Days after Venezuelan President and the T&T Government entered into a trade arrangement to provide basic food and medical supplies, Venezuelans, who continue to flock to local shores, said that arrangement would not work.

Venezuelans who entered the country through King’s Wharf, San Fernando, said yesterday the situation was too deeply entrenched for this $50 million fund to satisfy the needs of the 30 million citizens.

Pulling their little dingy boats laden with crocus bags, dozens of Venezuelans were seen coming to Trinidad to buy much needed supplies. A source at the Customs and Excise Division said there have been about a three per cent increase in the number of Venezuelans who came to San Fernando to trade.

“We have an average of 15 passengers coming for the day. They bring crabs and shrimp which they sell to vendors and they use the money to buy rice, sugar, oil, toiletries and baking powder,” the source said. 

A Venezuelan, who identified himself as Antonio, said he came to Trinidad every month to get supplies.

“I cannot carry back much because if I do the Walia (Guardia Nacionale) would seize it,” Antonio said. He added that security arrangements have to be put in place to prevent other Venezuelans from seizing their goods. 

Asked to describe the conditions in his hometown of Boca de Guerra, Antonio said:

“People have to wait three or four days to get basic goods. If you don’t get it, you have to wait for the next week. People have money but it has no value. It is easier to get in your boat and come to Trinidad to get a few things,” Antonio said.

Another Venezuelan who has family in Trinidad said thousands of people were starving to death.

“You know how many children die in the hospitals every day? All we have is three types of medicine. We have nothing to give to people with diabetes,” he said. 

He added that in Trinidad people could buy a wide range of milk for their babies but in Venezuela you could not even get one pack of milk. Asked whether he was in support of the new agreement signed by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley for $50 million worth of food to be sent to Venezuela, he said that was not enough.

“Venezuela is owing a lot of money. We have a lot of gold and diamonds and they are cutting the power so they can extract the gold. The government doesn’t care what is happening to the people. All they care about is socialism,” the source said.

He explained that former President Hugo Chavez won the hearts of the poor people because he brought in Cuban doctors and posted them in the interior of Venezuela to help the poor. 

He also said there was no free media in Venezuela and anyone who opposed the ruling government was imprisoned in a dark prison where they could not see daylight.

On Monday, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between T&T and Venezuela. A $50 million fund was set up to facilitate trade and the transferral of T&T’s manufactured goods over to Venezuela.

Rowley said there would also be a joint security session in Caracas to address the issue of drug trafficking and other crime-related issues, as well as the protection of mutual borders.

A man, who sparked panic among Trincity Mall patrons and employees after making a hoax call warning of an imminent terrorist attack, was arrested by police hours after the incident thanks to the help of the Strategic Security Agency (SSA). 

Addressing media at an emergency press conference at the Police Administration Building, Port-of-Spain, yesterday, acting National Security Minister Stuart Young revealed that the suspect had been arrested by police after the call was traced with the assistance of the SSA. 

While Young refused to divulge details about the suspect, he did say he was arrested with the phone used to place the call to police in his possession. The suspect remained in custody up to late last night and is expected to be charged later today. 

While Young declined to speculate on possible charges for the suspect, the T&T Guardian understands that he is to be charged with the wasteful employment of police time. If convicted, the offence carries a maximum $1,000 fine and up to six months imprisonment. 

Young said around 11.45 am yesterday, the T&T Police Service Command Centre received a call from a male who said that “something would happen” at the mall within 15 minutes. 

“Within a matter of minutes both the Special Branch and Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit (CGIU) were able to assemble at Trincity Mall and have conversations with the owners of mall, who then took the decision to evacuate it,” Young said. 

He said the TTPS’s Bomb Unit searched the mall for close to three hours and gave the owners permission to reopen the facility after no suspicious packages or devices were found. 

“A very orderly evacuation took place, there were absolutely no shots fired, as being circulated,” he said. 

Young also dispelled rumours of a similar threat being made on Long Circular Mall, St James, yesterday, as he said the mall’s management, which is the same as for Trincity Mall, took a precautionary measure to close the second establishment as only a handful of tenants—a supermarket, gym and radio station—were open on the Corpus Christi public holiday. 

The hoax call comes days after a voice note warning of a possible Isis attack on shopping malls acrosss T&T this weekend was posted on social media websites and circulated on messaging services. No one has been arrested in connection with that warning and the TTPS is continuing investigations. 

Young yesterday thanked the police for the efficient work is diffusing the situation. 

“This shows that the law enforcement agencies are working in the best interest of the citizens of T&T and that the training and intelligence gathering and preparation worked,” he said. 

As he praised the work of the SSA in assisting police in apprehending the suspect, Young said the newly-passed SSA (Ammendment) Bill would increase the ability of national security agencies to respond to threats.

The SSA’s ambit under the amendment would extend to collecting information, not only on drug issues (as it currently does) but on a host of offences listed as “serious crime.” This includes treason, sedition, terrorism, terrorist financing, corruption, money laundering and other crimes.

“As a Government we do believe that once that bill is assented to and proclaimed it is going to add another level of sophistication to the crime fighting which is taking place in T&T,” he said.

Hundreds of people, including workers at Trincity Mall, had to be evacuated yesterday following a bomb threat that was received shortly after midday.

However, mall workers were left furious at the way the situation was handled and blamed mall management for not putting strategic security measures in place and for not briefing them on what should be done in case of an emergency.

“Especially an emergency of this magnitude, where messages went out this week of Isis bomb threats at a mall. There should have been immediate intervention by the management and security personnel in briefing us as to what to do, because when this thing happened we didn’t know what to do, we just went to the muster points and that was it, which was still close to the mall I personally find,” a mall worker, who did not to be identified, said.

The T&T Guardian was told that at about 12.45 pm an alert came from mall security for everyone to evacuate the mall immediately.

“It was crazy. Chaos everywhere. People were running out of the mall screaming. Drivers were driving their vehicles recklessly in a bid to escape the mall. There was real panic. No one was prepared for this. Not even me,” a mall security officer said.

Workers and visitors to the mall said when they got outside they began asking why they had to be evacuated. A mall visitor said he was told by a police officer that they got a report of a shooting near the taxi stand outside Excellent Stores, located on the northern side of the mall.

A worker said she was told by another officer that something was found in the mall. Asked what was the something, the worker said she was not given any further details.

During the evacuation process, there were heavily armed police on the scene monitoring the workers, moviegoers and shoppers as they came out the mall to the muster points located at five points along the perimeter of the car park.

About one hour after, the Fire Service, paramedics, Bomb Squad and other elite units of the T&T Police Service and Ministry of National Security arrived and carried out extensive searches inside and outside of the mall.

At about 2.30 pm, workers were given the all clear by police to return to their stores to collect their personal belongings so they could leave as the mall was declared closed for the day.

A moviegoer showed two tickets and said he had planned to utilise his holiday to watch two movies back to back and was highly disappointed over the turn of events.

“I find this get too out-of-hand. I come to relax and now faced with this. The only back to back I getting today (yesterday) is back to home. This place really horrible yes and I feel that this a joke for everyone, including National Security.”

Since Trincity Mall and Long Circular Mall (LCM) fall under Premier Malls, one of the group of HCL Group of Companies, management ordered LCM be shut down as a precautionary measure.  At about 2.30 pm, fire service and police carried out extensive searches. 

Shortly, after 3 pm another bomb scare was called in at the Gulf City Mall, La Romaine.

Efforts to reach HCL’s Corporate Secretary, Roxanne Husbands for comment yesterday were unsuccessful. But in an interview on Tuesday at LCM’s administrative office, Husbands assured their security personnel had already began heightening security measures, including carrying out extensive searches of both mall compounds. 

Chanmattee Deonarinesingh said yesterday that she loved baby Kristiano Aziz and was very sorry he died while under her care. Deonarinesingh, 45, a qualified nurse who has been running a daycare at her Barrackpore home for the past ten years, spoke out about the incident for the first time since the baby’s death.

The baby’s mother Lisa Ramjattan, 26, found the child unresponsive when she went to pick him up on Monday. He was lying on his tummy in a bed top pen. The child was later pronounced dead at the Princes Town District Health Centre. An autopsy found his death was caused by positional asphyxia and his death has been ruled as accidental.

Several parents went to Deonarinesingh’s home yesterday with their children to lend support. Deonarinesingh, who had to seek medical treatment for high blood pressure at a private nursing following the incident, said as the mother of a 15-year-old boy she felt Ramjattan’s pain.

“I know the parents are upset. I know it is a great loss and my heart goes out to this mummy especially,” she said.

“I am a mom I will know. I am really, really sorry it had to be like this but I don’t know, maybe accidents happen, maybe the baby turn his head in a spur of the moment. I don’t know how to explain this situation, I am very sorry, sorry about what happen to this baby because I love this little baby.” 

An emotional Deonarinesingh, who is called Auntie Sue by parents, said she and her workers were taking care of five other children between the ages of three months and three years on that day. She recalled that Kristiano was “perfectly fine” and in a “good position” when she left him sleeping on the bed around 1.30 pm.  Deonarinesingh said the baby was always within her eyesight. 

“He small so I placed him in front my eye where we can see him constantly.” 

When Ramjattan came she took a photo of the baby before bending over to pick him up.

“Her back was turned to me. From where I see she bend over all of a sudden she say ‘Oh my God come and see what happen here. You come and see what happen’ and she run out the day care.

“My assumption to this was probably something walking on the baby or something bite the baby because remember I take care of this baby, I check this baby before we started to make bottles for the rest of them.”

Deonarinesingh said she then went to the baby.

“I was like stinky pinky wake up and playing with his foot and realise no response from  baby.” She said she then began to panic. Deonarinesingh said she turned the baby over and was checking for a pulse. On the directions of the paramedics via phone, she began performing CPR on Kristiano.

“While I was doing this I was getting something from the baby. Every time I give a breath I was getting something like a hiccup from the baby.” 

Denying the baby was stiff and cold when his mother arrived, she said she would usually put babies to sleep on their tummy.

“I will not put a baby flat on the face to sleep,” said Deonarinesingh who added: “He (Kristiano) has a tendency to turn his head to suit himself that is why I check him all the time and make sure I fix his head all the time. To be honest I don’t know. I honestly cannot explain what happened.”

Deonarinesingh, who also lives with her common-law husband Riaz Ali, said she would only continue to run the daycare if the parents were still comfortable leaving their children with her. She received support from all the parents at her home. 

Parent Sunita Dhanessar said she had been leaving her boys, aged ten and nine, at the daycare for the past ten years. She said Deonarinesingh did a good job and she had no problem with her.

Little Kristiano will be buried under Muslim rites following a brief service at his grandparents’home at Perry Young Road, Indian Walk, Moruga, at about 1 pm today.

Chaguanas Mayor Gopaul Boodhan says he plans to file his financial documents with the Integrity Commission in the shortest possible time.

Boodhan made the comment during a tree planting exercise at the Chaguanas Borough Corporation yesterday,in response to questions over his name appearing on a list of public officials who had failed to declare their assets for several years.

The list was published on Wednesday and included several other public officials. 

Boodhan said, “I got caught up doing the work of the people and the community, I would like to apologise for that. I have written to the Integrity Commission about two weeks ago, indicating that these documents will be filed in a timely manner to bring it up to date.”

On another note, the mayor said he wants to see more burgesses get involved in home gardening. 

Police ordered the evacuation of a casino, four restaurants and an ice cream outlet at the Gulf City Mall in La Romaine yesterday, following an alleged Isis bomb threat to the establishment. The T&T Guardian was told the order to evacuate the businesses came following the earlier evacuation of Trincity Mall and TruValu at Long Circular Mall following similar threats. 

The Isis threat to target malls in Trinidad were circulated via voice notes earlier this week, warning people to stay away from the malls from yesterday into the weekend.

Shortly after 3 pm yesterday, employees and patrons at Carnival City Members’Club, the only businessplace inside the mall which was open, were seen briskly leaving the building. Sources, however, confirmed there was no bomb threat. Several police vehicles arrived shortly after with heavily armed police officers.

The other businesses on the compound—TGI Fridays, Wendy’s, Ruby Tuesday, Subway and Haagen-Dazs were also ordered to close. An employee at the icecream outlet said the police ordered them to close because of a “gas leak”.

Members of the media were warned by the police, via their loud speaker, to stay to the outskirts of the mall for their own safety during the search of the businesses.

Munching on an icecream, Kareem La Borde, who calmly left the ice cream outlet, said he was not afraid. He said he deliberately went to the mall to see whether anything would happen.

While he was not dismissing the threat as a fake, La Borde said Trinidadians must not give in to fear. By doing so, he said the terrorists will win. He did not think the people behind the alleged threats were representing any particular religion, but were just trying to subject the nation to fear. 

He urged people to be vigilant, but not give in to fear by closing their businessness or altering their daily lives.

A Roman Catholic priest says it’s up to ordinary citizens, not political leaders, to become agents of justice and righteousness and transform society. Delivering the annual Corpus Cristi homily at Our Lady of Perpetual Help church in San Fernando yesterday, Monsignor Christian Pereira said there is a “deep hunger for justice and righteousness.” 

He said as Catholics observe Corpus Christi they must realise the gift Jesus is giving is to become like him, but noted “to become as merciful as Our Father in heaven it is a mandate to us to find ways to respond to the real hunger that consumes our people. The world we live in today is a world devoid of mercy.” 

Perreira suggested they establish small groups of 50s to not only focus on Jesus but to learn mutual respect and profound appreciation.

“More chicken and chips, more peleau and soup will not feed us, more bread and butter will not fill us, what will satisfy us is when those of us accept Jesus in our lives like how Jesus lived his life, ... and that will is by you and I working with each other in small groups, in little organisations, in small ways to rebuild the world.”

He added, “Trump and Clinton cannot do it, neither can Rowley nor Kamla do it, we have to do it, we have to do it and you are able to do it only because Jesus has given himself to you and you willingly and joyfully accept him.

“Corpus Christi is the bread of life given to us so our lives can be a source of nourishment to others. May our celebration of this feast in accepting the living bread the eucharistic meal help us to become the food that will transform this nation of ours help us to become agents of justice, the agents of righteousness.”

He said many citizens were allowing unrighteous things to continue by merely following the majority.

“Too many of us say ‘well they doing that way and that is the way it seems that we have to do it’ and allowing ourselves to go along with what is corrupt, sinful and the more we do that is the more people are starving, the more we take advantage of each other, the more people are suffering.”
“Let us allow the living God given to us in this eucharistic meal so to transform us that we now become the food that brings eternal life to all God’s people.”

Joining in the celebrations were neighbouring parishes from Mon Repos, La Romaine, Pointe-a-Pierre and others. The service was followed by a large procession, accompanied by a music truck, through the streets of San Fernando.

There is a long established convention in the Parliament that members of one chamber in general do not comment on the goings-on in another chamber, Independent bench elder Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir has said. 

He yesterday declined to address criticism by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, who on Wednesday accused Independent senators of “organising themselves as a political party” to obstruct Government progress on the recent Strategic Services Agency (amendment) bill. 

Seven of the nine Independents vetoed the bill while Independent Hugh Roach and temporary Independent Justin Junkere supported it towards passage. Rowley also took issue with recent statements by Mahabir.

Rowley said Government had gone to Parliament to amend the SSA bill to give security agencies a better vantage point to respond to crime and “...we have Independent senators who are free to be independent but organising themselves as a political party in the Parliament to obstruct the Government’s progress.”

On Government’s privileges motion against temporary UNC Senator Gerald Ramdeen, and claims that Mahabir said any motion “should have come” from the Independent bench since the issue involved Independent Junkere, the PM had said it wasn’t for Mahabir to tell Government senators what they should and shouldn’t do. He said he didn’t know where an Independent senator “would have got it from, to say it should have been done by any particular person..”

Rowley added if Independents were inclined to raise the matter, he’d have expected Mahabir would have been in the forefront of filing the motion.

The Independent bench under regulations has no leader. But Mahabir, who is the longest serving member, is regarded as an elder and sometimes does administrative chores, but doesn’t “lead” the bench since it involves members who are independent of each other.

Contacted on the PM’s criticisms, Mahabir said: “In the Parliament, the long established convention of members of one chamber—Lower House or Senate—not commenting on the goings-on in the other chamber isn’t written, but is practice of many years.

“Even in our chamber, when we have to refer to Hansard reports from the House of Representatives, the Senate President usually informs us that we need to be on point and cannot refer in any extended way to it and to move on. Given that that convention is in existence, and I respect all Parliament conventions, I cannot at all comment on what a member of another chamber has said about the members on the Independent bench in the Senate.”

Mahabir added, “If people wish to break with Parliament tradition, they have a right to do so and exercise freedom of speech as mandated in the Constitution.

“But I, for one, am a stickler for convention...We have come to develop a certain code that says in a debate that we’re all being very courteous to each other. 

I love Parliamentary convention, as it sets standards for civil behaviour and creation of a truly civil society—and because I respect our Parliamentary convention, I hope you understand why I will not comment on the statements by a member from the House of Representatives.”

The acting Commanding Officer of the T&T Regiment (TTR), Col Dexter Francis, has dispelled reports made in the media this week linking the death of Cpl Jerry Leacock to voice notes that went viral on social media referencing possible terrorist attacks in T&T.

In a release yesterday, TTR public affairs officer, Captain Stefan Affonso, said based on investigations thus far, “these unfounded links that appear to be confirmed by the media have not been verified and are not linked to Cpl Leacock or any member of the TTR.”

Leacock was described as a distinguished soldier who served T&T with honour and pride.

“After 17 years of dedicated colour service in the TTR, he consistently demonstrated his patriotism and passion to serve his nation,” the release stated.

However, the TTR assured that investigations into the authenticity and source of the voice notes are ongoing by the T&T Police Service and that the TTR continues to support the police with all ongoing investigations.

“The Commanding Officer of the TTR reassures the public that all members of the TTR are committed to the defence of our beloved state and will support all efforts to preserve and maintain law and order,” the release added. In the first audio recording released on social media on Monday, a male voice was heard saying that he was informed of the Isis threat from within prison walls. He warned citizens to stay way from the malls this weekend, but did not identify where the strike would take place.

In the second recording, which was directed to a WhatsApp group, the man uses the word “batch”, which is commonly used by law enforcement officers and makes reference to information he alleges came out of the camp he is in. The male voice goes on to refer to the camp as being close to where the Special Anti-Crime Unit of T&T (SAUTT) operated, which is a military camp in Cumuto. The man then says the word reaching the camp is that Isis is planning to detonate bombs in the malls sometime between Thursday and Sunday.

Leacock was gunned down at his Wallerfield home on Tuesday morning when four young men stormed into his house.

Leacock’s funeral service takes place today at the Rosary Catholic Church, Port-of-Spain, from 10 am.

A lead detective with a bad memory, an extra-marital affair between investigators, a corrupt police officer and a suspicious husband were just some of the controversial issues raised by High Court Judge Malcolm Holdip to the jury in the Vindra Naipaul-Coolman murder trial yesterday. 

During his fifth day summing up the case to the 12-member jury and two alternates in the Port-of-Spain Second Criminal Court, Holdip repeated issues raised and discrepancies in the evidence presented by prosecutors during the protracted trial. 

Dealing with the testimony of the lead investigator, retired assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Nadhir Khan, Holdip called on the jurors to pay attention to the fact that he (Khan) could not remember key issues in the case when he took the witness stand before them. “He is enjoying retirement and through the passage of time can’t seem to remember things important to this case,” Holdip said as he noted Khan retired in 2009. 

Holdip also criticised Khan’s claims that he did not interact with the State’s main witness Keon Gloster, who allegedly witnessed the crime but did not participate. 

“I find it strange that a senior police officer heading an investigation of this magnitude never took the took the opportunity to have a discussion with his main witness,” Holdip said. He also questioned Khan’s claim that he allowed his junior officers autonomy in performing their duties in the case, as he (Holdip) noted that all the officers who testified said they only responded to instructions provided by Khan. 

Holdip then turned to issues with the testimony of Insp Suzette Martin, who interviewed Gloster six times months after Naipaul-Coolman’s kidnapping and produced a series of sworn statements which led to the accused men being charged. 

Addressing claims by defence attorneys and by Gloster himself in the trial, that he (Gloster) was coerced by police into implicating the accused men, most of them his relatives, Holdip said Martin was aware that Gloster was taking a cocktail of epilepsy medication that would have rendered him “easily suggestible”. 

Holdip said the side effects of the medication was confirmed by clinical psychiatrist Prof Gerard Hutchinson, who nonetheless ruled that Gloster was mentally fit to provide police with details of the crime. He also reminded the jury that some of Gloster’s initial interviews with Martin were excluded from the trial, as there were issues with the fact that they were authenticated by a justice of the peace “in the back of a car and in a dentist’s office”. 

Holdip told the jury they were also entitled to consider that Martin admitted to having a romantic relationship with a senior officer who also interacted with Gloster, as defence attorneys claimed that she changed her evidence to corroborate her lover’s during the trial. 

“Put this in the mix when you are making your deliberations,” Holdip said. noting they had to determine if the relationship had any relevance to the case. 

Jurors were also reminded of the controversial evidence of Naipaul-Coolman’s husband Rennie Coolman, who was one of the first witnesses to testify when the trial began in March, 2014. Holdip noted that Coolman admitted that while the investigation was ongoing, he paid $150,000 to a fraudster he claimed convinced him he was a suspect in the case and offered to assist in diverting suspicion away from him. 

Holdip then reminded them of Coolman’s conduct on the night of the kidnapping. 

“The police were contacted by a family friend who was contacted by the victim’s daughter, who was upstairs the house. 

“He (Coolman) retreated to the kitchen as he heard cries for help from his wife outside,” Holdip said, adding that Coolman failed to trip a panic button installed in the kitchen. Although he refered to Coolman’s questionable conduct during her abduction, Holdip warned the jurors that he was not on trial for her murder. 

“We have no evidence that he was in fact responsible for his wife’s abduction. You have to consider only the evidence before you,” Holdip said. Lastly, Holdip focused on the evidence of Cpl Darryl Hunte, the officer who allegedly found a gun at the home of one of the accused, Keida Garcia, which was eventually linked to spent shells found at the kidnapping scene.

Roman Catholic Archbishop Joseph Harris yesterday expressed joy at the overwhelming response of thousands of parishioners who attended the annual Corpus Christi Mass at the Queens Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, saying he was uncertain people would turn out due to the recent threats of Isis attacks against malls across the country.

Harris made the comment to the packed a packed Grand Stand at the beginning of his homily, noting that on Wednesday he was bombarded with calls by concerned parishioners who asked if it would be safe to attend mass given the recent warning that went viral on social media and Whats App. The calls, he said, prompted him to contact the authorities to find out about security arrangements for the event.

“At a moment of great tension, with rumours of unspeakable violence to come, the bombing of malls, let me say how happy I am to see so many of you here this morning in spite of your fears. I spoke with the authorities and they have assured me that they have more security with us than they normally do,” Harris told the massive gathering.

His words of “more security” was surely evident yesterday, as at almost every street corner—from Independence Square to the Savannah, there were either parked police vehicles—marked and unmarked, or police on patrol.

On the compound of the Grand Stand, at the main entrance, there were security officials checking every bag belonging to women, while another male security officer asked almost every male who walked in if they were in possession of any firearm.

Close to the security check point there were heavily armed police  dressed in tactical uniform throwing a watchful eye. There were also officers assigned to the security firm SWAT Estate Police Company Limited. The T&T Guardian was told by a security personnel that the entire compound was “swept” or thoroughly checked by security personnel hours before the event.

It was also alleged that events at the QPS are closely monitored by the National Operations Centre, which is located obliquely opposite the Grand Stand. During the mass, the heavily armed officers were seen walking around and among the parishioners as they sang, worshiped and listened to Harris’ homily.

In his Corpus Christi message, Harris called for the building of strong communities.

“Strong communities offset some of the danger. It is imperative that where there is strong community life, the community has the strength to withstand the swords of the enemies from without and within,” he said.

Referring to Pope Francis, who in his message at the Vatican yesterday, called people who take advantage of the poor as “true bloodsuckers” who “live by spilling the blood of the people who they make slaves of labour,” Harris said people like these are only conquered by strong communities “united by members of Christ and fulled by religious imaginations which allows structures and institutions of solidarity to develop so that no one is left behind.”

Subsequent to the homily, a little child lifted up the country’s crime situation in prayer. The child prayed that the Lord would touch the hearts and minds of those involved in crime and turn them back to the Lord.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian just before the start of the procession, which was led by Harris through the capital streets to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, parishioners expressed gratitude for the heightened police presence.

Beverly Mc Carther, 76, of Diego Martin, admitted that she was scared to participate in this year’s mass and procession because of the terrorist threats.

“I cannot read or write to well but I heard about the messages from my grandchildren and it is very frightening to me. I thought all kinds of things before I came here, but I said if I was to die today (yesterday) I would die in church.”

Another parishioner, Sterling Theodore, 55, of Arima, said he was relieved to see so many police officers around.

“I feel safe. I listened to what Father Harris said and I am grateful that he himself called whoever to ensure that we are safe here today (yesterday).”

A 46-year-old man from east Trinidad, who placed a hoax call to police about a pending terrorist attack on Trincity Mall on Thursday, will remain in police custody this weekend.

The suspect, who was arrested by police hours after placing the call to the T&T Police Service (TTPS) Command Centre, remained detained at an undisclosed police station in east Trinidad up to last night.

The T&T Guardian understands that the suspect was first interrogated by detectives of the Special Branch before being handed over to investigators from the Northern Division, who are expected to lay charges this weekend.

In addition to a charge for the wasteful employment of police time, investigators are said to also be considering a charge under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

A release from the Office of the Attorney General issued yesterday stated that section 21 of the legislation makes it an offence to knowingly communicate false information of an explosive or toxic device, or a weapon of mass destruction. The offence carries a maximum penalty of up to 15 years imprisonment, the release said.

According to police, around 11.45 am on Thursday, the centre received the reported threat from the suspect. Police responded to the mall, which was evacuated by its management, and took three hours to search and clear the building.

The suspect was arrested after the call was traced to his cellphone with the assistance of the Strategic Services Agency (SSA).
Investigations are continuing. 

Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, Stuart Young, says he will be visiting the malls during the long holiday weekend, in the wake of an alleged threat by international terrorist group Isis to target such facilities during the period.

Young said he was doing so because he was confident the nation’s law enforcement personnel and agencies were prepared for any eventuality.

He made the comment during a presentation to the Financial Investigations Branch at Riverside Plaza, Port-of-Spain, yesterday, as he provided an update on Thursday’s alleged bomb threat which resulted in Trincity and Long Circular Malls being evacuated, Young said he was satisfied proper protocols and procedures had been established by those responsible for ensuring the nation’s security. He said this was evident by the quick police response, followed by the three-hour sweep in which no suspicious packages were detected.

Praising law enforcement for their preparedness, Young said, “I can tell you that the authorities and those charged with the responsibility and duty are monitoring what is going on via interception and human intelligence, which means they have been working even before these things came to the fore and they will continue working.”

While advising the public to go about their daily lives normally this weekend, Young said: “Stay alert, go about your normal lives. It is a long weekend and we in T&T know how to enjoy ourselves, but just be careful by not taking anything for granted,” he said. (See page A6)

A blunder by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has led to the freeing of a man accused of being a member of the gang allegedly responsible for the assassination of former Independent senator Dana Seetahal, SC.

David Ector walked into the arms of waiting family members outside the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court, after Senior Magistrate Indrani Cedeno discharged the 14 people of the charges they faced under the Anti-Gang Act in relation to Seetahal's murder in July last year. 

Cedeno was left with no choice but to do so in an oral ruling in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates’ Court, after she dismissed an application from the DPP's Office to amend the gang charges against the 13 accused in Seetahal’s murder.

In its application, the DPP’s Office had admitted to laying the charges indictably (heard and determined by a High Court Judge and jury), as opposed to summarily (heard and determined by a magistrate) as prescribed by the legislation.

However, Cedeno said the amendment could not be permitted as she felt the accused would be prejudiced by it, as the penalty for the offence is greater on summary conviction as opposed to conviction before a judge and jury. She also criticised the DPP’s Office for its delay in seeking the amendment, as she said it should have been noticed at a preliminary stage. 

The DDP's Office also cannot now re-lay the gang charges against the men as the six-month window for doing so has already expired.

While her decision affected all the accused before the court, Ector, who was charged only with the gang offence and not the murder, earned his immediate release. 

Deon Peters, who like Ector was not indicted for the murder, was not as lucky though, as after being discharged he was led out of court and detained by police on an outstanding warrant for an unrelated criminal offence. 

Unlike Ector and Peters, Stacy Griffith, the third person who was charged for being a gang member and not with the murder, will remain with her husband, Rajaee Ali, and ten others who are still before the court for Seetahal’s murder, as she has a separate charge of benefiting from the gang’s activity, which was laid correctly by the DPP’s Office.

Ali, his brothers Ishmael and Hamid Ali, Devaughn Cummings, Ricardo Stewart, Earl Richards, Stephan Cummings, Kevin Parkinson, Leston Gonzales, Roget Boucher, and Gareth Wiseman remain on trial for Seetahal’s murder.

In her judgment, Cedeno also called on Parliament to review the gang legislation, as she said she felt there was a mix-up in varying sentences for the two trial processes, as summary trials usually carry a lesser penalty.

Seetahal guides from grave

Ironically, Magistrate Cedeno admitted that her decision was strongly influenced by Dana Seetahal’s professional book Caribbean Criminal Practice and Procedure.

“Seetahal’s book provided immense assistance and guidance on the issues raised in the application,” Cedeno said as she quoted the text several times during her ruling.

The accused men, who were surrounded by several police in the prisoner enclosure, broke into celebration immediately upon hearing Cedeno’s decision. They were allowed to embrace each other briefly and repeatedly chanted “Allahu Akbar,” before Cedeno intervened and warned that she would not tolerate any further disturbances.

The accused men’s relatives were also seen performing muted celebrations in the court, while Seetahal’s niece, Danielle Francois, and her brother Omar, who were also present in court, appeared to be visibly disappointed by the decision. 

As has become customary with the group’s court appearance, security in and around the St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, courthouse was noticeably increased yesterday, with police at strategic locations and traffic being diverted from in front of the court.

Ector later managed to evade media personnel who gathered outside the court to interview him upon his release.

Yesterday’s hearing also marked the start of the preliminary inquiry into the murder charge, with Cedeno kicking off proceedings immediately after delivering her ruling. During the remainder of the hearing, Cedeno heard the evidence of a crime scene investigator who processed the scene of Seetahal’s shooting.

Seetahal was shot dead behind the wheel of her SUV while driving along Hamilton Holder Street, Woodbrook, on May 4, 2014. 

Ector was represented by Sade Duprey, while Criston J Williams represented most of the other accused men.

The preliminary inquiry is set to resume on June 9.

An unemployed Wallerfield man who went on a chopping spree yesterday is now warded in hospital fighting for his life, after he was shot by police when he attacked an officer who was pursuing him.

The man, 42, had chopped farmer Terry Williams, 35, to death and dealt another neighbour chop wounds to the hands.

When police in responding to a trouble call later tried to get him to surrender, he attacked the officers, injuring PC St Clair on the leg. 

The officer was taken to the Arima Health Facility and was said to be resting in stable condition last night.

Police reported that around 2 pm after getting a call from Wallerfield residents of a chopping incident, they spotted the suspect at Moonan Road, Wallerfield. But when he saw the vehicle he ran off. The police chased after him and one officer caught up with the suspect. However, he was injured as he attempted to subdue him. 

The other officers in pursuit then opened fire on the suspect, hitting him several times about his body.

The man, who is yet to be identified by the police, was arrested, placed in the police vehicle and taken to the Arima Health Facility, where he underwent emergency surgery. 

Police said the suspect began his attacks at midnight yesterday, when he first chopped Williams. Williams reportedly went outside to put out a burning towel when he was attacked and chopped about the head, arms and chest. He got into his vehicle to seek medical attention, but died before he could drive out of his garage.

District Medical Officer Dr Shaw Ramroop viewed the body and ordered it removed to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, for a post mortem.

Police led by Insp Maharaj went in pursuit of the killer but were initially unsuccessful and returned to the Arima Police Station around 2 am.

However, around 8 am the cutlass-wielding man went to Tractor Pool Road, Wallerfield, where he chopped Randy Strong about the hands. Strong was taken to the Arima Health Facility where he was warded in stable condition last night. The attacker again escaped.

A party of officers led by Cpls Ramdahanie, Jason Jeanville and the Arima CID responded. 

This time they spotted the man at Moonan Road, Wallerfield, where they challenged him, leading to his subsequent attack on the officer and his own shooting. 

ACP Persad, Snr Supt Rajkumar and Insps Ali and Maharaj visited the scene. Insp Maharaj of Arima CID is continuing inquiries.

One man is in police custody following the shooting of an off-duty police officer on Thursday night, while police were still searching for two other men in relation to the incident up to last night. 

According to police reports, Sgt Ricardo Morris, who is attached to the Belmont Police Station, was at a basketball court at Pioneer Drive, Sea Lots, around 9.30 pm with his son, when he saw a man walking with a high-powered weapon. 

Police said Morris, who lives in Central Trinidad, spoke with the gunman and the men began fighting. 

During the struggle two other men jumped in to aid the gunman, who had a loaded AR15 rifle. One of the men took the gun and shot Morris twice, in the left hip and left forearm. The trio then ran off with the gun. 

Officers from the Guard and Emergency Branch, who were on patrol in the area, took Morris to the hospital where he was treated and warded in a stable condition last night. Officers later returned to the scene where they apprehended one man. Police visited the area yesterday and conducted searches of several homes but did not find any suspects.

Morris’ shooting came two days after another off-duty police officer was ambushed, shot and killed, as well as the murder of a regiment officer at his home. 

Constable Jason John died on his way to his girlfriend’s Five Rivers, Arouca, home while the regiment officer, Jerry Leacock, was killed at his Wallerfield home. John was last attached to the Court and Process Branch and is tentatively scheduled to be buried on Tuesday, while Leacock was buried yesterday. (See page A6)

Roman Catholic priest Father Clyde Harvey yesterday admonished members of the T&T Regiment to do more for this country, as he delivered the homily at the Holy Rosary Church, Port-of-Spain, for murdered regiment officer Jerry Leacock.

Harvey said following Leacock’s murder, members of the Regiment should recommit themselves to serving the country better, otherwise the killing of their colleague would have been in vain. 

“It is the responsibility of all of us to save this country. The Regiment can turn the men of this country around,” Harvey said.

The priest added that Leacock was from east Port-of-Spain, a crime hotspot, and he had engaged with the youth of the community regularly. He added that all could learn from Leacock, who was a living part of the community although he was no longer residing there but grew up there.

Leacock, Harvey said, exemplified a sense of pride in being a soldier and called on his colleagues present yesterday to mimic that and also to go a step further and engender from the country’s citizens a sense of pride in the Regiment.

During the eulogy, Leacock’s sister, Josanne Teelucksingh, recalled how he always wanted to be a soldier. She said her older brother was the “pillar of strength” in the family when their eldest sibling Joel died. Leacock, she said, was never one to worry and was always a positive person. 

During her rendition of I Love the Lord, Leacock’s mother, Ingrid, allowed the pent-up anger and hurt from mourners to be released, as women in the congregation openly wailed. During the ceremony, two women fainted and had to be assisted. Leacock’s relatives, seated in the front, were overcome with grief, which Harvey reminded the congregation was a part of life, as death was a part of life.

Leacock, 42, was shot dead when four intruders invaded his home at Demerara Heights, Wallerfield, on Tuesday. The thieves then stole his Nissan Versa and made off with a box filled with costume jewelry. Leacock had ben a corporal attached to the Engineering Battalion.

A joint army/police unit had initially detained nine suspects in connection with the murder of Leacock, who was killed within hours of the slaying of PC Jason John.

Head of Communications of the T&T Police Service Ellen Lewis said last evening that one suspect remained detained in connection with Leacock’s killing while investigations were continuing into John’s murder.

Fast food outlets at Gulf City Mall, San Fernando, reported a 50 per cent drop in sales yesterday, in the face of the as yet unconfirmed threat of Isis attacks on malls across Trinidad this weekend. 

The report of losses also comes one day after police ordered several businesses, which were opened on the Corpus Christi public holiday on Thursday, to close and evacuate the premises. 

Yesterday there was an uneasy calm among shoppers and business owners alike, as police officers joined private security guards to patrol the shopping complex.

Food outlets, which were the hardest hit by the alleged terrorist plot made public via social media on Monday, reported that since Wednesday they began observing fewer customers and had to slash their prices by half. 

They yesterday reduced the quantity of meals prepared but there was still not the usual influx of customers requesting meals. Given that it was a Friday and month-end, business owners said this means that people were taking the threat seriously.

Ryan Bassant, who owns the food outlet Grill Em Up, said since Wednesday his sales had been on the decline. 

“Normally we start reducing our food prices between 6.30 pm to 8 pm, but on Wednesday we started reducing our prices by half from 3 pm. Today we catered half the amount of food than usual,” Bassant said.

He added that the number of people at the mall had decreased significantly. Asked whether he felt safe, Bassant said he had confidence in the police and Gulf City’s private security. He also said he took additional security measures and had ordered his staff to keep the back door closed.

Store manager at Detour Gents Store, Deokie Rajkumar, said her staff had some security concerns on Wednesday but everyone came out for work yesterday.

“I don’t feel scared. I know that this is a big scam to make things look bad,” Rajkumar said. 

She also added that she had not yet seen the usual influx of customers shopping for Father’s Day. Rajkumar, however, said the recession had also taken a toll on shopping.

Customer service representative at Kiss Baking Company, Tinesha Joseph, said she did not notice anything untoward at the mall yesterday.

“I think everything is normal. I am still seeing a lot of people at the mall,” she added. 

Denyse Pardasie, her mother Fahrine and brother Adrian, who were seen having lunch in the food court, said they were not worried.

“Whatever has to happen will happen. God is with us so we are not afraid,” Fahrine added.

Imam Jamal Ali urged mourners at baby Kristiano Aziz’s funeral not to cast blame on the infant’s mother for his death.

Kristiano, two months old, died while at a daycare in Barrackpore on Monday. 

The baby’s mother, Lisa Ramjattan, 26, found the child unresponsive when she went to pick him up from the daycare. He was lying on his tummy in a bed top pen. 

The child was later pronounced dead at the Princes Town District Health Centre. An autopsy found his death was caused by positional asphyxia and his death has been ruled as accidental.

Speaking during the child’s funeral service at his grandparents’ home in Perry Young Road, Indian Walk, yesterday, Ali said none of those at the service were present when the child died. “It makes no sense to say things that you think may have happened, you were not there, so therefore you do not know,” Ali said. “It makes no sense talking about things you have no evidence of. “Do not point fingers and play the blame game with this mother, do not say what she should have done differently.”

Instead, he pleaded with family members to show silent solidarity with the parents. “The best thing you can do is stay quiet and be there for the parents, unless you are one of them (parents), you don’t know what happened here. 

They have a hard time ahead and the least you can do is say nice, comforting things, instead of harassing them with questions.”

Ali lamented that justice is not very forthcoming in T&T. “You know that this pain lingers on...when you get no justification for what happened, the parents might be blaming themselves, looking for a reason for the death of this baby. Particularly as we are in a society where there is no justice...and the pain lingers on, it gets passed from generation to generation.”

He said T&T is hurting, as there seems to be no hope left for its people. He added, “In the times that we are living in, you can’t walk out by the roadway, for fear that someone will pass and gun you down. 

There are places that you have to speed through, even though we have a speed limit, because to slow down could mean your death.”

The Financial Investigations Branch (FIB) of the Police Service has received a much-needed boost to its technical armoury following the introduction of audio-visual and recording equipment to be used in the fight against crime and corruption.

Unveiling the equipment during a brief ceremony at Riverside Plaza, Port-of-Spain, yesterday, Stuart Young described the set-up as “essential.”

Although he was still acting as the National Security minister at the time, Young stressed that the handing over was being done in his capacity as minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs.

Young’s acting appointment came to an end following Edmund Dillon’s return to the country yesterday.

Dillon had been absent as he attended a two-day Joint Inter-Agency Task Force SouthCom meeting in the US, to further bilateral relationships in the areas of intelligence sharing as well as international crime-fighting strategies.

Revealing that the Government had set about addressing critical security concerns soon after they assumed office eight months ago, Young said the equipment was: “essential in our view, in the fight against corruption and also in other areas of crime.”

He said it was designed to assist officers in obtaining statements from both suspects and witnesses, as well as forming part of the permanent records database; improving prosecution rates as they would be admissible in court; and removing doubt as to the treatment being meted out to those in custody who often claim police brutality and inhumane treatment.

Young said Government had been happy to assist in procuring and installing the equipment which had cost less than $150,000, assisted by their counterparts at the British High Commission.

Hopeful that the equipment could also be used by other arms of the Police Service, Young said 30 officers have so far been trained in its use.

Meanwhile, training of local technicians to maintain and service the equipment was also underway.

Officers of the Homicide Bureau were also given initial training as they too will have to utilise the equipment as they interrogate suspects.

Delving into government’s long-term plans to upgrade the national security infrastructure, Young said: “It is the first step. We hope to continue outfitting various police stations throughout T&T to ensure this useful equipment is utilised fully by the TTPS and other branches in the fight against crime and corruption.”

Heartened by the boost the equipment would provide in the successful prosecution of people before the court, Young said allegations that procedures were not followed by officers during interrogation could now “fall to the wayside” as there were draft protocols in place to ensure the smooth functioning of the entire process.

The new set-up will see suspects being questioned in one of two multi-purpose rooms in which wall-mounted cameras will record the proceedings, the audio of which will simultaneously be recorded on a machine using DVD’s.

A master control room located between the two rooms affords persons an opportunity to monitor the interviews being conducted.

Stressing that the recordings could not be manipulated externally as they would be date and time stamped, Young said the unit was designed to stop recording after a certain number of hours, which would remove claims of unfair treatment of suspects and aid in court admissibility.

The minister said they were now moving to have this as “the status quo” throughout the service as the Evidence Act allows for its use.

Present during the ceremony yesterday was Deputy Director, FIB, ASP Terrence Pierre who echoed Young’s concerns that the recordings can now be used in court to prosecute and convict persons charged with criminal offences.

Grateful for the equipment, Pierre said: “It lessens accusations that can be made against the prosecution in trying to admit statements into evidence.”

He said: “One can now clearly see and hear when it was recorded, what was said and the police and witness actions.”

Pierre said where accusations are made that proper procedure was not followed, “we can easily show this is not the truth.”

Anticipating a potential reduction in matters dismissed by the court owing to claims of improper interrogation or illegal procurement of statements, Pierre said the system had been specially designed with such attention to detail that it would leave no room for error.