Three months after Kervin Williams sought help at a retired policeman’s house after being shot, he was murdered on Sunday night in Gasparillo while his brother-in-law was also shot several times.

Williams, 26, a mason, of Golconda, was found dead on the roadway at Caratal Road while a distance away the police found his brother-in-law Quacy Straker, 32, with several multiple gunshot wounds, in Williams’ car.

Straker, a chef/nurse is warded in a critical condition at the San Fernando General Hospital.

According to a police report, around 11.30 pm on Sunday, PC Funrose and PC Joseph responded to an anonymous call that a vehicle crashed into a wall at Lightbourne Trace, Gasparillo.

When they got there the officers noticed a silver Lancer crashed into a chain link fence and found Straker, of Housa Trace, Lightbourne Trace, in the car with multiple gunshot wounds.

He was taken to the hospital. Subsequent to that, the officers received information which led them to Caratal Road where they found Williams bleeding from gunshot wounds on the roadway.

It is believed that the men were shot during an altercation on Caratal Road and Straker drove off to get help. Williams’ sister Keitha, who is pregnant, and also has a one-year-old son, said her husband and brother left in her brother’s car on Sunday morning to go to the beach.

She said she tried without success to call them during the day. Keitha believes the incident had something to do with the first time her brother was shot.

In that incident in May, Williams went to the Gasparillo home of former senior policeman Cecil Santana after he was shot by someone who knew him. The suspect was subsequently arrested and charged.

She said following that incident her home in Lightbourne Trace was shot up and her brother had received threats. She said doctors were supposed to have operated on her husband last evening.

ASP Pardasie, Cpl Bridgemohan, Cpl Sulliman and other officers visited the scene. Investigations are continuing.

Andre E Baptiste 
From London, England

With the Caribbean still recovering from the “blues” of the weekend after its hero sprint Usain Bolt and Elaine Thompson relinquished of both men’s and women’s 100 metres titles. It’s now time for everyone to turn their attention to the Men’s 200 metres preliminaries, and T&T’s Jereem Richards did not disappoint during yesterday’s programme at the World Championships in London, England.

T&T had three athletes on a cool night in London, Kyle Greaux, Sparkle McKnight and Richards.

First on the track Richards has arrived with a huge reputation from the times he has achieved on the NCAA circuit in 2017 including a season best and personal best of 19.97 in the 200 metres.

Richards walked out looking relatively comfortable and took to the starting blocks in Heat 2, starting from Lane 2, with not much pressure, the 23-year-old set alight the crowd with a dazzling 20.05 run, which was the fastest time recorded heading into tomorrow’s semi-finals.

“I feel really good in the heat, he told Guardian Media Sports. He continued: “I did not expect that time, but I did what my coach asked of me. I want to thank God for coming out of the race injury free and being able to execute my race, it was just about coming out and delivering on the day.”

With South Africa’s Wade Van Niekerk (who won heat 3 in 20.16) also running the 400 metres finals today, the 200 metres runners have an extra day rest.

“Tomorrow, I am going to rest, make sure my body get a shake out, get some treatment and just prepare for the next round. This is about taking one race at a time, I am feeling good, and looking forward to the semi finals and giving of my best,” added Richards

Richards, with a calm but reassuring smile noted,“The mood in the camp is good, we had two already in a finals, and hopefully we can all continue as one to excel where we can, everyone is encouraging each other.”

Meanwhile, Kyle Greaux was in Heat 5, running from Lane 6, and at 29-year-old needed to start to show some of the ability, he has promised over the last five years. He did not disappoint, running on after a slow start to place second in a time of 20.48, and finish with the overall 18th fastest time going into the semis.

Greaux said after: “I felt a little rusty which is strange because this year I’m in the best shape of my life coming into the championships. I’m injury free, I am pleased.”

Sparkle Mcknight was T&T’s only participant in the women’s 400 metres hurdles and challenged from Heat 1 in Lane 4. She finished fourth in a time of 55.46 to secure an automatic spot into the semi-final rounds.

Speaking after her performance the 25-year-old said: “I feel awesome today, I am really glad to be here, and to qualify for the semi-finals. It’s a good feeling. Normally I have problem either going out too fast, but today I hit the nail on the head, as I stayed with them and finished strong, I felt good, ready for next round.”

Mcknight will be T&T’s lone representative in today’s 400 metres Hurdles semi finals from 3.35pm(TT time).

Police Service Social and Welfare Association president Insp Michael Seales has called for his immediate reinstatement after he was freed of the criminal charge of sedition yesterday.

Acting Chief Magistrate Maria Busby-Earle-Caddle discharged Seales after upholding a no case submission by his attorneys in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court.

Following the decision, Seales, who was suspended after being charged two years ago, called to be immediately reinstated and to be paid the salaries that were withheld from him since being charged.

“I would have had a loss of earnings over the past two years, so now it is a question of getting myself back on my feet as quickly as possible. The association is representing that I need my immediate reinstatement and the outstanding moneys owed,” Seales said as he gave acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams one week to address the situation.

He went on: “It is not about me but more for my family because they have suffered by me not having a salary,” Seales said.

However, when contacted yesterday by television station CNC3, Williams said he had not been officially informed of the decision and that Seales’ reinstatement was not automatic on his discharge.

“He would know that there is a process for the suspension of a officer and a process for reinstatement,” Williams said as he explained that reinstatement was dependent on whether the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was planning to appeal.

He explained: “The department has an obligation to officially submit the results of the court matter and address the issue of whether it is being reviewed or not. It is only then the commissioner will deal with the matter.”

In their no case submission, Seales’ attorneys Pamela Elder, SC, and Owen Hinds Jr claimed that prosecutors failed to prove that their client had intended to incite members of his organisation to rebel against the State when he made a controversial statement in the midst of wage negotiations in June 2015.

In her decision given moments after the submission was made, Busby-Earle-Caddle agreed with their analysis and also noted that the charge against Seales could not stand as his comments were not directed at anyone in particular as required to prove the offence of sedition.

Seales was alleged to have made the seditious statement on June 24, 2015, during a live interview on TV6 Morning Edition.

Police are searching for four bandits who preyed on elderly parishioners at the St Francis RC Church in Sangre Grande last week.

According to a police report, around 6.30 am last Friday, four women were sitting in the church waiting for the morning mass when they were approached by four young men.

The bandits, believed to teenagers, robbed the women of cash and valuables, police said.

The robbery is just the latest in a series of robberies at various churches across the East/West corridor in the past few months.

In an interview yesterday, Pastor Clive Dottin public affairs and religious liberty director for the Caribbean Union Conference of Seventh Days Adventist said he has heard of numerous robberies involving the elderly.

“This is a very dangerous trend in our society and senior citizens are robbed left, right and centre and not only in churches, homes, cars, prayers group, group meetings.

“The whole society must rise up against this. It is a trend towards total indiscipline in this society. Trinidad is an essential indisciplined nation. In fact, it has reached to a place where we encouraged indisciplined and failed to take necessary action,” he said.

Dottin said young men have no respect when it comes to temples, mosques and churches.

“We must establish a boundary here. These young men have absolutely no respect for God and religious institutions.”

He referred to the robbery in Gonzales where RC priest Father Clyde Harvey was robbed at the St Martin de Porres church in June.

“This must give us cause for alarm but it reflects on the decadence taking over our society.

“There is a loss of the sense of the sacred and it means essentially that families are failing to instruct children in terms of the moral and spiritual dimensions of our children.

“We have to intensify our efforts as a church in terms of spiritual but to the wider community and draw a wider circle,” he said.

 Students applying to tertiary level institutions from this month will now undergo an income means test to determine their level of eligibility for funding via the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses (GATE) Programme, Education Minister Anthony Garcia said yesterday.

However, he assured that despite the economic constraints Government was currently facing, it had “opened the gates of GATE to all students in some form or fashion.”

Addressing GATE’s future at the Education Towers, Port-of-Spain, said Government had spent in excess of $600 million to fund the programme up to this point and could no longer continue in this manner. Noting “programme hopping” would soon be a thing of the past, he estimated close to $100 million in the first instance would be saved via the means test process.

He encouraged people to visit the ministry’s website to access information and online applications and assured applicants their financial information would remain confidential once it was submitted.

The Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) results are due to be released next week and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results due the week after.

Garcia said students who were already enrolled in various programmes and who enrolled for programmes effective August 2016 would continue to receive 100 per cent funding for their entire programmes. However, he said effective this month and beyond, “an income means test will be used to determine the eligibility for GATE funding.” (See boxes below).

“This Government has decided that wherever a person’s household income falls, that person will still be eligible for some measure of GATE funding,” Garcia said.

He said funding for post-graduate degrees will also be available to students whose programmes are in alignment with the country’s developmental needs.

Garcia stressed that only programmes and institutions accredited by the Accreditation Council of T&T (ACTT) and TVET programmes for Level III and above will be funded.

Highlighting the various forms of financial assistance being provided to students, Garcia said effective August 2016 the loan ceiling for students at local institutions will be raised from $25,000 to $35,000 annually, while the ceiling cap for students at regional institutions will remain at $75,000 annual. The decision not to fund incoming medical students at St George’s University, Grenada, remains unchanged while people 50 and over will no longer qualify for GATE, he added.

Garcia said Government will also be reviewing its long-term policy to act as the sole guarantor of loans and the subsidisation of interest.

Defending the introduction of the income means test, Garcia said, “This is to ensure those who are really in need of funding would receive the maximum amount.”

He said appropriate checks and balances had been put in place to ensure people do not “take advantage” of Government’s generosity, but appealed to applicants to be honest when providing financial information, as investigation officers will be despatched to check claims.

He said, “Everything will be done to ensure that whatever is declared on those forms will be correct. We will be appointing investigation officers in instances where we perceive the students have not been truthful in their declaration.”

Garcia said sanctions and funding withdrawal was possible in cases where students were found to be lying on their applications.

Not anticipating any untoward delays between processing of applications and the start of classes in September, director of the GATE Funding Division, Teresa Davidson, said this was not the first time means testing was being used, as it was first employed for 18 months when GATE was rolled out in 2004. She said while the previous process was a more detailed analysis, she was not ruling out the possibility it may be revised for next year as they were only looking at income parameters this year.

Funding of undergraduate programmes

• Where the total household income is $10,000 or less per month—the student will be eligible for 100 per cent GATE funding;

• Where the total household income is above $10,000 per month but less than $30,000—students will be eligible for 75 per cent GATE funding;

• Where the total household income is $30,000 per month or more—students would be required to pay 50 per cent of GATE funding.

Funding of post-graduate programmes

• Where the total household income is less than $30,000 per month—the student will be eligible for 50 per cent funding;

• Where the total household income is above $30,000 per month or more—the student will be eligible for 25 per cent funding.

A 72-year-old San Fernando woman is calling for stricter checks and balances on PH taxi drivers after one of them and his “passenger” stole her money, jewellery and medication on Monday.

The terrified Les Efforts mother yesterday begged not to be identified because she was still terrified that the heartless bandits, who got her purse with her personal documents, could possibly now target her at home.

The incident happened around 1.30 pm Monday, after the woman left home to purchase groceries and fill her Chronic Disease Assistance Programme (CDAP) prescription in San Fernando.

She recalled that while walking along Mucurapo Street towards the Broadway taxi hub, the driver of a white wagon blew his horn. She said she stuck out her hand and when the driver stopped she asked to be taken to her home.

“He waited for me to pick up my bags. He told me that he had to pick up a family near where I live. I got in and there was an elderly man in the back seat and another man sitting in front.

“He dropped off the man in the back seat and when he reached a short distance from where he was supposed to pick up the family, he stopped,” the woman recalled to the T&T Guardian yesterday.

She said the area where the driver stopped was quite lonely and had two vacant lots overgrown with bush.

She said there was no one else in sight when the front seat passenger got into the back seat and tussled with her for her handbag.

She said no one could hear her cries as the men ripped a chain off her neck and yanked off her 45-year-old wedding band given to her by her late husband, or the 60-year-old ring passed on from her mother.

After scuffling with the woman and grabbing her jewellery, the men put her out the car and drove off with her handbag containing $800 and her medicine, and her bags of groceries.

“I was glad they did not damage me,” she said, although she was left with a mark on her face.

She said she later walked into a garage but the men there were of little help. She then went to a brokerage firm where one of the employees assisted her and eventually took her to San Fernando police where she made a report.

Getting to the police did little to calm her nerves, however, as she said as it was not the first time she had been robbed. She said a young boy ambushed her and stole a bracelet from her several years ago while she was walking home. However, her son was able to recover it from the suspect.

“It is a dangerous place to live now for people like me. We live in an ageing society and a lot of elderly people have to be on the streets.

“We need a more regular police patrol around here and we need the PH taxis to be stopped, or some checks and balances need to be put in place to see who are the real taxi drivers and who are not.”

Like the woman, her neighbours are also worried about crime, saying strange people had been walking throughout the neighbourhood in recent times.

They believe these individuals have been surveying their homes and recording the times residents came and left.

A neighbour told the T&T Guardian that recently her husband caught an intruder snooping around their home at around 3 am. She said a gas tank was subsequently stolen.

As her children played in the front yard, she kept a close look at them, even though she just installed new chains and locks on the gates.

Police: Use Legitimate Taxis

Assistant Commission of Police Irwin Hackshaw is warning commuters against travelling with PH taxis, as he says criminals are using the trade to carry out robberies and other crimes.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian yesterday, Hackshaw said PH taxis were illegal and commuters should not encourage the practice by travelling in those vehicles. He said the only legitimate taxis were those that bore registration numbers beginning with “H.”

“PH taxi drivers are operating illegally, but in this society people have their own choices of what type of transportation they like to use. Yes, I understand that most of the genuine taxi drivers work within a time limit and the other option is PH, but the public is advised to use only legitimate taxis to travel from place to place,” he said.

He said some criminals were planning strategies to rob citizens using “P” cars.

He advised people who are victims of such crimes to try to get a proper description of the drivers and the vehicles and report the crime to the nearest police station. Hackshaw said police were continually cracking down on PH taxi drivers wherever they were found, but noted not all taxis picked up passengers at the designated taxi hubs.

The Ummah T&T Muslim Lobby Group is calling on the Airports Authority of T&T (AATT) to urgently make arrangements to have a special room prepared for prayer for the Hajj pilgrims and their respective families at the Piarco International Airport.

According to the group’s general secretary Imtiaz Mohammed, because of the ongoing repairs of the airport’s atrium, it has become impossible to facilitate the large crowds accompanying the pilgrims to bid their family members goodbye and make final supplications before their departure.

Based on the Islamic calendar, Muslim pilgrims are currently leaving to travel to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Five Hajj groups have been authorised by the Government of Saudi Arabia to take pilgrims to the Sacred Land, where they will perform one of the most important obligations of the religion lasting three weeks to a month.

“Ummah T&T believes that the current ad hoc arrangements, where the departing Muslims are forced to jostle with other travellers and perform their rites of departure in an undignified manner, is unbefitting and possibly infringes on the constitutional right of Muslims to practice their religion,” Mohammed said.

“Indeed, it is incumbent on the Airports Authority to make contingency plans to ensure that the several hundreds of pilgrims who pay up to $60,000 each to make the trip are allowed to depart in comfort, and with a peace of mind which will not detract from the serenity and tranquillity required for the once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Mohammed is suggesting that an open area to the east of the departure lounge be immediately made available “specifically for the Muslim community to fulfil the religious rites before departure for the holiest site in Islam.”

He also said additional car parking spaces are also needed in such a time as this.

In a release yesterday, however, the AATT said they only received a request to film the departure of pilgrims journeying to Mecca for the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

“This request was approved by the authority. No other requests were made to the authority. It is to be noted that the authority customarily approves requests for use of its facilities by various religious and cultural groups,” the AATT said.

It added that it has been in contact with the group who made the request for filming and added that the group expressed satisfaction with the approvals granted. The authority also noted that there is a non-denominational prayer room outfitted at the airport, “which can be accessed by all airport users and which affords all persons the opportunity to reflect in a peaceful and private environment.”

President of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) Ancel Roget is not backing down for a boycott of 120 businesses owned and operated by the one per cent elitists.

During a march of trade union leaders and other union members last Friday in Port-of-Spain, Roget called on citizens to boycott 120 franchise stores and other business outfits owned and operated by the “elitist one per cent.”

The “one per cent” phrase was first mentioned by businessman Mario Sabga-Aboud in June during airing of travel star Anthony Bourdain’s segment on T&T in his culinary show Parts Unknown. Following public outrage over remarks termed insensitive and irresponsible, Sabga-Aboud later issued a public apology.

In response to Roget’s statement, the president of the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association, Gregory Aboud, on Monday described Roget call as a “hateful message.”

Speaking with reporters after a meeting with Energy Minister Franklin Khan yesterday, Roget said the list of 120 businesses was still being compiled which will be distributed to JTUM and the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union members.

“But that compilation is being made as we speak. The list will be circulated among our members whose disposal income on which they depend to declare profits. But there is another list that we are going to put out…the businesses which should be supported.”

Having faced a barrage of criticism from the business community, Roget said while they were entitled to their opinions, he was entitled to his.

“We are also entitled to raise the consciousness and awareness of our own members and so if we direct our members as to where to spend their money to get the most amount of benefits and in whose interest those who receive their money those persons will act.”

Roget said the trade union movement was just fulfilling its responsibility.

“It is time that we focus on buying doubles, roti, pelau and bake and shark and so on. And let us do it on any day and not just Tuesdays and Fridays. And let us not have a ritual in doing it. It is about time that we begin to focus on the 99 per cent, which forms part of the local business community,” Roget said.

Told that workers of the one per cent could be affected by his boycott, Roget said, “They are sending them home in any case. They are being sent home in any case. And we welcome them being absorbed into businesses that really would boom as a result of the 99 per cent taking charge.”

Roget said it was time the 99 per cent take charge of their destiny. (SH)

Trust God. These two simple words are all one relative of Tiba “Moppy” Thomas had for the men who killed Thomas and his friend in Gonzales, Belmont, yesterday.

Thomas was called out of his house by neighbour Trevor Wilson, before both men were killed by their attackers around 4 am yesterday. 

According to police reports, Wilson was at his Olton Road, Gonzales home when masked gunmen grabbed him and forced him up some nearby stairs to Thomas’ house and made him call out to his neighbour. When Thomas responded he saw the gunmen and attempted to close the door and run, but the men pushed it open and killed him. They then killed Wilson.

Speaking with the media at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, yesterday, Thomas’ relatives said he was a security guard and the only issue he had with the law was a few years ago when he was shot by police.

“What I would tell them out here is trust God. You have to know when people calling you out. This killing is ah set a coward killing, because them bringing people from outside from the area to do that,” one relative who did not want to be named said following his autopsy.

Relatives said the 36-year-old father of three was not really friends with Wilson but knew him from the area. Wilson moved into the area about four years ago to live with his father and was originally from Carenage. The 25-year-old did tiling and is believed to have been targeted by the gunmen because he is trusted in the area, as he was not known to be involved in criminal activity.

Relatives of Wilson were also at the FSC but refused to comment on his killing except to say they were immensely saddened by his murder.  

Police have labelled the double killing as gang-related, adding that Thomas was the target of the gunmen.

In March last year, gang activity in the area claimed the life of 21-year-old Kyle Williams, who police said then was targeted twice before he was murdered. His killing came months after the 2015 slaying of Yakini Charles, 12, who was shot on his way home from school on September 15. 

When the T&T Guardian visited the area yesterday there was little activity on the narrow streets of Gonzales. Those who spoke claimed they were not from the area and could not comment while others pointed the T&T Guardian to the homes of the deceased men. 

“I think the Prime Minister is being a bit naive.”

That was how Ancel Roget, president general of the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU), responded to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s call on labour leaders to acknowledge the reality and outcome of T&T’s straitened circumstances and return to the Tripartite approach enabled by the Government, rather than rely on threats, bombast, finger-pointing and insults.

Rowley issued the call in a press release on Saturday, hours after the trade unions and its members marched in Port-of-Spain against the injustices being meted out to the working class and society.

At that rally, Roget called on Rowley to meet with the Joint Trade Union Movement in two weeks’ time.

Up to yesterday, Roget said he had received no word that Rowley would meet him.

He again made a fresh call to meet with the PM.

If Rowley fails to meet with the union leader, Roget said, “Stay tuned, fasten your seat belt,” stopping short of saying what he intended to do.

“We need to have a discussion with the Prime Minister. He seems to be very elusive these days.”

Roget said when Rowley was in Opposition he was most present.

Asked what were his thoughts on Rowley’s call to the union leaders to return to the Tripartite approach, Roget said, “I think the Prime Minister is being a bit naive in that regard because he was well aware of the problems within NTAC (National Tripartite Advisory Council). We wrote to him requesting meetings prior to our leaving and even after our leaving and so on. So it is an attempt to shift the discussion and issue. The issue here is that we need to have a decision relative to all of the things that did not happen….all the positions taken by the employer and the Government.”

Roget said the Government did not live up to its responsibility and failed to produce the type of results that were necessary.

“We are committed to dialogue and tripartism. But it cannot be that while we are in discussions with you, you are sending workers home. The Government itself closed down a particular entity. That was final straw that broke the camel’s back. You are decimating families and communities and you expect me to be comfortable with that?”

Roget said there was need by the Government to re-set the clock in sharing the burden of adjustments.

Darrel ‘Ernie’ Mansingh was known for his bright smiles and peaceful nature. It may have been the latter that cost the 19-year-old his life after he attempted to ‘smooth’ over a fight at a Felicity bar last Friday and later asked one of the fighting parties for a ride, his paternal grandmother, Dularie Mansingh, suggested yesterday. 

Darrel was reported missing on Saturday when he failed to return to his Chase Village home. He had told his mother, Farisha Ali, via phone around 2 am on Saturday, that he was leaving Club Kokonuts in Felicity to come home but was never seen again. Yesterday, his decomposing body was found wrapped in a sheet along Connector Road, Felicity. The body was later taken to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, for an autopsy. 

Speaking to the T&T Guardian at her Bhola Trace, Chase Village home yesterday, hours after her grandson’s body was found, Dularie said one of the people involved in the fight had visited their home Monday night.

“A girl came here last night (Monday) and said she was by the bar when Ernie was there,” Dularie said.

“She say she and her friends get in a fight with a group of four boys and another girl outside the bar they were liming in. She said Ernie told the guys that she was his family and they should done the fight.”

She added, “When everything was done he asked the guys for a ride out of the area and the guys agree. When all of them sit in the car, the girl say she and her friends started busting the glass on the car and hitting it.”

Dularie said the girl told them there were four young men, including the driver and one woman, in the car. 

“He was sitting in the front seat and another fella was squeeze up next to him. She say when they start to beat up the car, the fella drive away with Ernie still in the car.”

But Ernie never made it home.

Farisha Ali was present but unable to speak and had to be placed in a chair by relatives. She cried non-stop as the story of her son’s death was told.

His family passed the information given to them by the girl on to the police and a young man was taken into custody yesterday morning. He led police to the body around 11 am.

“My sons had gone looking all over Felicity for him, but I was telling them to go through the Connector Road and check,” Dularie said.

“That is the only place they didn’t look and that is where they end up finding him.”

Dularie said officers at the Chaguanas Police Station should have done more to find her grandson.

“It was like they wasn’t doing anything, it is the family that find out about the fight and tell them and even after that they still wait until Farisha called and start to get on to go looking for his body. We didn’t have to go through all of this wait if they was doing their work properly.”

The only thing Farisha said was, “He didn’t deserve to die like that.”

Farisha was not allowed to see his body on the scene yesterday and his sister, Sarah Ali, said their mother collapsed several times.

As Chinese businesses continue to be targeted, police say one of the barriers to catching the culprits is that they are not getting certain information.

Over the past few months, there have been several videos shared on social media of robberies and even murders of Chinese nationals at their business places. Yesterday, there were two viral videos being shared, appearing to be robberies at Chow Long Supermarket, Marabella and Best Fortune House Chinese Restaurant, Cunupia, both occurring on Monday night.

While police are investigating the Cunupia robbery, Southern Division police said they have not received a report of a robbery at Chow Long Supermarket. A senior officer said while they have to be careful about the information shared on social media, he said investigators ned more evidence to help solve the cases. The video shows four gunmen entering the supermarket, with one of them kicking and holding up a worker. Meanwhile, another bandit empties the cash register and steals other items.

In Cunupia, police reported that 8.35 pm Monday four armed bandits walked into the Chinese restaurant along Monroe Road and pointed guns at the customers. They ordered the customers to sit with their hands in the air, while their handbags and pockets were being emptied.

The owner was also ordered to hand over the day’s sale. Surveillance cameras at the restaurant showed a customer attempting to stop the gunmen by throwing a chair at them, but he was kicked and beaten on the ground. As the bandits ran off with the stolen cash and cell phones, they were chased by the customer. Just last Thursday, a Chinese restaurant along the Eastern Main road, Arouca was robbed by armed by armed bandits. No one had been held.

Vice president of the China Society of T&T, Joseph Tai Chew said with the frequent robberies and recent murders of Chinese business owners, many Chinese nationals are fearful of being targets of crime.

“What makes them easy targets is that they move by themselves. Whenever they (bandits) rob a Chinese, they find money in their pockets, big amount of money too. I see in the papers people get robbed of thousands of dollars. What are they doing with all that money in their pockets? When the robbers see that in the papers, how many thousands of dollars, this will encourage more bandits to rob Chinese,” Tai Chew said.

He advised Chinese business owners to either hire security officers to escort them from their business to their homes and ensure their surroundings are well lit. However, he said crime in not subjected to only Chinese nationals but everyone. He said because the drug trade was becoming more rampant in Trinidad, everyone is at risk. He blamed the deportation of criminals from the US and England for the continuous crime.

Roget said the union attended the meeting at the ministry’s office at International Waterfront Centre, Port-of-Spain, hoping that Khan would have made an announcement on Cabinet’s decision on the State-owned oil company.

However, Roget said what Khan brought to the table was the current state Petrotrin was facing and the challenges the Government had been experiencing with falling oil prices.

The meeting was called six days after a special session of Cabinet was held to review the situation at the company.

In June, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley received a comprehensive report on the operations of Petrotrin which included recommendations for the restructuring of the oil company. The report was submitted by the Petrotrin Review Committee which was appointed by Rowley in March.

This appointment followed a Cabinet decision that called for a review of operations at the energy company in light of falling revenues, allegations of mismanagement and decreasing oil prices worldwide.

However, a release issued by Khan’s ministry yesterday stated that the meeting was “brutally honest” in identifying the challenges facing Petrotrin.

Khan stated that the situation at Petrotrin called for decisive action and collaborative efforts of all stakeholders, stating that some of the key elements needed for the company’s turnaround included strong leadership, competent management, greater efficiency and productivity, application of modern science and technology and an injection of substantial capital.

“Let me say that it was not what we expected. We expected that the minister (Khan) was going to make an announcement as to some decision Cabinet had taken. It was not that. It was that he wanted to have more discussions with us, as he saw it, before he take a final position to Cabinet, out of which a decision is going to be made,” Roget told reporters following the two hour long meeting.

Asked if he was disappointed by the turn of events, Roget said, “Disappointed …. No! We expect anything. The fact that they have not taken a decision as yet that is up to them. But I can say with absolute certainty that there is absolutely need for restructuring. Very quickly that must happen. Certain persons must be removed from the top and we must have in place a structure that provides for focus and accountability.”

Roget said a lot of what Khan presented to the OWTU they were already aware of, which dealt with Petrotrin’s current state and the decline in oil prices.

“We wanted to know if the meeting was about informing us as to the decisions made. He (Khan) said no decisions were made as yet. He said he wanted to have some more discussions with us before he goes to Cabinet on Thursday, which Cabinet will take a decision based on all of the various inputs. Of course, we made the point that at no point are we going to agree to sending workers home.”

Roget said no timeline was given by Khan as to when Cabinet would make a final pronouncement on Petrotrin. “But we did say that we would want to be privy to any decision before any announcement will be made.”

He said they would take favour with Government making the company into a structured, orderly and efficient company. “Privatising Petrotrin in a situation where there is lots of potential for Petrotrin to succeed and the country to benefit, if you do that (privatise) the citizens will lose. We are not going to agree that Petrotrin should be given away to any partner to run Petrotrin at the expense of the country.”

Roget said one of the issues Khan put on the table was local financiers.

“They (Government) tried to raise money through the local financiers who did not have the appetite to put their money into that risk. And that is an issue that we should be concerned about because all of them are ready, willing and able to benefit from a successful Petrotrin, but none of them are prepared to take the risks.”

He said the former People’s Partnership government, supported by the People’s National Government placed people in top level positions who did not have the required competencies and experiences.

Many of these “cushy” jobs were created for friends and family, Roget said, as he called for several top managers who have been receiving high salaries to be sent home.

The Law Association has expressed concern over the Government’s failure to appoint an Inspector of Prisons for over a year.

In a letter to National Security Minister Edmund Dillon sent on August 5, a copy of which was obtained by the T&T Guardian, the association’s president Douglas Mendes, SC, said the failure was a cause of concern due to the role of the inspector in monitoring the welfare of incarcerated people.

“Although a person who has been convicted of a crime or who is detained pending trial is constitutionally deprived of his or her right to liberty, the other protections which the Constitution affords are not suspended in the meantime.

“Each prisoner is entitled to be treated with dignity and in accordance with the prison rules. The inspector plays a crucial role in ensuring that the State lives up to these obligations and expectations,” Mendes said.

While Mendes said that his organisation was hopeful that the appointment would be made with “due dispatch”, he offered assistance to Dillon.

“If there is anything which the Law Association can do to hasten this process, please let me know,” Mendes said.

Former Inspector of Prisons Daniel Khan’s term expired in July last year.

During his tenure Khan submitted annual reports to the Government in which he described the conditions in local prisons as “disgusting and sickening”.

In addition to the conditions for both remand and convicted inmates, Khan also called for the reform of archaic prison rules to reduce incidents of prison beatings, which results in prisoners winning sizeable compensation from the State.

The T&T Guardian attempted to contact Dillon on his cellphone but all calls went to voicemail.

The Transit Police Unit officer whose suggestive photograph has been circulating online has been suspended from duty pending an investigation into the matter.

Speaking at the weekly media briefing of the Police Service today, Public Information Officer ASP Michael Pierre said the officer was given "a document" informing her that she is to "cease from performing duties as an SRP". 

The photographs of Special Reserve Police officer, dressed in full uniform, first began circulating on Sunday and has been linked to a love triangle involving two senior police officers. The notice of suspension was served on the officer on Tuesday.

Sources told the T&T Guardian on Monday that colleagues of the SRP, who is assigned to the Transit Police, are attempting to be discreet with the cyber bullying investigation.

President of the Police Social and Welfare Association Insp Michael Seales on Monday described the incident as unfortunate and called for a speedy hearing into the matter.

A senior officer told the T&T Guardian on Monday that the alleged actions of the officer was not criminal but noted it was the “disrespect to the uniform.”

Austrian contracting firm VAMED GmbH & CO KG (VAMED) is threatening to pack up and leave T&T, if it is not paid at least 10 million Euros (TT$79 million) for its work on the Point Fortin Hospital.

The T&T Guardian understands the Austrian contracting firm gave the ultimatum to Urban Development Corporation of T&T (UDeCOTT) officials yesterday, after an initial request for 30 million Euros (TT$238.2 million) for the next three months of work was declined. The T&T Guardian was told the 30 million Euros is to cover incremental monies to continue the project.

“VAMED has spent over TT$150 million in expending funds without any return and they owe a lot of suppliers. Their technical people are European and they require their salaries in Euros. Also, it would have the continuation of civil work. A huge chunk of those monies would be going to the employment of semi-skilled and unskilled people on the project,” an internal source told the T&T Guardian yesterday.

The Point Fortin Hospital is expected to cost $1.6 billion overall.

VAMED officials headed by Gerhard Oellinger yesterday met in an early morning “crucial emergency” meeting at the construction site at Techier Village with UDeCOTT chairman Noel Garcia, board members, representatives from the Ministry of Health and consultants. That meeting ended shortly after noon.

As the entourage was leaving the site, Garcia was asked whether or not Vamed will be paid the 30 million Euros.

“That is one of the major issues given, but I have made a commitment to raise the matter with the Minister of Health and the Ministry of Finance,” Garcia replied.

Asked how the meeting went, Garcia would only say: “We came here today (yesterday) to see how the project is progressing. We came to get some idea as to what were some of the challenges the project was facing.”

Garcia did admit that the contractor (referring to VAMED) and the consultants were very frank in the meeting.

“There are some Forex issues which UDeCOTT has given the undertaken to speak with the Ministers about,” Garcia said.

But Garcia spoke proudly of the project’s progress, saying they anticipate the steel structure will be completed by September 22.

“The envelope of the building should be completed by year’s end. We are anticipating the completion of the project by December 2018 and by early 2019 we should start the commissioning of the equipment, so by March 2019 the hospital should be ready,” Garcia said.

“We all took a decision to do all in our power to make sure that the project happens and that it is a successful project.”

Speaking with the T&T Guardian under strict anonymity, however, workers expressed concern about the contractor halting construction and promised to take action if it did.

“We will shut down Point Fortin. We will protest every day. This project hires us, locals, and this is what put food on our tables and see about our families and children. We will not take nothing less and the Government ought to see to it that this continues until completion.”

Another worker emphasised that the hospital was well overdue and the people of Point Fortin deserve it “more than ever.”

“It’s about 50 years they promising us this hospital and now that we are getting one there is threat to have it stopped? That is not fair to us. We have been a stronghold seat for the People’s National Movement who is in Government again now and they ought to see to it that we get this hospital.”

Contacted on the issue last evening, Deyalsingh gave an assurance to the people of Point Fortin the project will be completed.

“We are totally committed to finishing this project by December 2018 then commissioning in 2019. All issues that arise, as with any project of this size, will be expeditiously dealt with for the benefit of the citizens of the south west peninsula.”

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses have had “robust discussions” with Caricom chairman and Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr Keith Mitchell and other Caricom members in a special emergency meeting regarding the current crisis in Venezuela.

The meeting, which took place on Tuesday, lasted for some three hours.

A brief statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said the leaders, who had participated in the video conference call, had engaged in “varied and robust views,” adding that the meeting “centred on promoting dialogue among stakeholders within Venezuela geared towards resolution of the political and social challenges in that country.”

Up to late yesterday, no official statement was issued from the Guyana-based Caricom Secretariat or from the office of Mitchell who was reported to have convened the special emergency meeting by video conference.

Following their last summit held in Grenada last month Caricom leaders issued a statement reaffirming their guiding principles of adherence to the rule of law, respect for human rights and democracy, as well as for the fundamental principles of non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of states.

But, in the statement, they had noted that they were concerned about the “difficult political, economic and social situation in Venezuela, in particular the increase in violence and polarisation between the Government and the Opposition, and its effect on the people of Venezuela.”

As a result, the regional leaders had called for all parties to “commit to engage in renewed dialogue and negotiation leading to a comprehensive political agreement with established time tables, concrete actions and guarantees to ensure its implementation for the well-being of the nation.”

“In this regard, Caricom heads of government offered their good offices to facilitate this dialogue,” the statement had said.

While there has been no public acceptance of the Caricom offer from the opposition, President Nicholas Maduro in a July 7 letter to Mitchell said “he wholeheartedly welcomes the valuable proposal contained in that communiqué offering the good offices of Caricom to reactivate an agenda of constructive dialogue among the political parties of (our) country.”

Opposition forces in Venezuela have been staging street demonstrations in a bid to force the Maduro government out of office and in his letter, the embattled Venezuelan leader had proposed a “working meeting” in Venezuela on either July 11 or 12 to discuss the situation.

On July 30, Venezuela staged an election to choose a 545-member constituent assembly with the power to rewrite the constitution and dissolve state institutions.

The polls were boycotted by the opposition and criticised by many western countries, but Maduro said the assembly would help bring peace to the country where more than 100 people have been killed and more than 2,000 wounded since the street protest began in April.

GEISHA ALONZO 

More than 800 rounds of ammunition and nine guns were found by police in Couva yesterday.

According to reports, officers of the Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit (CGUI), the Southern Division and the Canine Branch conducted an anti-crime exercise in Couva between 5 am and noon on Wednesday. 

Acting on a tip-off, the officers searched a busy area at Todd’s Road, Milton Village, Couva, and found nine guns, including a Russian-made assault rifle, a Remington rifle outfitted with a scope, an Uzi sub-machine gun and six pistols.

They also found over 800 rounds of assorted ammunition.

A press release issued yesterday stated no arrests had been made in connection with the find, which was described as  a major weapons and ammunition haul. 

Four-year-old Haleema Mohammed who has to undergo a critical bone marrow transplant in India for a blood disorder has been receiving outpouring support from members of the public.

Her mother, Kristal Mohammed, 32, said, “Everything going good so far. Several people are making deposits. Plenty people are calling and giving us support and prayers. I am hoping that things work out.”

Mohammed is optimistic that they will be able to raise the $400,000 needed for Haleema, the youngest of her three children,to undergo the proceedure at Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI), Gurgaon, India. Haleema’s condition and her family’s struggle to raise the funds for the surgery was highlighted in yesterday’s T&T Guardian and CNC3’s Tuesday’s news broadcast.

Haleema was diagnosed with beta thalassemia, a blood disorder which reduces the production of haemoglobin.

According to the US National Library of Medicine website, haemoglobin is the iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to cells throughout the body.

However, Hameela’s blood transfusions only began when she was around a year and eight months when her blood count went extremely low. She began taking the blood tranfusions every three months, then every two months, every month and now its every three weeks.

Doctors have advised the family that the child’s iron level has been raising to high levels as a result of frequent blood transfusions and this could lead to organ failure and death.

Mohammed said she is aware of a case where a man with the same condition lived to 40, while a girl died at 15 years old and several people died in their 20s. If Haleema does not undergo surgery she will have to under blood transfusions for the rest of her life.

Mohammed, a housewife, and her husband Hamil, 43, a labourer, applied to the Children’s Life Fund and is awaiting a response.

Anyone willing to assist can donate funds to First Citizens bank account 2430155 or contact the family at 331-4672.

Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat says there are “cartels” operating within farmers’ markets across the country, controlling who can sell in the government facilities. 

Rambharat was addressing attendees at the sod-turning ceremony for 120-car car park at the Southern Wholesale Market, Debe yesterday. He said the new car park will help to alleviate problems for space at the facility and will be constructed over a five-month period on 60,000 square feet of land just outside of the market. 

Speaking to the media after the ceremony, he said, “One of the issues we encountered at markets across Trinidad, including Debe and Macoya, is the existence of people who want to control the space—in the case of Macoya for example - in terms of who gets the most prominent positions, the ones who are by the gates when the customers come in—the first spot that they (customers) will encounter.”

He said there are also safety and security issues at the Southern Wholesale market which he hopes will be remedied in the near future. 

“In Debe, because we have an issue with safety and security and the space is cramped, there are those who want to control the space and decide who is going to occupy and who is not going to occupy— it is a problem that I know has existed for a long time—I have received complaints from the farmers and the vendors and the idea now is to expand the space that is available by removing the car parking from the vending space and putting it into a car park we will make more space available.”

Rambharat said whatever money is spent to beef up security at the facility will be well spent.

“I think by having more space available for anyone who wants to vend—we would reduce some of the pressures, we would also be able to monitor, we would also be able to take control and have the facility secure not only from a food safety point of view but also from a vendor and customer point of view.”