Acting Chief Magistrate Maria Bubsy-Earle-Caddle has appeared to have reversed her position on who decided that the 53 cases left unfinished through the short-lived judicial appointment of her predecessor, Marcia Ayers-Caesar, should be restarted.

While Bubsy-Earle-Caddle had repeatedly stated that she was “waiting on instructions on how to proceed” with the cases before she finally made the announcement on June 1, she is now claiming that she made the decision solely.

Bubsy-Earle-Caddle made the statement in response to a lawsuit threat against her, members of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (JLSC) and legal stakeholders, who met and discussed the issue of the unfinished cases on May 25.

In a letter sent to attorney Anand Ramlogan, SC, who is representing one of the men affected by the decision, Busby-Earle-Caddle’s attorney, Vishma Jaisingh, explained that she had made her decision on the issue before communicating it to Chief Justice Ivor Archie.

“By letter dated May 31, 2017, to our client, the Honourable Chief Justice confirmed the discussion between our client and Honourable Chief Justice that our client would proceed as agreed between them, to rehear part heard matters which become abortive when the former chief magistrate ceased to be a magistrate,” Jaisingh said.

She also claimed that there were no other communications between Archie and Busby-Earle-Caddle before she announced the decision to Ramlogan’s client on June 1.

Busby-Earle-Caddle’s recent statement has heightened uncertainty over the controversial decision which had been met with protest from those affected.

In his response to Ramlogan’s lawsuit, Archie claimed that it was based on a “wholly erroneous premise” as it challenges a mistaken press release which was issued by the Judiciary following the stakeholder meeting.

The release issued by the Judiciary’s Court Protocol and Information Manager Alicia Carter-Fisher, the day after the meeting, stated: “key stakeholders comprising the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago represented by its Vice President and members of the Criminal Bar, the acting Chief Magistrate, Senior Magistrates and the Registrar of the Supreme Court to determine the way forward for the fifty-three (53) part heard matters left unresolved by the former chief magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar”.

“Consensus was reached and the meeting on Wednesday 24th May 2017 agreed to have all fifty-three (53) matters restarted “de novo”.

The acting Chief Magistrate will preside over indictable matters...”

However, Archie through his attorney Ian Roach, claimed that he (Archie) and the JLSC did not give any instructions to any judicial officer on how to proceed when the cases came up for hearing before them.

“It is unfortunate that you have construed the media release (which was regrettably not worded as it should have been) in the way that you have.

“The purpose of the meeting was simply to obtain the views of the persons in attendance, not to make a decision as to how the matters would or should be dealt with by the relevant presiding magistrate,” Roach said in his correspondence sent in response to Ramlogan’s lawsuit.

The issue is just one of several arising out of the debacle caused by Ayers-Caesar appointment as a High Court Judge in April. Shortly after it was announced, several of the accused men whose matters were left unfinished by her staged a minor riot at the Port-of-Spain Magistrate’s Court after learning that there may be a possibility that their case had to be restarted.

Busby-Earle-Caddle adjourned the cases several times before she announced her decision on June 1. After the announcement, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, SC, asked for time to consider the individual cases and make submission on how they should proceed. Gaspard is yet to announce his position to Busby-Earle-Caddle, who has already set dates for the restart of the cases, has promised that they would be determined expeditiously.

Robberies, burglaries, murders and thefts are a staple of everyday life for the average citizen in T&T, and the cost to the business community is rising.

With murders continuing its steady rise and security becoming more necessary, the cost private businesses expend to ensure the safety of themselves and their customers also rises.

Approximately 90 per cent of businesses who participated in a survey conducted by the T&T Chamber have implemented CCTV cameras, additional security and additional insurance due to crime-related incidents.

In response to questions from the Sunday Guardian, the T&T chamber conducted a survey among members on the impact of crime on their businesses.

According to the survey, conducted in July, 90 per cent of members claimed their operating cost of business was affected by crime.

Additionally, the survey revealed that the spending patterns of customers had been moderately impacted by escalating crime.

In August 2011, a Business Guardian article said businesses across the board in T&T had to pay 35 per cent increase for security in the last ten years, but with no current data collated, business were hesitant to quantify the exact cost of crime to their operations.

Out of 17 Latin American and Caribbean countries, T&T ranks 6th for annual costs of crime as a proportion of GDP and loses between 2.26 per cent and 3.52 per cent of GDP to crime annually.

A report by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) called Restoring Paradise in the Caribbean: Combating Violence with Numbers, which looked at crime in five Caribbean countries, namely T&T, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Barbados and Suriname, said government expenditure on crime in T&T was between 1.04 per cent and 1.68 per cent of GDP, which is above the average for the 17 Latin American and Caribbean countries.

The IDB book also said 18 per cent of private firms in the country reported losses due to crime, which was below regional and international averages 23 per cent and 19 per cent respectively.

Despite this, 85 per cent of private firms paid for private security, which was the highest of the 13 Caribbean countries surveyed and far above the international average of 56 per cent.

The report said these costs draw money away from other activities that could potentially enhance productivity. (Continuing next week).

The business sector has had enough of crime’s effects on T&T. Consequently, several leading business entities—including the T&T Chamber, American Chamber of Commerce and others—are coming together to devise an anti-crime plan with multi-lateral agency assistance.

And they are hoping their plan can supplement Government’s anti-crime thrust.

Groups wrote Prime Minister Keith Rowley, National Security Council head, three weeks ago, indicating willingness to assist Government in this critically troubled aspect of national challenges.

It is akin to moves made during the former PNM Manning administration when crime and kidnappings especially were at an all-time high. Then, business groups had banded together to broach Government on the situation. Now, in the current high-crime landscape, groups are determined to assist.

T&T Chamber chief executive officer Gabriel Faria confirmed the groups’ initiative last Thursday—a day before former Chamber president and Sagicor executive vice president/general manager Robert Trestrail lead a candlelight vigil walk in memory of the the death of young Videsh Subar.

Subar 13, was killed three weeks ago together with his caregiver Haffiza Rose Mohammed at Mohammed’s Malabar home. Subar’s mother, Veena, works at Sagicor.

Last Friday’s walk—where participants in white carried candles—took place at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima.

Trestrail, in a post on Sagicor’s website, said, “It is at times like these we are reminded of the sanctity of our families, our homes and cherished ones, and while we are all at a loss for words, we pray for strength, courage, peace and grace for Veena, Lennon and their loved ones, along with the Mohammed family in this their darkest hours. This is why we are coming together for the vigil walk...in remembrance of Videsh Subar and all our loved ones we’ve lost to violence.”

Faria said, “We recognise the private sector has to take a more involved role in trying to provide support on this issue. If we have to live in T&T, we need to do something different.”

‘We’re not pointing fingers’

Amcham president Mitchell de Silva said private sector groups had signed communication which was sent to the Prime Minister, indicating willingness to see how they can help Government’s plans against crime. “We’re not pointing fingers, however, we’re all in this together and we hope to contribute to solutions.

“It’s not topical only now, groups have always been vocal on the crime problem, including in annual budget recommendations. An approach involving all of society is necessary for problems plaguing all of society. The social compact between Government and other sectors could also apply to finding solutions for problems like crime.”

He said Amcham, for instance, was partnering with an international agency to examine migration and human trafficking issues.

Faria added, “We’re seeking assistance from international multi-lateral agencies to provide guidance on how we can contribute in any way in the current environment.

“Trying to deal with crime is the single biggest priority issue at our board meetings because of the amount of money spent on the issue. People and businesses incur huge costs to stave off crime and from its effects when it occurs—security equipment, infrastructure, transport for workers etc. If we can deal with the issue, that would produce payback in terms of savings on these things.

“We’ve been engaged with the UNDP on sustainable development goals, but sustainable development won’t be achieved if citizen security isn’t sufficiently addressed.”

Reactive tactics on the crime situation so far have not yielded best results, he noted. The groups’ target includes examining the underlying causes of crime and dealing with the “people aspect” including concerning youths and families. Guidance will be sought from international agencies to provide frameworks of what is done in other territories.

Faria said the Chamber had met the Police Service Commission seeking their perspective. “We recognise they’re trying to take action. Through the multilaterals’ regional offices, we’re also looking at how other states like Jamaica have dealt with the problem. Hopefully, we’ll be able to bring a representative here for discussions.”

Chaguanas Chamber President Vishnu Charran agreed business groups should come together to try and formulate an anti-crime plan to assist. “All hands are needed on deck, it’s increasingly expensive for business to deal with crime.”

Downtown Owners’ and Merchants Association (Doma) head Gregory Aboud said he had not heard of the plan but it was the correct strategy for the business community “...assuming they make recommendations based on accurate diagnosis of the problems which affects all services from health to education. We support making suggestions to Government but we assume groups understand the long overdue need for representation by all business associations. We hope they can set the example of the value of unity and cooperation.”

Aboud said the biggest cost from the “breakdown of law and order is the apprehension on the part of those who make investment decisions” including lost opportunities of doing business at night, affecting food, enertainment, arts and other industries.

DILLON WELCOMES HELP

National Security Minister Edmund Dillon said he welcomed any initiatives that would assist the national anti-crime fight since Government had always said this involves more than one sector or agency. Dillon hinted that Government would also be rolling out—in August—a National Crime Prevention Programme involving a community-based concept and empowering municipalities.

The plan involves key ministries—Health, Education, Community Development and other groups liaising with municipal police to determine root causes of crime and ascertain solutions.

On calls from some quarters for non-lethal weapons—pepper spray and tasers—to be allowed especially for women to protect themselves, Dillon said he will look at it.

The latest call for such protective devices comes from Catherine Kumar (Powerful Ladies of T&T activist group) who voiced deep concern at the murder rate, especially of women. Kumar said on Thursday that “People are living in jail after the incidents we’re seeing. More has to be done. It’s like a three-legged stool, if one leg is broken, all falls down. But we can’t hold the police alone accountable for the situation.

“For instance, we need more forums where people can learn simple self-defence techniques and other methods of self-protection. We also need commitments by companies to provide or access such training for employees at no cost.”

CL World Brands (CLWB) “lent” $1.1 billion of its profits over the years to CL Financial, but not all may have come from Angostura, Finance Minister Colm Imbert has said.

Imbert made the statement as he sought to clarify the situation regarding the billion-dollar transfer last night.

“Just to clarify, while it is clear that $1.1 billion was taken out of CL World Brands and ‘lent’ to CL Financial, and while it is clear that some of that money came from Angostura, Angostura may not have been the only source from the CLF group of funds for CL World Brands,” Imbert told the Sunday Guardian in an email.

“This is because CL Financial had a stake in other similar companies in the alcoholic beverages business,” he added.

Earlier this week, the court ruled that provisional liquidators could be appointed to oversee the assets of the company as Government moved to recover $15 billion in debt owed to it by CLF.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, during an address to the nation, had first raised the issue of “substantial profits” from the CLF subsidiaries going to CL World Brands instead of being used to pay off the Government debt. At the time, he had indicated that Angostura was one of the companies from which profits were siphoned off to CLWB, creating a pool of funds outside of T&T which could be accessed without the oversight of the Government. Rowley said the Government discovered that one person was responsible for facilitating this activity and took action.

Last night, Imbert said one of the purposes of the provisional liquidators was to determine where the CLWB funds came from.

“This is one of the tasks for the provisional liquidators, ie, to determine where the money that CLWB had in its bank accounts came from and where it went,” he stated.

“Over the years, CLF had engaged in the acquisition and sale of a number of alcohol and spirits companies, such as the acquisition of the Burn Stewart Distillery in Scotland, the acquisition of a 60 per cent stake in Belvedere, a Polish manufacturer of Vodka.”

But yesterday, a source close to the CL Financial board stated that a portion of the CLWB funds came from the sale of some of the company’s assets. The transactions were all done in a transparent manner, the source stated, and all the money from CLWB went back to Government and state-owned entities.

The repayment of funds was through the payment of taxes to the Inland Revenue Division, First Citizens and the Deposit Insurance Corporation, the liquidator for Clico Investment Bank, the source noted.

Meanwhile, Carlton Reis, the CL Financial shareholders representative, said it was “madness” for anyone to suggest impropriety by shareholders, since Government directors have been in control of CL Financial since the 2009 bailout of CLICO.

Government has bailed out CLICO and CLF related companies to the tune of $23 billion, but to date only $7.5 billion had been repaid.

When asked in an email exactly how much of Angostura’s profits CLWB had received, Imbert wrote: “In Mr (Vishnu) Dhanpaul’s affidavit (Permanent Secretary in the Finance Ministry) in the application to the court to appoint provisional liquidators, it is stated that $1.108 billion was taken from CL World Brands and “lent” to CL Financial.”

The transfer, Imbert said, was done over a period of several years.

Asked how the Government eventually discovered the profits were being transferred to CLWB, since there were no audited financial statement provided to Government through its board members, Imbert said the figure of $1.108 billion “lent” by CLWB to CLF was recorded in CLF’s April 30, 2017, management accounts.

On if the Government can now retrieve the substantial sum, Imbert said they had applied for the appointment of provisional liquidators to preserve and protect the assets of CLF.

“This CLWB matter will be addressed when the provisional liquidators determine the exact amount of money “lent” by CLWB to CLF and what it was used for, and by whom, and who the beneficiaries of this money were,” Imbert wrote.

In the winding up petition filed in the High Court by Dhanpaul on July 11, it was suggested that former managing director and group CEO of CLF Marlon Holder may have had a role in the matter.

In his affidavit, Dhanpaul stated that Holder was terminated on the grounds that he caused the sum of $403,750 to be paid to the United Shareholders Ltd (USL) for professional and business consultancy fees without invoices for those services. The petition document also stated that Holder, who began working at CLF on February 25, 2016, and was fired on June 28, caused or facilitated the write-off of inter-company debt without board approval, caused dividend from Angostura Ltd to be transferred to CLWB and or CLF without prior notification to the board, engaged in Pricewaterhouse Coopers purportedly on behalf of CLF for the preparation of Project Rebirth without authorisation and failed to report to the board any details of the project.

Under the caption ‘CLWB’ in the petition, it stated that CLF had taken a number of unsecured loans from Scottish subsidiary CLWB.

“According to a report submitted by the chairman of CLF dated June 20, 2017, over the past three years CLF has borrowed a total of US$138.6 million to pay inter alia debts of subsidiaries and other creditors, but not the Government of T&T,” Dhanpaul wrote.

Fired managing director and group CEO of CLF Marlon Holder, who is challenging his dismissal in court in a filed affidavit dated July 24, says it was Angostura chairman, Dr Rolph Balgobin, who first brought to his attention CLWB board’s approval for two loans made from CLWB to CLF.

COLMAN REPORT BEFORE DPP

In June last year, Sir Anthony Colman, the lone commissioner in the inquiry against CL Financial provided his report to President Anthony Carmona.

Rowley and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard were also provided with the report.

Over the past six years, the DPP’s office has been conducting criminal investigations into the collapse of Clico, and had gone before the Colman Commission expressing concerns that the inquiry could have prejudiced the ongoing criminal investigation.

The Colman report, a well-placed source said, “focused on criminal conduct in a specific way,” and “this is why Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has not made the report public”. The source said the Government was being very careful what it said about the report “because we do not want to make statements which may be tantamount to pre-trial publicity. We want to ensure at the end of the day there is a conviction”.

The inquiry followed a probe done into the collapse of Clico by Canadian Forensic expert Bob Lindquist. The cost of the Lindquist probe was $105 million.

Investigations conducted by Lindquist unearthed forensic evidence which led to a civil suit being filed in June 2011 by the Central Bank and Colonial Life Insurance Company Ltd (Clico) against Duprey and the CL Financial’s former financial director, Andre Monteil. Files coming out of that probe were forwarded later to the DPP to determine if criminal charges should be laid against the two men.

Businesswoman Crysande Hochst saw her life flash before her eyes on Monday when she walked into a “glass wall” at the Arima outlet of a mobile provider and almost had her jugular vein slit.

Bleeding and feeling faint Hochst was turned away by taxi drivers who did not want blood in their cars as she tried to get medical help.

She, however, was helped by “two angels on Earth” and eventually surprised by great service at the Arima Health Facility.

Hochst received 24 stitches in total.

Despite her ordeal Hochst said the kindness of the good Samaritans and the professionalism of the medical staff has given her “hope” in this country again.

She is now calling on the mobile provider to ensure Occupational Health and Safety measures are put in place to ensure that there is not a repeat of this incident as it may prove fatal for another.

The Sunday Guardian spoke to Hochst about the situation. On Monday Hochst, 41, went to the mobile outlet to purchase a SIM card for an employee.

“I was putting a receipt into my bag. I was walking briskly but I was not running out of the store. I was putting the things into my bag and I bounced into the glass and the entire glass just started to fall,” Hochst said.

“When you look at the injuries you would see I was just taking a step forward. If I had run into the glass I would have protected my face or something but it (the glass) just fell,” she said.

Hochst suffered a gash to her jaw as well as cuts to her arm and leg.

“I just stood totally still. I was just in shock which is a good thing because the laceration to my jaw, if you see how close it is to my jugular, if I had moved or looked up I would have been dead today,” Hochst said.

Hochst said she stood still until the glass stopped falling.

One of the female customers inside the cellphone outlet ran to help Hochst.

The customer bought gauze to apply to the cuts to Hochst’s face which was “bleeding profusely”.

Hochst claimed the employees at the cellphone outlet did not have any first aid kit to assist.

The cashier at the cellphone outlet tried to call the emergency services.

“It was just pandemonium,” Hochst said.

The female customer also called Hochst’s sister.

“I realised that no ambulance was coming and I started to feel like I was going to pass out,” Hochst said.

Hochst said she opted to try to get to a nearby private medical clinic.

“I know I was losing too much blood because I started to feel really faint so I said before I pass out let me try and do something because nothing was happening in the store and a crowd gathered outside,” she said.

Hochst said a man named Caleb who was passing by came to her assistance and tried to get her to a taxi so she could go to the private medical clinic.

However, no taxi driver wanted her inside their car because she was bleeding, Hochst said.

“Fortunately I had my car parked on the next street so I asked the guy who was helping me to walk me there and he walked with me,” Hochst said.

Caleb, however, did not have his driver’s licence so Hochst had to drive herself to the private medical clinic.

Hochst’s sister met her there.

The on-duty doctor was busy with another patient, Hochst said.

Hochst’s sister told her they had to go to the Arima Health Facility.

“I told her no I will stay here because I really am afraid of the public hospital, but she said no and insisted that we go,” Hochst said.

“When I went there they attended to me one time because the way I was looking it looked like multiple stab wounds. I have to give them kudos for that, I was really surprised because I heard stories that you go there and they have you waiting three hours but in this case they dealt with me right away. It was a nurse and two doctors and they were very, very kind to me,” she said.

Hochst heaped praises on doctors Surii and Lutchmedial as well as nurse Bethelmy at the Arima Health Facility for their “empathy”.

“They comforted me because I was very traumatised to get cut on my face because I model and I was really crying,” she said.

Hochst has a familiar face.

It can be found on the advertisement for her company, Crysande’s Spa and Makeup Studio, Arouca, as well as on the packaging of various beauty products currently being sold.

Hochst has been in contact with the owner of the franchise for the mobile provider.

Works Minister Rohan Sinanan says based on the feedback he has been getting on the use of the Cabo Star vessel, it is more than adequate to service the sea bridge between Trinidad and Tobago.

Sinanan was speaking at the commissioning of a bridge along the Torrib Tabaquite Road and tour of the constituency yesterday. Tabaquite MP Dr Surujrattan Rambachan accompanied Sinanan for the commissioning. Construction of the $28.5 million bridge began when Rambachan was Works Minister under the People’s Partnership government.

“The feedback from the truckers, the Tobago chamber and the stakeholders is that they are quite comfortable with the vessel itself,” Sinanan said.

He said they could not leave Trinidad on the normal 12 o’clock schedule. However, “as of today (Saturday), today is a rest day for the vessel, so once they start back the schedule will go back to the normal routine from tomorrow.

“The vessel is working as expected, the capacity, based on the feedback I am getting, it is much more than adequate and the passengers are very comfortable, it is taking significantly more passengers.”

Asked about future plans for servicing the sea bridge, Sinanan said the Government has a threefold plan which will culminate in the purchase of a vessel.

“We said from day one that is it a threefold—short term, which is the rental for one year; medium term ,which is a three-year rental; and the long term is the acquisition. Now that we have the short term in place, the medium term I am sure they will start on that procurement and they are in the process of liaising with the World Bank and other stakeholders to ensure that we inspect the correct vehicle for the purchase sometime later on.”

He said that process has already started, led by the Port Authority of T&T and its chairman, Allison Lewis.

He said although the cost of leasing the ferries are steep, the sea bridge needs to be serviced so Government had little choice.

“The thing about it is, the Tobago sea bridge is very important to both Trinidad and Tobago and it is something we would love to have a reduced price on but unfortunately because of the time, because of the emergency, there was a tender out there there was a procurement process and that is what was available. This is why we are going after a three-year time charter and we expect in a three-year time charter where we have more times for bids, we should get a better price.”

He said the ministry expects to construct and open 12 new bridges soon and construct another 24 in the coming fiscal year.

“We do have an ongoing programme, most of the bridges are almost at the stage of completion we have some challenges obviously with the funding, it has slowed the programme a bit, but the programme is ongoing. We are in the process now where we have 12 more bridges at the point of being awarded and then we are doing a new programme for another 24 bridges for the next fiscal year.”

The man who was seen on video being brutally assaulted in El Dorado has died in hospital.

Dead is 34-year-old Akino Thomas, who is also from El Dorado.

The man believed to have been caught on camera stomping on Thomas was captured by police hours after the incident while hiding out in Sea Lots. The search continues for the second suspect.

On Friday, video footage of the assault on Thomas was widely circulated on social media.

The incident occurred around 9.12 pm on Thursday along Pentecostal Road, El Dorado.

Two video clips, taken from closed circuit television cameras (CCTV), showed the brutal attack in which one man repeatedly stomped on Thomas in a drain, leaving him motionless.

The first clip showed one man in a white vest and three-quarter pants holding what appeared to be a firearm.

The man pointed the weapon at Thomas, who fell into a drain.

However, after the weapon appeared to have jammed, a second man entered the camera’s view and began beating Thomas.

The two men then ran off and left Thomas lying motionless in the drain.

Thomas was rushed to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC).

He eventually succumbed to his injuries around 12.30 am yesterday.

Investigations are continuing.

Petit Bourg man shot to death

Homicide detectives are also investigating the shooting death of a 30-year-old man in Petit Bourg.

According to reports, Kerlon Dorset of Francis Avenue, Petit Bourg, was in a car with friends around 2 am when a gunman opened fire on them.

Dorset told his friends he had been shot and he was rushed to the EWMSC.

Dorset succumbed to his injuries.

Security officer Brian Warren was shot dead yesterday morning, a stone’s throw away from his Moruga home as he stood awaiting transport to go to work. Up to last night, police had no motive for the shooting of Warren. Apart from for a statutory rape charge in 2013, police said Warren led a quiet life.

Reports state Warren, 24, was standing on Samuel Cooper Junction, Moruga, around 5.30 am awaiting a drop from his co-workers at Allied Security when a man walked up to him and shot him.

When his co-workers got to the scene some five minutes later, they saw Warren’s body on the ground.

In an interview yesterday, one of Warren’s close friends, who asked to remain anonymous, said Warren’s family had been receiving threats from the person they believed killed him.

The friend said the family needed police protection as they were fearful for their lives.

“We want the police to come and park up on the junction tonight into tomorrow cause people really frighten here, we don’t know what going to happen.”

However, an officer at the St Mary’s Police Post told the Sunday Guardian they received no report of threats to the family.

The officer said there were also no suspects.

There was a heavy presence of police officers and soldiers in the auditorium of the Enterprise Government Primary School on Friday as dozens of students graduated from the Camp Phoenix, a partnership between the Inter-Agency Task Force and the Enterprise Community Council.

The officers and soldiers were not there in response to a crime, but as participants in the two-week long camp that saw students learn drumming, dance, martial arts and other activities in the community.

The camp uses positive re-enforcement, discipline and creativity as a way to encourage participants, aged six to 17, to see themselves as much more than their community.

As students entered the school hall, they shouted chants of “I am the Change in Enterprise” and “We are Royalty.”

Speaking to participants, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon reminded them that positive choices lead to positive consequences.

He said while their community had a reputation, that reputation did not need to extend to them.

“You must think positive thoughts if you want to change Enterprise,” he told the group.

Major Al Alexander, public relations officer at the TT Defence Force said the camp had achieved much of what it set out to do.

“There are children in this camp who have already been inducted into gangs. What we wanted to do was show them something different, a new perspective.”

The camp will resume with a new group of students on August 8 at the Lendore Hindu School in Enterprise.

If further attacks continue on Chinese people living in T&T there may be a second exodus of this group of people from the country similar to what occurred during the Black Power revolution in 1970. This was the opinion expressed by several Chinese businessmen.

According to one local-born Chinese businessman, “During the Black Power riots many Chinese businessmen closed up their businesses and sold their properties cheaply. They migrated to Canada after they were threatened to be killed and molotov cocktails were thrown into their stores and shops, and one of the saddest things was many of them were born here.

“Some of us are afraid that it may happen again and also with the July 27, 1990 coup, it’s in some people’s blood to threaten to kill, loot and burn down Port-of-Spain again. We can’t survive something like that again. It’s not worth your life or your family’s if you have small children,” one businessman said.

Another Chinese businessman, however, felt they were not specifically targeting Chinese people despite several killings of Chinese nationals.

He said in most cases they were random attacks and there was the perception that all Chinese people in T&T had money, did not fight back and were “soft” targets for criminals. The businessman said Chinese businesses that opened late were at high risk to be robbed.

He said businesswoman Yang Zeng, who was killed during a robbery at her grocery in Santa Cruz, might have retaliated when the bandits attacked.

The businessman felt the attacks were not ethnically motivated, but were attacks on business people in general. He said if the opportunity arose to rob people presented itself, the bandits will do it.

Another Chinese businessman claimed, however, that several years ago when a Port-of-Spain businessman shot and killed two bandits who repeatedly robbed his establishment, some members of a gang with an Italian name, which the dead bandits belonged to, vowed to indiscriminately kill Chinese people in drive-by shootings in retaliation.

The businessman said the situation in the country was going from bad to worse, and several stores in the malls were closing down. He said the country was in for a rough ride, the oil economy will be hit hard as more alternative fuels, hybrid and electric vehicles become more commonplace.

The businessman said they were experiencing the negative impact now—their stores had goods but nobody was buying, “they want to buy but they don’t have money”. The situation is very grim.

the National Operations Centre (NOC) Commander Garvin Heerah says law enforcement authorities must investigate whether there is the existence of a Chinese mafia or Triad gangs operating in T&T.

He was speaking in response to the violent crimes, killings and kidnappings, perpetrated against several Chinese nationals.

Heerah, senior lecturer at School of Accounting and Management (Anglia Ruskin University, UK), said, “The recent visibly disturbing rise of Chinese businesses and enterprises is proof that there is a striving economy, be it legit or illegitimate.

“The targeting of Chinese nationals cannot be perceived to be a petty gang activity or opportunistic crime only. There are big players behind this who are controlling the Chinese business industry.

“The Chinese Triads were a known Chinese mafia syndicate for transnational organised crime, specialising in racketeering, illegal gambling, prostitution, extortion and kidnappings, narco and arms trade, corruption of public officials, import and export enterprises and pseudo business establishments, where there was a legitimate business establishment to the front and a clandestine operation behind false walls and hidden rooms.

“The Chinese Triads operated with a strict code of conduct, if someone violated this the result can be death, a manner of death that will send a message and tear at the heart of the innocent.”

The regional security expert said the authorities cannot deny there would be extortion, robberies, kidnapping and petty crimes. T&T is in a crime-dominant society and crime today is a business, so criminals will always prey on the potential targets, but there were major players in the higher echelons of crime.

Heerah asked whether the Triads can be existing here in Trinidad because of the sudden rise in Asian businesses and be utilising the “muscle” of the low-level gangster or criminal to carry out their instructions?

Heerah said law enforcement agencies must understand they are dealing with a transnational issue and therefore they must firm up their approaches and strategies from an international bearing, inclusive of intense investigative work, financial intelligence and overcoming the language barrier.

He said the Triads were a very well-oiled machine, parasitic and preyed on the vulnerability of countries with weak border control and questionable immigration armour.

In countries with large Chinese populations, a trademark of a Chinese Triad execution in the old days was to dump the naked body with the “offense” committed against the Triads written in large red Chinese characters in a very public place.

Criminologist and principal, Caribbean Institute for Security and Public Safety Ian Ramdhanie said it was safe to assume that the Chinese Triads were here.

He said they may not be involved in all of the attacks on Chinese nationals, but they were here in Trinidad plying their trade.

Ramdhanie said Triad gangs were outlawed in China and other Asian countries but had been finding ways to exist and infiltrate other borders.

He said the Triads were heavily involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, counterfeiting, illegal money lending, illegal casinos and many more illegal activities.

Ramdhanie said there was a proliferation of Chinese related activities across Trinidad, many or most of them may be legal, but there will be others that will be a front for criminals.

Ramdhanie said there was no doubt that certain members of the Chinese community were under attack. He said people of Chinese origin were being targeted, this had been increasing over the years and if not addressed urgently, the attacks will intensify.

He said he was not saying that members of the Chinese community were being targeted more than the African or East Indian community, but they were being targeted more when compared to years gone by.

Ramdhanie said that it was likely that other smaller ethnic communities who were in T&T may be additionally targeted as well in time. These included the local Whites, French Creoles, foreign expats, Syrians and Lebanese.

He said the Chinese in Trinidad had been a small, quiet, docile community working hard and playing their role in the nation.

Ramdhanie said it was a matter of time that the criminal elements went after the Chinese after the major ethnic groups, Afro, Indo and mixed had been victimised by the criminals.

He said this was a wake-up call for the other smaller ethnic groups.

Ramdhanie said the criminals were doing their homework, they are researching who to target next and the Chinese were perceived as soft targets to go after.

Timeline

n June 27: Businesswoman Yang Zeng, 33, robbed and shot dead in her grocery in Santa Cruz.

n June 15: Businessman Shirui Zhao, 32, and Yanli Gu, 29, gunned down in the car park of Kosume bar, New Haven Avenue, Marabella.

n June 13: Francis Lee Lon, 67, and his wife Sylvie, 77, robbed at their Fourth Street, Barataria home by three men. The couple handed over cash and jewelry valued at $13,530 and were tied up. They untied themselves and alerted the police. The three bandits and getaway driver were held and the stolen items recovered.

n November 2016: Restaurant owner Wei Hui Zhu, 31, of Soledad Road, Claxton Bay, was robbed of $400,000 by three armed men dressed in police tactical gear who entered his home. Six police officers were later held for the robbery.

n June 2016: Rich Knights Huang, 22, was at his Bel Air, La Romaine, when he was attacked by four masked men armed with a gun and a cutlass.

He was struck on the head by one of the bandits and a vault containing $80,000 was stolen.

n February 2016: Xing Xia, 30, was shot in her right eye during an attempted robbery at the family-owned CNA supermarket in New Grant. Eight months later, there was a second robbery at the supermarket and on this occasion three men were held.

n January 2016: La Horquetta businessman Chong Cao, 30, was gunned down outside his restaurant off South Tumpuna Road, La Horquetta.

n April 2015: Hi Hong Huang, 35, was fatally shot outside his business, Happiness Supermarket, off the Southern Main Road, Curepe, as he was entering the premises from a panel van which he had parked with a sum of money in a box. Four people, including two women, were held for the murder.

n October 2012: Xino Seu, 44, walked out of his business in Tacarigua and was confronted by a man armed with a knife who demanded cash and valuables.

There was a struggle and Xino was stabbed twice in the neck and had to be hospitalised.

n October 2012: Chang Xia Oseng, 33, became the fourth Chinese person to be murdered for 2012 when he was fatally shot inside his business the Golden Girl Chinese Restaurant.

n September 2012: Three people were robbed by two thieves, one armed with a gun, at Flourishing Supermarket at Cipero Road, Retrench Village, San Fernando. Li Mei Xia, 31, was robbed of $1,500 cash; Ma Jing Shun, 43, was robbed of $2,900; and Wei Chao Hong, 43, was robbed of $3,500 worth of cigarettes.

n July 2012: Wu Xiu Hua, 60, was shot dead by a bandit at her business place Tiger’s Chinese Restaurant in Cunupia.

Her husband Yang Jiang Hua, also 60, was also shot in the incident and died at hospital the following day. The family of the murder victims had announced plans to return to China. The Chinese Embassy issued a statement appealing to the government “to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals and their properties in Trinidad and Tobago.”

n January 2012: Yu Quan Ue, 22, was killed following an argument outside Wing Hong Restaurant, in Chaguanas.

n April 2011: Happy Garden restaurant owner, Xue Hua Shan, 31, was abducted a few metres from her Seventh Street, Barataria home. Eleven days later, Anthony Chin, 61, was shot dead in front his restaurant, The China Palace, Ellerslie Plaza, Maraval. At the time police had linked both cases.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

Ramdhanie said there were many things that can be done to deal with the targeting of Chinese in Trinidad by local criminals and also to deal with the Chinese Triads.

In dealing with the local criminals targeting Chinese he recommended:

1. The police should work closer with the local Chinese community and build strategic lines of communication where issues like crime prevention strategies are shared.

2. The Chinese community should engage in many avenues of personal and private protection like what other communities were doing such as installing CCTV cameras, private security, utilise cash-in-transit systems, don’t keep cash on premises, and improve building perimeter security.

3. The Chinese should meet with other ethnic and national groups to see how they were dealing with being targets of criminal activities.

FIGHTING THE TRIADS

1. Pass specific laws to make triads illegal, to detect and to prosecute them.

2. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Many countries and states for example have established departments and units to deal specifically with the triads. (Canada, Boston, Texas, Amsterdam). We need to have these experts here working alongside our own experts to deal with this problem.

3. We need a special unit with representation from the various government departments and ministries to be established to look at this matter on an ongoing basis such as National Security, Legal Affairs, Attorney General, Finance, and Labour.

4. We need to strengthen against the illegal entry of Chinese people. The airports, seaports as well as the immigration department must all devise special policies and procedures to deal with this.

5. Institutions like the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), company registry, banks, Central Bank must have policies to detect and prosecute elements of the Triads from doing business in T&T.

6. The Triads have the ability to bribe from the highest to the lowest in a country and organisation to get their way. There are things that can be done to treat with this. Do it!

“Together we aspire, together we build, together we advance.” This was the message from Fr Clyde Harvey as he was yesterday ordained the 5th Bishop of the Diocese of St George’s in Grenada.

“I will work faithfully for the welfare of the people of Grenada, seeking the common good with them and for them. I offer in word and deed the social teaching of our church as light and yeast for the further development of Grenada,” Harvey said.

“Together we aspire, together we build, together we advance as one people, one family under God. God bless Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique now and forever,” Harvey said.

Harvey said he, a “senior and a sinner”, was selected for the position.

The ordination did not take place at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral which serves as the seat of the Catholic Diocese of St George but instead was held before a packed auditorium at the Spice Basket Theatre in Beaulieu, St George.

The Ordinations Preparation Committee decided that the Spice Basket’s auditorium would be the most appropriate venue for the Episcopal Ordination Ceremony.

Other sacred events were held there in the past including the Pentecost Rally. “If anybody ever told you it could not be holy tell them they lie,” Harvey said.

Harvey, 68, was born in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.

He entered the Seminary of St John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs in 1967. He was ordained by Archbishop Anthony Pantin on 27 June 1967, a Diocesan priest for the service of the Archdiocese of Port-of-Spain.

Harvey was ordained along with Christian Pereira and Carlos Roberts and the three priests chose as their motto, “To Make Known to Caribbean People the loving-kindness of the Heart of our God”. In 2011 Harvey was awarded the T&T national award the Humming Bird Medal Gold for Religion and Community Service.

On June 12 Harvey was robbed at gunpoint as he prayed at the St Martin de Porres Church, Gonzales, Port-of-Spain. His appointment as Bishop of St George’s in Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, was published in L’Osservatore Romano of 23 June, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Harvey’s episcopal motto will continue the motto he shared with Pereira and Roberts “To Make Known to Grenada and the world the loving kindness of the heart of our God”. It is abbreviated on his Episcopal crest to simply read “Loving kindness”.

Archbishop of Port-of-Spain Joseph Harris, Papal Nuncio Nicola Girasoli and, Vicar General of the Archdiocese Pereira were among those present yesterday.

The Clico Policyholders’ Group is questioning why the Samaan Grove Development was excluded from the Government’s valuation of the Buccoo Estate in Tobago, popularly known as No Man’s Land.

Speaking at a press conference at Valpark Chinese Restaurant in Valsayn yesterday, the group’s chairman Peter Permell produced a valuation report for the controversial property, which was commissioned from GA Farrell and Associated Limited by Clico’s board on the instructions of the Central Bank.

The report, produced in June last year, valued the 398.42 acres of land, which was eventually transferred to the Government in March this year, at $174, 806,775.

The controversial property is earmarked to be developed by regional hotel company Sandals Resorts.

Permell admitted yesterday that the figure corresponded to the valuation of the 100 per cent of the common stock of Occidental Investments Ltd and Oceanic Properties Ltd, subsidiaries of Clico, which owned the properties. Both companies were acquired by the Government in order to transfer the land.

But he questioned why the valuation specifically excluded the upscale Samaan Grove Development which was originally part of the estate before being developed by Clico.

“I don’t know why you would want to exclude the Samaan Grove, which is the most valuable portion of the estate,” Permell said.

Asked if the development could have been excluded by Government because it had already been developed and sold into leasehold properties and was not transferred in the sale, Permell said he did not know.

“That is a question that you have to ask those in charge. I do not have the information. I am just asking important questions,” Permell said.

Permell also pointed out that notwithstanding the Government’s independent valuation of the land and the holding companies, Clico’s parent company CL Financial had valued both at $187 million in its estimated financial reports for last year. He explained that CL Financial’s valuation represented the book value or cost price of the land and did not consider appreciation.

“However you slice or dice it, $10 per square foot does not sound right. I don’t think that there is anywhere in T&T where you can purchase land at that rate,” Permell said as he called on Government to reverse the sale and revalue the property.

He also noted that in its proposal to Government earlier this year, titled Project Rebirth, international auditing firm PriceWaterHouseCoopers (PwC) valued the estate at close to $867 million.

The report, which suggested that CLF shareholders retake control of the company and restructure its repayment plan with Government, was eventually rejected by the Ministry of Finance due to questions over its viability.

The refusal was the basis of a move by the shareholders to call an extraordinary meeting earlier this month to retake control of the company’s board, which was under the majority control of the Government since its bailout of Clico in 2009.

The move was the catalyst of Government’s ongoing petition to wind up the company as it seeks to recoup the remaining $15 billion it had invested in the bailout.

The shareholder’s bid was abandoned after the Court of Appeal agreed to appoint the provisional liquidators last week. The provisional liquidators have been mandated to asses and ensure the company’s assets are not disposed of pending the outcome of the petition.

The winding up petition, which comes up for hearing before Justice Kevin Ramcharan in September, does not affect the sale of the estate to Government, as the property was held by its subsidiary Clico and was legally transferred under the authorisation of the Central Bank, which took control of the insurance giant after the bail-out.

Commenting on the issue at the weekly post-Cabinet press conference, last week, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley defended the move by Government.

Rowley said: “But it was said that the lands we took in Tobago in lieu of the debt and set off against the debt might have been improperly done and the value might not have been established properly. Let me today put that to rest,” he said.

He went on: “The Government, quite properly, through the relevant authority in all of this, the board set off the monies owed for the value of those land. And the value was established by reputable independent valuators in Trinidad and Tobago. And that is the value at which the Government’s debt was reduced by virtue of the value of this land.”

Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein plans to investigate another report of corrupt activity taking place at a regional corporation starting today.

Hosein made the comment after he launched the Volunteer Network of the Chaguanas Borough Corporation at the borough’s Cumberbatch Street headquarters on Saturday.

He said too much abuse was taking place regarding the use of vehicles at regional bodies and he intends to put a stop to this activity.

“They told me about a certain official in a corporation who is using the ministry’s vehicle, the corporation’s vehicle, Sunday to Sunday and taking it home. So far it’s an allegation and I am going to deal with it on Monday morning,” Hosein said.

Hosein later told Guardian Media that he was not at liberty to name the corporation involved until he completes his investigation.

He also slammed drivers and officials who use high maintenance vehicles, such as a Toyota Prado, to drop off letters. He said this could be done instead with a motorbike. He added that it was not in the interest of the taxpaying public to have to pay overtime to a driver who has nothing to do.

Hosein admitted he has been bombarded with complaints of corruption daily.

“I do not stand for any corruption. There will be no corruption under me in the ministry and I know there is a lot of corruption in the corporations because I get text messages every day, I get letters written to me,” he said.

Hosein says he will be visiting the statutory meetings at all corporations to get feedback.

He said he has also put systems in place to ensure relief comes after a natural disaster, adding the public ridicule he suffered after the passage Tropical Storm Bret, when emergency shelters were inaccessible, was too much.

He said, “We had no access to any shelters, the ODPM said the corporations were responsible for the shelters. When I went down there I saw a family marooned in the waters, a pregnant woman with about seven children, and not only her, a lot of people were marooned there and they couldn’t get access to the shelters. But some good person decided to blame me for not opening the shelters. I didn’t have the keys for the shelters and that was the responsibility for the corporation.”

Hosein said he has appointed an individual to run the Disaster Management Unit of all 14 corporations to ensure that this fiasco does not happen again.

Chaguanas Mayor Gopaul Boodhan meanwhile called on big business organisations to get more involved with community-based organisations.

In 2006 when businessman Bertram Dookeran found out that a plot was being hatched to kidnap his 22-year-old son, he took the tough decision and sent him to the United States for safe keeping.

Eleven years later, Runcie Kiran Dookeran, the nephew of former Congress of the People leader Winston Dookeran, is now flying the T&T flag having recently been awarded the Navy and Marine Corps commendation medal from the Department of the Navy for his leadership qualities, commitment to duty, dedication and loyalty to the United States government.

Contacted by the T&T Guardian, the elder Dookeran, a father of three, spoke in glowing terms of his 33-year-old son, who has not only made him proud but also his country.

Earlier this month, the award was presented to Kiran by the Navy’s Lt Commander Lopez in San Antonio for upholding the highest traditions of the US naval service.

While basking in the glory of his last son’s accomplishments, Bertram wished his son’s mother, Leela Dookeran, could have celebrated with him. Leela died in 2008.

Bertram, 71, recalled that after enrolling Kiran at the University of The West Indies’ St Augustine campus to pursue linguistics, he had to pull him out of school because he could not remain focused.

“He kept ducking classes and would go to the river with his friends and cook and lime. I told him he was wasting time and brought him into my stock piling business in Mt Hope to manage my accounting books,” Dookeran recalled.

But after a few months on the job, Dookeran said he got wind that there was a plot to kidnap Kiran, which terrified his family.

“I didn’t want to take any chances with Kiran’s life so I decided to send him away,” Dookeran said, as he broke down in tears last Wednesday, stating that it was one of the toughest decisions he had to make in his life.

He said at that time there had been an upsurge of kidnappings for ransoms in the country and he had to protect Kiran from harm or death.

Dookeran said when Kiran migrated his heart shattered to pieces and his family life changed.

“Life was not the same. But eleven years later I can smile and feel proud knowing that all was not lost. Out of evil cometh good,” Dookeran said.

He said when Kiran settled in the US he began pursuing pharmaceuticals and to his surprise, his son began excelling.

Academic prowess

Kiran’s academic prowess did not go unnoticed. The Navy saw his potential and encouraged him to join. Kiran was enrolled as a petty officer and was assigned to the Osbourne Branch Dental Clinic, where he topped his class. By 2009, Kiran was posted to Iraq as a dental assistant, where he earned his first US Navy and Marine Corps commendation medal for going beyond the call of duty.

“Then the Navy sent him to work as a dental instructor at the San Antonio Hospital and this is where he was recognised for his accomplishments,” Dookeran said.

During an interview on Skype, Kiran, who recently graduated with an associate degree in Applied Science at the Thomas Edison State University, said his motivation to succeed came from his dad, who taught him the values of hard work, honesty and integrity.

“Some people take the easy street to get things quickly. I have never seen that in my dad. I have always known him to be honest, a hard worker and someone with integrity.”

Kiran said he lives by these three qualities as he tries to walk in his father’s shoes.

“I wasted time at UWI. It was only when I came to the US I realised how important education was and how far it can take me,” said Kiran, a former St Mary’s College student.

But had it not been for self-motivation and time management, Kiran said he still would not made it this far.

“When I got this award I was overwhelmed with joy because even though I am not in Trinidad, I have been trying to be a positive representative for my country,” Kiran said.

“Sometimes you hear negative things about Trinidadians being deported from the US for drugs or guns and it always paints a bad picture for external citizens. I just want to promote that not all Trinidadians are bad.

“We do make accomplishments because of the school we attend, the community we grow up in and the teachings from our family.”

He observed that T&T was losing its community spirit.

Asked if he had any regrets about the path he took, Kiran said no.

“I don’t live my life with regrets. I believe everything happens in due timing. But I am saddened that I could not live my life in Trinidad and Tobago to contribute to society.”

He opted not to talk about his tour and experiences in Iraq.

“I came back safely compared to a lot of other guys. A lot of guys come back with post-traumatic stress disorder. I consider myself very blessed because I prepared myself before going there being in the medical field. I would like to leave those situations there.”

Kiran, whose allegiance lies with US government, said he hopes to serve the full 20 years in the navy.

Former independent senator, Rev Daniel Teelucksingh, says there are too many schemers and scamps posing as religious men and women in today’s T&T.

Speaking at the 127th anniversary of the St Charles Presbyterian Church, Chaguanas, Teelucksingh said it was one of the disappointments in his 50-year career as a reverend.

He said religion was an important component in creating a social order in T&T in which justice and peace can flourish. He said while Christianity, Islam and Hinduism all promote moral and ethical values for its members, the holy texts and songs are not being translated into everyday living.

“Who are they that pollute and lead young impressionable minds with the venom of hate and anger and spite with all these churches and temples and sacred places?

“You go down the road and suddenly you see downstairs somebody’s house, a church is open,” he said.

“I don’t know where they get the name to give to the new churches. They’re springing up almost every week. They are places of worship, but we have become, in spite of all the religion and all the prayers and all the worship and all the activities that are religious, we have become a society of too many scamps and schemers.

“And that is my problem, that is my disappointment with religion.”

Teelucksingh said even the parliamentarians, who citizens often times justifiably criticise, belong to religions, yet scandals such as the CLICO fiasco will continue. He said he would pray that more men and women in the homes, schools, businesses, industry and the public service live as the embodiment of the spirit of their places of worship and their holy books wherever they go.

Teelucksingh, who has worked in 48 churches in his career, received a token of appreciation for dedicated service throughout the years from the church members. He said if he had to relive the choice of being a reverend again, he would definitely follow the same life path.

The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal of two cousins convicted of murdering their cousin in 2003. The two were challenging their convictions based on their mild learning disabilities.

Delivering a 43-page judgment on Friday, almost five years after the case was referred to it by the Privy Council, Chief Justice Ivor Archie and Appellate Judges Rajendra Narine and Prakash Moosai ruled that Deenish Benjamin and Deochan Ganga were fit to stand trial for the murder of their cousin Sunil Ganga.

While the court refused to quash their conviction and order a retrial, it commuted their mandatory death sentences, as it would be considered cruel and unusual punishment for them to be executed after spending over a decade in prison while awaiting the outcome of their appeals. They will now serve life sentences with a minimum term of 30 years and may be potentially due for release in 2033 as they have already spent 14 years in prison.

“We have considered the fact that both appellants were young men at the time of the commission of the crime and are still relatively young. We are therefore minded to leave open the possibility of release,” Moosai, who wrote the judgment, said.

In the appeal, the court was asked to consider whether Benjamin, 36, and Ganga, 35, had the mental capacity to participate in a trial and to give police confessions to the crime, which were instrumental in convicting them.

During the hearing of their appeal in February 2014, British mental health experts Drs Tim Green and Richard Latham were called as defence witnesses and claimed that the duo should not have been put on trial due to their learning disabilities.

Moosai also criticised the experts, as he noted that their evaluations only centred around the two men and did not factor the opinions and observations of their friends and family.

“Notwithstanding an undisputed finding of mild learning disability, a legitimate criticism that can be levelled against the experts is their failure or omission to interview Benjamin’s family/or friends (and Ganga’s for that matter) to provide objective verification for a significant component of their diagnosis,” Moosai said.

The cousins were represented by Keith Scotland, Daniel Khan and Asha Watkins-Montserin.

History of the Case

Deenish Benjamin and Deochan Ganga were convicted and sentenced to death on December 4, 2006, for the murder of their cousin Sunil Ganga. Sunil died on July 12, 2003, after being beaten and hung from a rafter in a shed behind his Penal home, next to Benjamin and Ganga’s home.

During the trial, Sunil’s wife, Roseanne, testified she saw both men entering the shed before her husband’s death. It was the State’s case that both men confessed while under interrogation from police, but they both denied that while on trial, as they claimed that they were mistakenly identified by Roseanne.

The murder toll has risen to 284 with the shooting death of a Laventille man on Saturday night at Plaisance Terrace in John John.

Hakimel Kallicharan, of Block Eight, was found with multiple gunshot wounds to the body, police said.

According to a police report, around 11.15 pm officers of the Inter-agency Task Force responded to a report of a shooting and when they arrived at the scene they discovered Kallicharan lying on the ground with gunshot wounds.

He was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Up until late yesterday no suspects had been apprehended in connection with his death.

An autopsy will be conducted at the Forensic Science Centre in Federation Park today.

2 couples in court for theft at temple

Two San Fernando couples are expected to appear before a San Fernando magistrate today, charged with the sacrilege and robbery of a Diamond Village temple last month.

According to a police report, Frank Deonarine told police that he locked the Shiv Mandir DLS in Picton Settlement around 1.30 pm on June 15 and left.

Deonarine said when he returned around 10.30 am on June 21, he found that the mandir had been broken into by someone who pried open the back door.

On checking, he realised that five speakers, two Lasko fans and a box containing an unknown amount of cash was missing.

After weeks of investigations, Cpl Khan, PC Andre and PC Ragoonath gathered information and recovered the speakers and a Lasko fan. The couples, a 23-year-old mechanic and his 20-year-old wife and their next door neighbours, a 27-year-old tradesman and his 23-year-old wife, were arrested.

PC Andre laid the charges.

Man held for Tunapuna killing still in custody

A Beetham man is being questioned by the police in connection with the murder of El Dorado, Tunapuna resident Akino Thomas.

Thomas was shot and beaten by two assailants at Pentecostal Road in Tunapuna on Thursday night.

His attack was videotaped and posted on social media hours later and soon went viral.

In the video, Thomas was seen running from a man dressed in a white vest and knee length pants before falling into a drain at the side of the road. His attacker appears to shoot several times at Thomas, but the gun then appears to have jammed.

At that point, another man then comes into the image, jumps into the drain and repeatedly stamps and kicks Thomas in the head.

Thomas was taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, for treatment where he died early Friday morning.

Homicide officers conducted inquiries and held the suspect.

Investigators said yesterday they were still holding the man for questioning since the hope to make another arrest shortly.

Where were CL Financial’s audited financial statements? That was the call from former People’s National Movement (PNM) minister of finance Mariano Browne, as he spoke on the CLF issue yesterday.

Browne raised the query among others he said need to be answered on the CLF matter—especially following statements by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on the issue last Thursday.

Rowley spoke after Government won its appeal against CLF majority shareholders, obtaining the right to have provisional liquidators at CLF. Shareholders’ attorneys will be filing an appeal on this at Privy Council level today, United Shareholders Ltd’s Carlton Reis said yesterday.

Browne, on another aspect, responded to last Friday’s criticism by the Finance Ministry on some of the statements he made on the CLF matter on radio last week.

Browne said, “I’ve noted the ministry’s media release indicating the time line I provided wasn’t accurate. The release states that the last extension to the shareholders’ agreement expired on August 31, 2016 and the so-called ‘plan’, Project Rebirth, was only submitted by the shareholders on January 6, 2017, over four months later.

“Therefore, the shareholders didn’t refuse to extend the agreement because the Government refused to respond to a plan from the shareholders for repayment of money owed by CL Financial.”

He added: “I thank the ministry for their prompt response and correction. For the benefit taxpayers and for informed public discussion on the CLF matter, I’d be grateful if the ministry would, with the same promptness, inform the national public of several other aspects which require answers.”

Some aspects arise from the Prime Minister’s complaint last week that there had been “great difficulty” in getting information about CLF’s financial position and there were “no audited statements” of companies.

But Browne said the Memorandum of Understanding agreement between shareholders and Government—on the 2009 bailout following the collapse of CLF’s CLICO subsidiary—had required CLF’s board to submit audited financial statements .

“And the board under the bailout agreement was —after the agreement—controlled by Government,” he added.

“So the Government needs to tell taxpayers why CLF’s board, which it controlled, didn’t provide audited financial statements for eight years as it was required to provide under the MOU with shareholders.”

Currently, Government’s four directors on CLF’s board are Dr Rolph Balgobin (chairman), Kirby Anthony Hosam, Terrence Bharath and Ingrid Lashley. Shareholders’ interests are represented by Albert Tom Yew, Fredrick Gilkes and Trevor Marshall.

Browne added, “Government also needs to explain whether shareholders gave the Government and any of its appointees on the CLF board, reasons for refusing to extend the shareholder’s agreement. If so—what were those reasons?

“Taxpayers need to know as well, whether the CLF debt has been agreed or disputed by the shareholders and how long did the Government take to respond to the Project Rebirth Plan submitted by shareholders?”

He said the Finance Ministry also needed confirm whether it has spent $3.46 billion on professional advisory fees on the CLICO matter, as has been claimed,and how this expenditure is made up.

“For accountability, taxpayers must be told who the fees were paid to, whether any adviser to Central Bank or otherwise was paid any fees, how much recipients were paid, for how long—and what was the benefit of these fees to taxpayers,” Browne said.

“I trust the ministry would promptly provide the relevant information in the public domain to ensure taxpayers are informed and that facts on this matter aren’t misrepresented by any Government minister, present or past.”

Members of public will be given the opportunity to name the two new zebra additions at the Emperor Valley Zoo.

The two young zebras, a male and female, will be named by the end of August and visitors to the zoo or members of the public can go online and give them names.

In an interview at the zoo yesterday, Zoological Society president Gupte Lutchmedial said the zebras were still under quarantine.

“They came in Friday and they are still under quarantine and would stay in quarantine for 30 days. They were born last year and had handlers at the ranch so they could be conditioned,” he said.

Lutchmedial opted not to disclose the cost of the bringing of the zebras to T&T.

“They have adapted quite well and we spent the entire night with them. So we observed them. They have minor bruises from the transport,” he said.

He said the animals came on Friday night by plane from Miami, Florida.

However, yesterday’s inclement weather did not stop the scores of visitors who lined up to catch a glimpse of the animals.

Ariel Fletcher, 10, of Chaguanas, who spoke in a quiet voice, said it was her second visit at the zoo.

“We came to see the zebras and the lions,” she said.

Christian Fletcher, seven, was only too proud to announce that he came to see the alligators, lions, fish, zebras, monkeys and the parrots.

Dian Ragonanan, from Couva, said it had been some time since her family had last visited the zoo.

“We saw the zebras on TV last night and on Facebook. They (family) love it,” she said.

Visitors also spent a lot of time visiting the other attractions at the zoo.

Melman and Mandela, the two giraffes, were visited by a crowd who bought “giraffe biscuits” to feed them.

Other spectators gathered to see Kimberly Howai, the education officer at the zoo, feeding two two-month baby otters Chase and Charlie.

Howai said the orphaned pups had to be trained to swim and took them for a bath in two inches of water where they “splashed around.”

Two members of the T&T Defence Force (TTDF) are now under arrest at the TTDF’s headquarters in Chaguaramas, as investigations continue into the defrauding of almost $2 million in payments.

The privates and a civilian worker attached to the T&T Defence Force’s (TTDF) payroll department were questioned over the weekend.

However, the T&T Guardian was told by sources within the TTDF that a very senior official in the TTDF is said to be the main “brain” behind the operation to siphon money from the organisation over the years. It is believed that three other soldiers close to the senior officer are also involved.

According to the TTDF source, the “defrauding operation” is not new in the TTDF.

“This has been going on for years and years. Soldiers have been getting as much as $20,000 and $30,000 added to their normal salaries over the years, but now it look like they get too greedy because that figure went to $100,000 in some cases,” the TTDF source said.

“All this has been discovered in the paperwork, which of course confirmed the talk going around with this one saying he get so much and so much in his account from the bank and he could see about house or car.

“So the talk keep spreading until it reach the ear of the person who began digging up.”

It is also suspected that years ago there was an “accidental” death of a private in the TTDF camp linked to the same defrauding operation.

“It was said after that soldier got information and names of those involved in defrauding large sums of money back then and when he vowed to expose all he was suddenly killed, which of course they labelled as an accidental shooting,” the TTDF source said

In a media release issued yesterday, the TTDF’s Public Affairs Officer, Flight Lieutenant Monique Sprott, confirmed the situation, saying instructions for the investigations came from acting Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Captain Hayden Pritchard.

Pritchard has been engaged in an investigation into the reports of overpayments.

Sprott said the matter has also been reported to the police, who are currently engaged in an independent investigation into the matter.

She said the investigation was the result of the improved auditing functions in the TTDF, which ultimately led to a discovery of significant and unusual overpayments to members of the TTDF who have been specifically identified.

“The TTDF commends its internal auditors on the work undertaken in this matter to date and reconfirms its commitment to driving the continued improvement of the organisation whilst being ever mindful of the need for care and caution in due process,” Sprott said.

The T&T Guardian understands that the two members of the payroll department and a civilian worker, who is on sick leave, have been fingered in the investigation.

It was alleged that a replacement for the ill worker found the discrepancy and reported it to his supervisor.