A 56-year-old man, who admitted to attempting to murder his ex-girlfriend after she left him in 2010, has been sentenced to life in prison.

Concerned at the lack of remorse shown by Vernon James for the attack, the third on the victim for which he has been convicted, High Court Judge Carla Brown-Antoine gave him the maximum penalty when she sentenced him yesterday.

Brown-Antoine said: “The court is of the view that if this prisoner is released, he may once again harm the virtual complainant. His intention at the time of the incident was to kill her. He did not achieve his aim but the court fears that if released he will bring it to pass.”

As James only decided to plead guilty to the charge after State prosecutors completed their evidence in his trial in May, Brown-Antoine waived the one third discount on sentences afforded to accused who plead guilty to crimes.

“The plea did not prevent the victim and the other eyewitnesses for the State from the trauma of testifying and reliving this horrific incident,” Brown-Antoine said, as she also noted his delayed response in changing his plea had wasted judicial time.

As part of the sentence, Brown-Antoine also did not deduct the seven years he spent on remand awaiting trial and ordered that he not be considered for release until he has served 20 years.

Brown-Antoine said the harsh sentence should be a deterrent to potential domestic abuse offenders.

“Persons in relationships that have ended must be deterred from thinking that they must punish their partners for ending the relationship,” Brown-Antoine said.

James’ victim, who Brown-Antoine ordered the media not to identify, was present in court for the hearing and sat behind him in the public gallery during the sentencing.

While James did not make eye contact with the victim during the hearing and as he was being led away by police, she starred directly at him throughout.

In James’ absence, the victim later briefly thanked the court for the outcome.

“Thank you (Brown-Antoine) and everybody involved for justice,” the sobbing victim said.

According to the evidence in the case, the attack took place at the victim’s home at Saddle Road, San Juan, on February 18, 2010.

The victim testified that she had received threats from James after their relationship ended in May 2009, including on the morning of the incident. The victim was getting ready to leave home to report the threats to police, when James arrived.

Armed with a cutlass, James dragged her from her porch and into the yard, where he chopped her several times before disposing of the weapon by throwing it over the wall. By the time the victim’s daughter and son-in-law heard her screams and rushed to her assistance, James had already fled the scene. Her injuries included chops wounds to her hands, arms and legs, as well as a severed finger, which were all deemed non-life threatening.

James was arrested later that evening. When confronted by police over the attack, James said: “Boss, ah real love that woman.”

The victim was hospitalised for three weeks and was forced to quit her job in the Fire Service upon her release as she was deemed disabled. She has also been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

While James accepted her version of the events when he offered to plead guilty during his trial, he gave a completely different account to a prison officer who produced a bio-social report for his sentencing. James claimed the relationship continued past May 2009 and on the day of the incident he went to the victim’s home and caught her performing oral sex on a man. James claimed he attacked the man with the cutlass and the victim was injured in the process.

Due to the varying accounts, Brown-Antoine held a hearing before the sentencing, in which she called on both James and the victim to testify before her. Brown-Antoine held that James’ story was implausible and filled with inconsistencies, while she ruled that the medical evidence corroborated the victim’s version.

James was represented by Rudyard Davidson, while Nigel Pilgrim and Giselle Heller prosecuted.

A jilted husband and his friend were sentenced to death by hanging yesterday, for soliciting and contracting a hitman to murder the man’s ex-wife and her lover for $30,000 some 11 years ago.

Basdeo “Bas” Ramlochan and Siewkumar “Bobby” Chankapersad remained stone faced yesterday when Justice Malcolm Holdip twice sentenced them to death, but their relatives broke down in tears in the San Fernando First Assizes. Their sobs, however, escalated into piercing screams as they stepped out of the courtroom.

It took the 12-member jury less than an hour to return guilty verdicts against both men, who went on trial in May for the murders of Sunita “Michelle Ramlochan, 29, and her common-law husband Rahim “Bam” Abraham, 46, a car dealer.

The State’s case was not that Ramlochan and his friend Chankapersad pulled the trigger, but that they sought out and hired a hitman to do the killings. The actual killers, who shot the couple in the bedroom of their Fyzabad home on the night of October 15, 2006, are still at large.

The evidence was that Sunita, Abraham and her 11-year-old daughter, who is also Ramlochan’s child, returned to their Kuldip Trace, St John’s Village, Avocat home around 11 pm after visiting the Divali Nagar site. They lived in a downstairs apartment at Sunita’s father’s home. Sunita’s father, who lived upstairs, told the police that five minutes after they got home he heard a bang and Sunita bawl “Oh God.”

The father then heard Abraham ask: “What you doing here?” followed by four to five explosions. The father started walking down the step, he said, when he saw two people going to the back of the house.

State attorneys Stacy Laloo-Chong and Anslem Alexander led evidence from police officers that Chankarpersad confessed to soliciting and paying a hitman, on behalf of his co-accused, to murder the couple. He gave the police an account of the role he played in the slayings.

The State also led evidence from a civilian witness (whose name has been withheld to protect him) that he was approached by Ramlochan on six occasions between 2004 and 2006 to help him find someone to carry out the murders. The witness, a security guard, testified that Ramlochan complained that he was having marital problems and his wife wanted to take his money, house and child. The State led evidence that Ramlochan and Sunita eventually separated and got a divorce. Another civilian witness testified that in 2006 Ramlochan complained to him about his marital problems and told him he paid a man he called fatman $90,000 to carry out the murders, but nothing happened. The man also testified that Ramlochan told him that Chankapersad arranged a meeting with a hitman and he (Ramlochan) took the hitman to where his ex-wife was living. He further testified that in October 2016, he was at Ramlochan’s home when he (Ramlochan) threw a bag containing $30,000 on a table, saying, “You think is joke I does be making.”

Ramlochan, who was represented by attorney Rekha Ramjit, did not give evidence, but Chankapersad opted to testify. He admitted to soliciting a man named Strong from Marabella to do the killings for $30,000 and arranging for him to meet Ramlochan.

Both accused were arrested and charged by detective Peter Ramdeen in December 2006. Chankapersad was represented by attorneys Bindra Dolsingh. The State called 21 witnesses and read and admitted into evidence the statements of seven other witnesses, including Sunita’s deceased father. Sunita’s mother, Elsie Beharry, also shed tears yesterday, but they were tears of joy that she finally got justice.

“My daughter was my happiness. This is all I wanted,” she said.

The independent investigation of the alleged swindling of $2 million from the payroll department of the T&T Defence Force (TTDF) has been placed in the hands of the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau (ACIB).

According to a TTDF source who wished anonymity, the investigations into the defrauding of almost $2 million in payments was moving swiftly, with investigators preparing to question several TTDF members whose accounts would have shown large sums of money being deposited into their bank accounts via their salary disbursements.

“The investigation is a very sensitive one, as it also involves high ranking members and also given the fact that it is believed that this has been happening for over a decade,” the TTDF source said.

“As far as I am being told, the seniors remain tight-lipped over this and members are being sworn to secrecy.”

In a release on Sunday, the TTDF said two privates and a civilian worker attached to the payroll department were questioned over the weekend and the matter was reported to the police. The TTDF has also launched its own investigation.

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.

Meanwhile, Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon is said to be awaiting a comprehensive report on the matter from acting Chief of Defence Staff Captain Hayden Pritchard.

Dillon is also said to have expressed disappointment in the TTDF, as it is known to be a well disciplined organisation and added that any kind of fraud in the organisation was a cause for concern.

Although Lincoln Boodoo’s lifeless body bore no marks of violence when he was found yesterday, his family remains confused as to how he died.

Boodoo, 64, was last seen at his Victoria Village, San Fernando home around 5 pm on Saturday. His body was found inside his white AD wagon on Pitmoon Street, Ste Madeline around noon on Monday. Thieves stripped the car of its tyres and headlights.

In an interview yesterday, his daughter, Natasha Boodoo said her father was accustomed to driving around on evenings. Lincoln was a father of four and grandfather of three.

“That was sort of his hobby, he would bathe and get dressed in the evening and go for drives,” Natasha said.

“So when he went Saturday evening no one thought anything of it until he failed to come back home.”

A report was made to the Ste Madeleine Police Station and Natasha said relatives launched their own search party as well.

“We reported him missing on Sunday because we knew he wouldn’t just go and don’t come back.”

It was Lincoln’s son, Sherwin, who found his body.

“It was my brother who find the car between 12 and one o’clock, when he find it, there were no lights and tyres on the car. Right now we don’t know what is going on because the entire situation is just so strange.”

Up to late yesterday evening officers of the Ste Madeleine Police Station were on the scene.

Officers from several special units of the T&T Police Service (TTPS) raided two Central-based car dealerships yesterday, where $100,000 in cash, one vehicle and forged documents were seized.

The T&T Guardian understands that one of the owners was still in custody last night assisting police in their investigations.

It is understood that officers from the Stolen Vehicles, Organised Crime and Narcotics, Criminal Investigations Department and the Fraud Squad conducted the raids from about 9 am. There were also officials from the Licensing and Customs and Excise Divisions. The operation was spearheaded by DCP Harold Phillip and ACP (Crime) Irwin Hackshaw.

When contacted yesterday for comment, Hackshaw described the operation, which ended shortly before 6 pm, as a success. He, however, noted that the case was still an active one. He said they seized a BMW which was reported stolen while among the forged and fraudulent documents seized were forms for vehicle transfers.

T&T Guardian was told that after months of surveillance and intelligence gathering on the two establishments, investigating officers believe that illegal operations have been taking place at the businesses.

Investigations are continuing.

Residents of Mahogany Drive, North Eastern Settlement in Sangre Grande were thrown into mourning on Sunday night, after one of their female neighbours was shot and killed by an unidentified man as she attempted to open the front door to her home.

Theodora Ayers, 49, of Mahogany Drive, North Eastern Settlement, was shot in her chest and hand and died while undergoing emergency surgery at the Sangre Grande District Hospital.

Ayers was a registered nurse who last worked at the St James Hospital and was the sister of Snr Supt Pamela Morgan-Hinds, who is attached to the Administrative Branch of the TTPS.

Police reports state that around 8.15 pm on Sunday, Ayers and her husband Glen, an electrical contractor, had returned home after attending a harvest at Tamana. Ayers came out their Nissan Almera and went to open the gate for her husband, but was approached by a masked man who whipped out a gun and opened fire. Ayers fell to the ground and her husband ran out the vehicle and ran to assist her.

Ayers’ husband and neighbours put her in a vehicle and rushed to the hospital where she died around 8.37 pm.

Neighbours yesterday told T&T Guardian she was a very friendly person and being a nurse, always assisted the children of the area and advised parents on the importance of healthy lifestyles.

“Ayers was very respectful and as nurse she was caring to all. Why would someone want to kill a loving nurse and individual?” neighbours asked.

Her husband was said to be traumatised by the killing.

The Ayers are the parents of one girl, who was said to have been stricken with grief at the hospital on learning her mother had died.

Police were said to have had a suspect in custody last night, but had no motive for the killing.

Visiting the scene were DCP Harold Phillip, ACP Blake Clarke, Snr Supt James (Homicide), Snr Sup Garth Nelson, Sgt Harper, PC Sankar and WPC John.

Insp Christopher Fuentes, of Homicide Bureau, Region 11, Arouca is continuing investigation.

Ayers’ killing brings the toll for the year to 285.

RALPH BANWARIE

Finance Minister Colm Imbert intends to “comprehensively” address issues concerning the sale of Buccoo Estate in Tobago, popularly known as No Man’s Land, later this week.

Imbert made the statement in response to a list of questions sent by the T&T Guardian yesterday, in the wake of issues raised by Clico Policyholders’ Group chairman Peter Permell over the exclusion of the Samaan Grove Development from Government’s valuation of the Buccoo Estate.

Imbert said “the relevance of these alleged ‘concerns’ needs to be examined since the Farrell valuation of the lands in question was procured in 2016 by the Central Bank in accordance with Section 44D of the Central Bank Act, and not by the Government.”

Permell made the call during a press conference on Sunday, as he produced a June 8, 2016 valuation report for the property, which was commissioned from GA Farrell and Associates Ltd by Clico’s board on instructions from the Central Bank.

At a press conference last Thursday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley provided a valuation report of Buccoo Estate valued at $174.8 million, which he said the Government had purchased at market value. The 398.42-acre property, which is listed as one of CLF’s assets, was sold earlier this year. Each acre was valued US$65,000, bringing the total value to US$25,897,300. Rowley said the valuation was based on an analysis of 100 per cent of the common stock of Occidental Investments Ltd and Oceanic Properties, owned by Clico.

The property, which sits on prime real estate land, is earmarked to be developed by regional company Sandals Resorts.

Yesterday, Permell said there were four valuations for the land. He said Clico, in its estimated financial report last year, had valued the property at $187 million, Farrell’s report placed the value at $170 million, while the documents provided by Rowley tagged it at $174.8 million. But in its proposal to Government this year, titled Project Rebirth, international auditing firm PriceWaterHouseCoopers valued the estate at $867 million, Permell said.

He said CLF’s valuation represented the book value or cost price of the land and did not consider appreciation.

Saying there were clearly four varying valuations, he asked: “So what is the real figure of the land? The Central Bank has a lot of questions to answer and so too does the Government because they are the recipients of the assets.”

He said before any asset is disposed of, the Central Bank has to do a valuation via approval of Clico’s board.

“Remember the Government appointed the Clico board. Did the Central Bank, on its own volition, give instructions to the Clico board to do the valuation for the lands to be transferred? It is one thing for Central Bank to come up with a valuation that was bogus, but it’s another thing if they got instructions to transfer the lands to the Government.”

Permell said Samaan Grove Estate constituted 12.6 acres of prime land which had been previously valued at around $245 million.

On page 4 of the Farrell valuation report under the heading “Site,” it stated that “based on information provided by the client (Clico), the subject properties comprises four contiguous parcels of land, Golden Grove Estate 1 and 2 and Shirvan Estates 3 and 4, totalling 429.82 acres.

“This area, however, includes the Samaan Grove Estate Development of 31.23 acres which do not form part of this exercise and therefore has to be excluded,” the report stated.

The area of land that was valued, Permell said, was 382.33 acres according to the report.

Permell said for each square foot of land sold in the deal the Government got, it paid a mere $10.

“When we worked out the figure given by Project Rebirth it came up to $49 a square foot, which sounds to me like a more reasonable figure. Something is not right,” Permell said.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley is urging citizens they should never underestimate or forget the sacrifices and hard-won freedom of the enslaved African ancestors.

This was the message Rowley delivered to the nation in a press release issued yesterday by the Office of the Prime Minister in celebration of Emancipation Day.

Rowley said our enslaved African ancestors, who for more than three centuries were forcibly uprooted and transported from their homes in Africa to what was designated the New World of the West Indies and the Americas.

“While it may be argued that the scars of slavery are still evident in the economic underdevelopment of Caribbean territories and the psychological trauma experienced by descendants of the former slaves, it also cannot be denied that persons of African descent have achieved success in all areas of human endeavour despite the scourge of slavery.”

In T&T, Rowley said Afro-Trinbagonians continue to excel in academia, science, sport, and culture.

“Today we commemorate the struggle for emancipation and equality made by our African ancestors who knew that the road to freedom and dignity demanded persistently, and unyielding focus and clarity of purpose. We acknowledge the accomplishments and impact of persons of African descent on the continued development of our nation.”

Rowley said we should also remember that we cannot achieve greatness as a nation if we remain in the comfort of our “own space.”

The PM said we have to draw on each other’s talents, skills, and strengths.

“We cannot yield under the whip of internal and external challenges. Instead, we will be better able to weather the yoke of economic uncertainty through collaborative effort.”

He said learning from our history, we must create for each citizen a system of support and protection without regard for lines of separation based on class, colour, gender, economic status or religion.

“Let us all declare Emancipation Day 2017 the day we as citizens commit to honouring the memory of our African ancestors by creating a society free from brutality and based on justice, mutual respect and equality,” Rowley said.

Four people accused of breaking into a temple and stealing $24, 530 worth of cash and other items appeared in the San Fernando Magistrates Court yesterday.

Veronica Mohammed, 20, her husband Jason Balliram,23, Lakshmi Mahadeo, 23, and her husband Nicholas Hosein, 26, all of Diamond Village, San Fernando, appeared before Senior Magistrate Cherril-Anne Antoine in the First Court.

Mohammed and her husband requested a maximum sentence indication, but the magistrate explained that the charge was strictly indictable which meant they could not enter a plea in the magistrates court.

“When people are prepared to go into a house of worship and steal. It is a very serious offence,” the magistrate said.

Under the Larceny Act, the offence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment.

The charge alleged that during the period June 15 and June 21 they broke into the Shiv Mandir Divine Life Society at Diamond Village and stole five speakers, five speaker stands, two fans and a box containing $3,000.

The items belonged to the devotees of the temple. Prosecutor Cleyon Seedan said the police recovered some of the items, minus the money and a fan.

They were charged by PC Andre. Asking for bail on behalf of Mohammed and Balliram, attorney Charlene Kalloo said the couple was unemployed and the parents of an 18-month-old boy.

She said Mohammed had never been charged before, but her husband had one previous conviction. Mahadeo’s attorney Chantal Paul said her client had a clean record, had two children, ages three and four, with Hosein and she is a housewife.

Attorney Frank Gittens, who held for Hosein’s attorney Ainsley Lucky, said he works in the transport business, was the sole breadwinner in the family and had two traffic-related offences for failing to produce his driver’s permit and driving under the influence. The prosecutor did not object to bail, but asked for reporting conditions.

The magistrate granted the women $25,000 bail each with a relative standing as their surety while the men were each granted $50,000 bail with the clerk of the peace approval. The men were also granted a cash bail alternative of $15,000.

They were all ordered to report to the San Fernando Police Station once per week.

Family members of bank employee Nikisha Winter-Roach are becoming increasingly worried as there has been no word on her whereabouts five days after she went missing.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian yesterday, a family member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that they are fearful that something terrible has gone wrong with Winter-Roach.

“She disappeared without a trace. Not a phone call from her and what is even more strange for us is how she was last seen very early in the morning and the time of day that the missing report was made which was just a few hours after she was last seen,” the relative said.

It was reported that Winter-Roach was last seen last Wednesday at about 5.20 am at her home at Edinburgh 500, Chaguanas.

A missing person report was made at about 4.30 pm that same day by close male friend of hers.

Winter-Roach worked at the Glencoe branch of Republic Bank.

Her manager, Michelle Palmer-Keizer told the T&T Guardian that she last reported for work the day before, on July 25.

“The bank is lending its support to both the police and Winter-Roach’s family, in the hope for her safe and speedy return.

“We shall continue to work along with the police as needed, and provide the necessary support to her family during this time,” Palmer-Keizer said.

Winter-Roach is of African descent and wears glasses.

She is five feet five inches tall, slim build, with a brown complexion and long blonde and brown hair.

She was last seen wearing a yellow top and a pair of long jeans.

• Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call 800-TIPS or contact the police at 555, 999, 911 or any police station.

Five days after she went missing, Republic Bank employee Nikisha Winter-Roach was found near her Chaguanas home yesterday morning.

According to reports, around 7 am Winter-Roach’s neighbours called police and her relatives after seeing her walking near her home at Edinburgh 500 South.

Police arrived on the scene within minutes and took Winter-Roach, whose hands were bound, for a medical examination at the Chaguanas Health Facility. Police said she appeared disoriented when she was found.

Winter-Roach was still being interviewed by detectives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit up to late yesterday, as they attempted to piece together details of her whereabouts since she went missing last Wednesday.

In a post on his Facebook page yesterday morning, Winter-Roach’s brother Jason thanked his relatives, friends and members of the public for their support.

“Paramedics said vitals are good, she lucid, she just had some discomfort at her feet where she appeared to have been bound. Waiting for further updates after medical and police personnel conduct their investigations,” Winter-Roach said.

Speaking with a reporters outside the centre while Winter-Roach was being examined, a relative, who asked to remain anonymous, said the family was happy she was returned safely.

“We were praying hard for this and God answer our prayers,” the relative said, as she claimed that the family would issue an official statement on the incident later.

When a news team from the T&T Guardian visited Winter-Roach’s home yesterday morning and afternoon no one was home. Several of her neighbours refused to comment on her disappearance, as they claimed to know little more than what was reported by the media.

Winter-Roach was last seen around 5.20 am last Wednesday at her home. She was expected to go to work at the bank’s Glencoe branch. However, her boyfriend made a missing person report around 4.30 pm that evening, after she allegedly failed to respond to her calls and messages.

In an interview with the T&T Guardian on Monday, Winter-Roach’s manager Michelle Palmer-Keizer said Winter-Roach did not turn up for work on the day of her disappearance, but was there the day before. No ransom request was made to her family before her eventual release.

In an interview with the T&T Guardian on Monday, relatives said they were fearful for Winter-Roach’s safety as her disappearance was totally out of character.

“She disappeared without a trace. Not a phone call from her and what is even more strange for us is how she was last seen very early in the morning and the time of day that the missing report was made, which was just a few hours after she was last seen,” the relative said.

Speaking about the state of the investigation yesterday, Central Division head, Snr Supt Kenny McIntyre, said: “She would have been found in a disoriented state. Whatever happened, we will deal with it on a stage by stage basis.”

Investigations are continuing.

Arima man missing 

Meanwhile, detectives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit are also investigating the disappearance of a man from Arima yesterday.

According to a post on the T&T Police Service’s Twitter account yesterday afternoon, Penal Police were seeking the public’s assistance in locating Keshava Druva Sookraj.

Sookraj, originally from Arima, was reported missing by his relatives around 3 am. The post, issued around midday, stated that Sookraj was last seen in the vicinity of Ramjattan Trace, Penal. He was reportedly bare foot and was wearing blue chequered pajamas.

The shareholders of CL Financial (CLF) are accusing the Ministry of Finance of providing misleading information over their refusal to allow Government’s continued control of the company’s board.

In a press release on the issue yesterday, shareholder spokesman Kirk Carpenter sought to defend former government minister Mariano Browne, who was criticised by the ministry over his explanation for the strained relationship between the parties.

Speaking on his radio programme last Friday, Browne had claimed the shareholders’ decision to refuse to sign off on an 18th extension of the shareholder agreement with Government was based on the Government’s decision to reject a proposal from independent audit firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers in January.

The proposal, titled Project Rebirth, suggested that the control of the company be returned to shareholders and that the company’s repayment plan of its $15 billion debt to the Government be restructured.

The following day, however, the ministry issued a release challenging Browne’s claims which stated: “Mr Browne’s time line is completely wrong because 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.”

It went on: “It is not possible therefore that the shareholders refused to extend the agreement for the reason advanced by Mr Browne. It is regrettable that a former minister in the Ministry of Finance would misrepresent the facts in this way.”

In his statement yesterday, Carpenter admitted that the agreement expired last year, but noted that Government only suggested a renewal on February 23 this year. Carpenter attached a copy of the agreement to buttress his claims.

“The Government dropped the ball, and only sent the SA in February 2017 so Mr Mariano Browne was absolutely correct, and what the MoF said in their media release is not correct, because we never received the extension to sign in August 31, 2016, as the Ministry media release stated, therefore the PwC Project Rebirth plan was submitted on the 6th January, 2017, to the MoF but the SA extension was only provided to the shareholders on 23rd of February 2017,” Carpenter said.

He suggesting the delay in renewal meant that the Government’s four directors were improperly operating on the company’s board for almost seven months.

“Please note the shareholders do not draft the extension, as it is only provided by the Ministry of Finance and we only had sight of it on February 23, 2017,” Carpenter said.

The original shareholders’ agreement was signed with the Government as part of its bailout of CL Financial’s cash-strapped insurance company Clico in 2009. Under the agreement, the Government was allowed to nominate four people to the company’s seven-member board inclusive of the chairman.

The shareholders’ decision to refuse to sign an extension and their subsequent move to appoint two new members to the board to retake majority control, was said to be the catalyst of Government’s move to wind up the company last week.

High Court Judge Kevin Ramcharan had initially refused to appoint provisional liquidators for the company, but his decision was reversed by the Court of Appeal last week.

As part of its ruling on the provisional liquidators, the Court of Appeal attached multiple conditions over their remit. The provisional liquidators will have less power than traditional liquidators, as they are merely hired to assess the company’s assets and ensure they are not disposed of pending the determination of the petition to wind up the company. Under the agreement, almost all of the decisions of the provisional liquidators will also have to be approved by the court.

The petition comes up for hearing before Ramcharan in early September. If successful with the petition, the Government will then be able to appoint traditional liquidators who would seek to sell the company’s assets in order to repay Government and other creditors their debts.

In response to the latest claim, Finance Minister Colm Imbert last evening told GML the Government will make a comprehensive statement on the CLF matter later this week.

The Privy Council has dismissed an appeal from a group of 41 convicted murderers, who were challenging a decision to commute their mandatory death sentences to terms of life imprisonment and 75 years in prison.

Delivering a 30-page judgement on Monday, the United Kingdom-based appellate court upheld the decision of the local Court of Appeal in the case, which was made in 2014.

The appeal centered around a class action lawsuit by six members of the group, who had challenged the ability of former president Noor Hassanali to use his constitutional power of pardon to commute their mandatory death sentences in 1993 and 1998, following a Privy Council ruling in the Jamaican death penalty case of Pratt and Morgan.

That infamous case introduced a rule which prevents the State from executing people who have spent over five years in prison awaiting the results of the appeals over their convictions.

The convicted men who filed the claim on the others’ behalf are Dexter Lendore, Evans Xavier, Allan Henry, Deshan Rampharry, Norbert Williams and Victor Baptiste.

In their judgement, the British law lords ruled that Hassanali was allowed under the Constitution to commute the sentences to give effect to its judgement for convicted persons who were affected. However, like the Court of Appeal, the Privy Council ruled that Hassanali had employed the wrong process, as he he was required to have the Mercy Committee consider each of their cases individually as opposed to grouping them together.

Despite their failed lawsuit, the group was given a lifeline as the law lords ordered that the case be sent back to the President and the committee for their consideration, but did not suggest that they would be automatically successful in getting their sentences reduced.

Lord Justice Anthony Hughes, who wrote the judgement, said: “Whether they (the sentences) differ will no doubt depend on the weight accorded in each case to the individual and to the general factors, and all substitute sentences will take into account the system of reviews which will attend them.”

The Court of Appeal had made a similar order but it was stayed pending the determination of the appeal.

In their judgement, the Law Lords also rejected the men’s submissions that their substituted sentences constituted cruel and unusual punishment, as they do not allow the possibility of eventual release. Hughes ruled that the claim was misconceived, as it failed to consider that under the Prison Rules all persons serving more than four years in prison were entitled to review of the sentence every four years

“A prisoner is also entitled to petition the president for clemency, and on such a petition, where appropriate, the advisory committee and the minister advising the president must consider whether all the circumstances of the case call for continued detention or not,” Hughes said.

Hughes also rejected the convicts’ claims over the unfairness of the committee and the petitioning process.

The convicts were represented by Edward Fitzgerald, QC, Ruth Brander, Amanda Clift-Matthews, Gregory Delzin, Mark Seepersad and Theresa Hadad.

Peter Knox, QC, and Navjot Atwal represented the State.

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) worldwide have seen their budgets cut significantly over the last decade as companies and government donors have less resources to disburse.

This is also the case in T&T and much of the Caribbean, and it raises the question of what NGOs need to do to attract the limited funds that exist.

Jason Narinesingh, director of compliance for the Eastern and Southern Caribbean at Scotiabank, gave local NGOs advice last week on how they could survive and what needs to be done for them to be more efficient.

He began by addressing one of the biggest challenges NGOs face in this era: the lack of funding.

“Funding is the lifeblood of the organisation. We are aware of the challenges that are facing us now. NGOs have different types of partnerships that they depend on for grants, funding and donors.”

He said because of the changing world and with less money available for NGO funding, the relationship must move away from just receiving a cheque annually from a donor.

“Sometimes we need to come out of the insular way we are thinking. Let us think about what is changing in our world. Are we in the bubble syndrome that there is a global landscape of change that is sweeping? How is the NGO impacted by what is going on in the world?”

Narinesingh added that tighter financial regulations worldwide will have an impact on the way NGOs operate.

He referred to the World Association of NGOs (WANGO) that has a code of conduct of how NGOs should operate and advised local NGOs to read it and use it as a guideline.

“It says that NGOs should be transparent, an NGO should have all its information available to the public and there should also be accountability.”

He also advised NGOs to understand the importance of compliance.

“NGOs want to ensure they are compliant with regulations so there are proper checks and balances to the systems internally. It makes financial sense. When you cut corners and do things substandard, you end up paying more in the long run not only financially but with your reputation. It makes financial sense to have proper accounting, budgeting and audit systems,” he said.

He added that NGOs with good compliance systems are well respected and donors tend to be attracted to them.

“At then end of the day, it is about earning the public’s trust. If your NGO is clean, then people will come to you.”

Narinesingh spoke last Thursday at Scotiabank’s Insight series at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port-of-Spain.

According to Scotiabank, the series was launched in 2016 is designed to help motivate and inspire participants.

The focus this year was on NGOs.

Accountability

Marina Hilaire-Bartlett, executive director of PSI-Caribbean—a global non-profit organisation focused on the encouragement of healthy behaviour and affordability of health products—also spoke on the importance of funding for NGOs.

She said in the 1990s to early 2000s, funding for NGOs was very big but this declined later on.

“A lot of them focus on HIV and AIDS. The reality is that money was flowing from large international aid agencies. The global funds to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria came from agencies like the World Bank and the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The reality was billions of dollars in funding that came to the Caribbean as well.”

She said after that surge in the mid 2000s there was a shift with less money being donated to NGOs.

Part of this was the downturn of the global economy and companies having limited funds.

She gave advice on how NGOs could do more to attract that smaller NGO funding available.

The first was to diversify the areas of focus.

“The traditional donors are not there in the same way. It now gives us an opportunity to innovate and build new relations like with Scotiabank and other private sector donors.”

She also said because of T&T’s gross domestic product (GDP), the country is not seen as a poor country but as middle income to high income. This means T&T should be able to address its own social issues and that international donors are channeling their smaller pool of funds to Africa, some parts of Asia and poorer regions of the world. However, Hilaire-Bartlett said that might not represent T&T’s true realities and its social issues remain.

She added NGOs being financially accountable is another big step needed in attracting donations.

“We have to be accountable for the money that is given to us. This means consistent financial oversight—whether it be weekly or monthly—and in ways that are effective and efficient so that we know where the money went.”

She concluded by saying that even in her organisation, they have done some “drastic downsizing” over the last year.

“We have had to cut overheads by 80 per cent, I had to let go more than half my staff. That was difficult as we still had to maintain relationships. But we still had to maintain our financial accountability and oversight,” she said.

NGOs should be transparent, an NGO should have all its information available to the public and there should also be accountability.”

The University of the West Indies’ St Augustine principal Brian Copeland says the campus has taken no decision to lower the entry requirements for the Faculty of Social Sciences due to any drastic drop in the number of applicants. In giving this assurance yesterday, Copeland also sought to clear the air on how applicants to any programme are assessed.

Last week, when questioned on the issue after it was raised in the media, Education Minister Anthony Garcia had said the prerequisites for entry were lowered for only the certificate programmes offered at The UWI’s Faculty of Social Sciences. A Prior Learning Assessment Requirement (PLRA), he said, would also be done for applicants.

In a statement yesterday, Copeland admitted that in the case of Social Sciences, the number of applications to “a few programmes has declined,” pushing the modal score in the pool for selection of applicants closer to the lower level matriculation requirements.

However, he said “in all educational programmes, whether academic or vocational, a range of skill sets or competencies are measured against well-established competency levels that range from basic knowledge and understanding to the higher order cognitive levels associated with the ability to analyse, create, and synthesise solutions to problems.”

He said unfortunately, public discourse this week has focused only on entry qualifications as an indicator of programme quality, rather than on the “mechanisms” that academic institutions put in place for students who, upon entry, could build upon their knowledge and skills to achieve the output standards.

Copeland said the lower level, formal, academic entry requirement into a programme at UWI is five CSEC passes, inclusive of English and Mathematics, but added that for close to 20 years, the university-wide matriculation requirements always allowed for three CSEC passes, plus relevant experience for mature students, defined by the university as 21 and older.

“It would be appreciated that the entry statistics for applicants into a programme will vary each year as it is dependent upon the academic profile of the pool of applicants, and the number of spaces available within a programme of study in a given year. Over the years, however, the competitive environment has pushed the selection criteria way above the minimum requirements in most programmes,” Copeland said in the statement.

He said it was also important to note that the institution, in particular its Open Campus, has recognised the need to extend its reach to the “under-served” and also the value of prior learning.

The UWI, Copeland said, has “frontally” engaged discourse on how this continuous learning for adults can be matched against educational goals, or a programme of study.

“In the case of Social Sciences, the number of applications to a few programmes has declined, pushing the modal score in the pool for selection of applicants closer to the lower level matriculation requirements. Here, other tools are used for assessment as listed above, a critical one being prior learning assessment for mature students,” he said.

“The Certificate Programme in Public Administration, which was widely discussed, was one such programme with declining numbers. In order to broaden the catchment, the Faculty is expanding its focus to mature (as defined by UWI) individuals with a minimum academic requirement of three CSECs, together with prior learning and work experience or equivalent to gain entry into the programme.”

Copeland said in the not too distant future the public would see more efforts by the university to broaden access so as to enrich its student body with individuals who, regardless of their prior academic achievements, demonstrate the potential to succeed. But this, he said, would require going beyond the traditional formal academic qualification which UWI studies have, “time and again, shown to be not a reliable predictor of academic success at the degree level.”

“No doubt, these initiatives, as do all paradigm shifts, will be opposed by those who are well entrenched in the status quo, particularly in a society that places formal certification on a very high pedestal,” Copeland added

Devon Matthews’ and Ella Andall’s popular 2017 hit D Journey boomed through the capital as the streets of downtown Port-of-Spain were transformed into a myriad of colours yesterday, as hundreds donned their regal Emancipation garbs to participate in the annual Emancipation Day celebrations hosted by the Emancipation Support Committee.

Many onlookers said the song, performed by the deceased soca star and veteran Andall, was apt as it embodied the struggles of this country’s African ancestors.

Matthews, 36, died two weeks ago as a result of a heart attack after performing at a fete.

Also taking part in the annual parade—carefully monitored by scores of police officers— were Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon and Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly.

Despite the heat, the proceedings created a festive atmosphere as young and old alike joined energetic dancers, parading Moko Jumbies and enthralling rhythm sections in dance and song.

The Prime Minister chipped to the rhythmic sounds as the procession made its way from the Brian Lara Promenade to the Greens on Piccadilly Street.

Some women dressed in elaborate head wraps accessorised their outfits with traditionally woven handbags and matching hand held fans, also elaborately decorated.

Participants yesterday gathered from as early as 7 am outside the Treasury Building and on the Brian Lara Promenade—the site where thousands of slaves gathered after storming into Port-of-Spain to protest their new “apprentice status.” The site was also where the Emancipation Proclamation was read announcing the beginning of the end of slavery.

Emancipation Support Committee chairman Khafra Kambon said he was pleased with the turnout for the celebration, but urged that more should be done to support cultural activities.

Gadsby-Dolly said she was also pleased with the crowd turnout at the event. Dillon, echoing her sentiments, said he too was pleased such a large number of people had come out to pay tribute to their African ancestors.

Among the spectators were those who came from as far as the United States and United Kingdom, also dressed in traditional African wear.

Last week, Kambon had criticised business owners who choose to open on Emancipation Day, saying that apart from essential services, all businesses ought to close their doors. He said over the years there has been a noticeable trend of businesses, especially in the downtown Port-of-Spain area, going about business as usual on the Emancipation Day holiday, which he described as not only a gross disrespect but as unfair to workers who wanted to participate in cultural activities.

After the formal launch, the masses made their way through the city’s streets to the Lidj Yasu Omowale Village at the Queen’s Park Savannah, with the Moko Jumbies, African drummers and chanting Orisha groups leading the way.

Government wants the Pan in Schools project to go Africa, Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon says.

She made the disclosure at the 17th Annual Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Symposium at the Hilton Trinidad, Port-of-Spain, on Monday, telling the Emancipation Support Committee executive she planned to follow up on this initiative.

Saying pan is not present in Africa, Gopee-Scoon said she wanted to see more of T&T’s culture going into Africa. Comparing the deepening of T&T’s footprint into Africa last year with this year, she said the momentum has been “tremendous.”

“Our pan though, is not evident enough in Africa and I know that there is some movement in that area, Nigeria and little bit of it in Ghana. Our pan in the classrooms, there should be pan in every classroom in Africa,” she said.

“We should be exporting our pan instrument into Africa. That’s the kind of movement, and those are the kinds of conversations that we ought to be having.

“I am going to be behind you (Khafra Kambon) I want to see greater movement, I want to see more momentum, I really do want to see our steelband in the classrooms in Africa on the curriculum in Africa and our pans in Africa. I am going to be very focused and I am going to ask Minister of Culture to be engaged with Dr Mohamed Chambas (UN Secretary General Special Representative and head of the UN Office for West Africa and Sahel) before he leaves.”

The “Pan in Schools” project is an initiative of the Ministry of Education and officially began its work in 2003. According to its website, some of the achievements it can boast of include providing over 150 schools with sixteen-piece steelband ensembles and training over 250 primary and secondary teachers in utilising the steelpan to implement the music curricula of T&T.

In an interview with the media afterwards, Gopee-Scoon explained the rationale for wanting the national instrument to be taken to Africa.

“The pan is our national instrument, why not take our culture to Africa, pan in the classroom can work then, we can certainly export our steelband instrument. We share our culture as well as our energy services.”

She called for the private sector to assist further when it comes to Emancipation celebrations. She said in terms of the evolving nature of the “Emancipation Committee and the Trade and Investment Symposium it can evolve into something greater with the presence of the private sector, who have already shown an initiative of interest in the African continent. We need to shape the committee’s work and the presence of the private sector would help, and the presence of an African private sector backed initiative would be good.”

The ongoing electricity glitches at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) in Mt Hope should be over by year’s end with the installation of a $1.3 million custom-made electrical fixture.

This was disclosed by Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh during the official launch of the EWMSC’s Endoscopy Suite on Monday.

Deyalsingh noted that in the past six weeks there had been four power outages at the facility, causing it to “fall off the national electricity grid.”

In the most recent incident, there was a glitch in the electricity supply on June 14, which followed a major one that occurred on April 28. Deyalsingh blamed the cause on little or no maintenance on the original electrical system.

“Since 1984 when this facility was built by the French’s Sulatech, it custom-made its electrical system and since then, for the past 33 years, there has been little or no maintenance done on the system, especially its switch gear, which is where the external T&TEC supply comes in,” Deyalsingh said.

He said that the construction of the custom-made switch gear is currently being done in Malaysia and is expected to arrive in T&T by November, “December for the latest.” Giving the reason for the long wait for a permanent fix to the electrical woes at the complex, Deyalsingh explained that the gear takes about six months to be manufactured, a few weeks to be shipped and then the installation time.

In the interim, the T&T Electricity Commission (T&TEC) has run a bypass for a temporary electricity supply.

Deyalsingh said since last year, he had given a mandate to all regional health authorities (RHAs) to identify their respective problems, “if you would notice, those following in the media, that tenders went out for electrical upgrades.”

With respect to the Endoscopy Suite, Deyalsingh said it is expected to save on bed nights and reduce hospital costs, as patients will have their respective procedures done on the same day.

Since it has been commissioned in May 2016, more than 1,600 procedures have been performed, with ten being done just on Monday.

Eight services are currently being offered, including: GI endoscopy (Gastroscopy, Colonoscopy, Sigmoidoscopy, Haemorrhoid banding and Esophagael banding); Thoracic (Bronchoscopy) and Urology (Flexible cystoscopy and Prostate biopsy). Also sharing more good news, Deyalsingh disclosed that on Friday ten paediatric cardiac surgeries were done on 10 children at no cost to their respective families.

The Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government has launched an audit into the operations of the Princes Town Regional Corporation (PTRC) following complaints regarding overtime payments.

In confirming the situation with Guardian Media, Local Government Minister Senator Kazim Hosein said Desdra Bascombe, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, had instructed the ministry’s audit department to launch an investigation into the overtime payments and other operations of the PTRC.

The no-nonsense minister said he plans to stamp out corruption in all 14 regional bodies and noted that no corporation would be spared from the auditors.

Hosein said he had received too many complaints that corporation workers were abusing overtime and using vehicles unnecessarily.

Hosein said an audit at the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo and Sangre Grande Corporations had also produced results and noted that an audit is taking place at the Mayaro Regional Corporation.

“I am concerned about the use and misuse of taxpayers’ money,” Hosein told Guardian media in a telephone interview.

“As public officers we are accountable to the nation as to how we spend their monies and I will not rest until corruption is eradicated under my watch. We are into local government reform and more power would be given to local bodies and we have to be more accountable to the people we serve.”

A Valsayn salesman who spent four days in custody, including two nights in the Remand Yard prison in Arouca, on what he claimed was a trumped up breathalyser charge, has won his malicious prosecution case against the state.

In ruling in favour of Nezir Khan at the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain, on Monday, Justice Carol Gobin ordered both sides to file submissions on the quantum of damages the state should pay Khan. She is expected to give her ruling on quantum on September 29.

 Recounting his ordeal in his witness statement, Khan said around 7 pm on February 20, 2012, he was returning from Toco with his wife, who was seated in the front seat of their car, when he came upon a police road block  along Eastern Main Road, Valencia. 

He said he complied with the directions of WPC Robinette Simon to pull to left side of the road. On the officer’s request, he also handed her his licence and insurance. Upon being questioned by the officer, he told her he was coming from Toco and did not having anything to drink. On the officer’s instructions, he then came out of the car and agreed to be administered a breathalyser test. Khan said the officer instructed him to blow into the a device which he did. He said the officer then looked at the device and him and asked why his eyes were red. Khan told her it was probably because he did some welding recently. Khan claimed the officer, in a loud tone, accused him of lying and said she was going to charge him for drunk driving.

Despite his protest, Khan said WPC Simon grabbed him by his arm, led him to the nearby Valencia Police Post and put him in a ten by ten cell in which there were about 18 people. He said around 10 pm the officer took him out of the cell and charged him with failing to provide a breath specimen for testing. She returned him to the cell and around midnight he was taken to the Sangre Grande Police Station, where he was placed in another cell with about seven men. He slept on the floor as there was nothing else to sleep on.

Two days later, on February 22, 2012, he was taken to Sangre Grande Magistrates’ Court where he pleaded not guilty and was granted bail. However, Khan was unable to access bail and was remanded into custody at Remand Yard Prison, where he was placed in another ten by ten cell with five other men and a bucket for a toilet. He also had no choice but to sleep on the ground.

On February 24, 2012, his bail was eventually taken and he was released from prison around 1 pm. Khan said he lost his job and was only able to find new employment in April 2012. The magistrate dismissed the matter on July 9, 2015 after Simon failed to show up for the trial. Khan described his ordeal as the worst experience of his life, adding it was extremely traumatic and embarrassing. 

Simon, under cross examination by Khan’s attorney Kevin Ratiram, admitted that the machine could print a receipt to reflect that a person failed to submit a proper sample after three attempts.

However, the officer admitted that she did not cause any such receipt to be printed in Khan’s case.

In her ruling, the judge said she had a particular difficulty with the fact that such a receipt was not before the court to prove that Khan had failed to provide the sample.

The judge also stated that if Khan had actually done the test but failed to give a proper sample, as Simon alleged, then there should have been a note to that effect in the Valencia Police Post diary.