The 28-year-old prisons officer accused of breaching prison regulations by taking home a set of keys for the cells of the Port-of-Spain State Prison has been released on $80,000 bail. 

Darron Ramlochan, of O’Brien Trace, Biche, yesterday appeared before Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court, charged with misbehaving in public office by “willfully refusing or deliberately omitting” to return the keys which he knowingly removed from the prison. 

With his head bowed, Ramlochan stood silently in the prisoner’s dock as the charge was being read and was not called upon to plead as it was laid indictably. 

In applying for bail, Ramlochan’s lawyer, Devish Narine, told Ayers-Caesar his client was married with two children and had no criminal record. Police prosecutors confirmed that and did not oppose bail. 

As part of the conditions of his bail, Ayers-Caesar ordered him to surrender his passport and to report to police twice weekly for the duration of his case. He will reappear in court on July 1. 

It is alleged that after leaving work last Thursday afternoon Ramlochan, a prisons officer since 2011, failed to sign out the keys to the prison and only when police allegedly searched the St Helena home of his in-laws were they recovered. 

Police approached the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on Monday after taking statements from the officer’s relatives and co-workers and was given the all clear to lay the charge. 

The T&T Guardian understands that since the incident, security measures at the over 200-year-old correctional facility on Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain, have been increased, including more frequent police patrols. 

Prison officials maintained that while the keys were returned they were being cautious, especially since there had been rumours of an intended jailbreak following last year’s daring daylight breakout.

Last April there was an increase in security at the Port-of-Spain Prison after there was a rumour of an intended jailbreak.

Up to yesterday evening there was no word on if the locks at the prison had been changed.

Over the last five years, 2,000 guns and 30,000 rounds of ammunition have been seized in T&T and so far this year, 220 guns and 2,600 rounds of ammunition have been taken off the streets between January and March, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon says.

He gave the statistics in the Senate yesterday while replying to questions from Opposition Senator Wade Mark on measures being taken to address the murder rate, now 207.

Dillon prefaced his reply, saying: “As Minister of National Security, I am deeply concerned about the crime rate facing this country, in particular the murder rate. Crime is everybody’s business. Each citizen has a role to play in reducing the crime rate. Previous administrations have all struggled to keep crime under control. 

“It’s imperative all citizens be the eyes and ears of law enforcement authorities so pre-emptive actions can be taken. We must all be vigilant and work alongside law enforcement agencies to arrest this scourge. Law enforcement agencies cannot do it alone.”

Dillon said the Police Service had several measures in place to deal with murder rates. He said 80 per cent of murders were committed with guns but arms and ammunition were not made in T&T. 

Those, however, enter T&T with narcotics, primarily in the southern areas, he noted. 

He said the past administration blocked acquisition of naval assets to secure borders and since then “T&T has been reeling under a scourge of illegal arms and ammunition.”

He noted, however, that the Police Service had been doing more extensive patrols along coastal divisions where there was a high probability of arms and ammunitions entering T&T. 

Intelligence gathering and sharing among all security agencies and collaboration with the public had also been increased, through town meetings. Mobile and foot patrols have been increased in hot spots, he added.

Dillon noted a major increase in CCTVs, with a total of 1,800 across T&T, which will provide deterrent and well as information links

He cited the restructured Strategic Services Agency with increased intelligence gathering and appointment of a police commissioner which he said would boost police morale.

Asked about arrangements with Venezuela to stem the flow of guns, Dillon said he did not wish to spell out measures in public beyond the co-operation to collaborate on stemming illegal traffic of arms, ammunition and people.

Dillon said joint army-police patrols would continue, including in coastal areas, as there was need for military/police presence. On whether patrols have been successful, he said there was always room for improvement but the administration would look for the gaps and build efficiency. 

On whether patrols would also be increased in Central, he said the needs of any one area would be based on its situation.

A 30-year-old Arouca man has been arrested following the stabbing death of a 49-year-old man outside a bar on Monday night, in what police believe was an argument over a woman. 

Police said the suspect was found hiding in his bedroom hours after the stabbing took place.

According to police, David De Lancy, of Kandahar Village, Five Rivers, Arouca, was liming with his common-law wife at the Pavillion Recreation Club, which is next to the Arouca Police Station, around 10.30 pm, when he was confronted by the suspect as he left the club. Police said the two men began arguing, reportedly over the victim’s wife, and De Lancy was stabbed in his chest. He fell on a car parked nearby where he died. The suspect then fled the scene.

Around 2 am, Sgt Joseph led a team of officers from Arouca CID to the First Street, Arouca, home of the suspect, who was found crouched behind a wardrobe. He was arrested but before being taken to the station he carried officers to a bushy area where they recovered his bloodied T-shirt. 

In an unrelated incident, a Diego Martin man died moments after being rescued in a forested area overlooking Macqueripe on Monday, almost a day after he had been shot in the abdomen and left for dead.

Police said Selwyn Gaff went with four men into the forest around 12.30 pm Sunday. Police are unsure what happened while there, but only four men came back out of the forest around 6 pm. One of the men contacted police on Monday morning telling them of what had happened the day before. Police said the man claimed he waited until Monday to report what happened because of the terrain and poor lighting. A search party with civilians, regiment officers, police and fire service officers went into the bushes Monday afternoon and found Gaff still alive. He was carried out of the forest on a makeshift stretcher and taken to the St James Medical Facility, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Gaff, 28, lived at Savannah Road, 1, Diego Martin. 

The two killings plus another in South Trinidad have pushed the murder toll to 207 for the year. 

Included in the toll is the murder of drug addict Anthony “Bones” Paul, 51 who was found partially burnt in the pavilion of the Clayton Ince Recreation Ground in Maloney last Friday. Police only classified his death as a murder on Monday following his post mortem, which revealed he died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Police believe an argument over a fake gold chain by four men in a car eventually led to a shooting that left two of them wounded at hospital and two on the run last night.

According to police, the men were in a white Nissan Wingroad just outside the nearby Grand Bazaar Mall in Valsayn when gunshots were heard around 2 pm. Four men were then seen running out the car in four different directions. 

Two men later collapsed and were assisted by passersby and taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, where they remained under police guard last night. The other two escaped. 

Police said they also received information that the men may have been conducting “a business transaction” before the interaction went from volatile to violent. 

The shooting caused a brief stir at the Eric Williams Medical Complex after officials were telephoned and told to be on standby for several victims from a shooting incident at the mall, the T&T Guardian was told. As it turned out the incident did not occur in the mall and it was only the two men who needed help. 

Up to press time the other two men were still on the run. Officers of the St Joseph Police Station are continuing investigations.—JL 

Leaving their lunch kits and book bags behind, terrified students of Point Fortin RC Primary School ran out of classes yesterday after hearing rumours that two hand grenades were lying in a bin at their school.

An evacuation occurred an hour after an object resembling a grenade was found by a sanitation worker along the Techier Link Road, Point Fortin, around 7 am. This was followed by an unconfirmed report of bomb scare at a financial institution in the heart of Point Fortin.

While terror gripped residents, students, parents and teachers, police from the Explosive Detection and Disposal Unit made checks for explosives.

Police cordoned off the road for several hours while residents huddled together in groups waiting for news.

By 10.30 am, however, panic turned to relief when police revealed the device appeared to be a cigarette lighter resembling a grenade. Nothing was found in the school bins and there was also no bomb at the businessplace.

Several residents who were interviewed said the incidents were meant to create fear and panic in the community.

Newspaper vendor, Claudia Booker, said she was on her way to make deliveries around 8.30 am when a student ran out saying “Ms Booker, ISIS come to we school.” 

“The child was trembling. These children innocent. Why they threatening to put bombs in schools? Why they doing that to these children? Point people are quiet people. We don’t interfere with anybody else? The people who doing this are cowards,” Booker declared.

Principal Erika Tracy was not at school yesterday. The school has a population of over 600 pupils and 23 teachers. 

Officers from Atlantic’s Crisis Management and Emergency Response Unit, led by Fire Chief Mervyn Humphrey, arrived and assisted in evacuating the students. Fire Sub-officer Joanne Edwards from the Point Fortin Fire headquarters also assured residents and parents the area was safe. 

Kwame Bedeau, who came to pick up his daughter, said he was very concerned about the children’s safety. 

“Apparently somebody decided to put that information out to trigger panic. I don’t know why,” Bedeau added. 

Parent Chivel White was seen hurriedly pulling her sons—Akini and Amari Constantine—and bundling them into a car. 

“I don’t know what is the problem but I am not sticking around here,” White added.

Resident Joan Wells added: “It is scary to think that something like this could happen. We have to be careful.” 

She said there was already enough fear in the country following recent voice recordings that schools, malls and churches would be bombed by ISIS. 

“It was sad seeing parents coming frantically for their children. People are saying that nothing is being done about crime and we want people in authority to do something about it,” Wells said.

In a statement late yesterday, the T&T Defence Force said its ammunition specialists had confirmed the object was a lighter. 

Education Minister Anthony Garcia said yesterday the incident was being investigated while the T&T Unified Teachers Association said the safety of students and teachers was of paramount importance. 

Dillon thanks citizen

In the Senate yesterday, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon lauded the efforts of the Point Fortin resident who he said discovered the so called “hand grenade” which later turned out to be a cigarette lighter.

Dillon spoke about the situation while replying to questions from Opposition Senator Wade Mark, who noted the “grenade” was found in Dillon’s Point Fortin constituency.

Dillon replied: “I have put on the record that the alleged device that was found at a school near Point Fortin, about a quarter mile away from the Point Fortin RC School, based on information from the Commissioner of Police, was in fact a hoax. It was not a real device. It turned out to be a cigarette lighter in the shape of a hand grenade. 

“But I also want to take the opportunity to compliment the resident of Point Fortin (who found it) for his act of patriotism, for understanding and taking the message we have been sending from the Ministry of National Security, ‘If you see it, report it.’ So I want to compliment that Point Fortin resident for reporting what he believed to be a device.”

He added: “I also want to ensure the citizens of T&T that the security forces are doing all that is required to prevent even one hand grenade or other illicit weapons coming into T&T. But we also want to ask citizens, ‘if you see it, report it’ because we depend on every citizen to contribute and participate in security measures in T&T.” (Additional reporting—Gail Alexander)

Pranksters intent on disrupting schools and other places of institutional learning were yesterday sent a stern warning by Education Minister Anthony Garcia, who said they would be dealt with expeditiously and could face charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

He said so following the panic caused at the Point Fortin Roman Catholic Primary School and the University of the West Indies due to the threat of possible explosive devices.

Speaking at a media conference at the his St Clair offices yesterday, Garcia referred to the pranksters as those with deranged minds.

“When something like this happens and a school closes, those 350 students (average number) would have been denied an entire day of education. We are not going to leave any stone unturned in this matter,” Garcia said.

Asked whether or not devices like the lighter should be sold to the public, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Dr Lovell Francis, said logically the answer is no. However, he said he believes it was an issue to be addressed by the Minister of Trade.

Garcia said in Point Fortin, the primary school’s Crisis Management Team (CMT) members sprung into action. He said CMT was a proactive measure undertaken and implemented in all schools following threats to the safety and security of schools via the whatsapp voice notes that went viral last week.

“We have heightened security in all schools and I can guarantee the parents, students and teachers that all will be safe. The situation in Point Fortin is under control and the school will be ready for occupation tomorrow (today). Have no fear,” Garcia said.

TTUTA first vice-president Antonia Des Freitas, who described the situation as frightening, said they welcomed any move by the ministry to heighten safety and security measures at all schools.

“It is a discussion that we have with the ministry every time when we meet. The ministry has assured us that every school has its full quota of security personnel as required.

"And if they have additional resources in manpower we will welcome that. It has been our persistent call to ensure maximum security at all times, even before threats of this nature were being made,” she added. —Rhondor Dowlat

The Opposition is seeking to have Prime Minister Keith Rowley referred to parliament’s Privileges Committee over remarks he made about Independent senators at a May 25 media briefing.

Opposition Senator Wayne Sturge made the request to the Senate President yesterday following the tea break. Senate President Christine Kangaloo was to rule on it.

Sturge based his request on remarks by Rowley at a post-Cabinet media briefing when, in replying to media queries, he spoke about the recent passage of the Strategic Services Agency bill and alluded to Independent senators.

Taking issue with the PM’s comments, Sturge said: “The question arises whether the Prime Minister’s reflections in his statements of 25th May amount to a breach of the privilege of freedom of speech and/or are contempts of this Senate. I therefore request that the matter be referred to the Committee of Privileges.”

Among remarks, Sturge noted, the PM accused independents of “organising themselves as a political party in the Parliament to obstruct the government's progress”; that a member/s had engaged in unsuccessful “nefarious actions”; and that a member/s was/were “hell-bent on obstructing our fight against the criminal element.”

Sturge claimed Rowley also said Independent members were “ill-informed” and a member/s was/were “fishing for all kinds of issues to raise on this matter.” 

On several occasions, Sturge said, Rowley referred to members as “obstructionists” and/or “obstructing” the Government and he also accused the Opposition of unsuccessfully attempting to obstruct the Government.

Sturge claimed the PM imputed that members’ conduct amounted to attempts to distract the Government and that members had attempted to “mislead” the public. 

He raised the issue of constructive contempt of members, which he said included reflections on the House and upon members, even though the particular individuals aren’t named or otherwise indicated. 

He said constructive contempt also includes molestation.

“While my colleagues on the Independent Bench may confer on procedural matters ... they constitutionally hold no collective conscience; each Independent senator speaks and votes according to his/her own volition. 

“The allegation therefore of Independent senators ‘organising themselves as a political party in the Parliament to obstruct the government’s progress’ most certainly reflects on the character and conduct of members in such a manner that may bring this Senate into odium and ridicule,” Sturge offered.

“The Prime Minister also reflects upon the constitutional presence and conduct of members in this House and that may in itself be a contempt with respect to the constitutional role/conduct of members in our parliamentary democracy. 

“In the context in which the statements were made, it is clear the conduct of a member and/or members of this House was being reflected upon. 

“Indeed, given the question (in the May 25 media briefing) that the Prime Minster was responding to, it’s clear part of his response was in respect of words spoken in the Senate (which therefore had the protection of the privilege of freedom of speech) by Senator (Taurel) Shrikissoon.”

Government’s withdrawal of $2.5 billion from the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund (HSF) is for financing of the services of T&T for the year 2016, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said in the Senate yesterday.

He was replying to questions from Opposition Senator Wade Mark on the withdrawal, but gave the answer in such a short form that Mark asked him to repeat with details. Imbert, however, said the same thing.

On what immediate measures are being taken to replenish the fund, Imbert said the HSF operates via its act. This states that every year an estimate is made of petroleum monies for that year based on the estimated price of oil and natural gas produced and exported. If the revenue exceeds the estimates, 60 per cent of surplus goes to the HSF. Imbert added that 40 per cent can be retained for government expenditure. To replenish any funds withdrawn, he said, Government would have to have excess petroleum revenue exceeding the estimates of such revenue for the fiscal year.

Meanwhile, the United Policy Holders’ Group, which had planned a protest outside Central Bank today, is now looking at Friday to stage it due to inclement weather which has occurred in recent days, UPG spokesman Angeli Gadjadhar said yesterday

The UPG is planning the protest over the Bank’s lack of response to a number of issues they have been querying. Gadjadhar said UPG had heard nothing from the Bank on its issues up to this week.

A new group called the Clico Stakeholders’ Alliance (CSA)—comprising people with interest in Clico and headed by David Walker—has also written the Central Bank querying its continued control of Clico although there are now changed circumstances. Although both the UPG and CSA also wrote Finance Minister Colm Imbert on their respective matters, Imbert referred those queries to the Central Bank, distancing his ministry from it.

There has been an “invasion” of squatters on land deemed forest reserve which is posing a major challenge to the Land Settlement Agency (LSA), so much so that the agency is calling for a land court.

The most recent figure has shown there are 55,000 families who are squatting amounting to over 200,000 people.

But this is a reflection of a larger problem as the organisation’s previous board took it upon itself to implement a policy to grant certificates of comfort to people living in such places and even along the riverbanks although this was against the law. So said the LSA’s chairman Ossley Francis at a Joint Select Committee (JSC) meeting held in Parliament yesterday.

The Toco/Sangre Grande constituency has the highest concentration of squatters, including those living on forest reserves, compared to the rest of the country

Over the last five years there has been a growth of squatters in protected areas.

“Prior to 2010 the LSA gave no certificate of comfort to squatters in the forest reserve and on river banks simply to contain squatting and the act says on these reserves squatting must not be encouraged.

“The outgoing LSA Board took a decision to give squatters certificates of comfort for as long as they live on state lands regardless of whether they live on the riverbanks or on the reserves,” Francis said.

He said the present board would be seeking to apply the law to prevent this.

Asked whether relocation was an option, Francis said the act made it clear that the LSA must find a place on a designated area to accommodate those given certificates of comfort. 

“We cannot now withdraw it...it is now in their possession and not only in Sangre Grande and Valencia but it is rampant throughout the country,” Francis added.

Asked who gave the directive regarding the policy to grant squatters permission to live in areas which were not permitted, Francis chose not to publicly reveal that person’s name.

But he said to make matters worse, a High Court judgment was handed down by Justice Carol Gobin in 2011 which said the LSA had no authority to go on state lands to demolish illegal structures.

“The powers that we have with respect to squatting and powers we don’t have...between 2002 to 2010 we made a brilliant attempt to curtail squatting and having lost that matter squatting became rampant,” Francis said.

Maintaining that aquifers and hillsides were in grave danger, Francis said at Farm Road in Curepe for instance there were natural springs and if the land was dug even at four feet water would spout.

But he said under the last administration squatters were regularised.

And new squatters were now so brazen that they were moving in on areas even while development of sites, comprising full infrastructure, was being done by the LSA.

This is the case in Penal where a vacant area was earmarked for a detention pond but squatters who have claimed ownership of the land have taken control of it.

On how could the LSA’s success be measured as opposed to expenditure spent on advertising and public education, Francis said there was nothing much the LSA could show.

“The public knows very well that the LSA cannot break or demolish their houses. That is the role and function of the Commissioner of State Lands in accordance with the law,” Francis added. 

He said the commissioner and the various regional corporations were repeatedly advised by the LSA on a regular basis of all the squatters in the country but nothing or very little was done.

The LSA’s chairman Hazard Hosein said since 2013 weekly notices have been sent to the commissioner and the corporations and that 4,000 notices have been issued of illegal structures.

“However, many of these 4,000 were dealt with. I can’t count any of them,” Hosein said.

He said some 23,000 squatters have applied for regularisation and to date some 8,000 have been given certificates of comfort. But to move from a certificate of comfort to actually obtaining a deed was a lengthy process as it must first be deemed whether the land was public or private.

Financial resources also posed a problem. For the agency the cost to develop one lot of land was estimated at between $130,000 and $160,000.

But at the end of the day the squatter got a subsidised price.

Regarding manpower, he said the LSA did not have its full complement of 32 officers to monitor squatters while there were “hundreds of officers at the Commissioner of State Lands and at the Foresty Division who were also responsible for patrolling.”

The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has agreed to undertake an assessment of all its water mains in the southern city following a request from San Fernando mayor Kazim Hosein.

Hosein made the request following numerous complaints about burst water lines in the city. 

He was speaking to reporters at Lord Street, San Fernando, where a large hole appeared on Monday due to a ruptured water main.

The corporation placed a barrel in the hole to alert unsuspecting drivers.

“This is Lord Street where an eight-inch main has ruptured. The whole infrastructure of the road is being undermine and it is sinking right now. We got in contact with the CEO of WASA and they are sending a crew,” Hosein said.

The mayor recommended the work be done overnight because the rupture was very close to the High and Magistrates courts and schools. If done during the day, he said, it would cause a tremendous amount of traffic and inconvenience. The mayor was also considering making the street a one way for the day as a precautionary measure.

In light of frequent water main ruptures in the southern city, Hosein said he recently wrote to WASA seeking a meeting and suggested they check the integrity of the lines in the city.

Hosein said he met with WASA officials and “they are in the process of checking mains to make sure there are no leaks.”

The mayor said about three weeks ago the water line on the same street ruptured in another area and on Saturday WASA had to fix another leak in front City Hall. 

The mayor was accompanied by the corporation’s engineering assistant Hilary Governor. 

After consulting with the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) a coroner’s inquest has been ordered into the death of Joseph Logan, the boyfriend of a woman police officer who was allegedly beaten to death on May 30.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, Logan’s sister, Cindy, said the family was “very much disappointed” with the DPP’s decision to have an inquest. She added  the family was already going through an emotional period and the inquest would even make it harder and longer for justice.

“We feel as though not sufficient evidence was given to lay charges against that person who badly beat my brother. It is unfair that the person will be allowed to walk free while the inquest takes place and we all know an inquest takes very long,” Cindy said.

An autopsy revealed Logan, 31, died from blunt force trauma to the head.

Forensic pathologist, Dr Valery Alexandrov, who performed the autopsy along with Dr Eslyn Mc Donald-Burris, said his forensic investigations revealed Logan may have been attempting to run for his life in a bid to escape being attacked when he was struck about five or six times in the back of the head and neck with a piece of 2 x 2 wood.

The piece of wood that was used in the attack on Sunday was also brought to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, by police investigators where it was matched to the lacerations behind the head. Logan was attacked during a family lime in Malabar which started on Saturday night and went into the wee hours of Sunday morning when the brawl occurred.

An initial police report stated at about 2 am on Sunday, Logan, a mason, and his girlfriend, who is a Woman Police Constable, were enjoying themselves at a family lime at a house in Malabar when an argument broke out.

Logan, according to the police report, attacked the WPC but a relative intervened and a struggle began between Logan and the relative.

It is alleged that during the scuffle the relative struck Joseph on his head with an object. Joseph suffered a cut to the head, which began bleeding profusely, and he soon collapsed and fell unconscious. He was taken by friends and rushed to Arima Health Facility but was pronounced dead on arrival.

The board of the Education Facilities Company Ltd (EFCL) has decided to terminate the employment of five managers following the completion of two forensic audits into its operations.

Those fired on Monday were Veda Ramnath, manager of procurement, Ria Narinesingh, divisional manager of finance: Frank Mahabir, manager of maintenence and repairs, Surendra Balgobin, manager of secondary schools and Deva Sharma, manager of implementation.

Prior to the firings, Ramnath, Narinesingh, Mahabir, Balgobin and Sharma had been sent on administrative leave.  

The news comes seven months after a secret “contract millhouse” was discovered at the EFCL’s head office in Maraval, which resulted in armed guards being called in to secure a mountain of potentially damning evidence which pointed to the illegal manufacturing of backdated tender documents worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

The recent firings bring the total number of EFCL managers who were axed to seven in the last four months. Yesterday, both board chairman, Arnold Piggott, and Education Minister, Anthony Garcia, confirmed the managers were terminated. 

“Consequence upon all the information available to us as a board...  the board, having lost confidence in the five senior managers, took a decision to terminate their employment, effective Monday, June 6,” Piggott said in a brief telephone interview. He also admitted that EFCL corporate secretary, Verity Bynoe, had resigned ahead of the conclusion of the audit.

“The board has taken a very serious view of its mandate to restore the EFCL to good governance and financial discipline in the organisation,” Piggott told the T&T Guardian.

However, Garcia said the decision to axe the five was as a “result of investigations that were conducted into an internal audit, arising out of recommendations that were made... those persons were terminated.” He added the managers had been sent on administrative leave by the EFCL a couple months ago. He said a number of irregularities were found at the EFCL which resulted in two forensic audits being commissioned by the Education Ministry.

“Two audits were done...an internal and forensic audit. Arising out of those audits there were sufficient grounds to terminate those persons. A process had to be entered into, that process would have entailed they (managers) having appeared before a tribunal. All those things were done,” Garcia said.

The audits were done by international accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers, which took snapshots of the systems used in the “millhouse.” Asked what was unearthed in the audits, Garcia said: “What I am prepared to say at this point is yes, there were irregularities that were found.” He stayed clear of answering if the audit found any level of corruption regarding how contractors were paid.

The EFCL owes its contractors and suppliers approximately $800 million. Admitting that he received a copy of the audits two months ago, Garcia said he could not disclose its contents. “It is under confidential cover which I must observe. I can’t reveal what was outlined,” he added. Garcia said the ministry’s legal team had also examined the audits.

“I don’t know what course of action those five persons would take. If they decide to challenge their terminations it means we cannot go out and advertise their posts like that. We have to look at what will happen first,” he noted.
Garcia also confirmed that Shah and Maharaj have since taken legal action against the ministry for their dismissals.

“I don’t know what is the outcome of that,” Garcia said.

The T&T Guardian understands, however, that the audit turned up a questionable arrangement over payment to contractors.

A source close to the investigation said it was discovered that when the ministry made payments available to contractors who had completed their jobs, those cheques were withheld and instead forwarded to other contractors who had either not yet started jobs or were in the early stages of their contracts. 

Some $100 million is said to be still owed to contractors who were affected by that practice. The source said it was a good thing the new board discovered the “secret room” and initiated the audits, adding it also worked cohesively and swiftly to rectify the situation. 

The owner of the Weight Loss Clinic, who was detained by police on Monday, is now warded at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital under police guard. 

According to a source at Fraud Squad, the 40-year-old doctor began complaining of feeling unwell while in custody at the Fraud Squad office, Port-of-Spain. She was taken to the hospital where she was treated.

On Tuesday, one day after she was detained, additional cases of alleged fraud against the doctor were brought to the attention of investigating officers.

The T&T Guardian was informed by a police source that when the news broke of the doctor being detained by police on Monday for questioning, several people either went to the Fraud Squad or contacted the offices, via telephone, to give  additional information that could assist them in their investigations.

A source at Fraud Squad, who wished not to be identified, said some of the people who have made contact with them have documents that could be used as evidence against the company. The doctor was detained by police while at her St James Clinic on Monday morning. 

The allegations surround allegedly tendering fraudulent cheques and allegedly receiving monies for service not rendered. According to reports, officers received information from a patient who claimed that over $25,000 in cash and cheques were paid to the doctor for a liposuction procedure. 

However, the patient claimed she never got it done and allegedly never got back any refund, whether full or partial. The T&T Guardian was also told  there were four other cases filed against the Weight Loss Clinic and its owner before Monday.

Further calls are being made to members of the public who have any information and allegations against the doctor that can assist them in their investigations to come forward and contact the Fraud Squad office immediately.

Despite the sharp decline in the T&T economy in the last 18 months, the country’s financial sector is in a strong and resilient position, Central Bank Governor Alvin Hilaire said yesterday. Speaking at the presentation of the Central Bank’s Financial Stability Report 2015, he said: 

“By most metrics, financial institutions remain well-capitalised, liquid and profitable with relatively low incidence of non-performing loans.”

The report states that the precipitous decline in energy commodity prices, coupled with lower production levels, has had an adverse impact on the central government’s fiscal operations, while the trade balance and the terms of trade have also worsened.  

According to the report: “Labour market conditions have deteriorated but job losses to date have mostly been concentrated in energy and energy-related industries.”

However, the report added: “Thus far, challenges within the domestic macroeconomic environment stemming from the fall in energy prices have not translated into a material decline in any of the key Financial Soundness Indicators (FSIs) of the banking and insurance sectors.”

Based on the banking sector’s FSIs, credit, market and liquidity risks appear contained with banks continuing to be well capitalised with regulatory capital-to-risk weighted assets ratio of 20 per cent, significantly above the eight per cent minimum.

The report also found that the banking sector’s profitability was healthy in 2015, with return on assets of 2.9 per cent and return on equity of 18.1 per cent, up from 2.1 and 13.5 per cent in 2014.

“Asset quality as measured by non-performing loans to gross loans steadily improved, having fallen from 6.2 per cent at the end of 2011 to 3.7 per cent at the end of 2015,” according to the report.  

The Central Bank found that even though the country’s banks were stress tested for adverse interest rates, foreign exchange, credit, property prices and liquidity shocks, capital adequacy ratios continued to be above the eight per cent statutory benchmark.

In his presentation to an audience that consisted mostly of major financial sector executives, Hilaire focused on insurance legislation reform and upgrading of the national payments system. 

On the issue of insurance legislation reform, he said the current Insurance Act (IA) of 1980 remained essentially unchanged and had not kept pace with changes in the modern financial arena.

“The IA 1980 is fundamentally unchanged from the 1966 Act and does not require insurance companies to hold capital commensurate with their risk profile, reflect minimum, international corporate governance requirements, treat with consolidated supervision and address the oversight of financial groups,” he said, adding that since insurance reforms began in 2001, three insurance bills were laid in Parliament between 2011 and 2015. 

Commenting on the Insurance Bill 2015, the governor said it was on the short-term legislative agenda of the Government and he hoped the process could be fast tracked. 

Turning his attention to overhauls of the national payments system, Hilaire said that the rapid pace of innovation in technology globally made keeping pace as a country mandatory. 

“Concerted and co-ordinated efforts should be made to bolster the security and efficiency of the payments system, including completing steps for government electronic transactions.” 

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has challenged the manufacturing sector to grow its brands, supply the needs of the country, lean towards exports and earn foreign exchange. 

In the keynote address at the T&T Manufacturers Association’s president dinner and awards at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain, he expressed confidence in the sector and “its driving role in the future prosperity of our economy.”

Dr Rowley noted the sector was the third largest contributor to gross domestic product (GDP) and the second largest non-petroleum contributor. He said since 2000, its output has grown from $ 2.1 billion to  $6 billion in 2015 adding that around the world the manufacturing sector helped to drive economic growth and raised living standards

“A very important point to note is that T&T’s manufacturing sector overall is a net foreign exchange earner and therefore a critical pillar in stabilising our domestic economy,” he said.

However, he added, over the decades manufacturers have had to grapple with two major problems: Productivity in the workforce and labour shortages. 

“This is a serious problem that cannot simply be ignored and reasoned as a reflection of our culture and this Government, through improved education and training at all levels, is committed to changing this,” the Prime Minister said.

“However, since the Government is not a manufacturer it has to be noted  this issue of poor work attitude and resulting low productivity is also a management issue and while the Government systems may be a nursery for this scourge, private sector contributions are not insignificant in this matter,” he added. He cited the Global Competitiveness Index 2015-2016 which said poor work ethic was the main challenge to doing business in T&T.

Dr Rowley, who acknowledged that the domestic manufacturing sector had been somewhat successful over the years in product and brand innovation, wondered how many of them were producing and exporting the same items today as they did ten and 20 years ago.

“The second relevant question with respect to manufacturing and the issue of diversification is, are our firms exporting to the same markets today as they were ten and 20 years ago? How have we done with respect to entering new, even difficult markets?” he asked. He said it was up to local manufacturers to reorient themselves and chart a new path forward in leading the way and rising above new challenges.

Dr Rowley said data provided by ExporTT showed that approximately 200 local firms consistently export to countries within Caricom and North America and less than ten firms were exporting on a regular basis to countries within Latin America “where successive governments have placed significant resources in negotiating trade agreements over the last 15 years.”

He said T&T had negotiated innovative trade arrangements which could provide valuable opportunities for immediate and growing trade access to a substantial market which had been largely ignored even though it was just seven miles away.

“The current circumstances have pushed the market towards us more than we have reached out to explore. 

“The Government of Venezuela has offered to put up a revolving fund of US$50 million to facilitate the purchase of a specific list of Trinidad and Tobago manufactured products,” he said.

Following the Prime Minister’s address, TTMA president, Dr Rolph Balgobin, urged manufacturers to expand in nearby massive markets, including Cuba, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Panama and Venezuela.

“In the bigger one right next door, Venezuelans are in need of manufactured goods in volumes which most of us will find unthinkable. 

“The opportunities are there and they are working with the agencies of government to make them as accessible to you,” he said.

Given examples of what could be achieved in Venezuela, Dr Balgobin said t they were in need of 5.6 million units of toilet soap, five million cement bags, a few thousand tonnes of mayonnaise and 18,000 tonnes of flour a month to start.

“That is the scale of the opportunity that is sitting right next door. We have an opportunity now to go out there to bring more exciting projects forward,” he added.

T&T Manufacturer’s Association award recipients: 

• Special Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr Aleem Mohammed, S M Jaleel & Co.
• Innovator of the Year 2016: Sacha Cosmetics.
Most successful new market entrants:
• Medium: Shazam Enterprises and Investments Limited.
• Large:RHS Marketing Limited. 
Manufacturer of the Year 2016:
• Small: Western Industrial Solutions Limited.
• Medium: Lifetime Solutions.
• Large: Blue Waters Products Limited.

President of the Law Association, Senior Counsel Reginald Armour, says he agrees in principle with head of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) David West’s suggestion that the PCA be allowed to investigate, charge and prosecute errant police officers.

Speaking at a town meeting at City Hall, Port-of-Spain, on Tuesday night Armour said he agreed with the suggestion in principle but had some concerns which he would discuss with West privately. Both West and recently appointed deputy director, Andrew Stroude, addressed concerns by the public as well as informed them of some of their suggested ammendments to the PCA Act. 

Some of the ammendments West said included the power to investigate, charge and prosecute police officers. He said there would be checks and balances from the High Courts as well as the Joint Select Committee of Parliament to ensure that the PCA if given the powers would act accordingly. 

West said the ammendments were not new, adding that the PCA in Jamaica, UK and Barbados already have similar powers and have had good result West added that the PCA also wanted to be the first on the scene involving police misconduct. He said police officers should not be allowed to investigate their counterparts and the PCA should be the sole authority to deal with police alleged wrongdoing and not the Professional Standards Bureau.

Addressing the panel, Wendy Apparicio, the mother of Joel Apparicio, who was killed by police two years ago, called on the citizens to support the proposed ammendments. She said since the incident she has had little update on the matter and was recently informed that the matter had been sent for a coroner’s inquest.

Another relative of a man killed by police, Angelo Joseph, said the PCA was the only way citizens could get justice and he supported all the ammendments. 

A former police officer, who did not want to be identified, said police officers were an extension of society and officers who were abusive officers were just abusive people that became police officers. She added that the training at the academy was not sufficient to change who the individual was as they could easily put on a show for their superiors and get a passing grade.

Officers, she added, needed to have continuous training and the public must understand that there were external factors that they the public contributed that made some officer react negatively.

West, during the discussion, said  in some instances all a victim wanted was an apology from the officers, adding that 80 per cent of the complaints will be satisfied with that. That, he said, was the reason that the PCA wanted mediation services added to its portfolio.

Faced with an increase in human trafficking in the wake of Venezuela’s social unrest, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon wants co-ordinated patrols between Venezuela’s Guardia Nacional and the T&T Coast Guard.

Speaking to reporters after touring the Cedros port in the southwestern peninsula yesterday, Dillon said Venezuela’s crisis had triggered an upsurge in foreign nationals entering Trinidad through the ports of Chaguaramas, Cedros and King’s Wharf, San Fernando.

He revealed that a commanding officer of the Venezuelan Guardia de Nacional had arrived in Trinidad on Monday to engage in high level security talks with the commanders of the T&T Coast Guard.

“He will be here until Friday and part of the discussion is how do we co-operate with one another in patrolling the Gulf of Paria,” Dillon said.

Saying it was important to have co-ordinated patrols to stamp out illegal drug trafficking, gun running, contraband smuggling and human trafficking, Dillon said he was hoping that T&T Coast Guard officers could be sent to patrol on the Guardia de Nacional ships, while Venezuelan officers can board T&T Coast Guard ships.

Once joint patrols with the Guardia Nacional begin, Dillon said “T&T Coast Guard will patrol from north to south and they will patrol south to north.” He also said part of the discussion involved the launch of a programme, called VenTri–Venezuela and Trinidad co-operation, which is planned for August this year.

Asked whether he believed the law enforcement bodies had enough resources to tackle illegal entry through T&T’s porous coastal borders, Dillon admitted that more was needed.

“I am not satisfied that the Coast Guard has enough assets to deal with the influx of Venezuelan nationals. I think the Coast Guard needs additional resources,” Dillon said. He added that a major challenge at the Cedros port was the shallow harbour situated around the jetty, which does not facilitate the docking of large vessels. 

Dillon also said a Damen “mother ship” is stationed off the Cedros port and has the capability of deploying a fast speed interceptor or a speed launch vessel. Joint land patrols among Immigration, police, Customs and Coast Guard crews were also increased, Dillon said.

“In terms of the illegal movement of people, guns, ammunition, this is where the maritime security environment comes in. It is extremely important and the Coast Guard has been increasing our land based patrols, so there is a co-ordinated joint patrol on the land and to some extent at sea,” Dillon said. 

Such patrols have been ongoing at Cedros, Quinam, Blanchisseuse, Moruga, Erin and Toco, he added. Saying Trinidad is just seven miles away from Venezuela, Dillon noted that there had always been movement of people and commodities between Venezuela and Cedros. 

“That has always been our history but we have intensified our patrols both in the sea and on the land to prevent as much as possible illegal entry in the country,” he contended. 

During the tour Dillon chatted with several Venezuelans who were seen leaving Trinidad with boxes of toilet paper, baby milk, diapers, sugar, tomato ketchup and oil. Raphael Marcano, of Tucupita, said it cost 80,500 Bolivares to get to Trinidad. He said basic food items were in short supply and many people were suffering.

A homeless teenager who managed to conquer the male-dominated field of information technology and created her very own multi-million dollar empire along the way, Dawnna St Louis epitomises the spirit of perseverance, dedication and commitment which is inherent in the female psyche.

Selected as this year’s feature speaker at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business Women in Leadership Conference, St Louis was carefully researched by the organisers to ensure she fit the bill.

Designed for female leaders, the event, which will be held on July 14 at the Hilton Trinidad, was created to foster the development and leadership of women across both the private and public sectors throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Each conference exposes women from the corporate, governance and academic sectors to the hardships faced by the featured speaker, in their personal quest to attain success. The theme for this year is “The Spirit of Woman”.

Director, Academic Development and Accreditation, Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, Dr Kamla Mungal, acknowledged that of the more than 50 per cent of female entrepreneurs in T&T, many had encountered various hurdles in their pursuit of professional goals.

She said whether it included less financing than their male counterparts or shouldering more burdens, it was a reality that women were often faced with more social barriers and obstacles during the struggle to establish themselves as successful businesswomen.

Declaring that St Louis was not just another rags to riches story, Mungal endorsed her as an enduring female force who had managed to carve out her own niche by expanding her “kitchen table idea”.

Proud to claim ownership of the $100 million business consultancy firm BizIntel, St Louis recalled her personal hardships along the way as she revealed that she had been living in her car at the age of 19, when she realised there was more to life than becoming statistic as predicted by a guidance counselor.

Empowered with the knowledge that she was the only one who could overcome her fears to attain professional and personal success, St Louis related the struggles she endured as she embarked on the path to achieve success in the field of information technology where she earned certificates in programming language, such as Java and C#, along with her Project Management Professional and six Sigma Black Belt certificates. 

Along the way, St Louis also developed what she refers to as The Six, a radically simple to use business building strategy that she credits as the catalyst for the unprecedented growth of her business. 

Welcoming persons during yesterday’s press briefing at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, Mt Hope, executive director and professor of strategy, Miguel Carrillo, spoke of the resilient female spirit which allowed them to always place others needs and wants above their own, adding, “there is no gene for human spirit.” 

Carrillo said most women were more concerned about achieving fulfilment as opposed to accomplishment. He said the decision to put their family first sometimes and career second, often led to personal conflict but that it was always sorted out at the end of the day. 

During her video-link interview, St Louis revealed the rationale she used to negotiate salary packages when interviewing for various jobs. She explained that as a result of her strategy, she was now paid more than her male counterparts. St Louis is expected to speak about her strategy for success next month.

Some 19 years ago recommendations were made by the Auditor General's Department to strengthen the Internal Audit Units within the various ministries and departments but to date nothing has been implemented. 

And without proper functioning units accountability and good governance is now almost nonexistent. So said Auditor General Majeed Ali as he and members of the department appeared yesterday before Parliament's Joint Select Committee which was chaired by Bhoe Tewarie.

“This leaves a lot to be desired,” Ali said. The audited public accounts for the year ending September 30, 2015 were examined. Ali, who said those recommendations were made since 1987, added that such units must be the “internal watchdog” of the ministries and departments.

The second area of concern, which was again publically raised, was that $107 million was spent on unoccupied properties over the last six years. He said that was disturbing given the tough economic times, adding that no action had been taken to curb this.

Another challenge was that the department could not access certain information at the Board of Inland Revenue to form an opinion effectively on the completion of revenue figures. The Constitution and the Audit Act clearly define that the department has access to all books and documents of the country's revenue related to public accounts.

“Despite these clear statements, however, it continues to be a case that the Auditor General has very limited access to information at the Board of Inland Revenue and cannot form an opinion on the completeness of the revenue figure,” Ali added.

On measures to improve that Ali said it was critical that the Finance Minister and the Comptroller of Accounts be on board to ensure this exercise was run smoothly. Pressed by Tewarie whether things were being done to ensure that Ali said that was still not the case.

No accountability for furniture and vehicles
There exists no audited records regarding furniture and other items for at least five embassies, including London, Costa Rica, New Delhi and Ottawa.

The issue was raised by member Marlene Mc Donald who said she was appalled that inventory control was not maintained for furniture and fittings. She added: “Several items were not properly intact and these are State items we are dealing with. Pertinent information was not recorded in a number of instances.

“Six completed vehicles log book were not produced for audit examination. At the High Commission in London... documents not produced were the passport registrar... stock up emergency passports, cancelled passports were not produced for audit examination in contravention of financial regulations.” 

She said at the Consulate General in Toronto there was no checks and balances over the use of blank cheques.

“In other words expenditure did not exist. The High Commission in Ottawa and Brazil internal controls were also lacking,” Mc Donald said, adding that it was a reflection of poor staff training.

Ali said management letters were sent to the various embassies, agreeing that much more training was needed, including that of preparing a fixed asset registrar. 

“These are matters that the Comptroller of Accounts should be dealing with to make sure all these systems were in place because they also visit the embassies to ensure the controls were in place.

“The human resource should be strengthened,” Ali added.

McDonald said the issue could be that of the wrong people performing the wrong jobs.

The committee also heard that the Chief Personnel Officer also had a mandate to conduct human resource audits across all government agencies.

Pressuring the Ministry of Education to discipline three senior teachers, the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha Board has shut down the Rio Claro Vedic Primary School, leaving students in a quandary. With national tests just 12 days away, angry parents protested yesterday, calling for the ministry to intervene.

The board has accused one of the teachers of having an “inappropriate relationship” while another was accused of desecrating the school’s religious texts by dumping them in a bin. The books were compilations of Vedic songs and prayers.

Parent Meera Mansingh yesterday said since Tuesday new locks had been placed on the gates of the school and a fresh batch of private security was hired. 

“New security guards are manning the compound but we do not know why this action was taken,” Mansingh said. She explained, however, that some teachers were negligent in their duties and did not care about pupils. 

“Now that tests are coming up we really do not know what is happening. Yesterday a mike (public speaker) passed around saying that the school is closed until further notice but we do not know why,” Mansingh added. She called on Education Minister Anthony Garcia to intervene immediately and reopen the school.

But parent Vanessa Basdeo said the three teachers the board wanted to remove were actually among the hard-working staff members. 

“For two years the school was under academic watch by the ministry because of the poor performance of the students but recently under this new adminstration students started to do better and now the board wants to remove the hard working teachers,” Basdeo said.

Radica Gainder, whose son is in second year, said it was sad that students had to suffer because people were “fighting for position.” She said regardless of the issues, the ministry had a duty to respond. Contacted yesterday, T&T Unified Teachers’ Association second vice-president, Lynsley Doodhai, said the board’s decision to close down the school was illegal.

“TTUTA condemns what is taking place. The Vedic Board is acting in a lawless manner. If the board has concerns this is not the way to handle the situation,” Doodhai said. He added that the matter should be addressed by the ministry and the Teaching Service Commission.

“This action has disrupted teaching and learning in the school and we want to say that rather than locking out the teachers, this should be addressed in a civil manner,” he said.

Saying the lockout was counter-productive, Doodhai called on Garcia to address the matter in the shortest possible time.

Contacted yesterday, general secretary of the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha Board, Avanti Supersad, said the lockout was a last resort. She said the board had been communicating with the ministry for the past two years but nothing was done to address the teachers’ conduct.

Asked why the board wanted the teachers out, Supersad said one teacher desecrated the Vedic books by throwing 22 copies inside a dustbin and throwing boxes of school lunch over it.

She said the teachers were not doing their duties and the standards of the school had dropped. She also alleged  one of the teachers had an inappropriate relationship with an on-the-job trainee at the school.

“We are a denominational board and one of the requirements is that religious education must be upheld, staff must conform to our moral and religious guidelines by attending faith-based activities and allow students to participate,” Supersad said. 

She lamented that only five new students had enrolled for the September term. Supersad also denied that parents were not informed of the developments. 

“We have all our minutes of meetings. Parents were informed of the school closure via a mike and a meeting was held yesterday to discuss the issues,” she said.

Garcia could not be reached for comment yesterday as calls to his cellular phone went unanswered.