Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley wants the people of T&T to set aside their differences and unite as one.

He also called for a greater sense of oneness as he briefly addressed the audience at the Queen’s Park Savannah yesterday during the interfaith service titled Songs of Devotion, which marked the nation’s 42nd anniversary as a Republic.

The Prime Minister urged the congregation to dismiss past notions saying: “Whatever you might have been thinking years ago, if you had doubt that there would have been a day like this, today, this day is here.”

Reaffirming his commitment to T&T and its people, the Prime Minister added, “If you ever had any doubts this morning about our future,” the voices of those delivering worship, “should convince us that we are one strong, beautiful little nation.”

He went on, “If at the personal level we thought we might have lost our way, somewhere today in the Qaseeda, somewhere in that Bhajan, somewhere today in that spiritual, I hope like me, you have found your confidence to know that T&T is a nation under God.”

As the audience applauded, Rowley acknowledged the efforts of those responsible for putting together yesterday’s programme as he said it had lifted everyone’s spirits.

Rowley said, “Nobody promised us a perfect day every day but there are promises that we can’t deny as wherever we worship, even when we weep, we know that joy cometh in the morning.”

Former finance minister Wendell Mottley will receive the country’s highest award—the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago—on a later date.

Mottley was expected to be the first awardee called at yesterday’s evening National Awards at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) in Port-of-Spain, but instead the awardees for the Chaconia Medal (Gold) were announced with veteran media practitioner Jones P Madeira being the first recipient to be called to receive his award.

“This moment is happy for me but I am also extremely happy for other journalists as well,” said Madeira after the ceremony.

“It’s overwhelming, it’s good to be recognised and this I think I dedicate to all of journalism in Trinidad & Tobago and the Caribbean,” said Madeira, who felt journalism in the country was in good hands and expressed faith in the current crop of journalists

Following the distribution of 49 of the 51 awards, it was announced that 77- year-old Mottley, was unavoidably absent and as such will receive his award on another date to be scheduled.

Mottley is reportedly out the country.

Retired barrister at law Mahmud Sultan Dean was the other absent awardee.

Teenager Sarah Estrada was awarded the Hummingbird Medal (Bronze) for gallantry for her role in saving a drowning man at Blanchisseuse in July.

“It’s a great feeling, coming from a small village is hardly recognised by the State, it’s a great feeling to receive a national award, “ said Estrada, who called for the State to develop her community of Blanchisseuse further.

The most recently introduced award, the Medal for Development of Women (Gold), was awarded to writer, journalist and educator, Dr Krishendaye Rampersad.

She said while she was impressed by the group of awardees last night, more equity in terms of the number of women should be awarded.

Former Central Bank governor Ewart Williams has said that while the economy is improving, the country still in significant debt.

“The economy is turning around slowly in the sense that we are getting some good news from the energy sector. And I think if you look far enough, I think confidence in the private sector seems to be improving somewhat,” said Williams at the National Academy for the Performing Arts on Monday.

He said issues there continued to be major.problems within the public sector.

“The problem is the public sector is an issue. You’re in the middle of Petrotrin and the debt is still an issue. Therefore the budget still requires significant adjustment,” said the former governor.

“People tend to be looking good times now, I don’t think you can expect good times now because we still have a serious debt problem that we need to deal with,” he added.

Williams was awarded with the Chaconia Medal (Gold) at yesterday’s National Awards ceremony.

He said he was humbled by the award adding: “It is a recognition that you did something that contributed in some way to improving the the public,” said Williams.

Eyewitnesses to today’s brazen robbery of a G4S Security armoured vehicle and its four armed guards have described it as “like a scene out of an action movie.”

According to a police report, at about noon the armoured vehicle had backed up towards Republic Bank’s ATM machine at St Helena, Piarco, when three masked gunmen ambushed its four security guards.

Police said the men announced a hold-up and seized the weapons belonging to the G4S guards. The men then stole an undisclosed amount of cash stored in money bags and made their escape in a silver Nissan X-trail.

Two teams of police officers from the Caroni and Las Lomas police stations responded to the scene of the crime within minutes.

Investigating officers said the getaway vehicle, which bore no licence number plates, was later recovered abandoned in a bushy area in Las Lomas.

CCTV footage of the robbery was retrieved by investigating officers.

Preliminary investigations have since pointed to an employee of the security company who police suspect could be involved in the daring heist.

Police said eyewitnesses told them that the G4S security officers were at that time replenishing the cash dispensing bins when the gunmen ambushed them.

Investigations are continuing.

Rhondor Dowlat

In less than 12 hours, police arrested a 38-year-old man in connection with Monday’s over $1 million heist at a Republic Bank Limited ATM in St Helena, Piarco.

Intelligence received led investigators to the suspect’s Trincity home at about 11 pm that same day, where they also found a white Tucson believed to have been used in the robbery parked in the suspect’s driveway. The suspect is said to be a labourer. The vehicle was impounded and it later confirmed it was reported as stolen.

The other vehicle used in the robbery, a silver Nissan X-trail, which was the initial getaway vehicle used by the suspects, is also being processed by crime scene investigators. That vehicle, which bore no licence plates, was found abandoned in a bushy area at Centeno Road, El Carmen Village.

According to a police report, at about noon on Monday three armed men, who announced a robbery, approached three armed G4S Secured Solutions Limited estate constables who were restocking the ATM. The guards were relieved of their guns and eight bins containing the money before escaping in the silver Nissan X-Trail.

Cpl Steve Rajoo of the Cunupia CID is leading enquiries.

Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar will meet Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) representatives this morning to discuss Petrotrin workers’ concerns following Government’s decision to close the company’s refinery, starting next week.

The meeting focuses on the OWTU’s “Alternative Plan to Save Petrotrin,” which the Opposition has reviewed.

“The Opposition shares the view that the company can be turned around and the jobs of thousands of workers saved,” a UNC statement said.

The Opposition’s meeting with the OWTU comes days before the October 1 target of the start of the Petrotrin restructuring process.

The jobs of a total of 4,800 permanent and temporary Petrotrin employees will be affected, particularly 1700 refinery jobs which are being eliminated. Petrotrin has said workers can apply for jobs in the restructured entity focusing on Exploration and Production.

Petrotrin chairman Wilfred Espinet recently confirmed October 1 date was a target date but that there won’t be a “hard stop” closure on that date since jobs will be terminated in phases - refinery first. Espinet said the union and company also have to meet tomorrow on the issue.

Yesterday, Opposition officials indicated OWTU officials sought today’s 10.30 am meeting with the Opposition and as the alternative government.

Persad-Bissessar said, “The Rowley-led Government’s stance on Petrotrin and its workers is cruel and the move to shut down the refinery is ill-conceived and will have significant long-term negative effects in South Trinidad, indeed the whole of T&T. The Prime Minister has shown that he doesn’t care about the thousands of workers who will be sent home, or their families and communities and he doesn’t have a viable plan to secure and develop T&T’s energy sector.”

She said the Opposition remains open to “dialogue with all stakeholders interested in ensuring Petrotrin’s stability and sustainability.”

Police’s suspicion that Williamsville mother Tricia Farrow was strangled to death on Saturday was confirmed by an autopsy at the Forensic Science Centre in St James yesterday.

However, investigators have to wait for the results of vaginal swabs taken from Farrow’s body to determine whether she was raped.

Meanwhile, no one has been arrested for her murder although her family is pointing fingers at a relative who was accused of raping and almost killing her six months ago.

A family member said yesterday that it was difficult for them to sleep on Monday night following the discovery of her body.

Besides her death, they said it was traumatic knowing that the person who committed to the odious crime was still roaming their village freely.

Far­row, 44, of Morne Rush, Williamsville, was found on Monday at an un­oc­cu­pied house along Hill View Dri­ve, about 50 me­tres from her home.

A re­port said when the own­er went to the house around 8.50 am he saw a body on the ground and im­me­di­ate­ly went to the Gas­par­il­lo Po­lice Sta­tion. He re­turned with a team of of­fi­cers who found Far­row, a moth­er of six, ly­ing on her back at the side of the house.

A belt was fas­tened around her neck and at­tached to the drainage pipe.

Her pants and under­wear were re­moved. She was last seen alive by her family around 1 am Saturday, when she went outside to intervene in an argument between her brother Tyrone and another relative.

Tyrone told the T&T Guardian that after he was struck with a piece of brick he went home, leaving Farrow and the relative standing under a street light about 30 metres from where her body was later found.

Farrow’s son Kerwin Bando said six months ago, a neighbour alerted him and his father to someone screaming in the bushes.

When they checked, they found Farrow lying partially naked in the bushes gasping for breath.

It was less than 30 metres from where her body was found on Monday.

Weeks later, he said she had a confrontation with a relative and shouted out that he had raped and tried to kill her.

However, she never reported the incident to the police.

The Marabella woman who was arrested last week in connection with the kidnapping of Natalie Pollonais has been released by police.

Investigators confirmed yesterday that the woman was questioned and released on Saturday pending further inquiries.

She was held at her home during an operation by the Anti-Kidnapping Squad last Thursday and spent Friday and Saturday being interrogated over her alleged involvement in Pollonais’ kidnapping.

Although four men are currently before the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court charged with kidnapping Pollonais for ransom, investigators suspect more persons were involved.

They said investigations will continue until they are satisfied everything has been done.

Pol­lon­ais, 49, the wife of Ja­son Pol­lon­ais, a di­rec­tor of the South Oropouche-based In­land and Off­shore Con­trac­tors Ltd (IO­CL), was kid­napped on Sep­tem­ber 6 along the SS Erin Road, Debe.

On that night, po­lice found her BMW 5308 hy­brid sedan aban­doned in an HDC apart­ment build­ing parking lot at Cy­press Hills, Union Hall.

The kid­nap­pers later con­tact­ed her fam­i­ly and de­mand­ed a ran­som for her re­turn.

Four days lat­er, Pol­lon­ais was res­cued by po­lice af­ter they in­ter­cept­ed a white Nis­san AD Wag­on along the Churchill Roo­sevelt High­way in San Juan.

A week later, PC Shaudelle Eu­in, 25, of Gas­par­il­lo and Gre­go­ry James, 50, a welder from La Brea, were charged with kid­nap­ping Pollonais for ran­som by ASP Pe­ter Ramdeen of the South­ern Di­vi­sion.

Two days lat­er, PC Ian Dwari­ka, 44, of Union Hall, San Fer­nan­do and Shain Steven, 37, a con­trac­tor from Princes Town, were tak­en to court for the same of­fence.

Se­nior Mag­is­trate Cher­ril-Anne An­toine re­ject­ed the men’s ap­pli­ca­tion for bail, say­ing that un­der the An­ti Gang Act which was as­sent­ed to in May, kid­nap­ping for ran­som was list­ed as a gang-re­lat­ed ac­tiv­i­ty.

She said it was in the cat­e­go­ry of se­ri­ous of­fences and she would not grant bail.

Councillor Vandana Mohit has handed over documents to Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein highlighting alleged “corrupt practices” in the Building Inspectorate department of the Chaguanas Borough Corporation.

Mohit, whose private residence was shot up at last Monday, said she first saw the documents and raised questions about its contents mere days before the shooting. She believes both incidents are linked.

Gunmen fired over 14 bullets at Mohit’s Cunupia home around 9.30pm on September 17, leaving her and family members scurrying for shelter inside the house.

In an interview with the T&T Guardian, Mohit said about two months ago she began receiving calls from burgesses who complained they were unable to receive approvals for their building projects.

“There are many people within the borough of Chaguanas who have problems receiving approvals in terms of completion as well as subdivision planning, which has been brought to my attention and I was just trying to deal with those matters and that is how I came across these discrepancies,” she said.

Asked what the discrepancies were, Mohit replied, “There were amendments of dates on certain files regarding completion certificates and no date traces of where inspections were completed or done at certain premises. I gave him (Hosein) documents where I saw some amendments of dates and when we visited certain sites which would have come for approvals and there were existing defects.”

She said they visited the sites on September 14 and her home was targeted on September 17.

“It was only the Thursday when I visited the sites I could have pronounced on what I saw and a couple of days after - that was Thursday and the shooting occurred on Monday.”

She was adamant, however, that she will not hide from criminals.

“I have no reason to hide if I believe in what I stand for, there is no reason for me to run from anyone, there is the truth and there are allegations and I believe I work with documents given to me at this corporation at all times and if I see certain matters which need to be raised, I will raise it,” Mohit said.

“I don’t know what is coming next and I will try to keep myself safe but I will not be intimidated because my fight is for the people who I represent.”

She said following the shooting she had been told the men responsible were seen liming at a bar close to her home hours before the incident. She said she has passed on this information to the police and is giving them a chance to their investigation properly.

Hosein visited the corporation yesterday to attend a statutory meeting, as he has been doing at other corporations across the country over the past few months.

In a brief interview before Mohit handed over the documents, however, he said if he received something in writing he would investigate.

“Nothing on allegations of corruption came to me - once it comes to me I will know how to handle it. I am not talking about not hearsay, once it comes to me in writing I will investigate.”

Seamen and Waterfront Workers’ Trade Union (SWWTU) president Michael Annisette has proposed that Government send home 675 of the Port of Port-of-Spain’s 1,500 workers to save the state enterprise from going belly up.

The workers to face the axe will be from across the board, Annisette said, as he called on Government and the Port Authority of T&T (PATT) board to meet immediately with the union to come up with a retrenchment exercise and payment plan for the affected workers.

Annisette made the disclosure at a joint press conference in Port-of-Spain yesterday attended by Public Services Association president Watson Duke and attorney Nyree Alfonso.

Admitting it was strange for a union to call for workers to be sent home, Annisette said there was a “concerted and devious” effort by Government to undermine the union and PATT by getting rid of the port “so financiers and business elites can get what they want to get.”

“There is a sinister motive by private enterprise to huff that land on the port for their personal use,” he said.

He said there was also a deliberate attempt to collapse the seabridge.

In 2015, Annisette said the union and the then PATT board signed a Memorandum of Agreement for a comprehensive analysis of the age demographics of the port workers, retrenchment, increased productivity, restructuring work crews, a 12 per cent wage increase for the period 2014 to 2017 and to modernise the port to make it competitive within a year.

But 36 months later, he said there was a deafening silence on the proposal, which he made public, saying the port was heading down a road similar to Petrotrin, where workers might get up one morning to hear they no longer have jobs.

He said based on the age demographics of its members, they “can safely send home more than 45 per cent of the labour force… pay them their full pension benefits and give them a good golden handshake and the port within two years will be up and running.”

He said the first thing Government has to do “is cut down on the labour force immediately.”

“The Government will see benefits from what we propose within a two-year horizon,” Annisette said.

One of the major issues at the port, he said, was wages, as its 1,500 workers have been a drain on the treasury and have to be cut significantly.

“And we have agreed that we would send people home, but you will give them a golden handshake. We are willing, based on the configuration of the port, we are willing to send home more than 40 per cent of the workforce based on the exercise that we did in order to make it competitive with comparable ports,” Annisette said.

Asked if the workers are in agreement with this move, Anisette said the union made the proposal to save the port.

“If you allow it to fester everybody is going to go home,” he said.

He also stayed clear from answering if the salaries of some employees have been exorbitant.

Asked if a payment package had been worked out for the retrenched workers, Annisette said the “exercise was cost and the board had written the Government for funding. To date, the port has not received an acknowledgement.”

“It will not cost the Government billions,” he insisted.

While Annisette admitted Government has been bailing out the port, he said he believes if the port is properly managed it can turn around.

However, Duke did not support Annisette’s move, insisting at no time will he compromise with the Government to lay off workers.

Tobago House of Assembly Minority Leader Watson Duke intends to race the US$17.4 million Galleons Passage with a pirogue when it makes its first trip from Tobago with passengers.

Duke made the announcement at a press conference at his Public Services Association Port-of-Spain office yesterday.

In the last year, Duke said scores of Tobago businesses had to close their doors or went bankrupt because of the collapsed seabridge.

“It’s worrisome in Tobago because people who are coming to Tobago feel they would be stranded both by air and sea,” Duke said.

He said when Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley announced in January that the Galleons Passage had been found, it brought a great sigh of relief to those who relied heavily on the seabridge, as many thought a solution had been found. But he said citizens later discovered it was not a fast ferry.

Duke said since the Galleons Passage left China it had been plagued with issues, one of them being varying speeds of the vessel.

When the boat made its first sea trial to Tobago on September 1, Duke said it travelled at 22 knots - its highest speed with no vehicles and passengers, when the average speed it sailed at from China was 11 knots.

In the first sea trial to Tobago, Duke said the boat took four and a half hours. But he is predicting that when filled with passengers and vehicles, the vessel will take roughly six hours to and from Tobago.

Duke said he has already consulted with his colleagues and Tobagonians, who have decided that within the first week of sailing of the Galleons Passage “we will be racing that boat from Tobago to Trinidad and we will be using a pirogue to race the boat.”

The objective, Duke said is “to show them that a pirogue can travel the same route and reach Port-of-Spain faster than the new million-dollar vessel.

“I will show them that it would be easier to take that US$20 million…that $140 million and buy pirogues for the people of Tobago than to buy that boat and force us to travel on that boat because a pirogue will do a better job and reach faster.”

He said the Government was only deceiving the population.

“Suffice to say, Tobagonians are not happy with this Tobago-born PNM Prime Minister and I want to tell him, wearing my minority hat, you will get a surprise licking come 2020.”

Businessman and sex therapist Giriraj “Raj” Ramnanan has been given the green light to pursue a lawsuit against the Comptroller of the Customs and Excise Division over the seizure of three shipments of sex toys and other paraphernalia.

Delivering an oral ruling at the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain yesterday, High Court Judge Ricky Rahim granted Ramnanan leave to pursue his judicial review lawsuit against the division.

In the lawsuit, Ramnanan, the owner of Total Image Limited, is claiming the division is acting illegally in its delay in bringing proceedings against his company to forfeit the allegedly prohibited items. His lawyers, Jagdeo Singh, Dinesh Rambally, Kiel Taklalsingh and Karina Singh, contend the Customs Act requires the division to bring such proceedings within a reasonable time after a seizure.

Before granting leave, Rahim asked the division’s lawyer, Harricharan Kassie, about the alleged delay. Kassie could not immediately justify it before Rahim.

Rahim gave Ramnanan’s lawyers until October 9 to file the claim and adjourned the case to November 1.

According to an affidavit from Ramnanan attached to the judicial review application, he purchased and shipped the packages to Trinidad between August and November, last year. The packages, together valued at US$1,045.27, contained condoms, penis pumps, whips, vibrators and dildos. The packages were seized by the division’s enforcement unit for containing prohibited items.

In February, Ramnanan and his attorneys met with Customs officials over the shipments and were offered to plead guilty to the illegal importation of the items or face forfeiture. However, no forfeiture proceedings were filed and the items were not returned.

While Ramnanan elected to not plead to the charges, he admitted he had done so with other shipments in the past. But saying he did so begrudgingly, Ramnanan said: “However, on the majority of occasions the very same items would be released after being initially detained by Customs because the presiding Customs Officer was of the view that the very same items were not breaching the law and not indecent or obscene.”

Ramnanan claimed his business has suffered as a result of the seizures.

In addition to declarations that the division acted illegally and an order seeking the immediate release of the items, Ramnanan is seeking financial compensation for the losses he incurred.

The issue of the legality of importing sex toys arose last month after e-courier Web Source issued a notice to its customers warning that such intimate items fell under the division’s list of prohibited items. The list included other conventional contraband, including drugs, firearms and camouflage clothing.

But Finance Minister Colm Imbert responded to public furore over the issue, saying there was no law directly prohibiting the importation of such items. However, he noted it was within the division’s purview to determine what constituted indecent or obscene items under the legislation.

Tensions seem to be brewing between Police Commissioner Gary Griffith and his juniors after he intervened to an incident involving Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte and the police near the Hyatt Regency in Port-of-Spain on Sunday.

However, denying he committed any offence, Le Hunte said he contacted Griffith not as a minister but as a citizen to complain about the abuse he got from the officers and the poor signage in the area, which was what led to his being stopped by officers in the first place.

Confirming yesterday that he visited the scene and spoke to the officers, Griffith said he only did that to rectify the situation and prevent it from escalating.

But police sources claimed Griffith scolded the officers when he arrived on the scene.

Police said around 8.30 pm on Sunday, officers were performing road traffic control duty at Wrightson Road when Le Hunte allegedly drove his vehicle through a work zone near the Hyatt Regency, which was blocked off with cones.

According to a station diary note on the incident which has been circulating on social media, one of the officers reported to the sergeant on the scene that he stopped Le Hunte and directed him to the route he should use to enter the Hyatt, but Le Hunte drove off. The police said a short while later, Le Hunte, while speaking on the phone, approached the sergeant saying he had Griffith on the phone and he (CoP) wanted to speak with him (sergeant). However, the sergeant refused, saying it was not his practice to speak to people on the phone and he doesn’t know Griffith’s voice. A short while later, according to the diary note, Griffith arrived on the scene, had a conversation with the police and gave instructions.

But Griffith yesterday denied he scolded the officers, he said.

“I went there to rectify a situation. It is very shocking to me that they were upset about it. There was a situation, but Minister Lee Hunte did absolutely nothing wrong. There was nothing that the minister did that was in any way cause for any police officer to have disrespected him.”

He denied he intervened only because a minister was involved, adding he would have done the same thing in any situation where a citizen is wronged.

“What I am trying to do is to get all the officers to understand their role and function and to win back the public confidence and trust.”

He said the officer’s behaviour was irresponsible and unprofessional and bordered on arrogance.

“I have no intention for the police to gain respect through rank, uniform or handcuffs. It has to be based on common courtesy, professionalism and understanding that our role and function is to serve the public and change how they speak to the public,” Griffith said.

He added, “In the same manner, I will ensure that no police officer would abuse or disrespect citizens in the same way I will be the first to be there with the police officers if any citizen disrespects or disregards legal instructions from any police officer in the performance of their duty.”

Asked about concerns he overstepped his authority, he said, “Not at all and the people who say that that was their style, this is mine, which is totally different.”

Griffith said he will micro-manage if that is the only way he will get the “police service to optimal level in quick time.”

He said the police did not follow proper standard procedure and one of the officers gave Le Hunte a wrong number when the minister requested his police identification number. Griffith said he intended to deal with this matter by simply speaking with the officers to ensure there was no re-occurrence, but now will be officially dealing with it.

“And this will include finding out which police officer was culpable for taking a photo of a station diary and sending it to social media and getting the reports from these police officers because they never stated that the minister did anything that was illegal or that he broke the law in any way. What I do have is an officer giving a false number to a citizen…and a sergeant not wanting to communicate with me.”

Contacted on the issue yesterday, Police Social and Welfare Association president Insp Michael Seales said the CoP had contacted him about the incident. However, he said he was yet to speak with the officers involved in the incident and would not comment on it until then.

Le Hunte—I was abused

Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte says contrary to reports by Newsday, he was not stopped by the police for speaking on his cellphone. He said he entered an area he was not supposed to have entered because there was construction work. However, he said two hours prior to the incident he had entered that same area without a problem.

Le Hunte, who had passengers in his vehicle, said he also immediately stopped when instructed to do so by the police.

“I felt that the service I got, I did not commit a crime but the level of service I got from the officer was not what I considered to be appropriate. I was given instructions to pass another area and I complied without argument,” Le Hunte said.

He denied that he drove off when the officer stopped him. He said it was only after he parked at the Hyatt that he contacted the Commissioner Griffith.

“My communication with the Commissioner was around the fact that one, the area had poor signage and I did not want any citizen to suffer the plight that I did and also the abuse that I also got.”

He said he mentioned to Griffith that the area signage needed to be improved and the level of police customer service needed to be looked at.

“You don’t want a situation where somebody else did the same thing like me, ended up going inside there and then get the abuse that I got. The other person may not be as nice as me. I quietly took my abuse. I was very apologetic. I said ‘okay, officer’ and I drove on,” he said.

“I did what I felt, as a citizen, if you get bad service and if you saw poor signage, you should bring it to the attention to someone. It is really sad.”

He added that the police officer never tried to charge him and after he parked, Le Hunte said he approached the officer and asked him for his identification number and left. However, he said the number was wrong and when he gave it to Griffith the CoP asked him (Le Hunte) to verify the number with the sergeant on duty.

“I did not call anyone (Commissioner) as a minister. In the same way that I feel that citizens who feel aggrieved and you can call him, I think if you get bad service you need to complain. It was not about objecting in any way to the officer who gave me an instruction,” he said.

Le Hunte was also astonished that the note from the police station diary ended up on social media.

A San Fernando contractor who allegedly sexually abused a child for five years was granted $.6 million bail when he appeared in court yesterday. Dave Friday, 51, a janitorial contractor, is alleged to have first assaulted the child when she was seven.

Yesterday, he stood before Senior Magistrate Cherril-Anne Antoine in the San Fernando First Court charged with 12 offences, including five counts of sexual penetration, five counts of grievous sexual assault and two counts of serious indecency. The sex crimes were allegedly committed between 2011 and 2016.

Friday went to the Child Protection Unit based at the Oropouche Police Station on Saturday, where he was arrested and subsequently charged by PC Nygelle Diamond. Friday was not called upon to plead to any of the charges yesterday.

In seeking bail, his attorney Candace Price said Friday, a father of five, had no previous convictions or pending matters.

She said he was not a flight risk as his passport was stolen four years ago. Asking for reasonable bail, Price said Friday had the full support of his family, including his eldest daughter and other relatives who were in court.

Prosecutor Cleyon Seedan did not object to bail but asked for several conditions, including that Friday stay away from the victim, have no contact with her, report to the police station and produce proof that his passport was stolen.

The magistrate granted him $600,000 approval bail and a cash bail alternative of $30,000. However, the magistrate ordered Friday to reside at a specific address in Claxton Bay, stay 100 feet away and have no contact with the victim, who is now 14.

He also has to report once a week at the police station and produce his passport documentation to the court. The matter was adjourned to October 23.

Frustrated over the absence of printing paper in the Port-of-Spain and San Fernando Supreme Courts for the past two weeks, a judge yesterday said the Judiciary appears to be on the brink of collapse.

The plain-spoken Justice Frank Seepersad vented his frustration in open court, particularly to former attorney general Anand Ramlogan SC and Shawn Roopnarine. Seepersad said last week he had to send his staff to purchase printing paper to make hard copies of documents during a three-day trial in the Port-of-Spain High Court. Yesterday in San Fernando, Seepersad said he was forced to adjourn a matter involving Starlite Shopping Plaza Ltd vs Felton Reno to tomorrow because there was no paper to print a consent order which was emailed by the Port-of-Spain-based attorneys in order for him to sign it. The judge asked the attorney to walk with a hard copy of the consent today.

Saying that the situation was unacceptable, the judge said, "It is evident to me as a sitting judge that the institution appears to be on the brink of collapse and the only reason that chaos has not ensued is that individual judges are cognisant of their constitutional obligation and the needs and rights of citizens.

"It cannot be that a judge must send staff to purchase paper so that orders could be entered and forwarded to judgements and orders. It appears to me that, unfortunately, the time may soon come, despite the best intentions of judges, the lack of administrative support may render it impossible for us, and I can speak for myself, to continue discharging my constitutional obligations."

Asking for the support of members of the bar, he said it cannot be business as usual when the necessary resources to the meet the basic operating demands seem to either be inadequate or not being proportioned for the purposes for which they are intended.

"The bottom line is that we cannot continue under the circumstances and when situations arise and the court is unable to either enter your orders to give you written judgements, it is not because the court is deflecting its responsibility. But I think the time has come, at least from my perspective, to stop trying to fix things that are outside of my remit and which really ought not to engage judicial attention," he said.

A staff member also complained that on the third floor Seepersad was assigned to yesterday, which comprises a registry, a criminal and a civil court, the air conditioning system was not working for yet another time.

A female judge who commented on the situation under a condition of anonymity said it was the judiciary is in autopilot and there is no leadership or direction.

"God help us all," she said.

“Come outside and say dat!”

That was the challenge Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and other PNM MPs threw out to the Opposition UNC, as both sides clashed loudly yesterday on Rowley and the AV Drilling company in Petrotrin’s “fake oil” scandal matter.

The noisy exchanges were part of yesterday’s last day of the Third Session of the Parliament that prorogues today. The Fourth Session begins tomorrow.

Yesterday’s clash arose when UNC MP Roodal Moonilal questioned Rowley on whether files and documents concerning the “fake oil” scandal in Petrotrin had been secured since the refinery was closing. Rowley said Petrotrin’s board was mandated to secure all assets, including files and documents.

Moonilal asked Rowley other queries on the matter, including pressing Rowley on whether he had any business or personal interest in AV Drilling or the scandal.

Rowley replied, “If you think the Prime Minister has any business interest in there, come outside and say dat!”

PNM MP Fitzgerald Hinds also shouted (and kept on repeating), “Go outside and say it!”

UNC MPs shouted back, “Call (Police Commissioner) Gary (Griffith) for protection!”

PNM MPs retorted, “Leh we go outside!”

UNC MPs, including Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, continued replying, with UNC’s Rudy Indarsingh declaring, “We want no bad johnism in here!”

Deputy Speaker Esmond Forde warned everybody, “I’ll not tolerate any outbursts like that again ever in this Chamber.”

Forde particularly cautioned Persad-Bissessar, Indarsingh and PNM’s Colm Imbert.

Also yesterday, Minister in Public Utilities Maxie Cuffie delivered a personal explanation to MPs on his recent year-long absence from Parliament.

Speaking in a softer, slightly lilting voice than he had previously, Cuffie confirmed he’d suffered a stroke on September 5 last year and was hospitalised at Port-of-Spain General Hospital and later the St Clair Medical Centre, since the PoSGH lacked a drug he needed. He added that he went abroad for further medical attention.

He thanked PNM colleagues and Rowley for their “tremendous support” and Persad-Bissessar for her welcome back, as well as UNC’s Dr Fuad Khan. Cuffie said he’d met a staunch UNC supporter who said Khan had told her to pray for Cuffie as he was a good man. Cuffie also noted other UNC statements which he said sought to have his time away cut short, though Khan had defended his leave.

“I recognised it (statements) as a ploy to weaken my position, but I was always guided by the Holy Spirit - that’s why I’m here today,” Cuffie said, thanking “...God for the undeserved kindness that led to my recovery.”

“As we move to the Fourth session of Parliament, I’ve vowed to serve my constituents and the people of T&T in this and future sessions of Parliament - by God’s grace.”

Parliament’s Fourth session of the five-year term begins at 1.30 pm tomorrow. Both the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament will meet simultaneously. It will not be a ceremonial opening.

Upon the closure of Petrotrin’s refinery next month, there will be a 20-day supply of fuel from stock “to start with,” Energy Minister Franklin Khan has assured the travelling public.

“Trust me - I want to give the country the assurance there will be a smooth transition from refinery fuel to imported fuel,” Khan added in Parliament yesterday in reply to Opposition concerns over the fuel supply after the refinery’s closure.

United National Congress’ Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee had asked about it following reports of the refinery’s impending closure on October 1 and subsequent reports it would be done on a phased manner. He asked what strategic steps were being taken to ensure fuel isn’t disrupted in this period.

UNC’s Roodal Moonilal also sought clarification on if the refinery will be closed next Monday or “half closed.”

Khan said, “The answer is no. The transition process starts on October 1. It will be shut down on a phased basis - it’s a process plan. We just do not take off a switch and stop a refinery.”

On fuel supply post-closure, Khan told Lee, “T&T consumes approximately 25,000 barrels of liquid fuels per day or approximately 3.9 million litres, comprising aviation fuel, diesel, super and premiums and small amounts of regular fuel.

“The refinery will be closed on a phased basis during the month of October. Upon its closure, there will be a 20-day supply of fuels from stock to start with. Steps are currently being put in place for the importation of supplies from international traders.

“Requests for Proposals (RFPs) from 13 reputable international suppliers are currently out - we don’t forecast any disruption in the supply to the travelling public.”

Khan added, “Fuel is an internationally traded commodity and is well available on the international market.”

He said there’s no international shortage, so “there’ll be seamless transition.”

Asked by Lee for assurance that the price of fuel won’t increase, Khan replied, “That’s a matter for the Finance Minister.”

Finance Minister Colm Imbert, who delivers the 2019 Budget on Monday, is expected to say whether or not any fuel price hikes will be implemented (as previous Budgets have).

Khan, reiterating a phase closure, as exclusively reported by the T&T Guardian on Monday, said a phased approach was necessary.

“You have to save the plant, secure it, because the plant may come into use later on,” he said.

Opposition UNC MPs chorused, “...Ooooh - for your (PNM’s) partners!”

‘Others’ interested in refinery—PM

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says there is interest, apart from the Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU), in the refinery.

Rowley yesterday said Government’s position was the refinery would be excised - removed - and become an independent separate entity from Petrotrin business.

“At that stage, it was intended if the OWTU can put a proposal to Government they’ll get first option. That was immediately dismissed by OWTU. But we’re told some interest is being shown now,” Rowley said in response to queries from the Opposition in the House.

He said in response to OWTU correspondence, he’d said if the union could submit a proposal in the context of a serious business plan that can stand rigorous scrutiny, it’ll be treated with dignity and respect like any other.

“They were also told if other proposals are made to the asset’s owner and those proposals are superior, the public interest will prevail,” he added.

On whether Government is entertaining any other proposals besides OWTU’s, Rowley replied, “I’m not aware Petrotrin’s board is in receipt of any other proposals, but I’m aware that there are other persons who might have been indicating they would have an interest in the event the refinery becomes available for consideration.

“A refinery can attract attention from any person anywhere and we’re saying we’re open to seeing what’s available once the asset becomes separated from Petrotrin’s business. So any discussion on this matter is about the refinery as a stand-alone entity.”

Rowley stressed that “excising” of the refinery involves its closure since the heart of the problem - importing and refining crude oil - was there and that would stop when the refinery was “excised”.

He added, “The board has indicated when the importation of crude oil will cease. So it’s quite clear we’re excising the refinery, stopping the importation and refining of other people’s crude. And of course - then, we spoke of no idea of sale, we said ‘opportunity’.

“Whatever that opportunity is - whether it’s sale, lease, supply of crude by a third party, whatever - we’ll look at whatever options are available to us once the refinery is in that state (closed).”

He made it clear it was Government who made the closure decision after Petrotrin’s board presented analyses and made recommendations.

“Those recommendations were accepted by Government and the decision was taken by Government,” he said.

Government is not “at this time” considering any staff reduction at the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) or T&T Electricity Commission (TTEC), Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has confirmed.

Rowley did so at yesterday’s Parliament sitting in reply to Opposition questions.

This followed Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte’s recent statement that WASA’s workforce is much larger than required. Rowley was asked if Government intends reducing WASA and TTEC employment levels at this time.

Saying this wasn’t being considered “at this time, “Rowley said Government’s focus was on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of both utilities.

On the impending reduction of WASA contractors, Rowley, however, said, “If you’re paying employees and contractors also and you focus on removing contractors and let workers do the job they’re paid for, you’re saving money.

“WASA wasn’t created to create jobs but to supply water. If you have people being paid twice for the same job, the consideration isn’t reducing jobs by contractors, but using them where they’re absolutely necessary and letting employees on the payroll do the jobs.”

On whether a water rate hike is intended, Rowley said rate increases are within the Regulated Industries Commission’s ambit and they make recommendations to Government.

“But no such (rate hike) recommendation is before us at this time. But the RIC continues to review the situation, WASA will make its submission to RIC and at the end of that what RIC recommends to the country will be what is considered,” he said.

On queries about cases of children being denied funding by the Children’s Life Fund, Rowley said the basis on which the fund was established in law indicates denials are part of the process, as not every application is guaranteed to find favourable response.

“I’m not aware we’re in a position to make changes to the law to ensure every applicant is guaranteed to get favourable response,” he added.

Rowley also replied a swift “Yes,” when asked whether Government’s contract with the Washington-based “The Group DC” consultants will be renewed. The firm, run by Arthur Collins, was contracted in 2016 for US$2.4 million for two years to lobby for Government in the US.

On the report by the Wilson team which investigated - and completed three months ago - the Sports Ministry’s $150,000 settlement with a former female employee, Rowley said he couldn’t comment on it or make it public since this could in some cases jeopardise a report’s basis.

He said it has information that could damage people who’ve been referred to and in keeping with natural justice principles, the report was made available to those people so they can comment before the report can be advanced further. He said the report is likely to go further at “some point” when all checks are done and people given an opportunity to report to the relevant officials.

On the report by Ambassador Christopher Thomas on T&T’s veto of Dominica’s request for an OAS fee waiver, Rowley said the report made no reference to any wrongdoing by Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses in the issue. He said the best place for the report to be presented is via Parliament’s Foreign Affairs team soon.

Twenty-seven-year-old security guard Stephen Andrew Gonzalves Jr had dreams of one day becoming this country’s Police Commissioner.

Gonzalves had applied to the T&T Police Service (TTPS) and recently began taking driving lessons in preparation for his dream career.

However, he and his driving instructor Naresh Harrilal were critically injured when they were struck by stray bullets from a gang-related shooting in Cocorite while they were driving along the Western Main Road yesterday morning.

In a brief interview outside the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital yesterday evening, Gonzalves’ father, Stephen Sr, admitted his son’s dream may never become a reality.

“He wanted to change this country. He said he wanted to be the next commissioner of T&T. He wanted to change this land,” Gonzalves’ father said.

The father said that while doctors were treating his son for most of yesterday, his condition did not improve.

“They (doctors) said that damage done is most likely irreparable. His whole head swollen, his skull is fractured and his eyes are black, but he is still breathing,” Gonzalves’ father said.

Stephen Sr also said his son was learning to drive as he lived with his grandmother in Alyce Glen, Petit Valley, while the rest of the family live in Santa Cruz.

“It’s years now he trying to learn to drive. The other reason why he was learning is that we living in Santa Cruz and he had to take taxis to see us every weekend,” he said.

Stephen Sr said he only heard the news of the incident around midday and initially thought his son was shot while working at Scotiabank’s St James branch.

According to reports, shortly before 9 am, Gonzalves and Harrilal, 50, of Cunupia, were in Harrilal’s Nissan Almera driving along the westbound lane of Western Main Road when they were shot near the Cocorite walkover.

The car veered left and crashed into the car park of a business place at the side of the road. Residents rushed to their assistance and contacted police.

Both men, who were shot in their heads, were taken to the St James Medical Complex and transferred to the PoSGH, where they remained warded in the ICU late yesterday.

Police believe the men were hit by stray bullets as there was a report of a shooting at Lady Hochoy Circular Road, near the entrance to the Community Hospital of Seventh-day Adventists, around the same time. No one was reportedly injured in that incident, as the intended target is believed to have escaped his attacker.

Police believe stray bullets from that shootout may have crossed the eastbound lane of the Western Main Road before striking Gonzalves, who was in the driver’s seat. They believe one of the bullets may have ricocheted off Gonzalves and struck Harrilal in the eye.

No arrests were made in relation to the shooting up to late yesterday.

In a brief interview outside Licensing Authority’s office in Port-of-Spain, Harrilal’s son Gajendra said he was able to speak to his father before he was transferred from the St James Medical Complex.

“His whole head was bandaged but I was able to speak to him,” Gajendra said.

While he described his father’s condition as serious, he said Gonzalves was worse as his father was hit in the eye while a bullet entered one side of Gonzalves’ head and exited through the other.

Investigations are continuing.

Princes Town MP Barry Padarath yesterday apologised to Leader of Government Business and Planning and Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis for calling her a “bush lawyer.”

The drama unfolded in the Lower House during a motion for consideration on the Senate amendments to the Miscellaneous Provisions (Supreme Court of Judicature and Children) Bill.

In his contribution, Padarath raised concerns over clauses eight, 10 and 14 in the bill, saying that “in most parts, it does not reflect the cultural issues of T&T” and there were gaps. He said whenever the Opposition raises concerns about amended clauses, the Government takes offence.

Padarath said he had seen time and time again laws remaining on the statute books with nothing happening.

“There is a pattern that continues to exist where peace meal, peace meal, peace meal is coming before us and then they (Government) run back to the Parliament two to three weeks or two months later to amend, amend and amend. That is what we are doing today.”

For months, Padarath said Government was in the habit of rushing amendments throughout the night, refusing to allow the Opposition to have a proper say and then would take it to the Senate for debate.

“There are loopholes in these amendments. I expect you to stand up and tell us what you are going to do to remedy these loopholes,” Padrath said.

He said he knows Robinson-Regis was very anxious for the House to deal with the clauses.

“I know she is an attorney as well, and maybe, she may be able to provide some support for the member for Laventille West. But Mister Deputy Speaker, well I know you are a bush lawyer member for Arouca/Maloney,” Padarath said, as he chuckled away.

A bush lawyer is a person pretending to have considerable legal knowledge.

A visibly upset Robinson-Regis shot back, telling Padarath he was out of place.

“What is this?” Robinson-Regis asked as she rose from her chair.

Deputy Speaker Osmond Forde intervened, telling Padarath and Robinson-Regis two members cannot be on their feet at the same time.

Padarath eventually apologised, saying he was sorry for his comment.