In an attempt to introduce stricter control mechanisms within the telecommunications sector, the Government has decided to join with regional counterparts to harness the growth of the sector which continues to grow exponentially in which not all the players are always on the same page.

According to the Minister of Public Administration and Communications, Maxie Cuffie, the theme of Broadcasting Licensing in the Digital Age is paradoxical in nature as it is one which has seen the concept of free-to-air “being increasingly replaced by the free-for-all that currently obtains in cyber space.”

Delivering the feature address at the opening of a two-day workshop at the Telecommunications Authority of T&T (TATT) yesterday, Cuffie said the situation that currently obtained had placed regulators at a distinct disadvantage as they sought to bring “sanity and method to the levels of irresponsibility that abound in the sector.”

He said that was further compounded by society which had a rich and long history of unbridled speech.

Cuffie said the digital age had been responsible for irreparably damaging the lives of innocent citizens as persons with the ability to broadcast material that was sexually explicit, compromising or containing untruths, through the simple act of pushing a button on a smart device.

Citing the recent case in which a young attorney was wrongly identified as the complainant in the alleged rape case involving president of the Public Services Association Watson Duke, Cuffie asked: “How does she recover from that unwarranted expose on her otherwise apparently sheltered life?”

He said while that was only a side of the coin, there was also the reverse position of “absolute laxity, where others believe that regulators like TATT should be so stringent in their application and enforcement of all broadcast laws, that the slightest of infractions should result in the immediate revocation of licences or the imposition of hefty fines.”

Celebrating the removal of T&T from the US Trade Representative watch list, Cuffie said the 2016 Special 301 Report clearly attributed that development to the work done by TATT.

Quoting from the report, Cuffie said TATT had taken concrete steps to enforce its concession agreements which required broadcasters to respect intellectual property rights by acquiring permission from the owners of the material prior to it being broadcast.

The minister said after listening to arguments from both sides, there had to be balance as he acknowledged that the attention paid to regulating online content was “disproportionate” to that paid to the content of newspapers and the publishing sector.

He added: “The idea seems to be that all regulation and any state intervention are undesirable and seen as a threat to and violation of press freedoms and that citizens should be able to freely decide for themselves which content in newspapers and books they consume.

“The hands off approach for print media stands in sharp contrast to the regulatory burden on broadcasting.”

He said it was now a question of how far the relevant authorities should go with broadcasting licensing or if it was too late as the proverbial horse of free broadband connectivity, cloud computing, instant messaging and expensive mobile penetration, had already bolted.

Cuffie said while broadcasting was currently undergoing its biggest period of change since the arrival of television, he added T&T was teetering on the cusp of an information age in which all technologies were converging into one market.

Participants included officials from organisations, such as the Ministry of the Attorney General Intellectual Property Office; TATT; the Caribbean Broadcasting Union; Caricom and the World Intellectual Property Organisation.

If you see it, report it.

That’s the instruction from National Security Minister Edmund Dillon to citizens following several audio recordings of warnings of attacks on local malls by the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist network between tomorrow and Sunday, which made the rounds on social media.

“We ask all citizens to be vigilant: if you see it, report it,” Dillon stressed yesterday. (See Page A5)

T&T’s security systems were on high alert yesterday following circulation of several social media messages between 8.45 pm on Monday and up to 10 am yesterday regarding the threat.

An hour after the last message yesterday, around 11 am, Dillon issued a statement saying local intelligence agencies were working to authenticate the origin of the threats. By 4 pm yesterday, confirming the army and police were in the forefront of efforts, Dillon told the T&T Guardian: “We’re progressing.”

The T&T Guardian obtained three of the social media messages. The first was on Monday night and featured a male voice apparently speaking to someone. The person warned of the attacks by ISIS on T&T malls between Friday and Saturday or “Thursday, Friday, Saturday.”

Among statements, the person said: “...My boys inside contact me and tell me they planning a strike to hit the malls in T&T - ISIS...” 

He advises people to call their family and friends to let them know what was “going on ...because it was on a down low.”

He said: “Let mummy know, the sisters know... keep it real moderate.” He also said the information was coming “through the grapevine from inside ‘the hole’” and to “stay away from the mall... play it safe.”

A second message on Monday night, with a different male voice, said “word” had come across from someone named that “the ISIS was planning to detonate some bombs sometime from Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday... one ah dem days.”

The voice said: “All you could take it for kicks or granted but I hear it from a Muslim and didn’t take it on.”

The person also said to “spread the word.”

A third message, from a heavier voice, yesterday claimed the first message by the person warning of an attack belonged to the soldier who was killed yesterday.

National security agencies began working on the matter just after Monday’s first message in what was described as “heavy ground work” which continued yesterday. The T&T Guardian learned an area near the Diego Martin mosque was searched in the early hours of yesterday.

Dillon’s statement, issued an hour after the third message yesterday, called on citizens to not be guided by rumours and to remain calm and vigilant. 

“Report any suspicious activity,” he advised.

Dillon said he convened a meeting early yesterday with all operational heads from the T&T Defence Force, Police Service and intelligence agencies to reinforce execution of the ministry’s crime-fighting strategies. The meeting focused on deterrence, detection and prosecution.

He said findings by the intelligence agencies on the social media messages “will be generated in a timely and accurate manner” and the ministry and agencies were continuing to work together to do all that was necessary to ensure the safety and security of the public.

Quizzed by the Opposition in the Senate on the message and steps being taken to address the “attack” threat, Dillon replied: He said history had taught T&T painful lessons in 1970 and 1990, “thus, very robust, proactive measures are currently being used by national security and intelligence apparatus to maintain a level of stability, peace and good order.”

On what citizens should do, Dillon reiterated people should be vigilant, observe their surroundings and take cognisance of where they were. “Security begins with the individual. If they see anything suspicious, inform the authorities,” he added.

Not us, says Abu Bakr

Jamaat-al-Muslimeen leader, Imam Yasin Abu Bakr, yesterday distanced himself from the social media messages which threatened attacks by ISIS on local malls.

“If people have such information (as in the messages), they should have taken it to the National Security Minister. That’s the responsible thing to do... not just call friends... let the minister take the appropriate steps,” Abu Bakr, 75, told the T&T Guardian in a telephone interview.

“That’s what I would do if I had information that someone was trying to destabilise my country, I’m a Trini... if something like that (attack) happens it would affect all Muslims in T&T.”

Islamic Front leader Umar Abdullah, who said he received the messages from a Venezuela source, said security officials had also called him about it but he said he believed the messages were “pure mischief” or politically motivated. 

He added: “Still, we cannot take anything for granted so security should be heightened. This situation will also show if the Strategic Services Agency can deal with things like this.”

Former National Security Minister Gary Griffith also yesterday warned citizens to be careful, not fearful.

“A new trend has emerged of ‘advisories’ being passed and even becoming viral on various matters through social media regularly. These advisories are unfounded, most being extracted from North American scenarios in small cities, with the insertion of names of places in our country... unfortunately, these messages are being passed between citizens due to the absence of our own Government and law enforcement officials making a statement on matters,” he said.

“So citizens have now seen it fit to become their brother’s keeper, which has included unfounded security advisories being passed on social media and causing even more panic. I wish to advise the public on this matter regarding a planned ISIS attack this weekend in our country: We need to be careful not fearful.”

Griffith added: “The terrorist’s role is to ‘threaten’ the use of violence to cause fear. Citizens should not fall prey to this by those who either want to cause such panic or feel obliged to spread such propaganda. We should take advisories solely from the authorised agencies.”

He too advised citizens that “if you see something, say something.” 

Despite mixed emotions about an ISIS threat to detonate bombs at a mall in T&T, mall management teams yesterday went ahead and increased security measures in a bid to protect their tenants, shoppers and visitors.

At The Falls at West Mall, Westmoorings, a source told the T&T Guardian all delivery doors were tightly shut and locked and each tenant was given special contact numbers to call when their respective delivery vans came to drop off goods. This was one type of security measure that was immediately implemented.

Attempts were made to speak with the general manager Heidi Alleng but she was said to be at a meeting with other officials for most parts of the day when the T&T Guardian visited the mall.

However, speaking with the T&T Guardian, Janet Sabga-Elias, who was at her son Peter Elias' store, said she was not easily threatened and believed if the militant group ISIS wanted to attack they would do so without having to give any warning or hint.

“It would be after the attacks that they would come out and claim the responsibility. I think the message is trying to instill fear to cause havoc in the economy,” Sabga-Elias added.

She, however, confirmed that security was beefed up at the mall by management following the online release of the messages.

Speaking on behalf of premier malls — Trincity Mall and Long Circular Mall — corporate secretary Roxanne Husbands said since the message was posted in the public’s domain on Monday night, their security personnel had begun heightening security measures, including carrying out extensive searches of the compound.

“We cannot disclose what all our security measures are but we have done and will continue doing it to ensure that our staff, tenants and shoppers are safe,” Husbands said.

Asked if the message had hampered the flow of shoppers to the malls, Husbands replied: “No. There is a constant flow. We have not had any adverse comments but we are maintaining all precautions.”

Also contacted, Derek Chin, of MovieTowne, said he was currently in Chicago on business but was notified of the messages via his son. He also confirmed that as a precautionary measure he had contacted his head of security and gave certain instructions to keep the premises safe and to report any unusual activity.

Shopper Carla Phillip, of Petit Valley, who was at The Falls, said she received the message via her cellphone on Monday.

“I’m not paying any mind on it because I do not think that it is an actual threat. I pray it is a hoax but I think that security should be beefed up,” she said.

Another businessman, who wished not to be identified, said he strongly believed it was a hoax but added that should be a warning and an alert for the nation’s security services to “get their act together.”

Temporary Opposition Senator Gerald Ramdeen has been referred to the Senate’s Privileges Committee over remarks he made about temporary Independent Senator Justin Junkere recently.

Leader of the Government Senate bench, Franklin Khan, at yesterday’s Senate session asked for Ramdeen to be sent before the Privileges team. He noted Ramdeen’s remarks of May 11 about Junkere, who had voted with Government in support of the controversial Strategic Services Amendment Bill. 

Khan claimed Ramdeen committed contempt of the Senate by making statements which were intended to intimidate and may have intimidated Junkere in the conduct of his work as a senator. 

He also said Ramdeen’s remarks reflected on the character and conduct of Junkere “in such a manner that brought this Senate into ridicule and odium.” 

He said that included seeking, via the media and the Integrity Commission, to impeach Junkere in relation to his participation in Senate proceedings and making entreaties to the President to censure Junkere for his choice of vote in the debate. 

Senate President Christine Kangaloo then said a prima facie case had been made out and referred the matter to the Privileges Committee.

Among remarks Khan claimed Ramdeen alleged Junkere was employed by the Attorney General’s office since 2015. 

Khan said an action becomes improper where it became an attempt to intimidate or to attack a member on the account of how he voted or on account of what he said in this place. 

“If this Senate is to operate effectively, its members must be able to speak, vote and act freely without intimidation or the threat of intimidation, coercion or the threat of coercion,” Khan said.

“If the statements attributed to him (Ramdeen) are true... to ignore such conduct will signal to all my colleagues on the Independent bench and every senator here that we don’t possess those sacred rights of freedom of speech and freedom to vote. 

“It’s for these reasons Mr Ramdeen’s alleged reflections upon then Senator Junkere’s participation in the Senate proceedings amount to actions intended to molest, impeach and intimidate (Junkere).”

Ramdeen didn’t immediately answer calls yesterday but Opposition Senate bench leader Wade Mark, a member of the Senate’s Privileges team, said he was a bit surprised by the motion. 

He said it was the first time he had seen Government bring a privileges motion concerning an Independent member. He noted Parliament recesses next month for the summer break.

Independent bench elder, Senator Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir, said since the issue involved an Independent Senator, one would have expected it would have emanated from the independent bench but the latter hadn’t been minded to bring any such motion. 

He said he had been criticised many times in and out of Parliament and had never taken action on it. He said the Independent bench was represented on the Privileges team by Paul Richards. 

He said the President only appoints Independents but was insulated from their comment, for which they have to take responsibility.

Junkere had been appointed to act in the absence of Independent David Small on two occasions this month, before and during the SSA Bill debate. 

Major transgressions by former Central Bank governor Jawala Rambarran included announcing the names of foreign exchange users and making statements with “bravado”, People’s National Movement Senate leader Franklin Khan said yesterday.

He was speaking in the Senate on an Opposition motion calling for condemnation of the PNM Government’s dismissal of Rambarran last year. 

However, Khan defended the dismissal, giving reasons. While noting Rambarran had filed a pre-action protocol letter and that the issue might be in court, Khan said Government would not have acted flippantly or irresponsibly in the matter.

Noting sections of Central Bank law (48 to 50 ) stipulating how a governor interfaced with the Finance Minister, including being assigned by the minister on certain matters, Khan also noted the bank had to keep the minister apprised and the minister had to issue written directions on Government’s fiscal and monetary policy.

“Central Bank doesn’t set policy, government does,” he added.

“So this fiction that Central Bank is independent, isn’t so. It’s governed by law...so you can’t have a bravado governor.”

Noting the former governor announced T&T was in recession last December, he said nothing was fundamentally wrong with that but the courtesy of informing the minister was absent and the statement could have been a more “guarded one.” “This was obviously bravado,” he added.

Khan noted the repo rate was raised twice without informing the minister. The other major transgression was announcing major forex users. He noted the bank’s website subsequently removed forex users’ names, which he said indicated its board rethought its position and knew it was breaking the law. He said that had breached the Central Bank Act, Exchange Control Act and Financial Institutions Act. (GA)

Regiment Officer Corporal Jerry Leacock told his neighbours and family that anyone who came to rob him at home would have to kill him. Four young men did just that yesterday before stealing his Nissan Versa.

Leacock, 42, was one of two members of the protective services murdered yesterday. The second was Jason Cyril John who was a police officer for just seven months.

Speaking at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, yesterday, Leacock’s two stepdaughters repeated his words, which one of his neighbours also recalled when reminiscing about him. Kerneil Henry said her stepfather, who was described as “more than a father and more than a husband,” also told them he would die protecting them from anyone who tried to rob his family.

“He was a very calm person, very outgoing, a very good husband. He always used to say don’t interfere with his family, ‘do me anything, kill me not my family.’ He died a hero, he died defending us,” Henry said.

She recalled that around 5 am her mother noticed a shadow passing and shouted before attempting to close the kitchen door of the family’s Demerara Heights, Wallerfield, home.

“It happened so fast. It was not any grown fellas, it was young men. When they came in, my mother was in the kitchen and she saw the shadow and tried to close the door, but they pulled it back open and when she screamed out my stepfather came out and they shot him in his chest,” Henry said. She said that after Leacock was shot the four men asked for jewelry, cash and the keys to the family’s car. The bandits also made off with a jewelry box filled with costume jewelry. Henry’s older sister, Teneille James, said the truth that her stepfather is dead had not sunk in for her just yet, adding he was the anchor of the family.

Leacock’s neighbours described him as a “cool fella.”

“He was a nice man, I and all saying I don’t know why they want to kill the man, anything happened in the neighbourhood he would come out. Last time some rapist was prowling he came out and went looking for them. Parents need to talk to their children. I feeling sick right now,” one neighbour said.

Another neighbour said the community was being preyed on by people from another nearby community. He said it was sad to know Leacock was killed and his licensed firearm was in another room.

Counselling for colleagues

​Hours before Leacock was killed, gunmen took the life of constable Jason John, who was last attached to the Court and Process Branch and stationed at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court.

At the courthouse yesterday afternoon, his colleagues said John spent his last day at work being his normal jovial self, adding he was always happy. The T&T Guardian was informed that the officers received counselling at the Court and Process Branch. Some officers were seen consoling each other. A senior police officer attached to the unit said John’s first deployment was at the courthouse after passing out last year. The officer added that John showed initiative and was eager to learn. 

“Today was a difficult day with a lot of tears, grief and anger,” the officer said.

In a telephone interview with the T&T Guardian yesterday, John’s father Cyril said his son was a very loving man. The senior John said he had not come to terms with the death of his “baby,” the last of his three children. He said that his son was the father of three children and he believed that his son was just asleep.

John was attacked and killed while on the way to his girlfriend’s home at William Trace, Five Rivers, Arouca, just after midnight. After he was shot, John was taken to the Arima Health Facility but died less than an hour later. The 29-year-old father of three lived at Bon Air Gardens, Arouca.

The Court of Appeal has rejected an appeal from the UNC challenging the decision of a High Court judge to dismiss one of its six election petitions due to an administrative error. 

Delivering a majority ruling at the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain yesterday, Chief Justice Ivor Archie and Appeal Court Judge Judith Jones ruled that Justice Mira Dean-Armorer was correct which she dismissed the UNC’s petition for the La Horquetta/Talparo constituency after the PNM claimed that the UNC served the documents after the deadline prescribed in the Representation of the People’s Act had expired. 

Archie and Jones stated that the timeline set in the legislation had to be strictly adhered to by those seeking to invoke it. The third member of the panel, Appellate judge Rajendra Narine, disagreed with his colleagues and presented a dissenting judgment. 

The UNC was granted leave to pursue its petitions challenging the Election and Boundaries Commission to extend last September’s election by one hour due to heavy rain on September 18, last year. The following day the opposition party’s lawyers delivered its petitions to the Assistant Registrar of the Supreme Court. 

However, because it was done on a Saturday the documents were only officially stamped by judiciary staff two days later. The appeal centred around when the five-day limit for serving the petitions began. The UNC’s lawyer, former attorney general Anand Ramlogan, SC, had claimed that it only began when the documents were officially filed on the next working day. 

Douglas Mendes, SC, who represented the PNM, disagreed as he contended that it began when the documents were delivered to the assistant registrar. "In the interpretation of election petitions, the meeting of deadlines is a prerequisite under the legislation. You must meet your deadlines. 

You miss it by the thinnest of margins and you’re out of court," Mendes had submitted to the court, which agreed in its decision. As part of its ruling, the appeal court ordered the UNC to pay two-thirds of the PNM’s legal costs for challenging the faulty petition before it and Dean-Armorer. 

ABOUT THE CASE

In its petitions, the Opposition 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 light of the court ruling on the La Horquetta/Talparo constituency, the other marginal constituencies that continue to be challenged are Toco/Sangre Grande, Tunapuna, St Joseph, San Fernando West and Moruga/Tableland. The PNM and the EBC had initially challenged Dean-Armorer’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 includes John Jeremie, Michael Quamina, Kerwyn Garcia, Terrence Bharath and Celeste Jules. Senior Counsel Russell Martineau and Deborah Peake are leading the EBC’s legal team. 

Knowing the dangers police officers face daily, Amadeo Bahadoor always cautioned his son about being careful on the job, but when Cpl Russell Bahadoor fell to his death yesterday, it was not what his family had prepared for.

Bahadoor suffered an atlanto-occipital dislocation at his Quinam Road, Penal, home yesterday. An autopsy performed by Dr Valery Alexandrov at the Forensic Science Centre said his neck was jarred against a wall, causing the separation of the spinal column from the skull base.

According to a report, Bahadoor, 38, a detective at the Penal CID, had just returned home in Penal. As he walked up the stairway, he leaned on a bannister which broke, causing him to fall approximately 12 feet. Investigators said the bannister was old and Bahadoor weighed close to 330 lbs.

His common-law wife, Alana Rose, woke up around 1.20 am and noticed his car parked in the yard. When she did not see him in the house, she checked outside and saw him lying at the base of the stairway.

She contacted 911 and paramedics along with the police; ASP Hunte, Insp Ramphal, Insp Subero, Sgt Neemai and Sgt Ramdeen responded but Bahadoor was already dead. His death was confirmed by District Medical Officer Dr Sandy Authur . 

Teary-eyed colleagues gathered at Bahadoor’s parents’ home, a short distance away, to mourn with his family and help prepare for his wake. His father said he always warned his son about being careful on the job, especially with the amount of shootings and murders taking place. But the way he died came as a shock.

Senior Superintendent of the South Western Division Nazrool Hosein said Bahadoor would be difficult to replace, given his willingness to take on the challenges of the job. He said his officers are deeply affected by the death. He said he spoke with Bahadoor two days ago and everything was well with him.

“He was feared because he was a no-nonsense cop.” 

The on going unavailability of foreign exchange could hamper Venezuela’s chances of being supplied with food items from T&T.

So said president of the Supermarkets Association of T&T, Dr Yunus Ibraham, and CEO of Arima Discount Mart (ADM), Balliram Maharaj. 

Faced with a food crisis, Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro, who held bi-lateral talks with Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on Monday, offered to purchase from T&T US$50 million in food for its citizens.

Among the items the neighbouring country were interested in were butter, chicken, pork, ketchup, rice and black beans.

While the food would bring much relief to thousands of Venezuelan citizens, Ibrahim said his primary concern was how this new arrangement would affect domestic supply.

In the last few weeks, Ibrahim said suppliers had complained about the unavailability of foreign exchange which was hampering their productivity.

“The suppliers themselves had issues with raising the capital with respect to the US dollar to bring in the raw materials for the purpose of food production,” he added.

Since then, Ibrahim said they have had “somewhat of a stop gap measure, an initiative through direct loans from the EximBank arrangement. That was for food manufacturers and importers.”

With this new arrangement, he said Government would now have to focus its attention on suppliers and importers who would supply Venezuela with food.

He said if the forex shortage continues, manufacturers would be unable to bring in raw materials.

“If they (manufacturers and suppliers) can’t replenish their warehouses because of the non-availability (of forex) this could pose a problem.”

Also speaking on the issue was Maharaj who said suppliers and manufactures had no foreign exchange to pay for imported goods.

“You are going to create a dent in our foreign exchange and our supply of goods. You may be adding fuel to fire here,” he said.

ADM is one of the country’s largest importer of food.

While Maharaj praised T&T for helping Venezuela which was in distress, he said: “We cannot get goods to sell because we have no foreign exchange. It could have an effect on supply here.”

He said the little foodstuff we have “for our people” was now being offered to Venezuela.

“It just demonstrates that our supplies will be short. I think it is something that should be thought of. I have a problem because we don’t have enough for local consumption,” Maharaj said.

As the distributor of the Rainbow brand, Maharaj said for the past year suppliers had reduced their imports.

“Most importers had to cut their imports because of the shortage in foreign exchange, not forgetting the cost of one US dollar which is almost TT$7 now,” he added.

To compound matters, Maharaj said food items, such as peas and beans, have been difficult to obtain abroad.

Yesterday, president of the Poultry Association of T&T, Robin Phillip, said the news of Venezuela wanting to buy from T&T was welcoming.

Unsure of how the arrangements would be worked out between the two countries, Phillip said the poultry industry was interested in supplying Venezuela with chickens.

“We think it is a great opportunity for the poultry industry and country to get access to a market as large as Venezuela. The poultry industry has excess capacity which Venezuela can tap into,” he said.

Phillip, who also serves as director of marketing at Arawak and Company Ltd, said it would take 12 weeks to ramp up their chicken supply.

T&T consumes approximately one million heads of chicken weekly of which 80 per cent is locally produced with the remaining 20 per cent being imported.

“We could supply Venezuela with 100,000 chicken a week. It is not an insignificant amount,” Phillip added.

He said the poultry sector would offer Venezuela a competitive price for its chickens.

Yesterday, Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon said she was still having dialogue with Venezuelan officials for a contingent to come to Trinidad to discuss the issue further.

President of T&T Manufacturers’ Association, Dr Rolph Balgobin, did not respond to a voice message on his cellphone yesterday. Several calls also went unanswered.

The 67 workers from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries who were identified to be laid off by the end of this month because there was simply no work for them will remain employed for the time being.

However, their fates will be decided by the end of next month.

This decision was taken during a two-hour meeting between ministry officials and representatives of the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW) on Monday.

The team, which was led by the Permanent Secretary Joy Persad-Myers, agreed to review the list before deciding on the way forward.

Providing an update on the outcome of the meeting, Minister Clarence Rambharat said, “The parties agreed to set up a joint team to review the list of workers and decide on the way forward. The joint team will conduct a review towards the end of June 2016.”

Last Friday, Rambharat said the initial list of 69 workers had been reduced to 67, which included a mix of both regular and casual workers.

Rambharat said most of the workers who were classified as casual and regular employees were being laid off and not retrenched.

He explained these workers were hired because of the particular season and following the completion of the dry season there was no longer a need for so many persons to be kept on.

The minister said the collective agreement with the NUGFW allowed the ministry to lay off both regular and casual workers when there was no work for them.

The agreement also stipulated that regular workers be given five days notice and that casual workers be given two days notice, as to their professional standing.

Rambharat said while some of the workers may be retained in other positions, they would be facing internal competition from persons also desirous of being appointed in those posts.

He said the ministry had embarked on an exercise to ensure that all vacant positions were filled by persons who possessed the technical qualifications, competence and capacity in their respective fields.

Workers protested after an internal memo by the permanent secretary regarding the termination of daily rated workers was leaked some weeks ago.

A husband and wife charged with allegedly harbouring a fugitive wanted for the attempted murder of his estranged wife were each granted $100,000 bail yesterday.

Rasheed Mohammed, 55, a handyman, and his wife, Marilyn Mohammed, 44, a housewife, appeared before San Fernando magistrate Ava Vandenburg-Bailey for allegedly harbouring Marilyn’s brother, Roger Bissoon, also called “Bisoo”, at their Palmyra home. 

The couple was arrested after the police allegedly found Bissoon at their home last week Thursday.

Police had been searching for Bissoon who allegedly doused his estranged common-law wife, Rachael Chadee, with acid at her La Romaine home three months ago. 

Rasheed and his wife were charged by PC Neil Nanan on Monday. 

Yesterday, the magistrate read the charge to the couple but they were not called upon to plead to the indictable charge. 

Laid under the Criminal Law Act 104, the charge stated: “Roger Bissoon having committed an arrestable offence, namely attempted murder of Rachel Chadee, Rasheed and Marilyn Mohammed on May 19, 2016 knowing or believing that the said Bissoon had committed the said offence or some other related offence without lawful authority or reasonable excuse harboured the same Bissoon in your house with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of Roger Bissoon.”

Court prosecutor Sgt Kassiram Lutchman did not object to bail. 

The couple’s attorney, Andre Rajkumar, said they had no pending matters or previous convictions. Asking for reasonable bail, he said the couple has five children—ages six, 12, 13, 21 and 25—four of whom lived with them.

He said since their arrests the children have been staying with their eldest sibling. Rajkumar said the DPP preferred the charge against the Mohammeds on Monday. 

He said they were not flight risks and were willing to comply with any conditions imposed by the court. 

They were granted bail with clerk of the peace approval. The matter was transferred to the First Court for June 17 to coincide with the reappearance of Bissoon who was denied bail last week.

Police yesterday arrested 12 people in connection with the murders of regiment officer Jerry Leacock and Police Constable Jason John on Tuesday.

Of the 12, nine were held for questioning in relation to Leacock’s murder, including two teenagers, while the others were held in the cop’s death. The men were held in the Arouca, Arima and Wallerfield areas on Tuesday night, following joint exercises by both police and regiment officers. 

Leacock, 42, who served in the TT Defence Force for 17 years, was at his home taking a shower when four gunmen forced their way in, demanded cash and shot him when he came out before taking his Nissan Versa. The shooting took place around 5 am. 

According to police reports, John was walking towards his girlfriend’s home at William Trace, Five Rivers, Arouca, around 12.30 am when he was approached and shot. 

His girlfriend, who was on the phone with him at the time, heard the gunshot and raced outside to find the bleeding officer on the ground.

He was taken to the Arima Health Facility where he died. John was in the Police Service for only seven months and was attached to the Court and Process Branch.

A 55-year-old driver with the Amalgamated Security company was killed yesterday morning. According to police reports, Curtis Noel, of Mausica Road, D’Abadie, was shot once in the neck by a gunman who attacked him after he left a guest house in Arouca around 2 am. 

Police said on leaving the establishment, Noel was confronted by the man and the two began fighting before Noel was shot. He was taken to the Arima Health Facility where he was pronounced dead on arrival. 

In an unrelated incident, police said they were investigating what was clearly a hit on the life of Barrie Stott, 63, who was attacked while walking near Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s, yesterday.

Police said yesterday’s attack was the second attempt on the man’s life. The first was six weeks ago when gunmen opened fire on his car as he was leaving his St Ann’s home. Stott, who has dual citizenship in Canada, survived that attack without injury.

Yesterday around 6 am, police said gunmen again attacked, this time ensuring their target was hit. Police reports stated while walking with his wife near Queen’s Hall, a white car pulled up and a gunman approached Stott and shot him four times before escaping in the waiting vehicle.

Up to late yesterday Stott was still warded in a critical condition at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Police said he is a business consultant and they have no clear motive yet as to why someone wanted him dead. 

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi is urging attorney Gerald Ramdeen to think again about his “curious” decision to give back about 12 State briefs.

Al-Rawi made the statement after Ramdeen made the announcement during a news conference at his Woodbrook office in an apparent response to Al-Rawi’s public claims that he (Ramdeen) was the recipient of $26 million, $30 million and even $36 million for work done on behalf of the Office of the Attorney General.

Asked to give the correct figure, Ramdeen was unable to. 

“I can’t say for sure which of the figures it is because the last time they tallied it they double-counted almost half of my fees,” he said.

However, he said he did not want Al-Rawi to feel that he (Ramdeen) “is going to continue to earn all of these millions and I will put a stop on it now.”

Saying he did not “consider it right for Al-Rawi to continue making all these statements in public about my fees,” Ramdeen said he had “handed back all of the briefs” to Al-Rawi. He then read a letter he wrote on the matter to the Solicitor General, Carol Hernandez, listing the briefs he had handed back to the AG. He said one of the matters related to a case brought by Udecott against its former executive chairman Calder Hart.

In his letter, Ramdeen also commented on the value for an audit which was commissioned by the Office of the Attorney General for work done by attorneys on behalf of the State. 

He said any concerns about his fees should have been brought to his attention before the audit was commissioned but said in the wake of the audit Al-Rawi must say when the audit was commissioned and by whom. He also wanted to know if he was the one who was subject to the audit.

Asked if his decision to hand back the briefs was not unethical, since he would have already earned money, Ramdeen said for the last two years of the former government he had not been paid for any work done for the State.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Al-Rawi, however, maintained that Ramdeen’s fees “continue to climb because the tally of those figures is an ongoing process.” 

He said the figure was about $35 to $36 million as at yesterday’s date, adding: “There are still fees to be brought in and that figure may climb.”

He said the former People’s Partnership government “spent over $1.4 billion in legal fees (and) that number is still climbing,” and the audit being conducted was “in respect of all fees paid to all attorneys.”

The AG said Ramdeen was the only attorney who had a problem with the value for money audit.

He said he had “specifically maintained that Ramdeen is to continue in the briefs that he obtained from the State because he has been paid in respect of the work done and work which is on deck to go to trial.” 

He said in the circumstances “it will not be appropriate to have taxpayers pay twice when another attorney has been paid.” He said Ramdeen “will do well to reflect upon the fact that the return of a brief is in most circumstances not a very simple process.”

Chairman and long-serving top executive at Guardian Media Limited (GML), Grenfell Kissoon, has retired, ending a long and successful tenure in the media.

Kissoon, who was appointed chairman of the GML board on September 1, 2013, had served as head of three major media companies — GML, Trinidad Broadcasting Company and Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT).

He retired as managing director and media sector head of Trinidad Publishing Company Limited, the predecessor to GML, in 2009, but apart from a brief stint at CNMG, continued to serve on the board of the media company and the ANSA McAL board.

Kissoon presided over his final annual general meeting of GML yesterday at the Radisson Hotel, Port-of-Spain, where shareholders got the opportunity to offer him best wishes and welcome recently-appointed managing director Lucio Mesquita. A new board chairman is to be appointed shortly.

In his statement on the financial accounts, Kissoon said: “Our multi-media segments performed exceptionally well. Revenue increased by $17.8 million or 19.4 per cent and income before taxation increased by $10.3 million or 35.8 per cent.”

For the period ended December 31, 2015, the company’s revenues grew by $14.7 million, while income before tax increased by $4.4 million.

In an interview after the meeting, Mesquita said despite challenges in the external environment there was an opportunity to assess how GML’s operations could be improved. He said the market was changing and with it comes challenges

Commenting on its print division’s move to Chaguanas, Mesquita said: “T&T is a lot more than Port-of-Spain. Central is a fantastically vibrant place and being there makes us closer to that.”

Earlier, shareholders were told that GML had deepened its footprint in Guyana by acquiring iRadio, which owns Mix 90.1FM. Company officials said they were not ruling out other acquisitions or investments in the newspaper or television sector in that country.

The acquisition, which was finalised in August 2015, is part of GML’s strategy to deepen its regional footprint. Already that move is bearing fruit. Steve Dipnarine, general manager of GML’s Radio Division, said sales for March were Guy$2.8 million, April was at Guy$4.2 million and for May it had grown to Guy$5.2 million.

Mix 90.1FM’s directors include prominent Guyanese professionals and three external directors, Steve Dipnarine, Lucio Mesquita and Sean Griffith, a corporate attorney at ANSA McAL Limited. 

The station covers 70 per cent of the country with the expectation of covering 90 per cent in the next three months. 

Retrenched Construtora OAS workers said they have been advised by the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) to call off protests in the southland and instead take their fight to the office of Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus.

Spokesman Sunil Sookram confirmed the workers, who have been blocking parts of Mosquito Creek in protest of their retrenchment and delay in payment of benefits, said they were advised by the union to desist from blocking the roads. 

He said it was decided after a meeting with the union on Monday that on June 1 workers and their families would picket the office of Baptiste-Primus in Port-of-Spain with the hope that she would intervene on their behalf. 

“We will gather at OWTU headquarters on Circular Road at 7.30 am and from there we will go to Port-of-Spain. We are going to hold off on protests until then,” Sookram said. 

The workers, who were laid off last December, are still owed two outstanding bi-monthly wages and severance benefits. Last Friday, they staged protest action outside the Works and Transport Ministry’s office on London Street, Port-of-Spain, saying more than 900 workers have not been paid since October. 

The contract between OAS and Nidco is expected to end on May 26. Nidco officials said OAS had already indicated that it could not continue the highway project. 

Nidco’s communications manager, Ingrid Ishmael, in an earlier interview said the non-payment of salaries and severance was a matter between OAS and its former workers. She said workers who expected performance bonds to be released were being misinformed.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said on May 2 the State was seeking to “extricate” itself from the contract with OAS. He said the project now had to be completed by new contractors.

Government doesn’t have information that the particular recent message of a threat of an “ISIS” attack on malls is real, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said yesterday. But real or otherwise, Rowley said it has the potential to destabilise the country.

The PM, head of the National Security Council, spoke on the issue at yesterday’s post-Cabinet media conference, where he was asked about the voice messages recently circulated on social media. 

These audio clips have warned of the threat of an ISIS attack on local malls between today and Sunday. Security forces have been on high alert investigating this.

On whether the source of the message had been identified, Rowley said the State had some capacity for that but he didn’t know if that capacity could deal with a source. He said what was known was that it had not been determined that it was something “that has an origin we can identify as being realistic.”

He added that Government also knew there were elements and entities whose interests would be served if T&T was destabilised. 

“And we take all threats seriously and we take careful note of all who want to destabilise us,” Rowley said. He declined to discuss security arrangements, personnel or stations, save “...to say we disregard no threat and will put T&T on a position to respond.”

The PM said Government also was not considering a state of emergency since that was tried and failed. He said it provided short respite and damaged the economy irreparably. However, he said, the security sector was stepping up its game against the criminal elements.

He said T&T was well served in involvements with UK/US partners on training and arrangements to improve security but he said there were concerns on some areas of T&T’s ability to handle and share information with the metropolitan countries—and that was a concern to T&T which was being worked on.

He said the “blood bath” once associated with Laventille/East PoS was now coming from every quarter, including Tobago, and also warned of people who had committed murder being in the national community. 

Rowley said that could not be allowed to continue and that started with a better response “from those whose job it is to deal with criminal elements.”

Rowley reiterated that the problem in T&T “is the ineffectiveness of security services to respond to criminal elements, largely due to lack of pertinent information. 

He said if they did not have information, detection levels would be low and those services would be “leaping in the dark” if starved for information. He promoted the amended Strategic Services Agency Bill as a solution addressing more serious crimes, not spying, and once in law would “make security services less blind.”

The PM said a lot of firearms, including automatic weapons, were believed to be coming in from South America. In the face of a crime wave that was not abating, he said Government had concerns about this unending supply and porous southern borders. 

Also, he said the simmering situation in Venezuela could exacerbate that. He said Monday’s T&T-Venezuela talks included tightening borders and Monday’s meeting of Security Ministers of both countries would hopefully put T&T in a better position to confront its security issues.

Also addressing the ISIS threat yesterday, Randy Seepersad, of UWI’s Criminology Division, said the messages should be taken seriously as he had sources who were “knowledgeable about these things.” He claimed ISIS had a recruiting arm in T&T and training was taking place to send people “across” but refused to give details.

He said it was not necessarily that the messages may result in action, “but one couldn’t fully predict and precautions had to be taken.”

He said while ISIS and other groups don’t have the kind of political issues with T&T as they did with other states, it did not seem logical for T&T to be a target but added the messages should still be taken seriously.

Former finance minister Selby Wilson says he has every confidence that the PNM Government will adopt the correct posture in bringing back T&T to economic prosperity.

He was speaking yesterday about the challenging times the country was facing minutes after being awarded the Chaconia Gold Medal for his dedicated service to the nation by President Anthony Carmona at the President’s Office, St Ann’s.

Retired permanent secretary, Margaret Parillon, also received a Public Service Merit Award from Carmona. Both awardees said they felt humbled by the awards. Wilson and Parillon were unavailable for the last National Awards function.

As T&T goes through one of its toughest economic challenges due to falling oil and gas prices, Wilson said for the country to rebound, it would require astute management.

“We just have to ride out this challenging cycle,” he added.

Wilson said it was unfortunate that the country had built up recurrent expenditure at a time when money was in abundance.

“I have every confidence that the Government will adopt the correct posture eventually, in getting it right,” Wilson said. He said between 1986 to 1991 the country saw a lot of pain under the National Alliance for Reconstruction who introduced VAT and slashed Cost of Living Allowances.

“It was the correct thing to do at the time and we did restore the country to some semblance of economic prosperity,” he added.

In retrospect Wilson said: “This country has not reaped the benefits of value for money in all its expenditure... whether it is in projects or education. We spent a lot of money but we have not got commensurate results.”

On a positive note, Wilson said he expected benefits to be derived from the recent trade-offs with Venezuela. While he expressed concerns about the state of the economy, Wilson said what was more troubling was crime and country’s social decay.

“I think that is more a difficult problem to deal with than the cycles of economic misfortunes. I am very concerned about the crime situation and general decay in the society. That is always a difficult preposition... how rapidly  you can put that under control,” he added. He said the Government needed to come up with a plan to reverse this situation.

“Maybe the wealth in the country has contributed to levels of crime that were unprecedented,” he noted.

Wilson said people probably have the perception that leadership at all levels was serving themselves and not the country’s interest.

“If that is so, we’ve got to be aware of that kind of knock-on effect,” he added.

Frank Ali started working at age ten in the San Juan market, selling celery from a little cardboard box at two for $1 to help pay for his schooling. 

“My mother was selling in the market, too. She would put the celery in the box and I would walk all over the market selling.”

The eldest of four siblings, Ali was attending the Arouca Anglican Primary at the time and helping to pay for his uniform and bookbag. He continued selling in the market for five years on weekends and holidays, even after he entered the Barataria Junior Secondary and Arima Senior Comprehensive Schools.

By Form Three, between school and attending church with his grandmother, he was planting lettuce and patchoi in his own little garden and selling in the market. Today, at 41, Ali is called the “lettuce king” for growing the nicest, healthiest lettuce. He plants one acre in Bon Air, Arouca and was a supplier of lettuce to a major fast food chain.

“My focus is to produce the safest, healthiest lettuce.”

His strong sense of what is right and concern for others is behind his focus. “What I present to you, I must be able to eat at home without worry.

“Lettuce is consumed raw and it is very important to use the least amount of chemicals and the safest ones.”

Ali’s deep concern for others also drives him to help save youth in his community from a life of crime and he uses agriculture to do this, even dipping into his own pocket at times and sacrificing his garden.

“I try to instill in them a sense of responsibility for living, growing things.”

Giving his blueprint for producing healthy lettuce, Ali said he is GAP (Good Agricultural Practice) certified by the National Marketing Development Company Ltd (Namdevco) and mandated to produce safe crops. He said Class One agricultural chemicals are the most toxic and dangerous while Class Four is the safest. “I use Class Four.

“The more toxic chemicals are cheaper and may work faster and have no smell or colour. But they are carcinogenic and dangerous to consumers and people working in the field. 

“I pay $100 a bottle for the safest chemicals and use the least amount, spraying it on the ground, not the leaves.”

After he reaps his lettuce, Ali washes them, not in plastic containers or metal drums which may have bacteria, but in stainless steel sinks which reduces the chance of bacteria getting on the leaves. 

A third generation farmer with a passion for the land, Ali is a member of the Agricultural Society of T&T (ASTT) and has been invited to tell students at the University of the West Indies why his lettuce is different. 

His lettuce, sold mostly to retailers at the Arima and Tunapuna markets may not reach everyone and he tries to educate farmers on how to produce a healthy crop, he said.

“I am trying to get my lettuce in high end groceries and restaurants,” he said.

But being a successful businessman is not Ali’s number one priority. It’s helping people, he said. Through the ASTT, he was helping young men in the at risk community of Windy Hill in his area get on the right path through agriculture.

“They started planting but because of lack of funding the project stalled. One of the young men was later arrested in connection with the murder of a Diego Martin taxi driver. 

“What really bothers me is that he is going to rot in jail.”

Ali is also helping to “settle” a group of young men at the Arouca Government Primary School.

“I believe some agriculture at the back of the school will help get them settled, and one or two rabbits to give them sense of responsibility.” He and the ASTT are even trying with preschoolers. He said 100 pupils from the Sunshine Preschool in Arouca are into agriculture, too.

“Each child has a plastic bottle with his name on it and has to actually water his individual plant.” He said because of a lack of funding this project almost stopped. “I had to take out of my pocket to see it through.”

Ali said he and hot pepper king, Nawaz Karim, are also planning to work with the Sangre Grande Police Youth Club on another agriculture project with youth in that area.

“It’s a wonderful feeling knowing I could help somebody,” he said.

The Customs and Excise Division, Ministry of Finance, has demonstrated its commitment to improve the mental, physical, spiritual and emotional well-being of its employees by introducing initiatives aimed at developing the individual holistically.

The recent opening of the employee gym on the third floor of the Division's head office, Ajax Street, Port-of-Spain, is one of several ventures designed to improve the division's operations, as well as its officers.

Delivering brief remarks during its annual Indian Arrival Day celebrations, the newly-installed comptroller Glen Singh urged employees to take advantage of all available opportunities.

Vowing to take things to "another level," Singh commended the senior and junior officers for joining to promote the nation's culture as they highlighted the journey undertaken by the Indian forefathers to T&T.

Admitting many would have faced untold challenges and hardships along the way, Singh said their determination and perseverance had to be commended as they had managed to carve out a legacy which had contributed richly to the creation of society today.

He said while aspects, such as the food, clothing, music and religious customs, had been passed down through generations one also had to remember the family members that were left behind as many were forced to embark on an unknown voyage across the kalapani (black water) to Caribbean shores.

Pleasantly surprised by the musical talent of some of the officers who formed part of the entertainment programme, Singh urged all the employees to explore their hidden talents as he promised that it was another aspect they were thinking of focusing on to promote camaraderie and team spirit throughout the organisation.

Highlighting the staff's dedication and commitment to the job, Singh said it was evident in all aspects of their daily operations.

Perusing the elaborate display, which featured traditional and religious books, musical instruments, pictures, jewellery, clothing, utensils, food and even transport, Singh later expressed surprise at some of the items which had been laid out.

Heartened by the response from both junior and senior officers who filled the boardroom during yesterday's celebrations, Singh said it was testament of the closer ties being forged among staff as they worked together to achieve the organisation’s goals and objectives.