

Marcelle sent a WhatsApp voice note to PNM members addressing the situation.

“I was shocked and surprised when the chairman (of the Sangre Grande constituency) indicated that calls were made to members of the executive and the constituency, who are URP workers, and they were instructed to stay away from the meeting and threatened about their job security as tenuous as it already is and temporary, that if they attended their jobs would be in jeopardy,” Marcelle stated.

“I saw another message out tonight which suggests that what happened this evening in Sangre Grande may very well be true. Well let me just say this, our leader, our party leader and prime minister has democratised this party more than it has ever been and every member of this party is entitled to vote and participate in the democratic process without fear and therefore I am disappointed by what I am picking up and hearing,” Marcelle said.

Marcelle said the PNM must not tolerate such behaviour.

Parasram, however, denied using his position in the URP to intimidate and threaten workers to vote for him.

“If you go to any of the regions that URP governs no one will ever tell you that Indar Parasram says don’t go to anything they have, what I have told them is that this is a democratic election, there are many candidates in the race, all of us are members of the PNM, somebody will win, somebody will lose, but at the end of the day all of us will have to work together so that we can ensure that we remain in government. That was it full stop,” Parasram said.

Parasram said as a candidate for the internal election he has canvassed for votes outside of work hours.

“I am a candidate, it is my job to seek support, but what I can safely tell you is that I have never, ever told anyone (they will lose their jobs if they don’t vote for me)....I have told them search your conscience and spirit and vote for who you feel you want to support,” he said.

“I am on a campaign trail. I’m going to be in Belmont and Laventille after 4 pm today, after work is finished, and I am a speaker on those platforms. Am I not to speak because I am the programme manager of URP? I am speaking as a candidate when I speak after 4 pm and before 8 am,” Parasram said.

Parasram said he believes “desperation” was what has lead to this information being circulated.

“It’s an election and desperation is seeping in now and when people desperate they say anything,” he said.

The internal election is carded for September 30.

For the past two days the Princes Town Magistrates’ Court, which was relocated to the Rio Claro Magistrates’ Court following the 6.9 earthquake, has been non- functional.

Neither prisoners nor people with new cases appeared before a magistrate.

The prisoners were all remanded in absentia.

Three people, including two men charged with robbery and another charged with a sex offence, were remanded without the charges being read to them nor being given an opportunity to request bail.

Police officers from the Princes Town Magistrates’ Court have refused to enter the Rio Claro Magistrates’ Court because they are concerned about whether that building is structurally safe.

Up until Friday, Princes Town First Court Magistrate Rae Roopchan and Second Court Magistrate Nalini Singh were dealing with prisoners in the Rio Claro Police Station.

On Monday, prisoners appeared before a magistrate in the car park of the court building.

However, for the past two days prisoners were remanded into custody without seeing a magistrate.

President of the Police Social and Welfare Association, acting ASP Michael Seales, confirmed that the association’s vice president ASP Richard Corbett and another member, ASP Wayne Mohammed, visited the Rio Claro court following complaints by its members attached to the Princes Town court.

He said Corbett has suggested that they write the Judiciary requesting the engineering report for the Rio Claro court.

“Most of the members who have raised this issue suggest that they are not satisfied that the court itself is structurally safe and that they were not able to get from anyone concrete proof that the court has been deemed structurally safe following the recent 6.9 earthquake,” Seales said.

He said efforts by Corbett to communicate to the court manager of the Rio Claro Court were unsuccessful. He said even their members from the Rio Claro court cannot say whether an engineering report deeming the building safe for occupation exists.

Seales said there should be full disclosure and some type of conversation and compromise so every party wins.

It’s not the usual landslip.

That’s Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan’s description of the North Coast Road, which has partially caved in, reducing traffic on that portion of the road to one lane.

“That slippage on the North Coast Road is not what we normally would have. Normally what you have the mountains coming down in certain areas. This was a slippage of the roadway which is not what would happen on that side,”

The ministry’s team returned to the site yesterday morning to make further assessments. The earth was still seen shifting and vehicular traffic remained reduced to one lane.

The minister admitted the one lane situation was not ideal.

He said: “Obviously there will be some inconvenience and this why we are looking at the option of a two-lane bailey bridge. So we expect that hopefully, that will be up by weekend and traffic will return to normalcy.”

He said the ministry’s team would continue to work underneath the bridge after it’s installation.

The minister said the North Coast Road and other hillside roads, like the Lady Young Road, continued to be monitored by engineers during the course of the rainy season

“We have been monitoring the Lady Young. That’s an ongoing maintenance programme, monitoring the Lady Young, removing trees. And we’re looking at the areas that might be threatened,” he said.

“We’re working with the ministry’s engineer along with some engineers from the University of the West Indies to ensure that we at least look at the vulnerable areas and put in some regular maintenance on them.”

According to residents, signs of the roadway decay began on Sunday and subsequent heavy rains made the situation worse.

Sinanan said such roadways would continue to be a challenge due to the age of the roadways and the terrain surrounding them.

Presentation of the 2019 budget—where Petrotrin matters are expected to figure significantly—is expected soon after the Fourth Session of the 11th Parliament opens next week Friday.

The last sitting of the House of Representatives for the current Third Session of the 11th Parliament is next Wednesday.

Parliament confirmed that the Third Session ends and prorogues next week Thursday—September 27 at midnight.

The Fourth Session—marking Government’s fourth year out of the five year term—begins the day, after at 1.30 pm.

Parliament confirmed there will be no ceremonial opening of the Fourth Session. A ceremonial opening involves an address by the President.

The last ceremonial opening was September 23, 2015 when the First Session of the 11th Parliament was launched and the new Rowley PNM administration took office. Parliament was addressed by then president Anthony Carmona. He was succeeded in February by President Paula- Mae Weekes.

The 2019 budget, to be presented by Finance Minister Colm Imbert, will be top priority in the start of the Fourth Session. Imbert is expected to announce the budget delivery date immediately as the Fourth Session starts.

Government sources said the budget presentation is expected in the first week of October, with October 2 tipped as a possible date.

Speaking at Tuesday’s Tunapuna meeting held by Prime Minister Keith Rowley’s “Red” slate for PNM’s upcoming internal election, Imbert explained that by law the 2019 budget has to be in place before the end of October.

He said Government traditionally has a month after the September end of the financial year to introduce, debate and pass a budget for the next financial year.

“So the national budget (2019) must be completed in Parliament by October 31”,” Imbert added.

Imbert told the audience, “I’m in the midst of budget preparations- if I look a bit tired, it’s because I haven’t been getting much sleep,”

“We’ve been working, making ‘day into night’ in the Finance Ministry. I had some budget meetings today, so I’m a bit tired,”

Imbert didn’t reply to emailed queries yesterday on whether his heavy budget preparations had to do with completing financial issues/severance payments arising from Government’s closure of the Petrotrin refinery and retrenchment of 4,800 workers.

However, Government sources said a significant part of Imbert’s budget 2019 delivery will involve the Petrotrin issue—from what Government’s next financial steps, refinancing moves and other requirements will be for the embattled company, to cost of the workers’ severance payments and other associated immediate and projected costs.

As a result of the refinery closure and plans to import finished product for sale Imbert’s budget will also have to detail future decisions on the fuel subsidy.

Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Allyson West recently said there will be measures in the budgets of 2019 and 2020 to cushion the refinery closure blow for “San Fernando and environs”- areas where workers live.

Social Development Minister Cherrie Ann Crichlow- Cockburn on Tuesday announced the launch of a National Social Mitigation Plan for the vulnerable including retrenched /terminated workers. Costs for this for the next year are also expected to be in the 2019 package.

Imbert’s budget, which will detail how much of an economic turnaround has really been achieved in Government’s three years, will also detail progress of plans to start collecting the property tax. In Parliament on Monday, Imbert said that “barring unforseen circumstances” Government anticipated collecting it in 2019. See Page A12

The rise of inaccurate reports, or what is more popularly known as fake news, is a growing concern to the Police Service.

Inspector Amos Sylvester, of the Cyber Crime Unit, said the widespread sharing of false information had become a challenge to the Police Service.

“It may also be a challenge to law enforcement agencies at times to definitively determine the veracity of social media postings and decide if something is real or a hoax. Law enforcement does not intend to ignore these postings, but we have a duty to respond in serious cases. The only question is how does law enforcement respond to inaccurate news,” said Inspector Sylvester during the police press briefing yesterday.

He admitted that currently there were no laws on the books to charge those found to be sharing false information on social media.

“There is no general law in terms of inaccurate information, there is no law which governs anything like that. The closest thing is the Telecommunications Act Section Seven and 68 which deals with fake communications and fake signals. That Act was created in the 60s or 70s so the penalties are very minuscule but outside of that there is no legislation which actually takes into consideration our present dilemma in dealing with fake or inaccurate news,” he said.

Sylvester also noted that sharing of false information could lead to member of the public making rash decisions, as he pointed to a case earlier this year in which a Diego Martin man was accused of raping a minor after a video, which originated in the United States, spread on social media.

The man was reportedly assaulted by residents before it proven that the video was indeed of foreign origin.

“What is clear is the general public can often react to real events in irrational and unwarranted ways, fueled by fear of the unknown and at times distrust of authority,” said the Cyber Crime Inspector.

Last week, the Police Service was prompted to respond to social message which suggested women could refuse arrest between the hours of 6 pm and 6 am. Not only did the service confirm that the “law” quoted in the message was false, but the law firm to which the message was attributed said they knew nothing about the post.

Sylvester said he could not confirm if the law firm had made any report to police about the incident, but said no complaint had reach the Cyber Crime Unit.

Residents of Maloney Gardens are said to be shaken up and in shock after one of their own, who was described as a “stalwart” and “exemplary role model” identified as Jeremiah “Teach” Franklin was gunned down minutes after he tended to his kitchen garden just outside his apartment building on Tuesday night.

They are now making a desperate call for Police Commissioner Gary Griffith and his “Operation Strike Back” team to come into the area and help “get rid of all the gang members.”

According to a police report, at about 11.25 pm, Franklin, who had just completed tending to his kitchen garden, had gone to a nearby parlour to make a purchase and was walking back to his building when he was confronted by two armed men, who shot him several times. Franklin died at the scene. Police recovered over 20 spent shells on the scene of the crime.

A team of officers from the Homicide Bureau and the Northern Division, including Insp Andrew Lawrence, Insp Gyan, Sgt Katwaroo, Cpl Ali and PC Lawrence, among several others, visited the scene.

Franklin’s murder was recorded as the third in 48 hours in the area. It is believed that he may have been killed because he may have seen or known the identities of the killers responsible for Monday night’s double murder in which Ramon Cyrillo, 34, and Azizi Jelani McKenna, 36, were shot several times near Building 2. Both men succumbed to their injuries while at the hospital.

An investigating officer told the T& T Guardian that they are yet to determine a motive for the killing but strongly believe that Franklin was “innocently” killed because he knew the identities of Monday night’s killers.

The officer, however, assured the concerned residents that “all will be done to bring to justice the gunmen responsible.” “We will also be mobilising the police to carry out frequent patrols and execute exercises,” he added.

Franklin was said to be a school teacher and volunteered to give lessons to the young people in the area.

One resident described him as a “God-sent” individual, “Nobody here has nothing bad to say about him because he had a heart of gold to make sure that the young people around had an education. He helped those going to school and he also helped those that dropped out of school.”

“He was always the type to even talk to the young people to try to influence them away from this gang life and gun and weed mentality,” the resident added.

One of Franklin’s relatives, who wished not to be identified, said the killing was “senseless,” “how they could kill an innocent man just so? In cold-blood? Them doh have a heart…all them fellas who in this gang thing need to be stopped in their tracks right this minute.”

Another resident, who said her son was killed last year in a similar manner to Franklin, called on Griffith to intervene, “We have hope and trust in this new commissioner and we believe that he can clean up this area. This killing has gone too far and its time that we get back our peaceful community. We want Gary and his team to come in here and do what they have to do.

Investigations are continuing.

Two T&T nationals, identified as Emraan Ali and Eddie Aleong, have been designated by the United States and sanctioned for being financiers of the ISIS terror network, as regionally co-ordinated investigations seek out certain targets between T&T, Suriname and other areas.

High-level local officials leading T&T’s effort in the regional matter spoke about the situation after the US Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) yesterday designated and sanctioned Ali and Aleong.

The sanction announcement came via press release from the US Department of the Treasury (USDT).

The release said Aleong, 38, was based in T&T is also known as “Ishmael Mohammed,” “Ishmail Muhammed” and “Isma’il Ali Yong” while Ali, 51, was based in Syria.

It said: “As of March 2018, Trinidad-based Aleong facilitated money transfers to ISIS members in ISIS-controlled territory. As of January 2017, a Trinidadian ISIS supporter possibly planned to work with Eddie Aleong, to transfer funds to Emraan Ali, who would then provide the funds to Trinidadian ISIS fighters in Syria.”

As a result of yesterday’s action, all property and interests in property of the two men, subject to US jurisdiction, are blocked and US persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them, the USDT stated.

The designations of the two were part of the US government’s ongoing efforts to disrupt ISIS-related financial activities around the globe. The USDT said while coalition efforts have led to the collapse of ISIS’s self-declared caliphate, the Treasury continues to “aggressively target financiers supporting ISIS’s radical agenda.”

The USDT designated Ali for acting for/on behalf of ISIS. He was described by the department as a “Syria-based, dual US and Trinidadian national.” It said Ali has been involved in money transfers from T&T to Syria in support of ISIS.

“As of January 2017, Ali would receive and provide funds to Trinidadian ISIS fighters. For several years, a number of citizens of Trinidad and Tobago in Syria received money transfers through Ali. In the summer of 2015, Ali lived at an ISIS guest house in Syria and had been assigned to Raqqah, Syria.”

The USDT said Aleong was designated for “assisting in, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of ISIS.”

Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Sigal Mandelker added, “We’re sanctioning individuals involved in financial facilitation to obstruct and deter ISIS financial operations in regions across the world.”

T&T officials working on the matter told T&T Guardian last evening that while Ali was said to be based in Syria, Aleong, who was described as Trinidad- based, is not in custody. Both cases are under “active management” by T&T’s Anti Terrorism Unit and the Financial Intelligence Bureau (FIB), they said. They added that the regional investigation involves T&T, Suriname and other players and has been ongoing “very carefully for many months.”

The T&T officials said the designations resulted from amendments to T&T’s anti-terrorism law which were proclaimed a month ago and whose operationalisation gave T&T the ability to act on suspected terrorists/financiers in a regionally co-ordinated way. The amendments allow Government to receive requests on behalf of other countries regarding records of a case, which is probed.

Contacted on the issue last evening, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi confirmed the ongoing probe.

“Following a request from and evidence provided by T&T, one jurisdiction has now designated two individuals in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1373, freezing their assets.

“Amendments to our anti-terrorism law prescribe a particular course in these matters. I can confirm, the Anti-Terrorism desk of the AG’s office is engaged in all such action as it should be,” Al-Rawi said.

This morning the US Embassy will present the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) with equipment to assist in probing suspicious transactions.

Inappropriate, unfortunate and angry.

That was how two political analysts viewed statements made on Tuesday by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley that an “Oreo is the modern, politically correct way of calling someone a house nigger.”

Yesterday, analyst Prof John La Guerre described Rowley’s public remarks as “unfortunate and inappropriate,” saying he should not have gone down that road but focused on the closure of Petrotrin, which has been building momentum and attracting national attention.

La Guerre said such a jarring comment was an indication that the 2020 general elections campaign had begun.

“It also showed that politics has been allowed to triumph over good sense,” La Guerre told the T&T Guardian.

While La Guerre felt the word “Oreo” has racist overtones, he said he wondered why people were appealing to race in a multi-cultural society, noting was doing the country no good.

At a political meeting in Tunapuna on Tuesday, Rowley again responded to being called an “Oreo” by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, an attack for which she was condemned by several quarters, including the Government.

As snippets of Rowley’s comments circulated on the airwaves and Facebook, he was heavily criticised in some quarter yesterday but there were differing views as well.

La Guerre said unfortunately, racist insinuations have and will continue to surface in T&T’s politics.

“A number of synonymous terms are being used and it is really unfortunate that these terms are being applied in the political content of T&T.”

He said Rowley’s remarks harp back to the duality of history involving field slaves versus house slaves who were given more privileges which made them believe they were far superior.

“So that divide continues according to the Prime Minister. Is only now they are using the metaphor of the Oreo hoping to hide their meaning.”

However, James said the metaphor of the “Oreo,” which he described as derogatory, has resuscitated in the Prime Minister that some blacks are superior to others.

“I don’t think it is racist because it is very difficult to argue that a black man is racist against his own race,” James said.

However, he said Rowley’s repeated use of the ‘N’ word “showed he is upset about this….he is quite angry that the metaphor used by the Opposition Leader, why else would he talk about it in what appears to be a very passionate and emotional tone.”

For such a remark to be made by Rowley, James said something triggered the PM. He said it also suggested that Rowley was permitted by our social norms to use the word.

“And that is largely because he is Black…he is African.”

James said while many would disapprove on social media of Rowley’s statement, few can say why?

“If you are living in a diverse society, you got to take responsibility for the words that you utter and how it can cause discomfort to others. This is not building others. This is not helping us to get a little closer in our diversities.

“We are human beings who are sharing a space and we need to be tolerant with the differences that exist among us. It doesn’t have to get nasty if we take the right steps to educate our emotions.”

An international investor has expressed interest in state-owned Petrotrin and is willing to partner with the Oilfields’ Workers Trade Union (OWTU) in a joint venture lease of the refinery, OWTU President General Ancel Roget confirmed yesterday.

Roget made the comment after his contingent met with Petrotrin board representatives yesterday at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain, to present the union’s plan to take over the refinery and keep it in business.

“This is a win-win situation and anyone refusing that needs to explain that to the population,” Roget said after the meeting.

“The board posed a number of questions to the union and we are expected to continue communication until a meeting next Thursday. There are many other options than to send Petrotin workers home and closing it down.”

He said the burden on the country would be worse if the Petrotrin workers were added to the rising unemployment figures.

The OWTU move comes on the basis of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s statements during his address to the nation on the future of Petrotrin on September 2. In that address, Rowley offered the OWTU first dibs on the purchase of the refinery. The union followed that up by delivering a letter to Rowley on Tuesday in which it indicated its interest in accepting the offer.

“Our proposal is not one for the OWTU to own the refinery, I want to make that point. Our proposal is founded on the principle that these assets belong to the people of T&T,” Roget said, adding any arrangement that the union enters into would benefit the people of T&T.

“We responded to the call by the Prime Minister. In the meantime, we will be discussing with our business partners and those parties, a number of them, who already expressed interest in some sort of a joint venture.”

Roget said now that the board has that information, the secret investor could be made public after next week’s meeting.

“There is a major social impact cost that the Government has not taken into account. It is not just about the workers, closing down the refinery will not profit the country at all,” he said.

In a brief interview following the meeting, however, Roget said he was not overly confident of the board’s reception, but only because there was no trust.

On Tuesday, Rowley issued a statement reiterating that the refinery would be shut down. He noted that since August 21 he had told the union that the refinery would cease to operate. In that statement, Rowley said once the refinery is removed from the rest of the operations then it will be available “for attention”. He said that if the OWTU presented an acceptable business proposal, the Government will treat it with respect. However, Rowley added, if more attractive proposals became available the Government would treat with them in the interest of the taxpayers.

“We cannot trust the Prime Minister and we cannot trust the Minister of Energy,” Roget said yesterday.

“Doesn’t this tell you something about this man? He is now introducing into the equation that he is willing to give his friends, his financiers, his associates what he promised to the people and he exposed himself.

“We are now calling his bluff. The ball is in the court of the Prime Minister, the Government, the board.”

He added: “I do not want to anticipate any response because this is a Government that we cannot trust, this is a Prime Minister that we cannot trust.”

Roget said it was passing strange that the Government planned to shut down the refinery because they couldn’t locate an investor or buyer but now can deal with the refinery.

“We have been inundated with calls and interests since we announced that we were looking for a partner,” he said.

The Tobago sea bridge’s Cabo Star cargo vessel went into scheduled dry docking yesterday after a large last minute rush by businesspeople to send trucks to the sister isle in recent days. This, since no alternative cargo vessel will be in place during the vessel’s dry docking.

Port Authority CEO Vilma Lewis-Cockburn spoke about the situation around 4 pm yesterday, just as the Cabo Star left Port- of-Spain to head for the Caridoc facility in Chaguaramas. It will undergo scheduled dry docking scrutiny for the next 10 days until September 30.

Lewis-Cockburn said, “Last month, we advised stakeholders including truckers that prior to the dry docking, the Port would put on four additional sailings on Saturdays so people can send across extra goods to stock up enough supplies during the 10 days the vessel would be on dry dock.

“However during those additional sailings we had very low figures responding to use the sailings. We had 25 trucks, one Saturday, 37, another weekend and 59 also—it was really underutilised.

“But in the last few days before the vessel went on dry dock, we got a ‘million’ trucks lining up to go across—last minute rush. There were so many the vessel left late from Tobago and Port-of-Spain. I still have people calling to get things sent across, but when we had the additional service, they didn’t use it—we gave everyone ample opportunity to organise.”

Since no alternative cargo vessel is being provided during Cabo Star’s absence, perishable and light trucks will be transported to Tobago on the daily sailing of the T&T Spirit. But heavy items such as bricks and likewise would not be transported, she added.

The Tobago Chamber is keeping an eye peeled on the seabridge’s cargo operation in the Cabo Star absence.

Chamber vice chairman Martin George said, “We remain tremendously concerned there’s no provision for an alternative cargo service especially with the upcoming long Republic day holiday weekend and the impact the lack of a cargo vessel will have on Tobago, its businesspeople, holiday makers and others.”

Noting the Government’s attempts to secure four vessels for the seabridge, Galleon’s Passage, a leased replacement for the T&T Express and two Australian ferries ahead, George added.

“Despite the multitude of promises, assurance and attempts to assauge the travelling public, the reality is that as yet, there’s no consistent, reliable, adequate service to meet the needs of people wishing to transport goods and vehicles. We’re days away from the 2019 Budget and this albatross remains around the nation’s neck.”

Rio Claro Imam Nazim Mohammed says he hasn’t heard from his second daughter’s husband Emraan Ali, who has been designated by the United States as an ISIS financier, since the couple left for Syria several years ago.

Mohammed spoke about his son-in-law yesterday after the US Department of Treasury (USDT) on Wednesday said Ali and another T&T national, Eddie Aleong, were designated as and sanctioned for being financiers of the ISIS terror network.

The USDT said Ali, 51, carried dual US and T&T citizenship. He was designated for acting for/or on behalf of ISIS.

Ali was described as being based in Syria and as being involved in money transfers from T&T to Syria in support of ISIS.

“As of January 2017, Ali would receive and provide funds to Trinidadian ISIS fighters. For several years, a number of T&T citizens in Syria received money transfers through Ali. In the summer of 2015, Ali lived at an ISIS guest house in Syria and had been assigned to Raqqah, Syria,” the US stated on Wednesday.

Aleong, 38, was said to be based in T&T. He was designated for assisting in, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of ISIS.

The US said as of March 2018, T&T-based Aleong facilitated money transfers to ISIS members in ISIS-controlled territory. As of January 2017, a Trinidadian ISIS supporter “possibly planned to work Aleong, to transfer funds to Emraan Ali, who would then provide the funds to Trinidadian ISIS fighters in Syria.”

Aleong, of Enterprise, Chaguanas, was among the 15 people held by police in the February plot to disrupt Carnival. He was among 13 eventually released without charge.

T&T officials said the matter regarding the two was under “active management” by the Anti-Terrorism Unit of the Attorney General’s Office.

Yesterday, Imam Mohammed confirmed Ali was married to one of his daughters. He said they lived in Rio Claro for some time before they left T&T for Syria sometime before 2015, but he couldn’t recall exactly when.

“I don’t get no information on them, I don’t know where they are,” Mohammed said, declining comment on the US’s designation of Ali as an ISIS financier.

In 2015, Mohammed confirmed that another daughter, Anisa, her husband Daoud and their three daughters had gone to Syria that year.

Last year, Human Rights Watch group located the women in an Iraqi detention camp after Iraqi forces detained large numbers of ISIS fighters. The T&T women and the man had been separated. It was confirmed it was Mohammed’s daughter and her children.

In May, Anisa, 53 and her three daughters (ages 23 to 32) were sentenced to 20 years’ jail each by a Baghdad court for entering Turkey illegally and for ISIS ties.

Mohammed’s granddaughters called him from prison. They said their children - a total of about seven children ages three to seven - were with them and they wanted to come home. Mohammed says he believed their father was executed.

Yesterday, Mohammed said he had dropped letters to the Attorney General and National Security Minister appealing for Government assistance in bringing the women back

“I haven’t received reply,” he said.

However, Mohammed said his family weren’t ISIS recruiters.

But Islamic Front leader Umar Abdullah yesterday challenged the US to present proof that Ali and Aleong were ISIS financiers.

“They must bring the proof because I know better. When people left to go to Syria they would have left family/friends behind and they would have wanted help when they fell into hardship. What would ISIS want with small T&T money?

“I also sent money to a T&T woman I know who was in Syria. But it doesn’t mean I was financing ISIS. She reached out to me for help. I knew her very well - I sent her (US)$30. She’s still there - but people should focus on T&T’s crime, not terrorism. If left unattended, crime will skyrocket.”

In preparation for the closure of Petrotrin’s refinery, critical documents have gone missing and/or are being removed and destroyed, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has reported to Police Commissioner Gary Griffith.

Persad-Bissessar wrote Griffith on Wednesday calling on the police to seek court assistance to preserve the evidence concerning the alleged “fake oil issue and AV Oil and Gas Company Ltd.”

She said she feared “an ongoing attempt to undermine the democratic institutions and processes designed to uphold the rule of law.”

“It has come to my attention that in preparation for the closure of the refinery, electronic documents, critical reports, statistical data sheets, technical timeline data surveys and confidential employee statements have gone missing and/or are being removed and systematically destroyed,” she said in the letter.

“Such actions carry the real risk of compromising the ongoing criminal investigation by various organs of the Police Service. Equally serious is the fact that such actions amount to the commission of further criminal offences, including, but not limited to, the obstruction of an ongoing criminal investigation and perverting the course of justice.”

She added, “This evidence will be crucial to any prosecution that may arise out of your investigations into these matters and failure to do so will allow those who may be in breach of the criminal law to escape.”

Persad-Bissessar gave a detailed background of the allegations against Petrotrin Catshill field lease Operator A&V Oil and Gas Ltd., which were first made public in September of last year.

The allegations, she noted, arose out of a report produced by Petrotrin’s Audit Committee. She said the internal audit’s opinion that the purchase of non-existent crude from Catshill was the main contributing factor to Petrotrin receiving significantly less oil than the volumes recorded by the Exploration and Production department. The report estimated Petrotrin would have overpaid A&V Oil and Gas Ltd. some US$11.5 million

Persad-Bissessar noted that the matter was referred by Petrotrin’s board to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. But she said the DPP doesn’t have the power to investigate criminal conduct to determine any infringement of law, justifying prosecution. She said it was, however, understood the police have started an investigation.

Persad-Bissessar said the matter was important not only because of the quantum of money involved but it’s alleged “a calculated, intentional and deliberate fraudulent scheme to defraud Petrotrin was involved.” She noted the Prime Minister also said the principal of A&V Oil and Gas Ltd. was his friend.

“Such statements hold potential to give the impression that such persons would be afforded preferential treatment from the authorities. The Prime Minister’s action will certainly result in the undermining the already low confidence that the population has in the police service,” she added.

Pastor Victor Gill says yesterday’s ruling on sex between two consenting males did not strike down the buggery law and the church should be thankful to God for that.

Gill, who led the protests by the group TT Cause following an earlier ruling by Justice Devindra Rampersad in April, said he was in court for the ruling and having spoken to Fyard Hosein SC was satisfied that despite the judge’s ruling the buggery law was not struck down. “The law is still on the law books,” Gill, who has since tweaked TT Cause to TT Response, said.

He said he was pleased to hear Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi say the ruling will be appealed.

“It has to go to the Privy Council. The AG is going to appeal, it could take years we don’t know. It would have been better if we did not have this development but we still have reason to rejoice. It was not struck down,” Gill said in a telephone interview.

In his 14-page ruling yesterday, Justice Rampersad modified sections 13 and 16 of the Sexual Offences Act, making it legal for two consenting adults to engage in anal intercourse.

The ruling came six months after Rampersad’s April ruling that the rights of persons who wanted to engage in anal sex and serious indecency in private were being infringed. That ruling in April prompted protests by religious leaders led by Gill.

Yesterday, Gill said, “I am of the opinion, along with ministers of the gospel, that the demonstration led by TT Cause and the voices of others who have written to the media has helped to cushion the impact of this thing and curtail whatever might come out.

“We don’t know what the Privy Council will rule and what the legislature will do. I would like to say to the nation that what we set out to do is to bring public awareness and that was accomplished and it has slowed down the process of this thing being struck down. With one statement we accomplished that. I believe it’s a reason for the church to be thankful to God.”

Several attempts to reach Roman Catholic Archbishop Jason Gordon were unsuccessful yesterday. But Monsignor Christian Pereira said the Archbishop had “already spoken very clearly and extensively about that and his thoughts remain as valid now as they were when he first made public statements on the matter.”

In April following the High Court ruling in the Jason Jones matter, Gordon acknowledged that “buggery is a serious moral offence,” but said it should not put someone in prison for 25 years.

The Archbishop referred to the Vatican’s statement at the 63rd Session of the United Nations in 2008, which said, “The Holy See continues to advocate that every sign of unjust discrimination toward homosexual persons should be avoided and urges states to do away with criminal penalties against them.”

But while the church has taken an open stance on the issue of buggery, Gordon made it clear, “We will oppose same-sex marriage in every way possible.”

Local analysts are saying that the Memorandum of Understanding T&T and Guyana signed on Wednesday presents beneficial opportunities to both countries, with Guyana benefitting from this country’s expertise in the oil and gas sectors and T&T in a position to make deals with Guyana to import oil and gas down the road.

But a former Guyanese minister is sceptical, suggesting that the deal may have been opportunistic and is demanding answers from the Prime Minister on a number of issues.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian yesterday analysts Indeera Sageewan-Alli and Winford James both agreed it is a good arrangement and outlines an intent on the part of both parties for cooperation to happen.

James said the MOU “potentially provides T&T with the opportunity to sell its considerable expertise and experience on energy and energy-related matters (via, e.g., consultancies, transfer of technologies), to make deals with Guyana on (cheaper) importation of oil and gas from that country down the road and to make use of unused capacity re the refinement of oil.”

Sageewan-Alli said entering into this kind of agreement with Guyana was extremely useful.

“The proximity between Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, the extent to which Trinidad has experience in the hydrocarbon sector, given what is happening with our own sector in terms of our ability to sustain it, does definitely mean that Trinidad and Tobago has to be looking outside if we want to continue to deepen and expand our sector,” Sageewan-Alli said.

But she said the success of the MOU depends on “how it rolls out into actual projects, actual opportunities for cooperation, where we could actually see personnel employed in Guyana productively, given the expansion and the development of the Guyana industry.”

Already, she said there are voices in Guyana which have said that T&T did not treat Guyana very well and “therefore we don’t think that you are necessarily our best ally.”

One such voice is former minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud who, in an open letter to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley posted on his Facebook page, pointed to what he described as the PM’s “newly birthed excitement to visit Guyana and to partake in our oil and prosperity.”

Persaud said as someone who still believes in the potential of the Caricom project, it was “always comforting when we can identify strengths in each other and develop synergistic arrangements for mutual benefits.” It is, he said, a position which Guyana has pursued “whole-heartedly and enthusiastically” since the dawn of the regional integration movement.

Describing Guyana as the “land of the next regional energy giant,” he listed seven questions the people of Guyana have been seeking answers to. These included whether this T&T is committed to reducing the massive trade deficit between Guyana and T&T and when non-tariff barriers which prevent the entry of Guyana’s agricultural products from entering the T&T market will be lifted.

Persaud said there is a view that the T&T model of managing oil and gas wealth has proven to be one of the “less inspiring ones across the globe and a model Guyana should not adopt in full.”

James said this viewpoint is “ok once it does not cloud understanding of political and economic realities, pragmatics and imperatives.”

He said the conversation in Guyana “needs to weigh moral implications against pragmatic economic decisions.”

He said nothing in T&T’s position on the Petrotrin refinery “weakens its hand where advising Guyana is concerned. It’s up to Guyana to evaluate whatever the advice in its own interest.”

Sageewan-Alli said there are a lot of advantages for both parties in the arrangement.

“There is for example talk of the establishment of a refinery, a small refinery. If that is happening, certainly Trinidad and Tobago has the expertise.”

Addressing the question head-on in Guyana on Wednesday, Rowley said T&T had done well in the hydrocarbon sector, which had allowed development in every sector of the country.

“All I can say to Guyana is to understand that you have a friend in Trinidad and Tobago that have a little bit of experience in this and a hundred years may be of some benefit to you.”

Rowley made it clear that T&T believes “what is good for Trinidad and Tobago in this business is also good for Guyana.”

Guyana President David Granger also responded to critics saying “Trinidad is bringing years of experience in production, in marketing oil and gas, in dealing with multi-national corporations. The MOU is a means of benefitting from Trinidad’s advice so the fears that there is some giveaway are completely unjustified.”

Granger described the MOU as a “win-win situation for both of us and the Caribbean Community, it is a significant step in making the community stronger.”

The fashion industry is today mourning the death of internationally acclaimed local fashion photographer Calvin French.

Details surrounding his death were yet to be released up to press time last evening, but T&T Guardian understands that French, who passed away around 4.45 pm, was ailing for some time and was hospitalised in a private institution up until his passing.

The news of his death quickly spread across social media.

One close colleague described French as a good friend and mentor.

“Calvin French was my inspiration, supporter, breakthrough male model, exceptional agent, agency owner and talented photographer. Calvin French touched so many lives worldwide. That big smile and his favourite line… ‘Oh Miss Thing!’

“He told it like he saw it, unapologetically, and forced you to grow. Even at my lowest Calvin helped me refocus, and press forward. He was an icon. I will miss his wisdom, I will miss his infectious laugh, I will miss his “Yes darling!” I will miss him dearly,” French’s friend said.

Another reminisced about meeting French in his 20s.

“My dear friend Calvin French has transitioned. He was known for his phenomenal photography, sharp tongue, and immense charm. I met Calvin in my 20s, and I consulted him on every major project I’ve done since then, his advice was always honest, and wise.”

On October 5, 2017, French launched his You Magazine at VAS Lounge, Rust Street, St Clair. The aim of the digital publication was to translate the identity and heart of the cultural and social trendsetters of the Caribbean.

French dedicated it to bring together the very best in Caribbean fashion, style, lifestyle and entertainment.

French also served as a director on Creative TT and was instrumental in bringing Vogue Italia to T&T.