But she said she remains committed to the party and will be ready when the election is next called after the court ordered that the election carded for Sunday be postponed.

It is the second time in two months that the party’s election would be postponed. The election for a political leader was originally scheduled for July 9 and was postponed to this Sunday. But those elections are not off.

Justice Ricky Rahim sitting in the San Fernando High Court ordered that Sunday’s election be postponed and that the National Executive of the party meet to consider the membership of persons who applied. He ruled that given the resignations of the members of the elections committee the leadership election had to be postponed to a date to be fixed.

Chairman of the Congress of the People Jamieson Bahadur said if Dyer-Griffith wants to re-apply for membership of the party she will have to write to him and he will take the matter to the national executive.

The party’s constitution, he said, states that if someone leaves the party and goes to another party and wants to return they need to write the chairman and the political leader and the letter will be discussed by the national executive, who will interview the person and then take a decision on the application.

This, he said, did not happen in the case of Dyer-Griffith.

Dyer-Griffith had resigned from the COP and formed another party Alliance of Independents. But returned and was named as one of three female candidates to contest the post of political leader. The other two women are former deputy political leader Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan and Sharon Gopaul-McNicol.

COP member Kirk Francis filed an application to the court seeking an injunction to prevent Dyer-Griffith from voting and being a candidate, and to prevent 34 other people from voting in the election.

Dyer-Griffith said while it was not the outcome that they would have wanted “the court acted and had to rule and we have to abide by it. Sometimes hurdles come in your way and you just have to look at the bigger picture and move on.”

She said, “we continue moving forward and will continue working in the best interest of the Congress of the People. I am committed to the party and to persons who are working in the best interest of the organisation.”

Bahadur said with the resignations of the political leader Dr Anirudh Mahabir and general secretary Clyde Weatherhead, he is now in charge of the party and has called an emergency meeting of the National Executive for 5 pm today to bring the executive up to speed on the court ruling.

An appeal has been made to the corporate community to lend a helping hand to the 22 families affected by a “twister” which tore through the community of Aripero on Thursday.

“We are appealing to the corporate community and any person or community willing to assist these residents. They can call the corporation at 649-0211, send us a message on Facebook or send an email at chairmansiparia@gmail.com,” corporation chairman Glenn Ramadharsingh said yesterday.

He said the number of homes affected now stands at 22, with several roofs being blown off, homes damaged and household articles destroyed.

He said the tornado-like weather pattern that passed through affected an area that spans from Pablito Trace into Grant Trace into Aripero, Dow Village, South Oropouche and La Brea.

Ramadharsingh said the corporation has gotten assistance from the Unemployment Relief Programme and all homes have been furnished with tarpaulins and mattresses.

He said a corporate entity has promised to supply food stuff.

“It is the poor people who were affected because this is a double jeopardy, they already having a trying time having to provide food for their children and now have the additional stress to repair their homes.”

In a release yesterday, Rural Development and Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein said the ministry has begun a programme to install hurricane straps on homes which are vulnerable to having their roofs blown off due to high winds.

“We have asked each corporation to identify two homes for this first phase of the project as we work towards making all communities safer and more storm resilient. The Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts has donated two thousand (2,000) hurricane straps for this venture. Collaboration is the best way for us to move forward, and we sincerely thank Honourable Minister Nyan Gadsby-Dolly and her team for this assistance,” said Hosein.

Hosein called for registered members of each Municipal Corporation’s Volunteer Network to get involved in the installation of the hurricane straps.

Interested volunteers could contact their Municipal Corporation directly; or liaise with National Volunteer Coordinator, Matthew Kailah or the Disaster Management Coordinator, Rishi Siew at the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government at 622-1669 ext 3109/3208 for more information.

Three construction workers remained warded in hospital last night after being attacked by gunmen at a construction site near the Besson Street Police Station in east Port-of-Spain.

According to reports around 2 pm, the men, ages 22, 23 and 24, were constructing a wall at the St Paul’s Recreation Ground opposite the Bethlehem Girls’ RC School, when they were ambushed by two gunmen.

Without warning the gunmen opened fire on the construction workers shooting them several times.

Police officers from the nearby station and those working at the Homicide Bureau’s office at Riverside Plaza responded within minutes but were unable to catch the gunmen who ran away through a track.

The men, who were not identified by police up to late yesterday, were taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital.

Two of the men were listed in critical condition, up to late yesterday, with their co-worker being warded in a serious condition. Police had not established a motive for the shooting, up to late yesterday, but believe that they may have been targeted by gang members in the area as they are from Laventille.

A security guard on duty at the school told Guardian Media he heard the gunshots but did not see gun attack.

The contractor, whose workers were targeted, was being interviewed by investigators. The contractor’s mother, who asked to remain unidentified, said that the shooting could have been prevented.

“We tired ask police for protection here because the site next to a war zone,” the woman said.

“If it was a big contractor their workers would have been surrounded by police. They does just tell us it not necessary because the station right there but look what happen today.”

The shooting is the second to occur near to Riverside Plaza and the newly constructed Besson Street Police Station in less than a month.

The State has filed a lawsuit against two soldiers seeking to recoup the $1.5 million which they allegedly stole from the Defence Force in a recent payroll scam.

In a press release yesterday evening, the Attorney General’s office said it filed the lawsuit in the Port-of-Spain High Court hours after the Defence Force gave the undertaking to release the lance corporal and private after they spent three weeks detained at the Teteron Barracks in Chaguaramas.

The release said in addition to filing a lawsuit seeking repayment of the alleged embezzled funds, the AG’s office obtained the injunction freezing all their assets in local and foreign financial institutions pending the determination of the case.

The ex-parte injunction was granted by Justice Margaret Mohammed without hearing submissions from the soldiers’ lawyers.

“The order granted inter alia restrains the defendants, whether by themselves, their servants and/or agents or otherwise howsoever, from removing or in any way disposing of, dealing with or diminishing any and all assets located within or outside the jurisdiction,” the release said.

Mohammed also ordered that the soldiers file affidavits detailing their assets before the next hearing of the case next Friday. She also ordered them to pay the AG’s office legal costs for bringing the lawsuit.

While the release named the soldiers, their identities cannot be revealed as they are yet to be charged with a criminal offence as a parallel police probe into the scam is still ongoing.

The soldiers were first detained on July 27 after the scam was discovered. While it was initially reported that almost $2 million was swindled between February and June, the release said it was in fact $1,480,000. Since their arrests, the soldiers had been held under open arrest (confined to the base with freedom to move around under supervision) at Teteron Barracks.

The T&T Guardian understands the soldiers are accused of working with a civilian member of staff to receive inflated payments in their salaries. When they were first confronted the officers reportedly admitted to seeing inflated sums in their accounts and withdrew the money without knowing its source.

Earlier this week, the soldiers filed a habeas corpus questioning their lengthy detention. But moments before High Court Judge Joan Charles was due to rule on the issue on Thursday, the Defence Force’s lawyers indicated their clients were willing to release them as their probe was nearing completion.

Charles gave her opinion on their detention nonetheless, saying the lengthy arrest was unreasonable and unjustified as the Defence Force had ample time to complete its investigation and decide whether it wished to court martial the soldiers within the first few days of discovering the scam.

“Even though the soldiers are subject to military law, the issue of their right to liberty remains. It is an entrenched right and must be given effect,” Charles said in her oral judgement.

However, she did rule that their initial detention was required.

“Given the nature of the alleged misconduct, I think it was important that they be detained to ensure that evidence or witnesses are not tampered with,” Charles said as she noted that the lance corporal was working as a payroll clerk before the investigation and had access to the department’s computer network.

In the next few weeks, the Sunday Guardian intends to explore the promises made by the Government and look into the extent to which those promises have been kept. Taking a close look at policies mapped out in the past two budgets, we intend to take a look at the progress made and speak to ministers about the progress on delivery, stagnance or delays in those plans. This week we begin with the Ministry of National Security.

Between January and up to Friday, the T&T Police Service recorded 299 murders, already close to the 305 recorded by the end of August last year. The murder toll in 2016

Calls on the Government to make an effective intervention to deal with the spiralling crime rate have been answered with statements that the police service needs to do its job.

In February, after a man slit a woman’s throat at MovieTowne, Port-of-Spain, the entire country was stunned that the killing could be carried out in such a public place. The murder was shocking, but was one of several similar acts this year, the most recent of which included those of 13-year-old schoolboy Videsh Subar, who was killed along with his babysitter Rose Mohammed and 17-year-old David Sancaro, who was run over by a van moments after he rushed to assist a woman who was being physically abused.

The Government’s position on eradicating crime was most clearly articulated during the reading of the 2017 budget by Finance Minister Colm Imbert, who said: “These anti-social activities cannot continue: non-stop killings from the revenge murders among organised criminal gangs to the ever-too-frequent tragedies of domestic violence to the violation of our children and the elderly. We are committed to aggressively confront and contain those elements who choose such criminal activities as their way of life.”

In February, while participating in a walk against crime in Point Fortin, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon added: “Crime is too much even if there is one murder. Once there is crime there is work for us to do. We will continue to pursue criminals vigorously as well as treat with crime through the Ministry of Sport and the Ministry of Social Development.”

But crime remains something the Government and the police service are still struggling to control, despite a recent claim by the police that four out of nine policing divisions across T&T had surpassed the international benchmark for crime detection over the past six months.

The T&T Police Service is also dealing with the fact that there has been no substantive appointment to the post of Commissioner of Police since 2012. Acting Commissioner Stephen Williams has been in the post since former commissioner Dwayne Gibbs resigned and has received ten extensions.

A manpower audit of the service is also under way and head of the committee conducting it, Prof Ramesh Deosaran, told the Sunday Guardian the committee is working toward the final report.

“We’ve gathered a lot of information so far. There are other meetings we have to hold but we are finalising all the data from inside and outside the police service. We are now tabulating the numbers. We aren’t only writing the report but also looking at specific recommendations,” Deosaran said.

In the past two budgets under the People’s National Movement administration, National Security received allocations of $10.81 billion and $7.625 billion respectively, the largest share of the pie and a large increase compared to the $6.994 billion budgeted in financial year 2015.

During that time, the Government has, on numerous occasions, made commitments to provide more resources to assist, while holding the Police Service accountable for the implementation of crime reduction strategies.

While this has been the Government’s position, citizens have been faced with murders which have grown increasingly heinous, police officers citing a lack of vehicles for quick responses, and fear for personal security has now taken a stranglehold on the national community.

The police service apart, both the Fire and Prisons Services have also been clamouring for more resources to conduct their operations efficiently. Government would have brought a little comfort to the prisons service last week when it announced $53 million had been allocated for upgrade works at the Golden Grove remand facility.

The Government has reported achievements on some of its national security objectives, including strengthening the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) with a Threat Assessment Centre (TAC) in the Office of the Prime Minister.

The Government has also signed a Model 1A Inter-governmental Agreement with the United States, which would facilitate the implementation of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (Fatca) enacted in the United States in 2010 and which would now allow for the automatic exchange of information between both countries. Fatca legislation was passed in both houses of Parliament in March.

A Customs information sharing agreement with the USA was also announced in the 2017 budget presentation in order to benefit from shared intelligence on customs offences with the USA. The agreement was intended to assist this country in obtaining convictions for smuggling, drug trafficking and gun-running.

Stakeholders speak: President of the Prison Officers’ Association Cerron Richards

When the Sunday Guardian spoke to Prison Officers’ Association president Cerron Richards last week, he said prisons in T&T were no better off today than they were two years ago.

In a telephone interview, Richards said prisons officers were still waiting to see new projects get off the ground.

“Where we hoped the impact would have been we were not fortunate to see it. Under the PSIP, the water situation in Carerra was supposed to be treated with but we haven’t seen the fruits of that.”

He said to make matters worse, more and more promises were being added to the incomplete ones.

“Overall, when you look at prison service you get a lot of promises but allocations for projects do not come. We have heard that money would be sourced to refurbish the Golden Grove prison but no real allocations to fund it. They added the promise of a new prison in Tobago. We will see what happens there.”

Following Dillon’s announcement that $53 million had been allocated for upgrade works at the Golden Grove remand facility on Thursday, however, Richards was much more optimistic.

“We want to commend the Government and the minister for taking the bold step for allocating for the remand prison. We hope the Government continues to focus on the prison service in T&T,” he said.

“We want Government to look to look at Maximum Security Prison and the other prisons as there are problems there as well.”

Richards said the allocation for upgrades to the remand facility signalled a new type of thinking and direction.

“This is the first time any Government has sought to embark on an undertaking to upgrade the facility to that extent. We know the ideal will always be a new purpose built remand facility in T&T but we understand the economic and financial constraints by the country.”

Police Social and Welfare president Micheal Seales:

President of the Police Social and Welfare Association Inspector Michael Seales, in an interview last week, said they needed more resources and training.

“The association cannot speak about what the minister is doing but we have seen what the commissioner has done. The police service benefited from the use of body cameras and we applaud that,” Seales said.

He said, however, that the association was still waiting on the implementation of tasers and pepper spray, which would bring the police service in line with more modern, first world strategies.

“We would like to see Government get involved and put cameras for all policemen. We know the commissioner says he has to wait on budgetary allocations to roll out tasers and pepper spray but we would like National Security to ensure it is provided.”

Seales said last year the budget for the police service also saw a reduction of funds for training from $18 million to $2 million.

“We think it is important that law enforcement get resources and training to align with international best practice.”

Security experts

Asked to comment on the Government’s anti-crime proposals, former commissioner of police Everard Snaggs said he had to assume Government had done its research before proposing any of the measures.

With the Police Management Agency and Police Service Inspectorate in particular, Snaggs said maybe there was a lack of something in the service that needed to be fixed.

But he said the decision to partner closely with regional corporations was a great decision, as the police needed to get closer to the people.

“You would have the institution integrated closer with the community and that could affect public trust. Trust is something we need in any initiative. Any strategy that would look to build trust in the public is a good initiative.”

Another former national security minister, Gary Griffith, said the proposals by the PNM administration could be of immense value and could prove critical aspects for the protective services.

“The problem is they are trying to reinvent the wheel. There are several policies that were done previously which could have done the same thing.”

He said, however, that he felt the Government fell short in ensuring that accountability in the protective services was monitored.

“The NOC (National Operations Centre) was there to ensure the police service was accountable and their response time was measured but that has now been scrapped,” Griffith said.

“What is required is not increase in manpower strength but a better quality. Two years ago people were seeing police every few minutes on the nation’s highway, you were getting an immediate response because the vehicles were monitored.

“That took away the perception of fear of crime. There must be systems to measure their performance and make them accountable. I don’t think this administration understands the measure of performance. Increasing numbers will not help. What the country needs is enhanced quality.”

Several other commitments made by the Government remain incomplete, including:

Budget Promises: Establishment of the Joint Border Patrol Agency

Justification: To strengthen the security and integrity of our maritime borders through the acquisition and deployment of National Security appropriate military assets. The agency would co-ordinate rapid responses of all agencies to meet all external threats.

Status: Downgraded to task force;
name changed to Joint Border Protection
Task Force.

Progress: Conception and structure established. In process of forming task force. No implementation.

Explanation: Though the budget documents list this project as the Joint Border Patrol Agency, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon told Sunday Guardian it is the Joint Border Protection Agency. According to Dillon, a committee was established to conceptualise the agency, comprising a former police commissioner, former chief immigration officer and former customs commissioner. It was decided that an agency was not required and a task force was more feasible. The task force will comprise members of the Defence Force, Immigration, Customs, Police Service, Port Authority and Airports Authority.

Establishment of a Police Management Agency and Police Service Inspectorate

Justification: To develop the necessary leadership expertise, skills and professionalism.

The agency will set and maintain the ethics and values which will underpin the professional culture of the police service. It will also deploy strategic and scientific resources in all areas. Police Service Inspectorate to treat with potential abuse of state power and any overreach by the Police Service in the discharge of their duties. Quality assurance and oversight of police operations will be subject to annual reporting by the Inspectorate to the Parliament.

Status: On Hold.

Progress: Police Management Agency and Inspectorate combined as one agency. No implementation.

Explanation: According to Dillon, the ministry decided the completion of the manpower audit was necessary before any progress could be made.

Partner with regional corporations through inter-agency approach to combat crime

Justification: Part of Local Government reform exercise.

Status: Early stages of implementation.

Progress: Structure created and approved. Recruitment process ongoing. Appointed an assistant police commissioner for Municipal Police, ACP Brian Headley, who reports directly to the police commissioner. Recruited Senior Supt of Municipal Police South Carlisle Higgins.

Explanation: According to Dillon, the recruitment process for a Senior Supt North is ongoing. The next stage is expected to be training, assignment and a possible expansion of municipal police.

Establish programmes to foster building public trust in police service and root out corrupt individuals from service

Justification: To restore social peace.

Status: Unclear.

Progress: Dillon did not list specific programmes implemented.

Explanation: According to Dillon, several programmes are ongoing in an effort to build confidence in the police service. Evidence of implementation included presence of police within certain communities. Dillon said in the flagship communities the presence of the Defence Force had also given confidence to residents. He said the Acting CoP Stephen Williams was looking at the disciplinary side in terms of looking at members of the T&T Police Service who go afoul of their duty.

The Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd (SporTT) is getting problems locating the principals for EBeam Interact Ltd, as it tries to recover the $34 million paid to the company as part of the defunct LifeSport programme.

According to court documents, the address for EBeam Interact Ltd is listed as 8 Hayes Street, St Clair, Port-of-Spain, but this has not helped the situation. A senior SporTT official at with intimate knowledge of the situation said it “was no surprise” the EBeam executives could not be found.

As a result of the situation, High Court judge Jacqueline Wilson has now ruled that there be substituted service in the form of two advertisements placed in the newspaper.

If EBeam does not respond within 14 days after the second advertisement, which appeared in the newspapers last week, SporTT may proceed against it and a “judgment will be given” in absence, Wilson ruled.

On June 2, SporTT filed a claim form and a statement of case at the Port-of-Spain High Court seeking to retrieve the funds paid to EBeam, stating the company was “unjustly enriched.”

Last October, EBeam president Adolphus Daniell hosted a press conference breaking his silence on the issue, saying $34 million was “no money” and he had fulfilled his end of the bargain.

The statement of claim against EBeam states the company was selected by SporTT in 2013 to provide numeracy and literacy, and technology components to participants of the now defunct LifeSport programme.

The programme was scheduled to start on December 6, 2012 and end on September 30, 2014.

The claim stated that the contract was executed on June 5, 2013, but was backdated.

On July 28, Wilson granted permission of the substituted service to EBeam via an advertisement the news papers for two consecutive weeks.

EBeam has 14 days from the last date of publication to respond and file the necessary documents in the court in response.

According to the Breach of Contract, SporTT is seeking the following reliefs from EBeam:

i.

Close to $1.2 billion is being owed to contractors of the Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL) for the period 2012 to date, Education Minister Anthony Garcia said at a press conference at his Port-of-Spain office on Friday.

But he assured that this would not impede work being done at 144 educational facilities across the country, as efforts are being made to ensure all schools reopened for the start of the new school term on September 4.

On the recent fire which occurred at the Malabar Government Primary School, Garcia said it was still being determined by the Fire Service whether the blaze was accidental or as a result of arson.

“But we are trying our best to ensure the school is fit for the reopening. EFCL officers have been visiting the school and visited it up to Thursday. The contractors have been appointed and we have been given the assurance that the school does not suffer from closure,” Garcia said.

“Malabar Government Primary is a school that is unfortunate because it is now housed in containerised buildings and there have been problems associated with that.”

He said last year the ministry had to “galvanise” contractors to ensure that the school was reopened on time.

“One of the contractors who was appointed did not work in accordance with the specifications,” Garcia added.

EFCL chairman Ricardo Vasquez, who also spoke, said, “All critical school repairs are being undertaken at this time. There are some critical schools that might take a little longer to get done and we are basically trying to put a phase system in place and this would ensure that all schools are opened on time.

“We have to ensure that all contracts are awarded and there are some schools that are being completed already.”

Asked about the money owed to contractors he said, “A lot of payments are still being owned to contractors. However, right now we have not been having any problems with contractors on the job site as a result of non-payment.”

Ministry of Education Chief Education Officer Harrilal Seecharan said the preliminary results of this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) showed students wrote more subjects obtained more grade ones this year compared to last year.

Speaking during a press conference at the ministry’s Port-of-Spain offices on Friday, Seecharan said overall the assessment showed a high degree of comparability between 2016 and 2017. He said this year a total of 21,533 students wrote the exam , comprising government, government-assisted and private schools as well as private candidates.

The exam, which was written in 33 subjects, had a total of 109, 273 subjects entries as opposed to 106,016 in 2016, representing a slight increase.

At CSEC, Seecharan said grades one, two and three are considered passes, adding, “We had passing grades in 67.78 per cent of the subject entries. This was comparable to approximately 67 per cent to the passing rate in 2016.

“However, because we had an increase in the number of subject entries, we actually had more students passing more subjects overall... approximately 3257 more grade ones, twos and threes.”

A comparison of the subjects from 2016 to this year showed there were higher pass rates for 16 of the 33 subjects written and overall, out of the 33 subjects there were 22 subjects with higher than 70 per cent pass rates. These subjects include add math, biology, agriculture, economics, French, music, office administration, principles of accounts and principles of business.

He said this year 58.1 per cent of candidates who wrote the exam obtained five subjects and more.

“However, because of the change in numbers we actually had more students getting five subjects and more...7,690 in 2017 compared to 7,380 in 2016,” Seecharan added.

He added: “We had a small increase in English A. The pass rate for English A this year is actually 73 per cent compared to 72 per cent last year. In math the pass from 2011, 2012, 2013...roughly the pass rate across the entire population is approximately 40 per cent, so it’s an area we’ve been working on and in 2017 the pass rate is approximately 53 per cent and in 2016 it was 54 per cent.

“But we have small variations from year to year which may not necessarily be specifically significant and because we had more candidates writing we may have had a greater number of students passing the subject.”

The Opposition United National Congress is assuring that it is “actively considering” pieces of legislation sent to it by acting Attorney General Stuart Young and will respond “in due course,” but said because the legislation intrudes significantly on the fundamental rights of citizens they require “careful consideration.”

The party is now accusing Young of making “political statements about the consultative process between the Government and Opposition which does not engender the right atmosphere for co-operation.”

Speaking at the post-Cabinet news briefing on Thursday, Young lamented that two separate packages containing draft legislation dealing with Anti-Gang Legislation and Zones of Special Operations and Community Development were sent to UNC Senator Gerald Ramdeen on August 4, which he said included statistical data with respect to gangs.

But he said to date the Government had received no response from the Opposition.

Young was at the time giving an update on what he said were the commitments made by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar during their recent meeting.

In addition to the packages sent to Ramdeen, he said the Prime Minister had on Thursday provided the Opposition Leader with a seven-page document detailing Government’s non-legislative anti-crime operational initiatives.

Ramdeen confirmed that he had received the packages of legislation from the Office of the Attorney General under the hand of Young, who is the acting AG.

He said he was “surprised” that the draft pieces of legislation were delivered to his office, since “proper Parliamentary protocol would have dictated that they ought to have been sent to the Chief Whip.”

But he said in keeping with the commitment by the Opposition to support the passage of law in the best interest of citizens, the Opposition had been “actively considering” what had been sent to them “to determine whether they are constitutional to begin with and whether they strike the right balance between the citizen and the state.”

Ramdeen said the criticism levelled by Young was unfair. He said in the past Parliamentary sessions “the Opposition literally carried the legislative agenda of the Parliament” and had spent “very long hours assisting the Government on fixing the pieces of legislation that they brought to the Parliament.”

The Opposition Senator said the pieces of legislation “intrude significantly into the fundamental rights of the citizen and therefore they require careful and mature consideration by the Opposition.”

He assured that once they have studied the pieces of legislation the Opposition intends to present its views to the Government, together with its suggestions “with respect to its legality and whether the enactment of those pieces of legislation will be in the best interest of the people of Trinidad and Tobago.”

Ramdeen added, however, that “the record of the Government in passing legislation has not been one which shows that they have due regard for the rights of citizens.” As a result, he said “it is not a matter that the Opposition intends to rush, but will “carefully consider” before responding.

The national bird, the Scarlet Ibis, can become an endangered species “very, very quickly” if conservation efforts are not improved, Chief Game Warden Courtenay Park has warned.

Park said the Scarlet Ibis is now being poached and sold in “special bars and elite parties” because it is a delicacy that is in demand.

Park made the statements during an interview on the CNC3’s The Morning Brew with Hema Ramkissoon on Thursday.

Asked whether the national bird’s population is in danger, Park said: “At present, scientifically no, but it can head that way. Surveys and counts have been done over the last three years, they have been done twice a year and the results have shown that the populations are fairly stable, the numbers are down slightly but fairly stable, but the status of being endangered can be reached very, very quickly, it does not take much.”

He added: “The onus is on us at the Forestry Division, specifically the Wild Life Section, to continue our patrols and to increase our presence at the Caroni Swamp and other areas to ensure that the populations do not move closer towards the state of instability and endangerment.”

Park said although the national bird is a protected species, it is being eaten because it is a “delicacy.”

“The trade is taking place in special bars that are often times hidden and obscure to the public and I am told as well at elite parties. It is illegal and it is hidden, it is not offered in an open way,” Park said.

One of the hurdles being faced in the fight to protect the national bird is that there are less than half of the required number of games wardens currently on duty. The number of game wardens needed to effectively patrol this country is 42 but there are currently only 16, he said.

Park said the arrest of three people caught poaching the Scarlet Ibis last Monday proved that the game wardens are doing their best to protect this country’s wildlife despite limited resources. The trio were charged under the Wild Life Conservation Act of 1958.

Richard Ramlogan was one of the game wardens responsible for the arrest of the three poachers. Ramlogan said the maximum fine for hunting or having the national bird in your possession is $1,000 or three months in prison.

Park said this fine is “definitely too low” and needs to be increased.

“I would say that in my opinion the fines are definitely too low, however, I would want to depend on the consensus of the Wildlife Conservation Committee to come up with a reasonable figure,” Park said.

Park said the ten-member committee is expected to come up with that consensus soon.

In addition to fines, persons found guilty can have their vehicles used in the offence seized, Ramlogan added.

President Anthony Carmona can, by law, make an intervention into the ongoing fiasco surrounding the procurement process used by the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT) for the inter-island ferry service. In fact, the Port Authority Act gives him the power to do so.

This is the position of former transport minister Devant Maharaj, who wrote to Carmona on Friday requesting the President’s immediate intervention in what he called an “unlawful and unqualified investigation” into PATT’s procurement of the Ocean Flower 2 and the Cabo Star.

In the letter, which was obtained by the Sunday Guardian, Maharaj requested that Carmona intervene to instruct the Port Authority to allow only the Integrity Commission or any other lawful authority to conduct any investigation into the selection of the Bridgemans Services Group LP vessels for the sea bridge. This action, he said, would be unprecedented on the part of the Office of the President and demands a display of presidential courage and fortitude.

Maharaj’s letter was penned following the announcement last week by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley that businessman Christian Mouttet would be the sole investigator into the “circumstances surrounding the procurement of the Cabo Star and the Ocean Flower 2 and the entering into the charter party agreement for these vessels.”

Mouttet’s appointment followed PATT’s decision to terminate the Ocean Flower 2 contract after the supplier failed to deliver the vessel by the date stipulated in the contract, July 17, and an inspection damning report by PATT chief engineer Brendon Powder.

The Ocean Flower was to service the inter-island route between Port-of-Spain and Scarborough due to a series of maintenance problems with the current passenger ferry vessels, the T&T Spirit and the T&T Express, but Powder ruled it was unsuitable to do so due to a number of mechanical issues.

Rowley’s decision was met with a measure of confusion and questions on the choice of Mouttet, whose qualifications for and experience in investigating such matters remain unclear.

The Integrity Commission and PATT are also conducting investigations into the matter, but the PATT has already indicated its initial findings have revealed the process in acquiring the vessels was compromised.

Maharaj, in his letter to Carmona, pointed out that the act was established and constituted in the name of the President of the Republic of T&T. Under the provisions of Section 12 of the Port Authority Act, chapter 51:01, the President may, from time to time, give the authority directions of a special or general character on the policy to be followed in the exercise of powers conferred and the duties imposed by the authority in matters that appear to the president to affect the interest of the public.

Maharaj said it was “unambiguous” that the issues surrounding the procurement methodology employed by PATT regarding the vessels were issues which affect the public interests.

“In particular, the people of Tobago who have been hardest hit economically. The taxpayers of Trinidad and Tobago have a material interest in the procurement process, which will burden the treasury with an annual cost of over TT$100 million,” Maharaj wrote.

“The uncontested reports of the sea worthiness of both of these vessels are of critical importance to the health and safety of citizens who are potential users who will utilise the services of the inter-island ferry.”

Maharaj said Section 15(1) of the act gives the Office of the President authority and power to intervene and not to be fettered by the interference of Cabinet or the line minister.

“I request your intervention given the issues surrounding the procurement of the services of Bridgemans Services LP vessels to provide inter-island ferry services and the subsequent investigations of same by persons who are not lawfully authorised or qualified so to do, and as such these persons may seriously comprise and/or contaminate the lawful investigation by the Integrity Commission.”

In a telephone interview yesterday, Maharaj said his main concern was that the evidence could be tainted, even innocently, and pervert the course of justice.

“The right way, as I suggested, is to use persons duly authorised by law and independent bodies of statute.”

Maharaj said his own experience with the Integrity Commission had proved the commission to be thorough in their investigations.

“It is more importantly the body which by law should be able to do this. What are they collecting salaries for? You cannot say you don’t trust them and you are paying them a salary,” Maharaj said.

“It should be that anyone who has the lawful authority to investigate should do so, but it cannot be people I’m just liming with down the road. Mr Moutett is doing this for free but we all know nothing in this country is free.”

PORT AUTHORITY ACT

PORT AUTHORITY ACT CHAPTER 51:01 Section 15. (1), states:
“The President may from time to time give the authority directions of a special or general character on the policy to be followed in the exercise of the powers conferred and the duties imposed on the authority by or under this act in relation to matters that appear to the President to affect the public interests. 2) The authority shall, as soon as practicable, give effect to all directions issued pursuant to subsection (1).”

Former deputy leader and candidate for political leader in the upcoming Congress of the People (COP) elections Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan, says it is disappointing that the internal elections of the party had to be taken to the courts but is looking forward to the elections whenever they may be.

In an interview with the Sunday Guardian yesterday, Seepersad-Bachan said it was a disappointment to see elections postponed yet again as it was demoralising to her team, but added that the COP needed to comply with the dictates of the constitution.

The party’s election was postponed for the second time in two months after Justice Ricky Rahim, sitting in the San Fernando High Court last week, ordered that the election, carded for today, be postponed and that the national executive of the party meet to consider the membership of persons who had applied.

He ruled that given the resignations of the members of the election’s committee the leadership election had to be postponed to a date to be fixed.

The election was originally scheduled for July 9, but COP member Kirk Francis filed an application to the court seeking an injunction to prevent Nicole Dyer-Griffith, who had left her party and formed a new party in 2015, from voting and being a candidate for political leader, and to prevent 34 other people from voting in the election.

The party’s constitution states that if someone leaves the party, goes to another one and wants to return they need to write the chairman and political leader first. The letter is then supposed to be discussed by the national executive, who will interview the person and then take a decision on the application.

Seepersad-Bachan yesterday said the court matter had had a negative impact on the party.

“It is my humble view that this should have remained out of the court. I was very disappointed as I had feared the party has collapsed with all these resignations. I am happy to know we are moving forward again,” she said.

She said the lesson to be learned was that “winning an election at all cost should never happen.”

“Nobody wanted to compromise. This is exactly the problem with politics of this country,” she said.

“People were so caught up with political power and did not realise they were damaging the interest of the party. Winning at all costs is not the way to go. The COP politics slipped into some of the old traditional styles. It confirms, in my view, the message that we need to change our politics.”

Congress of the People chairman Jamieson Bahadur has said if Dyer-Griffith wants to re-apply for membership in the party, she will have to write to him and he will take the matter to the national executive.

Yesterday, Gary Griffith, Dyer-Griffith’s husband and campaign manager, in a response to the Bahadur’s statements, questioned whether the constitution of the COP was being used conveniently.

“Jamie Bahadur, the returning chairman of COP, who did not support Nicole for the post of political leader, is quoted as saying that Nicole’s application for membership required that she submit a request in writing to both the political leader and chairman, which he claims did not happen.

“In total contrast to his curious comments, exactly what he claimed that was required for Nicole Dyer- Griffith to be considered to be a member was actually done, except for the part of writing to the chairman, as he was absent from that post for nearly a year,” Griffith said.

He also claimed Bahadur had informed the party he was no longer interested in acting as chairman and never attended one meeting of the national executive for several months, and was never involved in anything involving the running of the party for this year.

“So how can Nicole have written to someone in a post who was absent?”

Griffith said it seemed that some people wanted to use the COP constitution conveniently.

Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat says trees should be seen as an asset to assist us in the hurricane and rainy seasons, as they can help reduce damage, soil erosion and flooding.

He made the comment after he took part in the Citizens for Conservation’s tree planting exercise at the Queen’s Park Savannah (QPS), Port-of-Spain, yesterday.

The event was part of the bicentennial celebration of the QPS in commemoration of the 200-year anniversary of the purchase of the space for the people of T&T.

Fifty trees that were sponsored by various trust and conservation groups and representatives from the diplomatic corps were planted in the savannah and 40 trees were distributed to the public.

Rambharat said: “We are now entering the height of the hurricane season. We don’t know what to expect later on in the season but so far we know we’ve had a very active season.

“The strongest weather system we’ve had to deal with was Bret. Before during and after Bret in Port-of-Spain you would have seen the effects of the wind and rainfall on trees.

“We lost a few trees in the Savannah, one of the things that concern me is the health of the trees, some are over 100 years old and over a period of time they are rotting at the base and underground.”

Rambharat said there were more landslides, fallen trees and branches on the Lady Young Road during this wet season. But he said this was because after fires which occurred in previous dry seasons, no one surveyed the damage on top the hills and as the rains came down the ground became unstable and landslides occurred.

He said the ministry was now working in tandem with the Port-of-Spain City Corporation, San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation, Forestry and Horticulture Division and the Ministry of Works to manage some of the terrain, and recently just joined with the Works Ministry on clearing the North Coast rock slides.

Rambharat said some trees’ roots destabilised the rock structure and combined with their weight promoted landslides.

He said there was an ongoing exercise on the North Coast through Maracas to Blanchisseuse on removing some of the trees, but they were also replanting trees.

Asked about planting more trees in the city, Port-of-Spain Mayor Joel Martinez said they were looking at a programme for tree restoration earmarked for strategic areas and he was trying to include private citizens and the business community.

Also asked about the homeless in the city, he said this was foremost on their agenda, adding they had held a number of meetings with the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services and the Ministry of Health to address the plight of the dispossessed.

He said a piece of land to establish a homeless centre was in the works and he wanted the business community and NGOs to get involved to find a solution.

Regarding the stray dog population in the city, he said just last week a hotel had asked him to remove several dogs from the area and an exercise was conducted to do so.

He said from time to time the corporation would encounter such requests.

European Union Ambassador Arend Biesebroek said the EU could make finance available to countries that wanted to take measures to mitigate climate change.

He said the EU was discussing with Government whether it had intentions of using the EU’s technical experience or funding.

Biesebroek said one of the ideas currently floating was the rehabilitation or reintroduction of mangrove areas near Port-of-Spain specifically to deal with rising sea levels.

He said that was an area where European expertise could be used to provide technical assistance.

Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan says Seamen and Waterfront Workers’ Trade Union president Michael Annisette needs to get his facts correct before implicating him in the current sea bridge imbroglio.

Following outcries from the business community, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley appointed Prestige Holdings Ltd chairman Christian Mouttet to probe the procurement process and charter party agreements for the Cabo Star and the Ocean Flower 2.

A charter party is a hire or lease contract between the owner of a vessel and the charterer. The vessels were procured last month to replace the MV Super Fast Galicia, which left T&T in April after a contractual fall out with Port Authority of T&T (PATT). On August 9, Government cancelled the Ocean Flower II contract after it failed to arrive in T&T at the end of last month as stipulated by the contract.

Speaking outside the Prime Minister’s office in St Clair on Friday, Annisette said Rowley should investigate Sinanan for failing to sign the charter party to retain the services of the Super Fast Galicia.

Annisette said Sinanan signed a charter party for two vessels that did not arrive in T&T for a year, but failed to sign an agreement for the Galicia, which was already in the country.

“We in the trade union movement are demanding an inquiry to determine why the minister did not sign a charter party agreement. That is what we want an inquiry into, not about the board. Remember, a board was fired,” Annisette said.

But speaking to reporters in Palo Seco yesterday, Sinanan said he was not even a minister when the issue of the charter party for the Galicia came up. Sinanan, who was appointed to the Works and Transport portfolio on October 31, 2016, said the contract for the Galicia finished since April 2016.

“He spoke about the Super Fast Galicia and that I did not sign-off on the contract and that is why it left. What Mr Annisette has to understand is that the charter party that he is talking about, if he would remember, that was in April 2016. I became a minister in November 2016,” Sinanan said.

“I do not understand where he is going with it, that I did not sign-off on the agreement, because the contract for the Super Fast Galicia finished in April. I was not even a Cabinet minister. I need to check back to see if I was not even a senator. I don’t know what he is talking about and he needs to get his facts correct.”

He added: “I have always stood for integrity, accountability and value for money. I welcome an investigation because I too, like the entire population, wants to know if anything went on in the procurement process.”

The Children’s Authority of T&T says it is working with police to investigate the brutal beating of a toddler, who was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Wendy Fitzwilliam Paediatric Hospital last week.

The toddler was taken to hospital after allegedly being punched repeatedly in the stomach and back by a close female friend of her family last Saturday. (See editorial on Page A16)

The toddler suffered a ruptured colon during the beating and doctors worked on her in a two-and-a-half-hour emergency operation to repair the damage.

Yesterday, in a telephone interview with the Sunday Guardian, the toddler’s mother said there had been no change in her condition overnight. Doctors had told the parents there was a possibility the child might die.

“She is pretty much the same. They are saying it is still a possibility that she could die and she isn’t out of the clear yet. I’m all right and hopeful. I have to be hopeful, that’s my daughter.”

The toddler is scheduled to undergo another surgery tomorrow.

In a release yesterday, the authority said the matter had been brought to its attention as soon as the child was admitted to hospital.

“The Authority is horrified and strongly condemns the actions of those responsible for the brutal abuse of the child,” the release stated.

The organisation said it was once again reminding the public that preventing child abuse is everyone’s responsibility.

“In fact, if you see, hear or are suspicious about the treatment of a child in your family or neighbourhood you should immediately make a report to the police or the Children’s Authority.”

The authority is calling on anyone with information about this incident to make a report to the police at 999 or to the Children’s Authority Hotline at 996 or 800-2014. KC

Police are investigating the discovery of the decomposing body of a pensioner who was found outside his Siparia home yesterday.

Investigators said around 10.10 am, Dillon Green reported that he went to La Pastora Street to check on his father’s friend, who he knew only as Mr Bars. On walking into the yard, he found the man’s body at the bottom of the staircase leading to the house.

When Sgt Ali and officers of the Siparia Police Station checked, they found body in an advanced state of decomposition. Relatives were contacted and he was identified as 71-year-old Junior Pena.

Relatives said Pena lived alone and suffered from diabetes and Parkinson’s disease for many years. Police said they will wait for the results of an autopsy, carded for tomorrow at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, to ascertain the cause of death.

MEXICO CITY—Tropical Storm Harvey weakened into a depression as it moved through the Caribbean Sea yesterday on a projected course that would have it approaching Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula early this week.

The US National Hurricane Centre reported that Harvey was centred about 140 miles (225 kilometres) north-north-west of Curacao and was heading west at 22 mph (35 kph). The storm had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph). The centres said Harvey could regain its tropical storm status today.

It said heavy rains were possible last night over Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.

Another tropical storm, Kenneth, was far out in the Pacific Ocean off Mexico and moving away from land.

The hurricane centre said Kenneth was expected to strengthen somewhat during the next 48 hours and could become a hurricane.

PH taxi driver Stephen Nero, 43, was attacked and killed by a man posing as a passenger along Hamilton Siding Road, Wallerfield, on Friday night.

According to police, Nero, of Denny Road, Valencia, was stabbed in the neck and back by his attacker around 8.30 pm. Police found Nero bleeding from stab wounds on the roadway when they arrived at the scene.

The engine and lights to his grey Nissan AD Wagon were found on and there was blood in and on the vehicle.

The murder came as a shock to his family, who said he usually doesn’t work after 6 pm as he is a practicing Seventh Day Adventist.

Nero’s family members have reportedly told police they believe he was set up by a woman he was dating.

An argument between two relatives ended tragically when the elder hacked Paul Mark Teeluck to death with a cutlass and injured a 71-year-old woman.

Although the residents of Latchoos Road, Penal described Teeluck, 27, as a heavy drinker, who would walk the road shouting and cursing, they said he never got violent with anyone.

However, the 38-year-old male relative, who was held for Teeluck’s killing, was described by villagers as quiet and humble.

It was for this reason that residents were left in shock when they heard Teeluck’s mother, Dhamrajiyia Thompson screaming and rushed across to find him dead in the back yard.

Police said that around 5.30 pm on Saturday, Teeluck, a handyman and the relative, a surveyor, were arguing. The relative then picked up a cutlass and chopped Teeluck on the head, hands and foot. Thompson tried to part the fight and suffered a fractured left hand.

Cpl Ramoutar of the Region III Homicide Bureau and Penal police responded and arrested the relative at the house.

Teeluck and Thompson were taken to the Siparia District Health Facility by ambulance. Teeluck was pronounced dead on arrival, while Thompson was transferred to the San Fernando General Hospital where she remained yesterday.

No one was at the house yesterday and residents said it was unbelievable that an argument between the relatives had escalated to death. They said both men had drinks earlier that afternoon. Next door neighbour Raquel Lawrence said she was asleep when she heard the screams. Her mother went across first and met Thompson inside the house while Teeluck was motionless outside.

She said the relative remained in the yard and eventually went inside the house and wrapped Thompson’s injured hand.

“I will be honest, Mark drank a lot and everybody knew him for that. He would walk in the road cursing and talking hard but he would never interfere with anybody. The guy who did this never got into any fights, he was humble. They were always sitting together and playing music together; they would never fight so I really don’t know what happened. We never thought something like that could happen,” Lawrence said.