The illegal gun trade in T&T creates revenue in excess of $100 million annually, members of the Strategic Services Agency told a Joint Select Committee on national security yesterday.

The presentation was done in private before the JSC by senior officials of the protective services and the Defence Force at the ANR Robinson Room, Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Port-of-Spain. The meeting was chaired by Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Fitzgerald Hinds and focussed on illegal firearms in the country.

The media was also not allowed to witness presentation but Hinds later confirmed it during the public session of the meeting.

JSC member and Opposition Senator Wayne Sturge also spoke about the information which was presented to them. He did so in the form of a question to the Comptroller of Customs and Excise Glen Singh.

Based on the presentation, which showed the illegal gun trade was in excess of $100 million annually and that a substantial percentage of the arms entering T&T were coming through legal ports, Sturge asked what percentage of containers entering the country were scanned.

Singh said 60 per cent of them were and the 40 per cent that were not were from “compliant” importers.

In response to a question from Sturge about who determines which containers at not searched, Singh said there was a risk management committee “for which separate, clearly defined criteria are put into the system for doing such.” He said that criteria was based “upon your pattern, your history with us and your previous compliance rating.”

Sturge then said: “Given the fact that the gun trade is $100 million annually, it is obvious that the persons who are running the gun trade are not small people, so is it not common sense, since we see that a significant amount of seizures come through Customs and so on, is it not common sense that the 40 per cent are the persons, the rich people, who you should be having your eyes on?”

Singh responded: “That is a highly subjective statement. We don’t have a criteria for rich people.”

Singh said the relationship the Customs has “with a lot of the manufacturing and industrial concerns in T&T, it might mean that the percentage I am speaking about would be from established importers and captains of industry and those highly compliant industries and importers in T&T. “

“Are you saying that it is beyond the malintent of captains of industry to be importing illegal firearms?” Sturge asked.

“That is not what I said , Senator,” Singh replied.

In response to another question, Snr Supt Leroy Brebnor said the police had concerns about the 40 per cent of the containers that get the green light and are not scanned.

“That confirms and compounds the situation that we are in at this present state. If 40 per cent of your containers can go unsearched, then you could image what really goes on. The numbers that we are finding on a daily basis and the numbers that the SSA has put up could triple,” Brebnor added.

Four-year-old Kamalee Wilson was asleep at his Cocorite home yesterday when a huge embankment of dirt tumbled onto his house, smashing through his mother’s bedroom just a few inches from where he lay.

Whilst his mother, Abena, 30, is thanking Allah for saving her son’s life and by extension hers, she was both shaken and frustrated to see her home destroyed in the landslip.

The incident, which happened around 4.30 pm, is believed to have been caused by the heavy rainfall and strong wind experienced since Sunday into yesterday.

Wilson, a single mother of two, told the T&T Guardian she was at home all day and had just put her son to sleep. Her elder son was at a relative’s house.

“I had now walk outside to check on the running water I was hearing. I thought my grandfather was doing something so I went to check, but as I was walking down to his place I just heard a loud crashing sound. When I turned around I saw a huge clump of dirt come down from up the hill from by me straight onto my house,” Wilson said.

“I just ran inside for my son because the bedroom right there where it crashed. I was so scared but relieved to see that he was safe.”

Wilson’s home was partially destroyed, while she lost her television and her chest of drawers.

She said she now fears the fallen embankment will pose a danger to a nearby lamp post.

Up to late last night, Wilson was trying to clean up with the help of relatives and neighbours.

Wilson shot into the spotlight in May this year, when she was scolded about her Muslim wear (including the Niqab - an Islamic face veil) and told to disrobe in front of a classroom of students during a CSEC social studies examination at the Polytechnic Institute in St James. She subsequently lodged a formal complaint to the Ministry of Education.

In a previous interview with the T&T Guardian, Wilson explained that all she ever wanted to do was to achieve her goals by furthering her education so that she would be able to get a proper paying job so she could provide for her children and herself. Anyone willing to assist Wilson can contact her at 793-0967.

Three families were thrown into mourning over the weekend, after three people drowned in two separate incidents at Maracas Beach and Matura.

In the first incident around 3.30 pm, a picnic by members of New Grant family ended in tragedy when one of them drowned while trying to save his son and cousin, who got into difficulties while bathing in the Mermaid Pool at Thomas Trace, Matura.

David Seegobin, 47, of Tabaquite Road, New Grant, disappeared under water and never resurfaced after he attempted to help his son Simeon, 18, and cousin Daniel Ramcharan, 13, who both got into difficulty while swimming.

The family had gone on a picnic to the pool and had had a day full of fun and excitement until the two boys got into difficulty and Seegobin dived into the pool to rescue them. While he was successful in saving the boys, he himself got into difficulty and disappeared under water.

The two boys were both taken to Sangre Grande Hospital where they received medical treatment and discharged.

Villagers, tour guides and others who were also at the pool joined the search for Seegobin and his body was found a few hours later.

The family made a report to the Matura Police Station and Cpl Stafford and PC Singh responded. District Medical Officer Dr. Bissoon viewed the body and ordered it removed to the Sangre Grande mortuary.

Speaking at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, yesterday, Seegobin’s sister-in-law, Dinah Ramcharan, said he died hero, noting they two relatives “dropped” in a depression in the pool.

“All three of them began sinking and he (Seegobin) saw his son and nephew going under and pushed his son out of the water. I saw him take a deep breath and pushed his son out and then he went under the water and didn’t come back up,” Ramcharan said.

She added that on seeing this she tried to get some of Seegobin’s friends to help them but it was too late.

“The Government should put up signs or have Coast Guard or put a red flag to let people know it have a depression there, which is about 60 feet they said, because nobody knew. There was no sign warning the public about not going in that section. It is a place where people hike often,” Ramcharan said.

She added that Seegobin was a kind God-fearing person and was a comedian who would always put a smile on everyone’s face wherever he went.

“He was a great provider to his family and excellent father to his children,” she said.

Cpl Stafford of Matura Police Station is continuing investigation. In the other incident, a family outing at Maracas Beach ended in tragedy after two people drowned while frolicking in the water.

According to police reports, Sandra Singh, 53, of Pluck Road, Penal, and Premchand Ramlal, 50, of Fyzabad were with a group who went in the water shortly after eating around 7.30 pm. The group got into difficulties and had to be fished out by villagers and an off-duty member of the Coast Guard. Singh, who was rescued by the Coast Guardsman, was taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital where she died. Ramlal’s body washed ashore around 10.30 pm.

RALPH BANWARIE

Rayad Mohammed, the man accused of inciting violence against the family of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, is expected to be charged today. Once charged he will appear before a San Fernando magistrate.

It’s been two days since Mohammed was arrested by a team of Fraud Squad police led by Supt Totaram Dookie. ASP Ken Ghisyawan is leading investigations, and has already completed his probe . He was expected to submit a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard late yesterday.

Police sources said Mohammed may be charged under the Summary Offences Act for inciting violence. The charge is contrary to common law and sources say if found guilty, Mohammed could either be fined or serve a jail term.

Mohammed, who was fired by his boss after the controversial post sparked public outcry, has apologised for his insensitive comments.

In the post Mohammed wrote: “Someone should find ROWLEY daughter and wife and slit their throats n rape them.”

He later explained he had written the post in response to the double murders of Hafeeza Rose Mohammed, 56, and Videsh Subar, 13, whose throats were slit following a robbery in Malabar last Wednesday.

What the law says

Summary Offences Act Chap. 11:02 Section 105 states:

“Every person who prints or publishes any publication (which term includes any book, circular, pamphlet, handbill, poster or any other publication whether printed, typewritten, or written) shall cause to be printed, type-written or written thereon (as the case may be), in some conspicuous place and in legible characters the names and addresses of the printer and publisher thereof. Any person who fails to comply with this section and any person who circulates or causes to be circulated any publication which contravenes this section is liable to a fine of one thousand dollars or to imprisonment for six months.”

Police were up to late yesterday probing two more murders in Valencia and Princes Town late Sunday.

The victims are labourer Mahendra Moonsammy of Princes Town, who was fatally stabbed at a car wash outlet and Kelvin Lake, 26, of Bertrand Street, Valencia, who succumbed to gunshot wounds at the Sangre Grande Hospital.

Police said Moonsammy, 25, of Moruga Road, Petit Café, went to Keylan’s Car Wash, obliquely opposite his home, around 5 pm. They were told that he usually hung out there and on that afternoon, he went to meet a man who had owed him money for an excursion. While there, an altercation broke out and when relatives looked, they saw the suspect striking Moonsammy, who then ran home and collapsed.

Witnesses told police the suspect, who only moved to the area months ago, stabbed Moonsammy several times. Another account was that Moonsammy first struck the suspect with a bottle.

Moonsammy was taken to the Princes Town District Health Facility and around 6.15 pm. He died while being treated. Police said he had previous charges for ammunition and narcotics possession, and the area where he was stabbed was a known drug block. Residents concurred that drugs were being sold in the area and they would try to avoid the men who hung out there.

His sister, Sarah Sotio-Moonsammy, admitted to Moonsammy’s behaviour and that he was told to stay away from the car wash.

Police also reported that around 11.10 pm on Sunday, Lake was at a christening of his friend’s child at KP Lands, Valencia, when he was accosted by armed men. They opened fire on him. The men left on foot believing Lake had died.

Those attending the Christening had to run for cover for fear of being shot, some went under tables while others ran out into the road.

He underwent emergency surgery but died.

Visiting the scene were ASP Mario Robain, Sgt Ramkisson, Cpl Samaroo, PCs William, Lindsay, Samuel, Williams of Valencia Police Post and Homicide officers from Region 11, Arouca.

Those killings took the murder toll to 257.

RALPH BANWARIE

The United National Congress (UNC) has been denied permission to appeal to the Privy Council over the dismissal of an injunction against the collection of valuation return forms required for calculation of property tax.

Delivering an oral ruling on the application at the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain yesterday morning, the three Appellate Judges, who dismissed the UNC’s injunction last month, ruled that a further appeal was unnecessary as it would be merely academic.

Head of the panel, Justice of Appeal Peter Jamadar explained that while the party’s injunction was challenging the alleged mandatory nature of the process adopted by the State, the Commissioner of Valuations had already stated that it was discretionary and would attract no penalties for non-compliance.

Jamadar noted that he and the panel considered the procedure used for obtaining the injunction and did not deal with the issues over the collection drive, which are to be addressed in the substantive lawsuit before Justice Frank Seepersad in September.

“The neutral language was used to avoid what we have now,” Jamadar said. Appellate Judges Gregory Smith and Charmaine Pemberton also sat on the panel.

While the court dismissed the application, it advised the Opposition party that it still may apply to the United Kingdom-based court for special leave to appeal its decision on the injunction.

Former government minister Devant Maharaj filed the lawsuit after the Ministry of Finance in successive press releases said that property owners were required to submit their forms by May 22.

Even as Finance Minister Colm Imbert extended the deadline to June 5, Maharaj obtained an injunction stopping the collection drive on May 19. Two weeks later the injunction was removed.

In addition to the State’s claim over the voluntary nature of the process, the court had also ruled that the injunction was improperly granted as there was no urgent need to stop the process due to the extension of time and because the UNC sought the injunction hours before the State was required to respond to its threat to apply for it.

Presenting submissions in support of the application yesterday, Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan said that his party did not agree with the court’s reasons for the removal of the injunction especially the State’s “flip-flop” position over the collection.

“The fact is people were lining up in the hot sun because of the misapprehension that this was required in law. It was not a voluntary exercise,” Ramlogan said as he defended Maharaj’s decision to seek the injunction.

In opposing the application, Deborah Peake, SC, said that the court’s decision was clear.

“If there was residual doubt, this would have been eradicated or obliterated by the court’s analysis,” Peake said.

She also pointed to a affidavit from Ramoutar filed last week in which he is seeking to have the substantive case before Seepersad dismissed.

In the statement, Ramoutar repeatedly claimed that the process was voluntary but admitted that members of his staff had incorrectly informed members of the public that they would face fines for failing to submit their forms and corresponding documents by the deadlines.

The substantive case comes up for hearing before Seepersad on September 21.

The State has been granted permission to appeal the decisions of a High Court judge and the Court of Appeal to free a police officer, who accidentally shot and killed a man while executing a search warrant at his home in 2003, of manslaughter.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) was yesterday granted leave to appeal to the Privy Council, almost two months after the Appeal Court dismissed its appeal in the case of PC Kerry Samad.

Delivering a majority ruling on April 12, Appellate Judges Alice Yorke-Soo Hon and Mark Mohammed ruled that Samad’s trial judge was correct in not allowing the jury to deliberate in the case as prosecutors failed to prove a prima facie case against Samad due to major inconsistencies in evidence.

“In this case, the direct evidence and the medical evidence are in violent conflict. Before getting to the stage of inviting the jury to consider the evidence, the prosecution must have established a prima facie case.

“The difficulty for the prosecution is that they were unable to pass this first hurdle because there was a material defect in that they were unable to produce any evidence to support the trajectory of the bullet and explain the exact manner in which the deceased met his death,” Yorke-Soo Hon said.

Yorke-Soo Hon noted that there were inconsistencies with three eyewitness of the incident and the pathologist who performed the autopsy on the victim- Bernard Albarado.

Appellate Judge Rajendra Narine also sat on the appeal panel but delivered a dissenting judgement, in which he claimed the judge was wrong.

Albarado, a pipe fitter, was killed after being shot once as police executed a search warrant at his George Street, Cunupia, home on February 5, 2003.

According to Samad, the uzi sub-machine he was carrying during the raid, accidentally discharged as he tripped and fell while traversing Albarado’s property.

The victim’s wife, Sharon, testified that here husband was shot as he was got up to answer the door for the police. The bullet struck Albarado in his back, exited his body and was lodged in a washing machine. Two other witnesses gave varying accounts of the incident.

In his post-mortem report forensic pathologist Dr Hughvon Des Vignes ruled that the bullet entered the left side of Albarado’s body and moved in an upward trajectory through his body and before striking the washing machine.

Samad was charged with unlawful killing (manslaughter) at the end of a corner’s inquest into Albarado’s death which ended in December 2004. Samad has been on suspension from the T&T Police Service since first being charged.

During his trial in 2015, Justice Gillian Lucky upheld a no case submission made by his attorneys.

Samad was represented by Richard Mason, while Travers Sinanan represented the DPP’s office.

A girl has topped the country once more in the Secondary Entrance Assessment examination. Lexi Balchan, 12, of Fitz Lane, Vance River placed first in the examination beating out over 18,000 other students. In an interview with the media shortly after the announcement, Lexi said she has aspirations of becoming a scientist when she gets older. She says the secret to her success was lots of hard work. Lexi has passed for Naparima Girls College in San Fernando.

​​The top six passes in the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) examination came from three boys and three girls.

This was announced by Education Minister Anthony Garcia as he presented the top performer in the 2017 exams, Lexi Balchan, at the Point Fortin ASJA Primary School yesterday.

Gandhi Memorial’s Jordana Mahabir placed second, San Fernando TML Rayshard Hosein third and Jaden Alexander, of St Dominic’s RC, Penal, placed fourth.

“All students who wrote the exam have done well, you have been prepared by your teachers and I am sure about this because I was a teacher. At my first teaching appointment, I was placed in a Standard Five class and so I know the hard work and the dedication on the part of the teachers,” Garcia said.

“I want to congratulate the teachers for the hard work and the commitment to duty that you have displayed.”

Garcia said although he did not have the complete analysis on this year’s examination results, the overall performance rate had risen.

“As all of you know, this year in the examinations we had three components, English Language, Creative Writing and Mathematics. Last year we had the Continuous Assessment Components, but that was disbanded and we just had the written exams in these three subject areas. Overall, the students did very well and the students of this school also did very well.”

Also addressing students at the school, MP Edmund Dillon said Balchan’s performance in the exam will put Point Fortin on the map once more.

“We may have the next prime minister or president coming out of Point Fortin,” Dillon said.

T&T Unified teachers’ Association president Lynsley Doodhai urged parents to remember that this is just the start of their children’s academic careers and encouraged them to keep trying with their children.

“Your parental duties become more as the children enter their adolescent lives, your job will be more difficult but you have to keep on trying with your children,” Doodhai said.

“Keep on trying with your children and make time to speak to them every day.”

Mayor Andon Mason noted that despite the examinations falling within Point Fortin’s Borough Week celebrations, the students in the district had succeeded.

“I had some parents calling me frantic the day of the examination because there was some fete going on the same day,” Mason recalled.

“But I knew that despite everything, you (students) would persevere. And today, you have placed Point Fortin in the forefront and I am certain the positive changes that have to happen in this country will start here in Point Fortin.”

​Although she often fantasised about placing first in the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) examination, Lexi Balchan was at a loss for words when her dream came true yesterday.

The 12-year-old Point Fortin ASJA student was so overwhelmed with emotion she could barely speak when reporters tried to interview her following the announcement.

Lexi, of Fitz Lane, Vance River, beat out some 18, 149 students for the top spot and passed for her first choice of Naparima Girls’ College, San Fernando. Her raw composite scores were 97 in Mathematics, 96 in English Language and 20 in Creative Writing.

She was presented her results by Education Minister Anthony Garcia as he and his entourage, including Minister in the Minister of Education Dr Lovell Francis, visited the school yesterday.

Point Fortin MP and National Security Minister Edmund Dillon, T&T Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) president Lynsley Doodhai and National Parent Teachers Association (NPTA) president Zena Ramathali also visited and addressed the students before they were given their results.

Another Standard Five student, Jada Wiltshire, was recognised by Garcia as she placed in the top 100 students nationwide.

After receiving her results, Balchan, who has aspirations of becoming a scientist, wept as her parents, Lisa and Krishdath Balchan, huddled around her offering their congratulations. Her younger sister Leia was not present to join in the celebration.

“I feel so happy...there are no words to describe it,” Lexi said in between tears.

When asked if she believed she could have captured the first place, she managed a smile and said, “I kind of thought it was going to be me. A lot of times I fantasised.”

She credited her success to hard work, her parents’ support, her teachers’ guidance and God. However, she said she had to make many sacrifices along the way.

“A lot of things that I missed out that I wish I can experience again...things that were once in a lifetime but in the end it was all worth it.”

However, she said she needed no reward for placing first.

Her father also said Lexi’s success was the result of her hard work.

“Since the beginning, from inception into this school, I always preached to her (Lexi) that you have to dream big to get big things,” Balchan said.

“But in dreaming big, you can’t just dream and expect that one day you wake up and it happen - you have to work hard - and Lexi is a very hard-working individual. She doesn’t play, most of the time is either she is always reading or doing some little activity that will relax her mind and we as parents, we supported her in everything that she would like to do.”

He urged other parents to spend time with their children, as he said often times children just need support.

“So to the parents outside there, you all need to spend a little time with your children, have a little discussion, find out what is going on with their school life, their normal everyday life, because some of them you might not even know,” he said.

“You all need to sit by the table and the children might need a little support, you might not have to be involved in the school work but offer them some support.”

Sea Lots community leader Cedric “Burkie” Burke yesterday admitted his company - Burke and Company Ltd - has obtained a Housing Development Corporation (HDC) contract at Woodstar Avenue, Bon Air South, under the People’s National Movement Government.

Burke, who was detained in the 2011 state of emergency, charged as being a gang leader and later freed, said he also received several contracts under the then People’s Partnership regime.

“I have never gotten a contract from anybody. I am part of a company. I have two companies ... my companies tender for contracts under all administrations. It does not matter under PNM or who. I work with each and any government that is there. Some contracts we get, some we don’t,” said Burke, whose uninvited attendance to Marlene McDonald’s swearing-in at President’s House last week ultimately led to her latest firing by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on Sunday.

Burke said he has been operating his businesses legitimately for the past ten years and pays taxes, but could not say how many contracts he had been awarded over the years.

“No I can’t because I did a lot of work. We not only going to Manning and Rowley administration. I did a lot of work under the PP Government in its five years as well.”

Asked what were some of the contracts he was awarded, Burke said to reveal this was not necessary.

“I complete them. I being paid for them, so I don’t think that is part of anything. When the time comes that will be easy to clarify.”

He said to tender for a contract his companies had to go through certain procedures.

“There are certain documents you have to submit, so don’t think for a moment that you could get a contract without submitting these things.”

Asked if Burke and Company Ltd was awarded an HDC contract for the East-based housing project, which is currently under construction, Burke said “yes.” He said his company was one of several contractors involved in the project, but did not specify exactly what were their job specifications and the payment attached.

Last September, Housing Minister Randall Mitchell turned the sod for construction of 60 town houses on five parcels of land in Arouca, which was projected to cost $48 million. At that time, Mitchell said contractors for the project had been evaluated and the HDC would announce the successful contractors.

Yesterday, when told Burke claimed he was one of the contractors involved on the project, Mitchell said he was not aware and advised HDC managing director Brent Lyons be contacted.

Addressing the issue in a text message last night, Lyons confirmed Burke’s company is one of four firms on the Bon Air South housing project.

“The company won a competitive tender for one of four packages tendered,” Lyons wrote.

Lyons could not say when the contract was issued, the scope of works or the value of the contract, but promised to provide the info today.

Yesterday, Burke said while his business was now being roped into the brouhaha, he never approached McDonald for a contract while she served as housing minister. He said he had also not spoken to her since she was fired.

“But she knows my support is there.

As much as the country stating that she was fired because of me, I think she knows what would have really transpired. She knew I had good intentions. I went to support Miss McDonald. That was all it had to it.”

Blaming social media for blowing things out of proportion, Burke said “this pressure is nothing new to me. My children are the ones who paying the price for it now. At the end of the day I teach them to be strong in the face of adversity. All those who saying this and that... let them produce the evidence and go to the police. I don’t understand how I was this big threat to President Carmona. I am yet to see evidence to support that. The last time I check my name was not Bin Laden, nor am I part of Isis.”

​Sea Lots businessman Cedric “Burkie” Burke has written to acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams, asking him to say whether he is being investigated for any criminal activities.

Burke, through attorneys Celeste St Louis and Richard Clarke-Wills, wrote a two-page letter to Williams seeking to clear his name amidst suggestions his attending MP Marlene McDonald’s swearing-in led to her firing by Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley on Sunday.

Burke is currently suing the State for wrongful arrest and prosecution, after he was released two months after being detained in the 2011 state of emergency under allegations he was a gang leader. That matter comes up for hearing later this month.

In the letter, Burke argues he has no pending criminal matters or convictions in any jurisdiction.

“Accordingly, it is paramount that any and all engagement of interest in our client by your good selves be declared, clarified and confirmed so as to prevent any further unfounded blemishes on his character, reputation and esteem and to avoid any further adverse impact on the family relations and business interests of our client, who remains a man of good character,” the letter stated.

The letter claimed Burke’s children, two of whom represented the country in gymnastics, are negatively impacted by the insinuations that their father is criminally connected. In the letter, Burke also said he is willing to co-operate with police in their investigations.

Burke is also considering suing Rowley for defamation of character, after Rowley made statements alluding to him being involved in criminal activity.

During a press conference on Monday, Rowley admitted that McDonald’s association with Burke at her swearing-in ceremony is why she was removed as Public Utilities Minister.

On why McDonald’s affiliation with Burke was such an issue, Rowley said, “Let me spell it out: it’s very easy for one to say and to remember that on the issue of responding to crime and criminality in T&T, there’s a view in many quarters that the Government’s inability—other governments also—to properly respond to the threat of criminality is because of a closeness and an association between government personnel and people engaged in criminal conduct.”

He added: “When I speak or take action on this matter, suffice to say I speak as Prime Minister and chairman of the National Security Council—who more than likely will have a bit more information than anyone else. And the decisions I make are decisions made against that background.”

But even while, Burke was calling on the police to clear his name, fellow Sea Lots resident and his neighbour Kenroy Dopwell, who’d berated the PM and Government for firing McDonald, said he was over his anger on it and was moving on.Dopwell had been at McDonald’s swearing-in function last Friday with Burke and others. Dopwell said he was a PNM mobiliser and was so angry she was fired that he’d said he wanted her to challenge Rowley for the PNM leadership nexrt year, that’d he’d have exchanged PNM red for UNC yellow, or supported McDonald forming her own party.But after Rowley explained why he’d reappointed McDonald and why he fired her, Dopwell said yesterday, “The boss talk. I have nothing further to say. We have to pick up the pieces and move on - I remain a People’s National Movement supporter and I continue supporting Marlene also.

A Santa Cruz man was up to last night listed in a critical condition after he was doused with a flammable substance and set ablaze yesterday during a fight.

According to police reports, around 11 am, 35-year-old Mike Victor, of Tappin Street, Santa Cruz was standing along Back Street near his girlfriend’s home when a 24-year-old man threw a bucket of liquid on him and set him afire.

The suspect surrendered to Santa Cruz police after the incident.

Victor ran into his in-laws’ yard where his girlfriend and mother of his two children, Kamie Sorzano, doused him with a bucket of water.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, relatives of Sorzano said Victor had earlier been “advantaging” his attacker.

The attacker they said was a “smallie fella” and Victor, whose alias is “Biggs” was twice his size and strength.

The relatives said Victor had threatened to beat up the suspect.

“I don’t know what happened I just hear ‘voom’ and see Biggs on fire. I dunno if is gas or pitch-oil he throw on him, but it could have been worse next thing (suspect name called) had a gun. To me it was an act of provocation,” an eyewitness said.

A relative said Victor was in a bad mood. Earlier, he said, Victor had hit the suspect a clout causing him to hit his head against a concrete wall. The relative said Victor and the suspect would normally lime together and would usually have disputes but it never became physical.

“What happened was a frustrated man went around a more frustrated man, you never know what going on in a man head,” the man said.

Sorzano, who was on her way home from the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, said in a telephone interview that Victor was given a 40 per cent chance of survival and had to be sedated at the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. He suffered third-degree burns.

She recalled she just heard “an explosion” and saw the father of her children running towards her in flames.

“I was outside bathing with my children and I see him coming running and grab a bucket of water and out him one time. He was just bawling his skin burning,” Sorzano said.

A Venezuelan national and a Malabar man are scheduled to appear before a magistrate today on drug and arms charges after they were arrested at Mt St George, Tobago yesterday.

The men, a Venezuelan national 28, and a man from Malabar, Arima, 30, were arrested around 2.30 am.

According to reports, a crocus bag containing 28 packets of marijuana and a garbage bag containing an additional 10 packets of compressed marijuana weighing just over 20 kilogrammes, two revolvers and a .45 pistol, 43 rounds of assorted ammunition, US$850 and TT$3,171 were seized when police intercepted a car.

Speaking at a news conference at the Scarborough Police Station yesterday Assistant Supt Sterling Roberts issued a warning to would-be criminals stating that the police were on high alert.

“We want the public of Trinidad and also Tobago to know that it is not business as usual, because the police officers would be out there and doing what we have to do to make the country safe. We also want to let them know that they can call 555, 999 or 800-TIPS, with any information that they have. We want to rid the street of the guns, ammunition and drugs on the island,” Roberts said.

Task Force Officers, Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit, Roxborough Police and CID spearheaded the operation.

So far for the year police officers in Tobago have seized 10 firearms. There has also been a significant increase in murders on the island with seven cases so far this year, the majority being linked to criminal activity and all the victims were shot dead.

Soca artist Destra Garcia has been ordered to pay a little over $50,000 in compensation to a fan who suffered a ruptured bladder during an impromptu onstage performance in Belize in 2015.

In a judgement delivered last Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Belize ordered that Garcia pay Fernando Oliva BZ$16,577.06 (TT$55,900.44), for her negligence in his injury.

The court’s ruling was a default judgment as Garcia did not enter an appearance or file a defence to the lawsuit even though she was served with it at her home in El Dorado by a Marshall’s assistant attached to the T&T Supreme Court on May 4.

The compensation awarded by the court represented the costs of Oliva’s medical expenses, his loss of earnings while he was recovering from his injury and his legal fees.

Since receiving the judgment, Oliva has retained local attorneys Christophe Rodriguez and Shane Kingston to seek to enforce the judgement against Garcia.

The T&T Guardian understands that Garcia’s legal representatives had not contacted Oliva’s local legal team, up to late yesterday.

Oliva’s injury occurred on September 9, 2015, during a Carnival Overload Soca Event in Belize City, Belize.

During Garcia’s performance of her hit song “Lucy”, he was invited on stage and instructed by her to lay face upwards on the floor, close his eyes and put his hands behind his head.

“Once Oliva had complied with Garcia’s instructions, she then suddenly jumped into the air and landed forcefully on Oliva’s groin area, thereby causing extensive damage to his bladder,” court documents stated.

Oliva claimed that Garcia acted recklessly by failing to take proper care and precaution to prevent injury to him once she invited him on stage.

He was taken hospital and had to undergo surgery.

The incident was videotaped and clips of it were circulated on social media websites as news of the judgment began circulating on social media.

The T&T Guardian attempted to contact Garcia and her members of her management team listed on bookings section of her Twitter account. However, the calls went to voicemail and they did not respond to WhatsApp messages.

Garcia made two posts on her Instagram account yesterday, both of which highlighted that she was enroute to the Untied States’ Virgin Islands to perform in its annual Carnival celebrations.

Garcia was expected to give a response on the issue via social media yesterday but none had been posted up to late yesterday.

St Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastanet said yesterday that while Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries must not seek to interfere in the internal affairs of Venezuela, the regional bloc at the same time must not turn a blind eye to the situation in that South American country where opposition voices have been stifled.

Speaking with the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) ahead of the 38th Caricom Summit in Grenada, Chastanet said he expects the Venezuela situation, where opposition supporters have been taking to the streets demanding the resignation of President Nicolas Maduro, to feature at the deliberations here.

“Look, I think there’s absolute consensus by Caricom that there should be non-interference, but it is what is said afterwards. The fact is, from a security perspective we are very concerned about the deterioration of things in Venezuela because it has impacted us from a security perspective.

“We have seen an increase in the movement of arms, we have seen an increase in money laundering and just basic criminal activity,” Chastanet said, adding ,“I think we have to take an interest in what’s happening”.

On Monday, Caricom Secetary General Irwin La Rocque told a news conference that while the Venezuela issue is not on the agenda for the three-day summit being held on the outskirts of the capital, he expects some statement to follow the deliberations of the leaders.

LaRocque said, “There are some basic principles that the community has elaborated and this principle still holds.

“All our member states subscribe to the statement issued by the COFCOPR (Caricom foreign ministers) of non-interference, non-intervention in the internal affairs of the sovereign state of Venezuela.”

He said the policy “holds despite what you may have read about a particular text being considered at the OAS (Organisation of American States), those principles hold.

“I think we have to wait for the outcome of the meeting to see what statements come out of this meeting on Venezuela, if any,” he added.

“We have basic principles that we are united and that continues to inform our approach to dealing with Venezuela and whether or not the matter is discussed we have to wait and see what is the outcome of the meeting,” LaRocque said, adding that Maduro had not been invited to the summit, which will be chaired by Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell.

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has in the past written to his Caricom colleagues urging them not to interfere in the internal affairs of the South American country.

T&T, Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica have all publicly added their voice to the call with Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley going as far as calling for the removal of the OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro, claiming he had shown bias in his deliberations on the issue.

Chastanet told CMC that both the government and the opposition in Venezuela need to “get their stuff resolved because it is having a negative impact on this hemisphere. (CMC)

The Sangre Grande mother who was arrested for beating her child after a video of the incident sparked nationwide outrage was carted off to jail yesterday after appearing in court.
​

Beverley David, 41, of Rosseau Trace, Wallenville Road, Guaico, Sangre Grande appeared in court charged with cruelty of a minor.

She was granted $100,000 bail by magistrate Erica Ramkissoon-Baptiste, presiding in the Sangre Grande Magistrate’s Court, after an appeal for a cash bail alternative was rejected by the court.

David was charged under Section 4 of the Children Act 12 of 2012, which includes an adult person exposing injury to a child’s physical, mental and emotional health.

The charge was laid by PC Lockitt of Sangre Grande Child Protection Unit.

David dressed in blue sheer top and black jeans bent her head as Ramkissoon-Baptiste read the charge to her.

Attorney Jerry Holder represented David and pleaded with the magistrate to be lenient as his client had no previous conviction. Holder also pleaded with Ramkissoon-Baptiste for cash bail for his client.

Court Prosecutor Sgt Kirt Douglas objected and informed the magistrate that David had a previous conviction for breach of a court order.

The mother of 8 was arrested on Sunday hours after a Facebook video began circulating depicting an incident with her 22-month-old son.

David is scheduled to reappear in court on July 18.

​RALPH BANWARIE 

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is warning that thousands of public servants and law enforcement officers may be out of a job as the Government seeks to reduce expenditure by $3 billion this year.

Speaking at the United National Congress’ Monday Night Forum at the Mc Bean Hindu Primary School, Couva, Persad-Bissessar said the plan was contained in Moody’s Investor Service comments on the Government’s mid-year budget review that was published last Friday.

Reading the comments, Persad-Bissessar said, “Further spending reductions could materialise during the rest of the year as the Government plans to cut $3 billion from public salaries this year.”

The issuer comments stated that the budget review signalled benefits from higher oil prices, but that fiscal challenges remain sizeable. The report also stated that while Government maintained its fiscal deficit estimate of 5.8 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product, it was higher than the intended target of 3.9 per cent. Central Government operations resulted in deficit of approximately $5.4 billion for the first half of 2017, $1.5 billion more than the official forecast.

She said with 25,000 jobs already lost under the PNM’s governance, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley should fire himself if his Government planned to send home public servants.

“Who are you going to fire? Are you going to fire police officers, Defence Force officers, public servants in the ministries? How are you going to get a cut of $3 billion? It is mind boggling. $3 billion in the next half of this year, cut from where, public salaries? I call on the Government to please clarify and tell us how you are going to cut salaries of $3 billion.”

Stressing that the Government has mismanaged the country’s accounts, she said the UNC has already established an economic recovery. She also called on the Integrity Commission to investigate Government’s recruitment of US lobbyist firm the Group DC, saying there was a questionable procurement process. She said the Government has already spent US $600,000 for the firm to carry out 10 meetings, four of which were held with a Democratic congressman, four held with a Democratic congressional aide and two held with a CEO of a company called CAGE. She said CAGE is seeking to become the première gaming provider in the Caribbean and Latin America by providing online gambling services.

“So this lobbyist firm brings another lobbyist firm to lobby our Government to bring video lottery terminals into Trinidad and Tobago. This is really shameful,” she said.

Rayad Mohammed, the man who posted a Facebook threat against Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley's family, has pleaded not guilty.
 

Mohammed, 24, was placed on $15,000 bail, with his father as surety, when he appeared before Magistrate Ava Vanderberg Bailey in the Siparia Second Court this morning.
 

Mohammed was charged by Cpl Badree with sending a grossly offensive message by telephone.
 

She was represented by attorney Hasine Shaikh, together with Wayne Sturge. Sturge was not present.
 

Court prosecutor Sgt Starr Jacob said the prosecution has five witnesses and also disclosed several  pieces of documents to the defense.  

He said there is one outstanding document, which is an article, published in the Guardian newspaper. 

The matter was adjourned to August 2 for case management. 

Beach goers, local and foreigners, looking forward to visit popular beaches Maracas Bay and Las Cuevas for the July/August vacation period are being warned to either stay away or visit at their own risk.

This warning came yesterday from lifeguards who are stationed at the most popular tourist attractions in the country.

They said the non-functional towers, poor working conditions, lack of the appropriate equipment and machinery and the availability of only one ambulance, which serves as more of a transport vehicle rather than one well-equipped with life-saving machines was to blame for their action.

According to lifeguard spokesperson, Augustus Sylvester, they are unable to efficiently and effectively carry out their duties.

On Sunday, three people got into difficulties at Maracas Bay, two died. The drowning victims were identified as Premchand Ramlal, 50, of Fyzabad and Sandra Singh, 53, of Penal. The survivor was identified as a Canadian national Ron Rampersad.

Augustus said he believes that the drownings could have been prevented if they had only received that promised meeting with the Minister of National Security, Edmund Dillon back in April.

He said that they had a proposal which included having a 24-hour lifeguard watch in place at the two beaches.

“One of the proposal is to have a skeleton staff after hours, overnight. The Minister promised to meet with us on April 24 but it never happened. We are being treated like the bastard children of the ministry. Who knows if they had sit down with us to discuss those people may have been alive today,” Sylvester said.

Another proposal Sylvester had was the refurbishment of the lifeguard towers, which were so deplorable that they have now cordoned off with caution tape. He said lifeguards are now forced to patrol the shore line and stand watch from the shoreline.

“So…right now I don’t think it is safe for members of the public to come to the beach because of the conditions. If they do, it will be a risk that they will be taking in terms of their own safety because, we, the lifeguards are not guaranteeing their safety because of the present conditions we work under,” he said. RD

“Because of this, us being on the sand, we are at a disadvantage because we don’t have a clear view of the Bay and our vision is blocked by the people on the beach. The towers we would have that height advantage but now that we can’t use it, we don’t,” Sylvester said.

Sylvester said during the rainy season people should not take the water for granted.

“The sea may look calm but because we are in the hurricane season it can change within hours and we can then have rough seas with very strong rip currents, which would make it worst for us because of the lack of that height advantage we are now faced with because our towers are unsafe,” he said.

Lifeguards usual duty hours are from 10 am to 5.30 pm and Sylvester is suggesting that it could either be extended with a raise of salary or a shift system being implemented.

He said the lone ambulance, which he said is only equipped with a stretcher, did not have any life-saving equipment on board.

“No oxygen masks, no resuscitating machines, nothing like that. Not to mention that this ambulance serves not only Maracas Bay but Las Cuevas and for the past two months, Blanchisseuse. The residents call us for help with the ambulance, even the police at times,” he said.