Students of the Cipriani Labour College are threatening to take action if the administration does not address the persistent issues the guild of students has been raising over the past few months.

Today the students will hold a forum with the school’s Director, Professor Denise Margaret Thompson to discuss the issues at the campus’ auditorium.

Some of the issues raised by the students include:  the non-issuance of certificates to 2015 graduates, repairs to toilet facilities, lack internet access at the college and insufficient WiFi, a non- functioning cafeteria, difficulties with the registration process, health and safety non-compliance issues, the Tobago’s campus: has no library, health and safety issues, renovations or a new campus is needed and they have missing lectures, and the South campus needs a new building.
 
Guild president Runako Williams promised the students will proceed with further action if the forum does not go well.
 
“If the promises made or the discussions at the forum are not  favourable in meeting our needs, or if we feel as though we are not taken seriously by the Directorate, the Guild will proceed to call for the removal of the powers that be. We are taking a stance toward the future of our college,” a release from Williams stated.
 
The forum takes place at 5pm in Cipriani’s auditorium at 5pm today.
 
“We stay committed to the fact that Cipriani is a well accredited institution and we don't want to see things get worse,” Williams said.
 
 

A jury has found Trevor Creft guilty of attempting to murder his ex-common-law wife, Tricia Anthony, in spite of her refusal to testify against him.

Mitigation and sentencing has been reserved for April 13.

The guilty verdict was handed down by the mixed jury, in the matter which was heard before Justice Maria Wilson in the San Fernando Third Criminal Court.

The jury deliberated for approximately one hour before before arriving at their decision on Wednesday.

Creft was charged for the June 19,  2009 incident, in which Anthony claimed he attacked her with a seven-inch knife, which resulted in her receiving injuries across her throat, plus the lost use of her fingers to her right hand. She also sustained lacerations to her chest.

However, when she was called to stand to give her testimony against him, Anthony said she could not recall the incident and no longer wished to pursue the matter. She said she depended on Creft for financial support for their son.

Justice Wilson informed her that was not her decision to make and subsequently deemed her a hostile witness.

Anthony receives a disability grant because of the injury to her right hand which left her unable to move her fingers. 

Representatives of PNM’s Port-of-Spain South constituency on Tuesday unanimously expressed confidence in MP Marlene McDonald via a motion.

Chairman of the constituency, Jean Elder, confirmed the meeting and the motion yesterday. She said the meeting was called at City Hall, Port-of-Spain, to get the views of constituency representatives following the dismissal of McDonald last Thursday.

McDonald’s appointment as Housing Minister was revoked by the Prime Minister last week. 

This followed a third set of allegations against McDonald. It is alleged her reported common-law partner, Michael Carew, was hired at McDonald’s constituency office from 2010 to 2015, as well as his brother Lennox (for a shorter period) and both received high salaries over $10,000. Fixin’ T&T has asked the police and DPP to probe that.

Other allegations against her are also bring examined by the Integrity Commission (IC). 

These concern the Calabar Foundation which Michael Carew reportedly headed—and claims of a relationship between McDonald and those in the foundation—plus McDonald’s alleged involvement in the granting of an HDC house to Carew in 2008 when she was in the previous PNM government. 

The IC has reportedly started questioning key HDC parties concerning the housing aspect. Last week, former PNMite Louis Lee Sing called for McDonald to step down as MP and PNM deputy leader. 

PNM chairman, Franklin Khan, later said McDonald could not be dismissed as MP. She was elected in the 2015 general election.

Yesterday, Elder, speaking about Tuesday’s constituency meeting, confirmed the constituency was upset and members felt people “were going behind” the MP.

Elder said Tuesday’s gathering was about 100 who represented the constituency’s 20-plus party groups. Attendees included groups from St James to John John, she said.

She added: “They were all in support of the MP. The motion of confidence was raised and seconded by members and unanimously passed.

“The view is we want the MP to remain and are not in favour of her stepping down as MP. She’s one of the best MPs.”

Elder could not comment on the aspect of McDonald’s post of deputy leader. McDonald didn’t respond to queries, saying she was en route to an engagement.

Contacted on the PNMites’ calls for McDonald to stay as MP, party PRO Ronald Huggins said that matter as well as McDonald’s deputy leadership were “all in the hands of the political leader.” 

Parliament’s constituency office guidelines are merely guidelines and there is no sanction for breach of this, Parliament officials said yesterday.

Yesterday, the PNM raised questions about UNC MP Barry Padarath’s recent statement about repaying $60,000 in salary to the Parliament concerning a relative who had worked in his constituency office.

He said he terminated the person’s employment after receiving Parliament’s manual recently in February. This involves guidelines for constituency office matters and debars hiring of various types of relatives. 

This category is more specific than the 2010 guidelines. Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar also said two relatives worked at her office and offered repayment of salaries.

The T&T Guardian learned Parliament officials have been in touch with MPs on the issue. Last Friday following the dismissal of Marlene McDonald—on allegations including a constituency office hiring matter—MPs were given a questionnaire, dated March 18, by the Parliament.

They were asked to indicate if any family was on the constituency office payroll. Deadline for submission is March 28. It is understood the Parliament will undertake any review of the guidelines if any is necessary after Easter.

Parliament officials said when a new Parliament begins, MPs could ask for review of guidelines and sometime things could be changed. But a review wasn’t yet done for this term. The Parliament has auditors who make enquiries of processes done by constituency offices and if there is something obvious, MPs are asked about it.

They added their Human Resource Department was examining whether there was any process for repayment of monies offered by the UNC MPs. Officials said in the last Parliament, an MP had a brother-in-law working at an office. 

They said there was a lot of unwritten codes of conduct but if a situation was questionable, MPs were told the situation could get them in difficulty. 

Saying the Parliament does not police MPs, they said persons in public life and handling taxpayers’ funds as well as MPs, should understand what was required and do the right thing .

“How well they stand scrutiny will support whether a person is fit for office. In time one learns the consequences of one’s act,” they added. —GA

The ability to work a PH taxi is being blamed for the death of a 35-year-old Cascade man who was killed not to far from his home on Tuesday night.

According to police reports, Colin “Crabby” Harewood of Casablanca Road, Cascade, was with friends near St Nevis Baptist Church around 9.30 pm when gunshots were heard. 

Police said no one contacted them and about three hours later they were notified. When officers arrived they found Harewood motionless, soaking in his own blood. He was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. 

Police said Harewood, who works PH and had another vehicle which he outsourced, had recently fired the driver. Police are working on the theory that this may have caused his death as the father of two was not known to be involved in criminal activity based on preliminary checks. 

Speaking with the media at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, yesterday Harewood’s mother, Earlyn Mathlin, said she was putting everything in God’s hands. Mathlin said her only son was given the vehicle by her but he was contracted to pay her back in an attempt to teach him responsibility. 

Harewood’s father, Alfred Harewood, said his son’s killing was a shock to him and his family, while a family friend, who identified herself only as Shafiqya, said Harewood was a jolly man who was always smiling. The relatives called for peace to return to what they called a “crime-riddled country” and begged for the lawlessness to stop and killers to put down their guns. 

In an unrelated killing, relatives of Puresh Ragoonanan claim after his hacked body was found at the home of a friend on Monday night, the friend denied knowing who he was. As a result, police were only able to positively identify his body yesterday when his family visited the Forensic Science Centre.

Speaking with the media yesterday at the centre, Ragoonanan’s brother, Balraj, said the same friend that denied he knew his younger sibling was liming with him from Saturday to Monday night. 

Ragoonanan, 25, a pluck shop worker, lived in Congo Trace, Penal Rock Road, a stone throw away from Crawford Trace where his body was found. Police said Crawford Trace resident, Rookmin Archibald, heard screams coming from near her bother's house, approximately 300 metres away and on checking, saw Ragoonanan slouched on a mattress in the back of the house. The murder toll now stands at 113 for the year while for the same period last year the murder toll was 81.

Penal police were contacted and when, Insp Seecharan, Sgt Ryan Ramsingh, Cpl Fareed Khan, Cpl Rudy Seecharan, Cpl Mervyn George, PC Christopher Nanan, PC Ravi Ramdath arrived on the scene, they found Ragoonanan drenched in blood with wounds to his face, head, neck and feet.

Police said several people were interviewed but no one claimed to know him. 

Police said the area was bushy and had no electricity. WPC La Rhode of Region III Homicide Bureau is investigating. 

The jailing of two men for breach of protection orders may result in very little to stem the tide of domestic violence against women.

Head of the Victim and Witness Support Unit Margaret Sampson-Browne, who commended Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers Caesar for making such a decision, said other magistrates must follow suit.

On Tuesday, Ayers-Caesar sentenced two men for breaching protection orders brought against them by their respective companions.

Keston Herbert collapsed in court and had to be helped by police officers to stand after being sentenced to a total of 78 months in jail for breaching the order on three separate occasions. 

However, Herbert will only serve 36 months as the sentences will run concurrently. 

Corwin Floyd, of Factory Road, Diego Martin, who pleaded guilty to breaching the order was slapped with three months hard labour.

In sentencing the perpetrators Ayers-Caesar said a message needed to be sent to others who believed protection orders were just pieces of paper and were trivial.

But on whether this would actually serve as a deterrent Sampson-Browne said: “I don’t think so. Many women have died after they took out a protection order.

“But men must not go away with the idea, ‘She apply for a protection order but the magistrate would not do anything.’ If the magistrates are consistent, they get their information, if the police do their work...I really believe we would see a reduction in domestic violence,” Sampson-Browne said.

Saying there has not been many instances where cases of breaches have been addressed by magistrates, Sampson-Browne added: “Many people who have applied for protection orders...when there are breaches the police will tell them go to the JP and so on.

“But there has to be a very strong message and I am hoping that magistrates really understand the kind of risks women put themselves through when they apply for the protection order and they trust that the law would protect them. 

“The process must be a complete one and when the person breaches it that person must feel the full brunt of the law.”

On whether magistrates have been too lenient regarding the issue she said the Judiciary must work hand-in-hand with the police.

“The magistrates could only deal with the evidence that comes before them so there must be an aggression of police officers addressing the issue of breach of protection orders...the police must take them before the magistrate and they should be dealt with, Sampson-Browne said.

Asked if the police were doing enough to ensure perpetrators who broke orders were hauled before the courts, Sampson-Browne said training for officers has been ongoing and some 700 officers have been trained already by the Victim and Witness Support Unit.

“But that is still not sufficient. Once information comes to the police they must deal with it effectively,” Sampson-Browne urged.

Activist Diana Mahabir-Wyatt said there was little attention being paid to the breaching of protection orders and many families have suffered as a result.

But she commended Ayers-Caesar for her stance.

On whether she believed this would actually act as a deterrent Mahabir-Wyatt said: “I don’t know but I am hoping it will. 

“We have a whole cultural shift that has to be made but this is at least an acknowledgement on the part of court that the implementation of the law is necessary in order to move forward.”

Regarding the police she said in many cases they were aware that an order was broken but still refused to refer the matter to the court.

For this year 37 people were killed in road traffic accidents compared to 27 for the same period last year, representing an increase of 37 per cent.

And the leading causes have been speeding and drunk driving.

So said acting Supt Mathura Singh, of the Traffic and Highway Patrol Branch, while speaking at yesterday’s weekly press briefing at the Police Administrative Building, Port-of-Spain.

He said drivers who failed to comply with the laws have also lost their lives on the nation’s roads.

Central Division, Singh added, had been identified as the area with the most deaths thus far, tallying 12 for the year to date.

“That divisional commander, together with the Traffic Branch, have stepped up patrols and our diligence in this area,” Singh said.

On Tuesday Gerald La Touche, husband of Diego Martin Councillor, Gail La Touche, died on impact on the Diego Martin Highway.

Asked the factors for the increase in road deaths Singh said the Police Service was still analysing its data which showed there was an increase in road deaths on the minor roads as opposed to the major ones, like the highways.

He said, however, there had been a reduction in pedestrian deaths due to a heightened campaign undertaken by the Police Service.

Singh said for 2016, 561 drivers have been arrested and charged for driving under the influence.

Also 8,321 traffic tickets have been issued to errant drivers for the year, averaging over 100 tickets being issued daily.

Sending a stern message to drivers bent on breaking the law over the Easter weekend Singh said: “We will be engaging in heightened patrols and enforcement activities across the country utilising all of our resources.

“For those drivers who may think they will be drinking and driving be forewarned that the DUI Task Force will be out in full force conducting breath tests at popular locations including but not limited to Ariapita Avenue, Maracas Beach, Caura River, Chaguaramas, Toco and in Tobago,” Singh said.

On the issue of the long awaited speed guns Singh said while the law was already in place, ministerial approval was yet to be granted.

“On our last check we were hoping to get it before the Easter weekend but unfortunately this did not materialise,” Singh added.

Challenges

The Motor Vehicle Authority (MVA) which was supposed to be fully operational in September 2014, has been identified by Singh as a major challenge facing the Traffic Branch.

The MVA, with a price tag of $750 million, was expected to replace the existing Licensing Division.

“The MVA is important to us to get the road traffic situation under control. I know the ministry is dealing with it but we need it like yesterday,” Singh said.

Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Cecelia Greaves-Smith, yesterday testified before the Public Accounts Committee (PCA) that prior to 2014 there had been lapses in the ministry's financial regulations governing the storage of negotiable instruments, such as cheques, and that the process used to issue these documents were not up to standard.

Appearing before the six-member committee, chaired by Dr Bhoe Tewarie, in the Parliament building, Greaves-Smith said since her transfer to the ministry last September, security measures have been increased.

Greaves-Smith also spoke of the problems they were encountering to have fireproof safes and cabinets installed at the ministry's offices located at Tower C, Port-of-Spain waterfront.

She explained that they were informed by the Urban Development Corporation of T&T (Udecott) that the capacity of the building "could be compromised" by the weight of these items.

She added they were depending on the project manager's advice on the placement of these pieces of furniture to ensure maximum security measures were in place.

However, she said they had already installed fireproof cabinets and introduced several new requirements relating to the issuance and collection of cheques by contractors and members of the public, as well as the installation of security cameras in key areas to monitor internal operations.

Accompanied by heads of departments yesterday, Greaves-Smith was the only one in the line of fire as Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon sought to get answers relating to the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of 74 blank cheques; the issuance of 12 cheques which totaled $844,000; the absence of ten contracts for which payments totaling $5 million were made; and the status of four vouchers totaling $2 million that had been issued towards the cruise initiative which was still in the pipeline.

Greaves-Smith said the Fraud Squad had been called in to investigate after some of the blank cheques turned up in the system, bearing another ministry's name.

Unable to provide the committee with an update as they had not received any feedback from the lead investigators, Greaves-Smith said although stop orders were issued by the Central Bank some of the cheques were cashed and that the police were yet to locate the perpetrators as some of the transactions had been done at the Treasury and others at a bank.

UDECOTT EXPLAINS

​Contacted yesterday regarding Greaves-Smith's evidence that the structural capacity of the building they currently occupied, could be compromised by the addition of fire-proof safes and vaults, technical experts within Udecott explained that there were certain weight requirements for multi-storey buildings that had to be adhered to.

The officers explained that there were architectural requirements for each multi-storey building that was constructed and that the inclusion of fire-proof cabinets, safe and vaults had to be factored into building plans prior to construction so certain areas could be reinforced. 

Reassuring that all the buildings along the Port-of-Spain waterfront were indeed structurally sound, Udecott experts said they were careful to advise each client as to the layout of the offices and placement of furniture in order to preserve the structural integrity of the buildings.

Despite being threatened with death and amidst increasing reports of school violence and murders, law student Dale Christopher Jones, 27, is not giving up on his mission to save lost youths in high risk areas.

A Fatima College graduate with nine passes and holder of a BSc in Business and Computer Studies, Jones, formerly of Laventille, spends most of his day teaching, counselling and guiding students in schools in high risk areas like South East Port-of-Spain, Nelson Street, Morvant, Laventille, Beetham, John John and Diego Martin.

He is at present doing a male empowerment programme with 16 students at Diego Martin North Secondary where three students were recently arrested in connection with a fire at the school.

Judging none, he plods on patiently in his quest to reach them and insists he has seen enough positive changes to inspire him to continue.

Jones believes all troubled young people need is a little guidance.

“For the most part, the majority of them are just looking for some sort of direction. Most have issues at home which cause them to look to the wrong role models.”

Jones’ parents—Simone and Brian Jones—are senior members of the Love Until Foundation of Laventille of which he is a part.

“I want to share my experience of good parenting with young people and support them in any way they need. 

“I have a passion for this. School and other violence is really taking a toll on our society. We’ve got to fix that,” he says.

He and a team have formulated a syllabus to teach students life and literary skills.

“We also have meetings with residents in crime hot spots on the programmes they want and tailor our interventions to suit their needs,” he adds.

Giving an example of a success story, he related: “There was one gentleman from Never Dirty, Morvant, Ridge Bowens.

“He had a hard upbringing. He was the eldest of four or five siblings and his mom left them and his dad didn’t take them on.

“At age 12 he was taking care of his younger brothers and sisters and was always angry and had a very mean streak. 

“He got thrown out of school in Form Two after he got into a fight with a teacher and was just living in Never Dirty, not really going nowhere. 

“He was so angry that if he had gotten into a wrong situation he would have become violent and ended up in jail.”

Jones and his Love Until Foundation team offered an air conditioning course in Never Dirty and encouraged Bowens to enrol.

“After that he really turned his life around. He took to the training and got a level one certificate and is now pursuing level three.

“He works with a reputable air conditioning company in Laventille and is about to purchase his own home. He is even planning to open his own business,” he said.

Giving another example, Jones said they were working with students at Laventille Girls’ Primary.

“There was one young lady in Standard Five who was a little miserable, to put it mildly. She wasn’t there yet but she was definitely heading down the wrong road.”

Jones said he and his team did what they had to do and went on their way, not fully knowing the impact they had made.

He found out later. “I recently saw this same girl at a gospel concert and she came up to me and said the programme we did really changed her life. 

“She said she was going through a lot at the time and we helped her change the way she saw things.”

One time Jones received a death threat, from a parent.

“We were working in an at risk school in Chaguanas and a parent didn’t like how I disciplined his child and threatened to kill me.

“We were in a class activity using a skit. In the skit, the child wasn’t paying attention and I shouted at him.

“The parent didn’t understand. I was acting. He came to the school the following day asking for me and saying the next time he saw me he would kill me, that nobody could talk to his child like that.

“He later cooled down after we dialogued with him.”

Jones said he was “not particularly scared” working in at risk communities. 

“I have strong faith in God. I don’t believe He would send me somewhere and let something happen to me.” 

T&T Guardian has received a report that around 10pm last night a grenade was thrown near a car in 6^th Avenue Malick near the basketball court. However, no one injuries were reported thus far.

While details are still coming in, T&T Guardian understand that the grenade exploded in the road next to a car. The police found a grenade pin a few meters away from the car when it was wrecked.

Officers from the North Eastern Division are currently investigating.

Stay posted to T&T Guardian for further details. 

Former Magistrate Andrew Stroude has been appointed as the new deputy director of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA).

Stroude was appointed earlier today by His Excellency President Anthony Carmona, for the maximum term of five years.

In a release the PCA said it was pleased to announce the appointment of Stroude,whom it described as a highly-respected former Magistrate.

The PCA said Stroude has an esteemed reputation with over 15 years experience as a Magistrate attached to the Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago. 

“His experience makes him suited to the PCA and aligns with our core values of accountability and integrity.  The PCA welcomes Mr. Stroude and looks forward to the passion and commitment he will bring to his new post.” (YW)

The T&T Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TTSPCA) put out a release on their Facebook page stating that a decision has been made to euthanise Simba after he began to display aggressive behaviour towards his handlers. 

The release states:

“The dog Simba, reported to have been responsible for the recent death of a child was brought into the T&TSPCA Shelter by the Chaguanas Corporation on March 10. The Corporation requested informally, that we house the dog for a period of time until funeral arrangements were completed. Simba was housed in the secure Class A section, examined by the shelter veterinarian and by a qualified behaviourist and a trainer. At the time, Simba was found to be "head-shy, showing fear aggression, wary of human contact, cowering and tensing his body when touched. His behaviour is that of a very poorly socialised dog."

On March 21, Simba started to display signs of aggression towards our veterinarian, and to members of staff who had previously worked with and interacted with him. On March 22 his aggression escalated without any indication or provocation, and it was felt that he now posed a threat to the safety of his handlers. We requested help from the trainer to assist us with his unstable behaviour, and to see how best we could manage the change in his temperament. Following this assessment however, a collective decision was taken to euthanise Simba.

While we know that many will feel disappointed by our action, we would like everyone to know it has also been a difficult decision for our team who worked with him daily.

The T&TSPCA believes that this case is not just about one dog, it is also about a lack of public education, poor ownership practices and outdated and inadequate laws to protect animals. We urge the Attorney General to consider amending the Dog Control Act to include Duty of Care protection for all dogs and to initiate the drafting of Animal Welfare laws in general.”

State-owned gas company National Petroleum (NP) has been ordered to reinstate immediately 68 workers who were fired for engaging in alleged illegal industrial action three years ago. The Court of Appeal yesterday dismissed the company’s appeal of the Industrial Court’s ruling that it was “harsh and oppressive” to dismiss the workers. 

As a result of the judgment, the company has been ordered to pay the workers’ salaries and uphold the benefits they lost when they were dismissed in October 2014. The court also upheld the Industrial Court’s decision to award each worker $40,000 in damages for the action taken by the company. 

Speaking to reporters outside the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain, after the ruling, Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union president general, Ancel Roget, said the court’s decision had vindicated the union and the workers who chose to speak out against corrupt and unsafe practices at the company.

“A decision was taken to go after OWTU. The Industrial Court ruled they were wrong to dismiss the workers and the Court of Appeal today upheld that decision and dismissed the company’s appeal.

“It has been a long and difficult road but in the end the union and workers have emerged victorious,” he said. 

In a press release issued shortly afterwards, the company said it would immediately commence a reconciliation and reintegration programme for the successful workers. 

“In spearheading the return-to-work programme for the workers, a detailed programme has been developed in conjunction with a number of key stakeholders that will ensure the successful reintegration of the dismissed employees, while also attending to the needs of the existing employees,” the release said. 

“As part of its overriding commitment to building the nation and improving the quality of life for its citizens, NP’s focus remains the use of its collective strengths to ensure the timely delivery of fuel to our service station network; airports in Trinidad and Tobago; industrial customers, including the Port Authority; all hospitals and all of the protective services,” it added. 

According to the evidence in the case, in October 2014 NP fired the 68 workers who it claimed had engaged in an illegal work stoppage from August 13-15, 2013. The 68 were among 86 employees the company had initially suspended following the work stoppage. 

The Industrial Court had ruled that the disciplinary hearing conducted by NP to dismiss the workers did not meet the minimum standards of natural justice in significant respects and was not conducted in accordance with the principle of good industrial relations practices. 

In its unsuccessful appeal, the company had claimed the Industrial Court did not have the jurisdiction to entertain the trade dispute brought by the union on the workers’ behalf and the Court of Appeal was entitled to review the lower court’s findings. Appellate Judge Nolan Bereaux, who wrote the 41-page majority judgment, dismissed the company’s two main grounds. 

“The findings of fact upon which the court made its ruling are sufficiently well founded to debar the Court of Appeal from reviewing those findings as well as its decision. In any event, I agree with the decision and consider it to be correct both in fact and law,” Bereaux said. 

Head of the appeal panel, Appellate Judge Allan Mendonca, agreed with Bereaux’s judgment, but Appellate Justice Rajendra Narine dissented. Seenath Jairam, SC, Allister Khan and Derek Ali represented the company, while the OWTU’s legal team consisted of Douglas Mendes, SC, Michael Quamina and Anthony Bullock.

Police mounted a manhunt in a forested area along the Central Range yesterday as they widened their search for abducted schoolteacher Keston Mahabir. However, there was still no sign of him up to last night. Several relatives also joined in the search yesterday. 

A source, who requested anonymity, said officers received information that Mahabir had been taken to a forested area where he was abandoned. It is uncertain whether he was injured. No ransom has yet been made and investigators said the abduction plot was believed to have been hatched by a man known to police. 

Up to late yesterday, three women and a man were still being questioned in connection with Mahabir’s disappearance. All four suspects were kept at separate locations yesterday. The car used in the abduction was also impounded by the police. Around midday yesterday, a team of officers visited Mahabir’s home again and took DNA samples to match with evidence taken from the car.

In an interview yesterday, Mahabir’s fiance Shereeza Mohammed renewed her appeal for Mahabir’s safe return. “I cannot sleep thinking about him. I want him to come back home,” Mohammed said. Mahabir’s siblings said they were still puzzled about why he was snatched, noting there were still no ransom calls.

Mahabir, 26, of Pitiman Trace, Sonny Ladoo Road, Mc Bean, Couva, was snatched around noon on Tuesday. Police said two women, posing as officials from the Education Ministry, visited Mahabir’s home to discuss registration of his school, Keston’s Educational Institute. 

However, while the women were chatting with Mahabir in a room at the back of his house, where the school is located, a silver Tiida pulled up on the compound, three men got out, grabbed him, bundled him into the car and sped off. 

Police confirmed yesterday their preliminary investigations also revealed the women who visited Mahabir were not bonafide ministry officials. He had 73 pupils enrolled at his school. He was a graduate of the University of T&T and began giving private tuition five years ago. 

Anyone with information on Mahabir’s whereabouts can contact Crime Stoppers at 800 TIPS.

The future of over 40 contract workers at the National Gas Company (NGC) remains doubtful although their contracts were yesterday extended by one month. The workers operate on NGC platforms in the Teak and Poui fields but they learned yesterday the platforms will be leased soon to Spanish energy giant, Repsol ,and their jobs on the platforms would not be guaranteed.

However, the workers are still hoping for some sought of relief as they were told that the Human Resources (HR) department is “working” on it. The T&T Guardian understands that yesterday morning NGC’s acting president, Maria Thorne, met with the offshore workers at the National Helicopter Services Limited (NHSL) heliport at Camden, Couva, around 7.30 am to discuss the matter. Also at the meeting was NGC engineer Patrick Bynoe.

The workers were reportedly told by Thorne the platforms would not be sold to Repsol as initially hoped but would instead now be leased and efforts would be made to have them (the contract workers) “redeployed” once the lease deal went through. Repsol had initially made an approach to buy the platforms for US$.5 million. 

When asked by the workers how long the lease would be for, Thorne replied that the time frame was confidential. The workers were reportedly told once the lease deal went through Repsol would also use external manpower to run the platforms.

“Ms Thorne kept stressing on external sourcing, which have us even more concerned, so we really do not know if we will be placed, redeployed or maybe send us to external contractors for Repsol but it was kind of strange that Ms Thorne kept stressing on external sources for contract workers," a worker who was at the meeting but did not want to be identified told the T&T Guardian yesterday.

The worker added that the uncertainty with which their security of tenure was spoken about at the meeting had them uneasy. 

“We, the workers, also feel that they want to tell us secretly about our future, that is why they calling us in one by one to assess and whatever else they want to do. 

“We believe that they want to let us go in a secretive way and I guess we will see nearing to April 21. Maybe we would be terminated, redeployed or placed in different departments, we do not know and we are in the dark,” a worker said.

On March 8, the T&T Guardian reported that Repsol E&P T&T Limited and NGC were expected to sign off on a deal at the end of this month to purchase the two offshore platforms for US$.5 million, which is just over TT$3 million.

According to documents obtained by the T&T Guardian, both parties had executed a confidentiality agreement since September 16, 2015 in order to facilitate an evaluation by Repsol relating to the integrity if the assets and by letter dated September 25, 2015.

The document also stated that during the interim period and until the execution of the sale and purchase agreement and related documents, NGC would be responsible for the operation of the assets subject to Repsol’s approval in respect of all direct costs related to the operation of the assets save and except in cases of emergencies.

Also, during the interim period, Repsol and NGC were to agree to limit the number of NGC offshore personnel on the assets.

Attempts to contact NGC chairman, Gerry Brooks, were unsuccessful yesterday as he was out of the country. However, on Wednesday he confirmed that yesterday’s meeting with Thorne was taking place but described it as “just a regular update meeting.” He also confirmed that the workers’ contracts would be extended but could not say for how long. 

“Contracts will be extended and tomorrow's meeting (yesterday) is a conversation with the staff, a regular update meeting,” Brooks said.

When asked about NGC leasing its platforms to Repsol, Brooks replied: “It is my preference that when we are giving an update it will be a holistic update because the president (referring to Thorne) would have to speak with the staff first and then the public because it would be disrespectful for her to speak with the public first and then staff.”

Efforts to reach Repsol's business adviser and assets manager, Allan Russell and NGC's Thorne for comment yesterday proved futile. Messages sent to them were not replied to up to press time.

High Court Judge Mira Dean-Armorer yesterday struck out one of six election petitions from United National Congress (UNC) which challenged the results in six marginal constituencies of last year’s general election. 

Delivering an oral judgment in the Port-of-Spain High Court yesterday, Dean-Armorer upheld an objection from the People’s National Movement (PNM which said the petition for the La Horquetta/Talparo constituency should be dismissed as the political party was notified of the petition outside the five-day limit prescribed by the Representation of the People Act.

In its application the PNM claimed that the period began on September 19, 2015 the day after Dean-Armorer granted the UNC leave to pursue their challenge against the Elections and Boundaries Commission’s (EBC) decision to extend the poll in Trinidad by one hour due to heavy rainfall on election day (September 7, 2015). 

However, the UNC said that while it delivered its documents to the assistant High Court Registrar on the day specified by the PNM, the period for giving notice of the petition started when the documents were stamped and returned to its attorneys two days later as the process could not be done outside the court’s working hours. 

In her ruling, Dean-Armorer said while the UNC endeavoured to meet the deadline by approaching the registrar on the weekend, the subsequent administrative delay over the weekend could not extend the strick deadline set by the legislation.  

As a result of the decision, the UNC was ordered to pay the PNM’s legal costs for challenging the petition. Dean-Armorer’s judgment does not affect the five other petitions which were filed within the terms prescribed by the legislation. 

Immediately after the ruling, head of the UNC’s legal team, former attorney general Anand Ramlogan. SC, said that the party planned to appeal. Dean-Armorer has set tentative dates for the hearing of the remaining petitions: June 27 to 30.

About the case

In its petitions, the Opposition party is claiming that the EBC’s returning officers acted illegally when they followed the EBC’s directive to extend the poll as the commission did not have the power to adjust the 6 am to 6 pm time period for elections. It contends its defeat in the constituencies was marginally affected by the EBC’s decision to extend the polling hours. 

In addition to La Horquetta/Talparo, the other marginal constituencies being challenged are Toco/Sangre Grande, Tunapuna, St Joseph, San Fernando West and Moruga/Tableland. The PNM and the EBC had initially challenged Dean-Armourer’s decision to grant the UNC leave to pursue the petitions but her decision was upheld by the Court of Appeal.

Besides the petitions, Dean-Armorer has also been assigned two cases in which three private citizens are challenging the EBC’s decision. Social activist Ravi Balgobin Maharaj has filed a judicial review seeking the court’s clarification on whether the EBC had the constitutional power to make the decision.

Irwin Lyne and Melissa Sylvan are claiming that the EBC breached the constitutional rights of Tobagonians by not allowing them an extension. Both cases have been deferred as they would be directly affected by the outcome of Dean-Armorer’s decision on the petitions.

The UNC is also being represented by Timothy Straker, QC, Gerald Ramdeen, Wayne Sturge and Kent Samlal. The PNM’s legal team also includes John Jeremie SC, Douglas Mendes SC and includes Michael Quamina, Kerwyn Garcia, Terrence Bharath, Celeste Jules and Elena Araujo. 

Senior Counsel Russell Martineau and Deborah Peake are leading the EBC’s legal team.  

President Anthony Carmona yesterday urged four new appointees not to put politics in front of their duties.

In addressing Andrew Stroude, Mark Ramkerrysingh, Danielle Chow and Dexter Joseph, who were sworn in at President’s House, St Ann’s, Carmona pleaded with them to give selfless service to T&T and be an inspiration to their communities, homes and offices when they began their duties. He also pleaded with them to desist from engaging in a sword fight with the public.

Stroude, a magistrate, was appointed as Deputy Director of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) while Mark Ramkerrysingh received his letter of appointment as chairman of the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC). Danielle Chow was sworn in as a EBC member. Dexter Joseph was named as a commissioner at the Regulated Industries Commission.  

Addressing the appointees, Carmona emphasised the job they accepted was not an easy one.  

“You cannot and must not engage in a sword fight with the public. All you have to ensure is that you do your job to the best of your ability with the required integrity, and more importantly, with the required independence.

“I need to emphasise this. You are not here to represent any political party on any board. You are here... you have a higher purpose. You are here to represent this beautiful nation Trinidad and Tobago.”

In assuming their functions, Carmona warned the new members they should not “bark at your subordinates but to inspire them to greater heights.”

He also singled out the PCA, advising it that it needed to advance the course of mediation and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) between police officers and civilians.

“So, it is in fact a small piece of advice that I would like to share with you because I think it is something that we need to take on board and work it in this particular culture that we have. This culture of confrontation... it is in this culture of confrontation we need more effective mediation and ADR techniques.”

Director of the PCA, David West, who was present at the ceremony, told reporters for the year the PCA had received 60 complaints from the public against the police. In 2015, West said, 371 complaints were made to the PCA. Of this figure, only 52 were resolved, with the remaining 319 under investigation.

West said ten cases went to the DPP  “with one or two matters going forward. The ratio is very disproportionate. There is no legislation that says that they have (DPP or CoP) to give us a feedback on what they have done. 

“That is something we are looking into. Also we are advocating for prosecutorial powers which will give us the power to prosecute and handle our own cases, which I think we really need to do,” he added. West said he hoped before September new legislation would come before Parliament.

“Right now we are doing amendments of our Act. Our Act is limited,” he said.

Fielding questions from the media, Stroude who will be paid not as a magistrate but for the position he now holds, said the PCA needed more teeth and funding to pursue matters vigorously.

“Those are things I want to concentrate on, ensuring at the end of the day the public confidence is restored in terms of the police and administration of justice,” he said.

With local government elections due in October, Ramkerrysingh said the EBC would look at campaign finance reform to ensure better democracy.

“In terms of advancing it, we already had a consultant here from Canada who interviewed parties with a view of coming up with some recommendations,” he added.

Ramkerrysingh said a conference was also being planned by the Government with regard to campaign finance reform.

 “We intend to put forward the views that we got from that consultant. Hopefully it would lead to legislation,” he said.

He also steered clear of commenting on the UNC election petitions challenging the decision by the EBC to extend voting by an hour on election day, which was before the court.

Gang warfare in the country literally exploded on Wednesday night when a hand grenade was thrown at a group of men at Sixth Avenue, Malick, Barataria, injuring two men and damaging a car and a nearby shop. Police sources said the detonation of the grenade was part of a turf war between Rasta City and Muslims, both of whom are claiming ownership of the territory. 

Police said they were uncertain which of the two warring factions was responsible for the attack yesterday. Investigators said around 10 pm a group of men and women were standing near the basketball court when a Nissan AD wagon drove by and an occupant threw a grenade at the crowd. 

A few seconds later, there was a large explosion and thick smoke. Two men — Kristopher St Cyr, 20 and Ricardo Harewood, 29 — were injured and taken to hospital. Harewood’s Mitsubishi Lancer was damaged by shrapnel along with a snackette across the road.

Speaking with the media yesterday at their homes at Upper Sixth Avenue, the injured men denied they were involved in any criminal activity. They  said had they been, they would never be “out in the open.” Both men received injuries to their legs and were treated and discharged.

Harewood recalled: “We was liming and a car come out of Ninth Street there and I hear something go ‘Ping’. And I turn around thinking someone throw out a tin or something out the car. 

And boy less than 15 seconds after I hear ‘boom’ and the whole place get black. Like they try to pelt it in the crowd but it hit the car and bounce off and stop. So if that car wasn't there, all ah we dead for sure.” 

St Cyr said: “As soon as I hear ‘boom’, I feel a pain in my leg but at first we didn't even know it was a bomb. I was fixing something in the car earlier and thought the car blow up because while fixing the car it had a light keep on blinking and I didn't know why. 

“So I hear the boom and I running. By the time I run a little way I realise I get some injuries and blood was just shooting out my leg.”

St Cyr was injured in the right calf while Harewood sustained injuries to the right ankle and left forearm. 

Both men said they were grateful to be alive and would be reconsidering when and where they congregated from now on. A wrought iron doorway to a nearby shop was punctured by the flying shrapnel, while the explosion left a whole in the roadway and several holes in the walls of the shop.

Residents who were nearby when the explosion took place said they thought a transformer exploded when they heard the noise but after seeing there was still electricity they became worried.

Another witness said: “That explosion is new, shots and thing normal but bacchanal is normal thing here. We not going in hiding or change anything because of this though.”

Police said following the murder of Nicholas Reyes last July turf war began to escalate. Around 8.30 am on July 23, Reyes and his wife were leaving their home at Valley Drive, Malick, when four masked men approached them and without warning opened fire. 

They were shot several times. They were taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope. However, Reyes was pronounced dead on arrival. 

Attorney Larry Lalla is calling on police to establish a task force to  target specifically land fraud. He made the call on Wednesday after successfully obtaining a judgment for 71-year-old pensioner Deonarine Sookdeo, whose home in St Augustine was demolished by a man who had fraudulently obtained a deed for the property. 

“Members of the public must appreciate the gravity of the situation and exercise extreme caution when purchasing property, especially from strangers. Please insist on more than one form of identification and use commonsense,” Lalla added. 

Lalla, who said that Sookdeo’s case was not unique, suggested that a fingerprint system be put in place by the Government to minimise the risk of fraud. 

“It appears as though they are producing fraudulent forms of identification so the authorities will have to go one step further and use fingerprints to ensure that persons conducting these transactions are actually the owners of the property,” Lalla said. He also suggested that people make video recordings of transactions which could be used as evidence in the event they eventually turn out to be fraudulent. 

According to the evidence in Sookdeo’s case around 8 am on December 6, 2014, a bailiff and a group of police officers came to his home at Deena Trace, St Augustine, and informed him they were there to evict him and his family.

Even as Sookdeo produced his deed for the property which had been in his family since 1921, the group of men, who did not produce any court order proceeded to bulldoze the two-storey house and erected a fence around the one-acre property valued at over $3 million.

When Sookdeo’s attorneys conducted a search in the land registry they found that three false deeds had been affixed to documents relating to the ownership of the property, including one from April 2001, which purported to show that Sookdeo’s brother Ramnarine effected the sale to Moonie Mungal. 

“Bear in mind that Ramnarine had died in 1996,” Lalla stated. 

In the two other deeds, originating in May and November 2013, the property was transfered from Mungal to William Bovell and then to Christopher Tiwarie, who allegedly commissioned the bailiff to evict Sookdeo. 

Lalla said he attempted to serve the legal documents on all three men but was unable to locate them at the addresses listed on the real estate documents and they did not respond to advertisement placed in newspapers.

Delivering a judgment in the Port-of-Spain High Court, Justice Vasheist Kokaram struck out the fraudulent deeds from the land registry. As the men are yet to be located, Sookdeo has filed separate legal proceedings against the State as he claims that the police were negligent in allowing the eviction without a valid court order. 

That case is still pending and will come up for hearing in April. 

‘Life left in ruins’
In a brief interview at Lalla’s chambers, an emotional Sookdeo said he was happy with the judgment but stated that his life was left in ruins by the entire situation.  

“Sometimes I think I would prefer to die than go through this. I would not want this for my worst enemy,” Sookdeo said as he broke down in tears. 

“My property has been bought and sold and up to this day I don’t know how it was done because I don’t know any of these people. 

“I am approaching 72 and I have to fight to survive,” Sookdeo added. He said that because his home was almost completely destroyed in the bulldozing, he will now have to sell the property to pay the rent for the home he and his family has been living in since. 

“I am a law abiding citizen, this is barbaric,” he said. 

In January, the Law Association made a similar call to police as Lalla, as it said it was aware multiple incidents of land fraud, some of which were perpetrated by attorneys. 

“The association is in the process of collating a database of these suspicious deeds and questionable transactions, as well as meeting with several stakeholders in order to address this problem,” it said. Sookdeo was also represented by Sarfraz Alsaran.

San Fernando Mayor Kazim Hosein says there may be a lot more than seven people in Trinidad with the Zika virus as he says many people have the virus and did not know. He said so during the San Fernando City Corporation’s statutory meeting at the City Hall auditorium on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the Health Ministry announced the latest case, a 40-year-old man of St Ann’s, Port-of-Spain.

“I was speaking to a doctor yesterday and he was telling me there are many people who have all the symptoms of Zika but don’t know they have the virus,” Hosein said. 

Later, during a visit to the Gulf View community where the nation’s sixth confirmed Zika patient resides, Hosein reiterated his statements, saying:

“A lot of people have this virus and don’t know they have it. Just last week someone in the Public Health Department came down with the red eye, which is one of the symptoms of the virus.

“I specifically said at the statutory meeting that we will not be taking this lightly,” Hosein said. He was unable to meet with the victim as Public Health Inspector Jameel Mohammed said the man had returned to his job as he had gotten over his symptoms.

“He came down with symptoms around March 10, it lasted about a week and coincidentally he was on holiday at the time and he has since gone back out to work,” Mohammed said.

The man, a 31-year-old engineer, is the third person to contract the virus in Gulf View district in the past month. On March 5, Gulf View resident Ollen Storey and her daughter received confirmation that they had both tested positive for the virus. 

Hosein said the corporation intended to ramp up its action in the fight against Zika, with house-to-house spraying which began on Wednesday in the Gulf View community. He said he was given instructions by Health Minister Terrance Deyalsingh to “step up” the fight against Zika.

Mohammed called for the co-operation of citizens as, he said, the spraying would take place inside of people’s homes.

“We will be doing house-to-house spraying that would involve going into people’s homes and they will need to co-operate with us,” Mohammed said. 

“We have a problem with closed houses because when our workers visit almost 30 per cent of the houses are closed,” he added.

Mohammed said citizens needed to understand the seriousness of the threat the Aedes Aegypti mosquito posed as the mosquito could survive and breed in the smallest amounts of water. He added: “People must really be conscious of stagnant water on their premises because this mosquito is a survivor. If this mosquito is allowed even a cork-full of water it will survive and we need to attack from the source.

“We really need to realise the seriousness of this. This is the third disease this mosquito has spread and has caused epidemics in Trinidad. 

“I am referring to dengue, Chik V and now this... what more do we need to hit us for us to realise this mosquito is a survivor?”