When 14-year-old visually-impaired School for Blind Children pupil Samuel Williams starts school at his first choice St Anthony's College tomorrow, he will have a laptop, backpack, books, stationery, uniform, shoes and other equipment thanks to St Joseph MP Terrence Deyalsingh.

The San Juan student and his mother, Alicia Modeste, received the laptop and school supplies at Deyalsingh's Mt Lambert office yesterday.

Deyalsingh said: “Samuel passed the SEA examination as one of the first visually-impaired children to do so. He and his mother are my constituents and the office of the MP made a pledge that we would supply almost everything that Samuel needs to go to school."

He added: “There was absolutely no hesitation on my personal assistant Suzette Yhip's and my part to jump in to assist because this is a success story that we have to support.

“This morning we have arrayed here his new laptop, school bags, school uniforms, all his books, everything.”

He said a DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) book reader player, desktop computer, JAWS (Job Access With Speech) computer screen reader programme, Kurzweil scan and read software, Braille machine, scanner, were also scheduled to arrive from Miami for Williams by next week.

Deyalsingh said on behalf of all the constituents of St Joseph, they heartily congratulated the young man on his success at the Secondary Assessment Examination (SEA) and were looking forward to great things from him because the constituents and country had rallied around him.

He said all they were asking from the teen is that he repays the country's kindness by doing well in school and becoming a productive citizen of T&T.

Deyalsingh said with guidance from his mother, he was sure Williams will fulfil that promise.

Williams, who wants to be a meteorologist, thanked the MP for his generosity and the people who placed their faith in him.

He said he studied “less than normal” for his exams, since the School for Blind Children in Santa Cruz was closed in February, but noted his teacher still continued to teach him and they communicated via whatsapp and his mother gave him additional home tutoring in two-hour sessions.

Williams said he also played football and was on the T&T blind and visually-impaired cricket team.

Modeste said after the closure of the school she went to the Ministry of Education, the children were transferred to NALIS for two weeks after Easter and they allowed three children, including her son, who were scheduled to sit their exams to do them at the El Socorro South Government Primary School. She said she would play educational DVDs for Williams to learn and study.

When Deyalsingh asked him what message he had for other people like himself who may not have perfect sight and gave up on life, he replied to not give up because circumstances might happen.

When the MP was asked if equipment for the blind could be tax-exempted, he said it was not for him to make policy on the fly. He said it was something for the relevant ministry to consider and he cannot commit the Government to that at this point in time.

While the Education Ministry may attempt to open all schools for tomorrow's start of the new term, not all of them will remain open since T&T Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) members won't occupy schools where safety is at risk.

The association made this clear yesterday, after claiming the ministry has revealed that repairs have only been completed on 80 out of 142 schools earmarked for repairs and some are still pending.

TTUTA indicated the position via statement yesterday, having met with the ministry last Friday to ascertain the readiness of schools for tomorrow's reopening of the new term.

The association claimed the ministry revealed that due to the late start of the Vacation Repair Programme (VRP), repairs won't be completed on all 142 schools that were earmarked for repairs.

"The Ministry indicated repairs were completed on 80 schools, 43 schools will be completed by September 10 and the remaining schools during the school year. In some instances no repairs have been completed on some of the schools - despite this, the Ministry insisted all schools will reopen on time," TTUTA said.

"TTUTA is extremely disappointed that for another year the VRP has once again began late and there's now a mad scramble to get schools ready for Monday - in many instances, our members met renovations still in progress when they reported for duties."

Teachers coming off the July/August vacation were required to report for duty last Friday, ahead of the new school term. Many of them at the affected schools would have thus seen the extent or work done or lack thereof.

TTUTA noted: "On Monday TTUTA will not allow our members to occupy schools that may place their health and safety at risk. While the Ministry may attempt to open all schools, not all of them may remain open."

TTUTA flagged 11 schools as having issues that may impact negatively on smooth reopening operations.

The association also expressed concern that many schools are also without the necessary official books and forms that are necessary for the schools' operations. These include class and teacher attendance registers, log books, mark books and staff report forms.

TTUTA said the Ministry attributed this to non-availability of funds and impending closure of the financial year and promised to rectify this over the weekend.

11 affected schools

Cedros Anglican Primary

Biche RC Primary

San Fernando Boys' Government Primary

Claxton Bay Junior Anglican

La Lune RC Primary

Rampanalgas RC Primary

Longdenville Presbyterian Primary

Biche Secondary

San Souci RC Primary

ASJA Boys' College, Charlieville

Mayaro Secondary

In the same week that his former cabinet colleague was charged with two criminal offences, Dr Roodal Moonilal yesterday admitted to writing acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams asking if he too is under police investigation.

Moonilal made the statements yesterday after a purported legal document allowing for searches of people’s properties bearing his name and those of others made its way on social media. Social activist Rhoda Bharath posted the document on her Facebook page yesterday and Moonilal reached out to her to give his side of the story.

The situation came on the heels of comments made by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, before he left the country on Friday, that a warrant had been issued to Moonilal in connection with allegations of misconduct in public office.

“Worse, what Dr Moonilal was doing was protecting himself because as he named the persons who had been to court, Mr Panday, Dr Narayansingh, Chief Justice Sharma, he very carefully didn’t name himself, because while being currently under a warrant to account for matters under his own portfolio,” Rowley said, as he noted the state, through the Attorney General’s Office, had gone to court to complain about eight or ten people with respect to the handling of over $400 million dollars at the Estate Management & Business Development Company Limited (EMBD).

The PM said one of the names mentioned in the action was Moonilal’s and a warrant was subsequently issued.

Rowley was at the time responding to comments Moonilal made with respect to charges of misbehaviour in public office and obstruction of justice laid against former attorney general Anand Ramlogan.

The document posted on social media yesterday was said to be the warrant Rowley was referring to.

Moonilal, however, denied any knowledge of the document in an interview with CNC3 last night.

“The document in question was circulated on social media, I took note of it. I have never been served, I have never received copies of it, I have never been questioned and let me say categorically I have never been the subject of a search of my home, of my office, of my car, of my locker room at the gym, I have never been searched for anything,” Moonilal said.

“I cannot confirm whether the document is real, I cannot confirm whether it is fake but I have not been questioned, interviewed, approached anything by any law enforcement agency, so much so that on two occasions my lawyers have written to the Commissioner of Police on this matter, who has not responded.”

In his response to Bharath, Moonilal said the search warrant was now the subject of a court action against the police by Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj SC and the matter will come up on September 11 in San Fernando. Moonilal said he also intends to write Rowley following the PM’s recent statements.

“But on Monday next week, given that Dr Rowley on Friday, in what can only be described as an act of misbehaviour in public office, sought to give the impression that I was under investigation and he had information to that effect and further he said he had information that I would be in court answering charges, I intend to write Dr Rowley for more information on this matter because he clearly has more information than the Commissioner of Police and he can tell the country about police investigations,” he said.

Moonilal added: “This is a very frightening and alarming and disturbing development and Dr Rowley has misbehaved in public office if it is that he is speaking of ongoing police enquiries and not only this thing but directing the police as to what the outcome of those investigations should be.”

Moonilal said he hopes Williams “would respond finally on this matter on whether or not there is an investigation” on him.

Homicide detectives are investigating the shooting death of two men in separate incidents yesterday.

Dead are Levi James, 34, and Kevin Bonas, 32.

Around midnight yesterday, James was shot dead while liming at a friend’s home at Waterhole Road, Cocorite.

According to reports, James, who also lives along Waterhole Road, was at his friend’s home when two gunmen entered.

James, who was said to have a handgun, opened fire on the men and a shoot-out occurred. James was hit several times about the body and died on the scene. One of the assailants was also shot in the exchange of gunfire. His accomplice ran away.

Police were called in and the 32-year-old man was taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital. His injuries were said to be non-life threatening and he is expected to be taken into custody by police when discharged.

Investigators are working on the theory that James’ killing was gang-related.

Meanwhile, around 8 am Bonas was killed during a shooting in John John, Laventille.

According to reports, Bonas was walking along the road when a white Nissan Tiida motorcar pulled alongside and the occupants opened fire on him. The driver of the car then sped off. Bonas died at the scene. Crime Scene Investigators reportedly recovered 21 spent shells on the scene.

Investigations are continuing into both murders.

In a separate incident, a man was shot dead by police following a reported confrontation in Couva on Friday night.

According to reports, the incident took place around 8 pm along Milton Road, Couva.

Police reportedly confronted Olawan Edwards and he opened fire on the officers. The police returned fire.

Edwards, from Perseverance Village, Couva, was rushed to the Chaguanas District Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

A firearm and ammunition were recovered from the scene.

No police officers were harmed in the incident.

Patriotism is not about a fancy suit and cocktails but rather about celebrating with our citizens, chairman of the United National Congress (UNC) David Lee said yesterday, as he condemned Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley for what he said were misleading statements concerning the Opposition’s absence at Independence Day celebrations.

Before leaving the country for the United States on Friday, Rowley said it was “painful” that the Opposition chose not to attend the country’s Independence Day celebrations.

“One cannot embark on a search for unity in the face of the behaviour of the official Opposition in Trinidad and Tobago. There are 18 seats in the Parliament filled by Opposition members, 18 communities voted them into office and it was painful to look around the Savannah and elsewhere where we had celebrations and not see a single Opposition face.

“That must say something to this country and it is time we address this frontally and I have no difficult doing so,” Rowley said in an obvious reference to the Opposition UNC absenting itself from the main Independence Day Parade at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain and other related festivities on the day.

However, Lee yesterday slammed Rowley for his comments.

“For many years emerging from my childhood, it has been a family tradition to stand on the roadside with my relatives along with thousands of other citizens to observe the parade as it makes its way from the Savannah,” Lee stated.

“Upon being elected to our nation’s Parliament two years ago I was of the firm view that this tradition became even more relevant, as it was critical for citizens to see their elected officials celebrating our nation’s greatest achievement with them ‘on the ground’ and as a result I stood with my fellow countrymen on the pavement for Independence Day celebrations 2017 as I did in 2016 and many years before that.”

Lee said Rowley needs to note that “the main aspect of Independence is the celebration of self-governance or governance ‘by the people for the people’ and to demonstrate patriotism one does not need to dress in fancy suit while attending a cocktail reception.”

“Real patriotism is exemplified by being one with those who have elected us as representatives, allowing us to fully implement the powers that were granted to us by Independence,” Lee said.

He also questioned the decision by the People’s National Movement to boycott this country’s 50th Independence Day celebrations five years ago “under the guise that they were hosting their own.” He said “real unpatriotism is exemplified when the needs of our citizens are ignored, as has become the modus operandi of this current administration.”

Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan and his two immediate predecessors, Fitzgerald Hinds and Stephen Cadiz, will all appear before the Joint Select Committee (JSC) looking into the procurement and maintenance of the inter-island ferries, the Cabo Star and Ocean Flower 2, on Tuesday.

The trio were originally carded to appear on Monday, but a release from the Parliament yesterday signalled the change in date of their appearances.

In addition to this, Sonia Francis-Yearwood, the Works and Transport Ministry’s acting Permanent Secretary, will also appear before the JSC tomorrow.

Starting tomorrow, the JSC on Land and Physical Infrastructure will have meetings over three consecutive days with various stakeholders regarding the procurement and maintenance of the ferries.

The JSC is chaired by Independent Senator Stephen Creese.

A total of 48 people have been summoned to appear before the JSC, including chairman of the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago Alison Lewis and members of her board, as well as her immediate predecessor Christine Sahadeo and members of her then board.

Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Kelvin Charles and the THA Minority Leader Watson Duke are also scheduled to appear.

The meetings tomorrow and Tuesday will be held at the J Hamilton Maurice Room at the Parliament, Tower D Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain.

The meeting on Wednesday will be held at the Victor E Bruce Financial Complex in Scarborough.

All three are scheduled to start at 1 pm.

When schools across T&T open doors to a new year tomorrow, students will once again get the use of laptops with Education Minister Anthony Garcia promising to deliver on 13,600 laptops within the first term term of the 2017/2018 school year.

The promise, if indeed realised, will be one of few measures implemented to give back from a ministry more recently characterised by decisions which reversed or cut back on promises made in the past.

The Government Assistance for Tertiary Education (GATE), a programme meant to help students to pay for tertiary education, but burdened by wastage, is no longer universal for instance. Instead, it is now accessible to those who truly need it, via a means test.

Access to GATE for several private sector learning institutions has also been removed, leaving students grappling to find ways to pay and institutions denying applications of new GATE students, while the University of the West Indies pro-actively instituted a payment plan to accommodate students.

Laptops, once distributed to individual students to take home and use as they wish, are now being distributed to schools for use on the compound.

Expenditure in the school repair programme has meanwhile seen a decrease of 331 per cent for secondary schools and more than 50 per cent for primary schools, with less schools being refurbished than previous years.

With the celebration of the country’s 55th anniversary last week comes a reminder that over 300 schools have past their 50-year lifespan.

The cost to replace these schools is approximately $200 million for secondary schools, $27 million to $90 million for primary schools and $12 million for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) centres.

A decrease of over $2 billion in the investment in education between the 2016 and 2017 budgets are a reflection of overall decreases in Government spending, with the allocation for the education sector moving from $9.763 billion in 2016’s budget to $7.22 in fiscal year 2017.

Less money in the country’s coffers has meant less funding for key initiatives and recurrent expenditure and changes to suit.

The ministry has also faced challenges over non-payment to contractors, with a debt from the Education Facilities Management Limited of a reported TT$1.2 billion.

With budget 2018 less than one month away, Garcia now has a very specific agenda.

The ministry plans to complete the construction and outfitting of 16 ECCE centres, facilitate repairs to approximately 50 ECCE centres, continue and complete the construction of 20 primary schools and construct six new primary schools. The ministry also plans to facilitate repairs to 450 primary schools in the vacation repair programme and continue and complete the construction of nine secondary schools.

These plans, however, all depend on the quantum of funding allocated to the ministry under the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP).

In an interview last week, T&T Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) president Lyndsley Doodhai said given the reduction in allocations for education, it was expected that teachers and students would be faced with schools in need of repair come the new school term.

He said the effect of the funding decrease would have been that many repairs would have had to be pushed back.

“That is reflected currently, where we have a vacation repair programme consisting of 142 schools but there were many other schools that would have required repairs but could not because of funding.

“The effect would be that teachers and students would be forced to operate in an environment that may not be as best as it can.

In some instances, the health and safety and occupants of schools would be put at risk,” Doodhai said.

He said in such cases, TTUTA would have no choice but to advise members to remove themselves from such schools.

“The situations and outlook is not too bright in terms of physical conditions of the nation’s schools.”

As to the ICT policy, Doodhai said he was unaware whether a policy had been implemented but said he had not seen any evidence indicating that it had.

“There was no consultation with TTUTA, I am not aware of what is contained. That policy has not been rolled out to the schools as yet. Schools have not seen the effect of this ICT policy.”

He said there was still an issue of inadequate computer labs particularly in primary schools.

“The last government would have embarked on a programme to provide laptops for students for form one. This was stopped but nothing has replaced it,” he said.

“TTUTA would have been on record as being in disagreement of giving these laptops to students. We felt the money spent would have been better used in many primary schools where there are no functional computer labs.”

He said in many primary schools students were unable to benefit from computer literacy programmes and some schools did not even have Internet for administrative services.

Doodhai also said while volunteersim in schools was a good idea, it was yet another thing that had not been discussed with TTUTA.

NPTA: Ministry must be

guided by curriculum report

National Parent Teachers Association (NPTA) president Zena Ramatali, in an interview with the Sunday Guardian, chose to withhold comments on the ministry’s ability to provide infrastructure or an ICT policy for schools.

On school repairs, she said the NPTA’s expectation, based on what the minister had said, is that all schools would be ready by tomorrow.

“I have complaints but I wprefer to wait. I am waiting on Monday before I could make any further comments on school repairs,” Ramatali said.

However, she said Government badly needed to make changes to the school curriculum in order to improve results on exams.

“There is a curriculum report and a cabinet-appointed committee so the report is out and I would want to see the implementations of the recommendations in the report,” she aid.

“In terms of curriculum, the ministry should be guided by what is in that curriculum report.

When we look at how some districts are performing, it seems we have a lot of work to do in literacy and numeracy. I hope it would be implemented so we can see improvements on exams.”

Ramatali also said Government needed to implement a volunteerism aspect in the curriculum, as it formed part of sustainable development goals in education.

“We want to recommend that schools across the country institute a certain amount of hours in volunteering. I fully support it and encourage more work or at least an enshrined policy.”

​Gopeesingh: Garcia

eroding PP progress

Former education minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh has described the governance of the Ministry of Education as a “national disgrace.”

He said both ministers, Garcia and Dr Lovell Francis, had reversed all the gains made by the People’s Partnership administration over the previous five years.

“The technocrats at the ministry worked assiduously to accomplish so much and we are seeing a swift and precipitous decline in all the gains.”

Gopeesingh said Garcia had “stopped the laptop programmes, removed the homework centres, the facilitators and moderators and had not provided new textbooks for students.”

“He has grass growing around the schools and he has done absolutely nothing about them,” Gopeesingh said.

He said the Student Support Services system, which should be assisting in reducing violence in schools, had also seen a reduction in personnel.

“The ICT development they speak of at a national level, but at a school level they have taken away the gains students had made.” He criticised Garcia’s statement that all the schools would have been reopened on time, but acknowledged that he too had similar problems ensuring all schools were reopened after the vacation period.

“It’s a total mess in there. We have called for the Prime Minister to have him removed,” Gopeesingh said.

“People believe I am making noise but it is painful to see you worked long for five years to make improvements and it takes a woodworking teacher to disassemble things in a short space of time.”

Gopeesingh said the Government needed to complete the 78 schools under construction and continue constructing new schools in the country and ensure schools are brought to a level where teachers and students can study in an amiable environment.

The effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the recent traffic management plan rolled out in heart of San Fernando will be put to the test when school reopens tomorrow, says Mayor Junia Regrello.

On a usual school day, Harris Promenade and connecting streets in the immediate area are a traffic nightmare for commuters, as the area is heavily populated with not only the courts, police stations, businesses, churches and hospitals, but also six schools.

Regrello has been criticised by some for implementing the new plan during the holidays, which he initially said would have remained in effect for two weeks but then extended by another two weeks.

But during the City Corporation’s Statutory Meeting last week, Regrello said the plan would stay in place.

“The real test would come next Monday and intentions of this plan will require the co-operation of all citizens. We must try our best to reign in the many bad habits that are pervasive in our city. Earnest efforts are necessary if we are to bring order to the streets,” he said.

“As drivers and commuters we must all obey road traffic rules and show common courtesy to fellow citizens.”

Contacted on the issue, San Fernando Business Association president Daphne Bartlett, who opposes the plan, said she will speak on the issue this week after school reopens. She, however, said they disagreed with the mayor on a few points—the mayor’s decision to use Short Street to filter traffic onto High Street, relocating the Port-of-Spain taxi stand on the Promenade and leaving the street in front of the Library vacant.

The temporary traffic plan, which was introduced on July 11, saw the repaving of the road, opening of cemetery gates from 7-9 am and 2-6 pm to allow one-way traffic entering north of Paradise Street and exiting on Keate Street; construction of lay-by at eastern end of the promenade, construction of a third lane from Paradise Street to the church and relocation of various taxi stands.

Discipline is the only way forward for West Indies cricket and if the current crop of young players can remain disciplined then the future looks very good.

This is the view of former West Indies opener Philo Wallace and former team manager Omar Khan.

According to Wallace: “Discipline is any sphere of life is a necessary ingredient in making one successful. We saw indisciplined batting in the first Test against England and the embarrassment that followed.

Then we saw a much more disciplined approach in the next game and victory came. What our players need is to carry that discipline with them all the time.

This coupled with hard work will take them to where they want to go. We have a young bunch representing us in Test cricket and if we continue to instill in them the importance of discipline when we would see the difference.

As they always say talent is not our problem. However, talent coupled with indiscipline will get us nowhere. I would like to see these cricketers benefit from a lot of mental work, mental preparation as well in order to push themselves to realize their best.”

On the point of mental preparation for cricket Khan said during his time as manager it was dominated with this kind of mantra. “I always preached mental strength to the players. They have the ability but at times when put under pressure they buckled.

That showed me that they were not ready mentally for the challenges.

Test cricket tests your mentality to the fullest with the natural ebbs and flows and we need to have our players ready for that. I have always said the role of the manager these days is more than just making sure the logistics are right for the team.

The team manager has a role to play in making sure the players are mentally prepared for battle. People tend to underestimate the mental aspect of the a player’s game when it comes to cricket.

I am one who thinks that at the highest level this is a very important skill set.

Minister of Education Anthony Garcia yesterday denied claims made by the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TUTTA) that repair work had not completed at the all nation’s schools, adding all schools will be opened this morning.

Garcia was speaking with members of the media during his visit to the Arima Central Secondary School at Robert Street, Arima.

Over weekend, TUTTA president Lynsley Doodhai had claimed repairs to only 80 of the 142 schools earmarked for repairs had been completed and some were not even started. Doodhai flagged some 11 schools as having issues that may impact negatively on smooth reopening operations today.

He warned that TTUTA members would not occupy schools where their safety was at risk today.

Yesterday, however, Garcia denied the claim.

“That is not accurate. TUTTA used information given to them in the wrong way. Officials assured me that everything was in place,” he said.

He said he received a report that every school would be in a state of readiness when school opens today.

“As far as the Ministry of Education is concerned, we are doing everything possible to ensure the doors of every school is opened to receive children.

“We have a responsibility to provide them with education and we have been working assiduously to ensure they can benefit from a level of education that we continue to offer,” Garcia said.

Referring to the security at the nation’s schools, he said: “I don’t want our schools to be looked at as jails. It must be institutions where people can operate freely and what I mean is they can enjoy everything. There are security measures.”

After the tour of the school, Garcia said work would commence at the institution this week.

“Very soon work will start and this was discussed at the level of Cabinet and I am to make sure everything is put in place so work can resume at the earliest possible time.

“I can’t say when it will be completed but work will start as soon as possible in a matter of days,” he said.

He said the contractor had stopped work on the project because he was not paid.

“There are a number of contractors who we are owing and we are doing everything possible to make sure the contractors are paid,” he said.

However, Garcia did not want to say how much it would cost to complete the project.

One of the parents who visited the school, who only identified herself as Lynette, said she graduated from the Arima Central Secondary in 1967.

“Imagine we were standing in the yard in that time and in 2017 they (students) are still standing in the yard,” she said.

Arima Mayor Lisa Morris-Julian said the corporation was assisting the school with labour and whatever assistance they needed.

She said the school was a “pet project” and the corporation will also assist with the drainage issues.

“We don’t have to wait on Government funds. We can use our labour and what we have in stock and assist in any way possible,” she said.

11 schools flagged by TTUTA

Cedros Anglican Primary
Biche RC Primary
San Fernando Boys’ Government Primary
Claxton Bay Junior Anglican
La Lune RC Primary
Rampanalgas RC Primary
Longdenville Presbyterian Primary
Biche Secondary
San Souci RC Primary
ASJA Boys’ College, Charlieville
Mayaro Secondary

Vaughn “Sandman” Mieres has been charged with conspiracy to murder in the attempted hit on Selwyn “Robocop” Alexis in October 2014, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service stated last night.

The charge comes more than a year after Alexis was shot dead.

On July 17 last year, Alexis and two others were shot dead at his Enterprise, Chaguanas business place.

Mieres was held by police during an anti-crime exercise in Las Cuevas between Independence Day (August 31) and Friday.

In a release over the weekend, the police service stated that officers executed a search warrant at Mieres’ home and seized US$5,330, TT$1,100 as well as camouflage clothing.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard subsequently advised them to charge Mieres.

Mieres is expected to appear before a Port-of-Spain magistrate today.

The Organised Crime Narcotics and Firearms Bureau (OCNFB), Financial Investigations Branch (FIB), Criminal Gang Intelligence Unit (CGIU), Inter-Agency Task Force and the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) were all said to have been involved in the exercise.

People across the Caribbean region are carefully following the the progress of Hurricane Irma, which is due to make its way north of the Caribbean islands heading towards the east coast of the United States.

According to a report on AccuWeather yesterday, meteorologists there believe that Irma, currently a category 3 hurricane, is a serious threat to the Caribbean and poses an imminent risk to the northernmost Leeward Islands.

Rain and gusty winds may start as early as tomorrow (Tuesday).

“Irma has been fluctuating in intensity over the past few days, but is expected to strengthen to a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 130-156 mph (209-251 km/h) on its closest approach to the islands,” the AccuWeather report said.

“The storm will turn to the north and west over the coming days. This track will put Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands, in the brunt of the storm’s rain and wind spanning Tuesday and Wednesday,” it added.

The report said that power outages and damage to trees and structures are possible, even if the centre of Irma misses the islands to the north. Rainfall, it added, could be heavy enough to trigger flash flooding, mudslides and road washouts.

“This hurricane has the potential to be a major event for the east coast. It also has the potential to significantly strain FEMA and other governmental resources occurring so quickly on the heels of Harvey,” Evan Myers, senior vice president of AccuWeather said.

Hurricane watches were yesterday posted for Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Martin, Guadeloupe and the British Virgin Islands.

Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne urged people to take preventative measures in case the storm should hit, including cleaning drains and removing objects that could be sent airborne by high winds. Workers began pruning trees and shrubs to reduce chances for branches to tear down power and phone lines.

“The passage of a hurricane is not a matter to be taken lightly, but we must not panic,” Browne said in a statement.

The Antigua and Barbuda weather service said Irma was expected to bring heavy rains, rough surf and high winds to islands along the northern edge of the Antilles.

Hurricane Harvey has caused extensive damage in Texas and so far been held responsible for 44 deaths and damage to 156,000 homes.

Behind Irma, a disorganised area of showers and thunderstorms located hundreds of miles south-west of the Cabo Verde Islands will also need to be monitored for potential development.

This system will move into a favourable environment for organizing and gaining strength as it moves to the west-northwest toward the Lesser Antilles during the middle and latter part of this week.

The next storm in the Atlantic Basin would acquire the name Jose.

Two Swissport workers are expected to appear before an Arima magistrate today charged with conspiracy to traffic 4.4 kilogrammes of cocaine from Trinidad to Toronto.

According to information from the T&T Police Service, the workers—a 27-year-old security agent and a 23-year-old cargo handler—were arrested at the Amerijet Cargo at the Piarco International Airport.

Police said the drugs were found concealed in boxes of pepper as cargo on board West Jet flight WS2773 on August 20.

The flight was due to depart Trinidad bound for Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Canada.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police were also involved in the investigations.

In an unrelated incident, an autopsy will be done today at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, to determine the cause of death of a man whose decomposing body was found at his home in Pleasantville, San Fernando, yesterday.

According to information reaching the T&T Guardian, residents detected a stench coming from the home of Steve Sandy earlier yesterday and called the police.

When police arrived at the home and got inside they found his bloated body.

Investigations are continuing.

The process of finding T&T’s new Commissioner of Police (CoP) and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) starts today.

The Police Service Commission will start placing advertisements in all national newspapers from today as they search to fill the respective positions in the T&T Police Service.

The deadline for applications will be at 11.59 pm on September 29.

The responsibility for the appointment of a CoP lies exclusively with the PSC.

According to Section 123 (1) of the Constitution, the PSC is empowered to appoint the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners of Police (through a selective process determined by Parliament).

The PSC is an independent body established under Section 122 (1) of the Constitution and was developed to manage the monitoring, appointments, disciplinary and appeal functions of the Police Service.

The PSC consists of a chairman and four other members, appointed by the President after consultation with the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition.

It is currently chaired by Dr Maria Therese Gomes and includes Addison Khan, Martin George, Roamar Achat-Saney, Dr James Amstrong and Alfred Gray.

The people of Trinidad and Tobago have become quitters and cowards and it is high time now that they take back the country from the hands of criminals.

This was the advice given yesterday by environmentalist Stephen Broadbridge, as he spoke out about his mother’s gruesome murder on Saturday.

Dr Claire Broadbridge, 80, was found brutally murdered in the bedroom of her house on Saturday evening. Her throat was slit and her killer/s attempted to burn the house down by setting fire to a few pieces of furniture that was on the ground floor of her home.

Speaking outside their Fondes Amandes, St Ann’s home yesterday, Broadbridge said because murders are happening every day in T&T, people are becoming immune and more and more insensitive to them. He said it was time for the people of T&T to force the police, politicians and even themselves to do their respective job and duties.

“I am fed up of T&T…people are not sensitive any more to murders. People have become a little too tolerant and that needs to stop,” Broadbridge said.

“People are quick to say time to ride out of the country because the country gone through, but the country not gone through…it’s time to take control of it. We all are quitters and cowards…the public needs to get braver and stop taking this crap.”

Broadbridge called on people to come out and speak out in order to ensure the police and politicians to do their jobs properly.

“We are the majority…the criminals are the minority…take your country back…get up and deal with this. If the police not doing their job make a fuss until they do…if the politicians not doing their job vote them out, don’t vote because you like the party (political party),” he said.

Broadbridge stressed that if the people do not stand up and deal with current spiralling crime it will reach to their own doorsteps eventually.

Up to late yesterday, several teams of investigating officers were still processing the scene. Surrounding the house, which is located on a hill, there is thick greenery, including several bamboo patches, which officers said made the “perfect escape route” for any perpetrator.

Officers are yet to determine a motive for Dr Broadbridge’s murder. However, he son strongly believes she may have been killed by one of the workers she hired to do work for her.

“Maybe the person was unhappy about the payment he got? I don’t think robbery was the motive because I didn’t see things missing. I think if it was a seasoned killer he might have tried to burn her body in the bedroom but he didn’t, he wanted to obviously not be near the body,” Broadbridge, who lives at the house with his brother, said.

He told the T&T Guardian that he was in Brasso Seco on an environmental expedition tour with a group of about 12 people when he received the tragic news.

“I got a call from a neighbour saying that they saw smoke coming from the house and that they had found my mother’s throat slit upstairs in her room. I immediately packed up and headed home. I am very angry by this. I am angry in the way my mother was killed. I am angry.”

He added: “I do hope that the Broadbridge family gets justice. I hope residents who have cameras hand over their footage to the police and I hope the police get fingerprints.”

Broadbridge described his mother as a civil servant who was very dedicated to her country.

“She experienced a lot of trouble while in her post as museum curator. The museum was underfunded and she raised funds and did her best to produce a good museum,” he said.

“She never got the support from politicians. There was a lot of sabotage from them (referring to politicians) but she still kept on trying. She had a very difficult time and was very bitter for it up until her retirement.”

Broadbridge also mentioned a confrontation she had with a well-known politician who waved a tennis racket a few times in front her face while she was at the museum, over a disagreement she had back then with a tenant of the museum. Broadbridge said it was now too late for that politician to apologise to his mother, “it was appalling that type of behaviour, for surely he was unfit to be in public office.”

British High Commissioner Tim Stew was one of scores of people who expressed shock at the killing on social media yesterday. In a Twitter post, Stew wrote: “My condolences to Stephen and the family. I’m shocked at this appalling crime against a most notable lady.”

An autopsy is expected to be conducted on Dr Broadbridge’s body today at the Forensic Science Centre in St James.

Investigations are continuing.

WHO WAS CLAIRE BROADBRIDGE?

Owner/Director

Heritage Development Consultants

September 1983-Present (34 years, 1 month)

Directed the conservation of:

n Holy Name Convent Chapel, Trinidad

n Fort George, Trinidad

n The Royal Victoria Institute, Trinidad.

n Fort San Andres, Trinidad

In Tobago

n Directed the Marine archaeological exploration of Scarborough Harbour in Tobago, which discovered seven vessels and four possible sites.

n Uncovered one wooden 16th century 120 feet vessel. This was photographed and reburied in the interests of preservation until facilities for conservation became possible.

n Planned a historic district in Scarborough, Planned a Cocoa Museum complex in Roxborough. These projects aborted by change to a less informed less progressive administration.

Director

n National Museum T&T

June 1983 – August 1997 (14 years, 3 months)

Restored the derelict museum buildings, instituted collection programmes, systems governing collection policy, education programmes, established a Friends of the Museum.

n Was a founding member of the Board of Museums Association of the Caribbean.1995-1996.

n Director of the Organisation of the American States Caribbean Museum Development Project 1990-1995

n Drafted and pressured action on the National Trust law and the law governing Marine Archaeology in T&T.

​

With the current woes on the sea bridge between Trinidad and Tobago, coupled with a shaky air bridge which leaves Tobagonians and travellers alike marooned on a day to day basis, former Scotiabank managing director Richard Young says a bridge linking Toco to Tobago should be seriously considered and can be done without putting the country in debt.

During the run-up to the general elections on September 7, 2015, then prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar had suggested that a suspension bridge could be built from Toco to Tobago, but then Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley had countered that no amount of money in the western hemisphere and no engineering known to man could pay for or build such a bridge.

In recent times, however, Rowley has suggested that Government was now considering a port at Toco as another option to alleviating the issue. In fact, last week after Tobago House of Assemyl Minostiry leader Watson Duke staged his swim protest from Tobago to Trinidad, the PM noted that Duke’s journey had only bolstered Government’s argument for such a project.

But Young told the T&T Guardian that the real solution for the sea and air bridge woes was through a bridge, adding this feat can come from the East using Chinese technology, resources and funding.

Speaking from his office at the T&T International Financial Centre (TTIFC) at the International Waterfront Centre, Port-of- Spain, Young highlighted China’s multi-billion-dollar One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR).

The Belt and Road initiative was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, when he visited T&T and offered concessionary loans to not only this country but other Caribbean nations totalling approximately US$3 billion.

OBOR aims to link Asia with Europe, Africa and other countries around the world along ancient land-based and maritime trade routes through various trade and infrastructure projects.

Bridge not an impossibility

Describing himself as a private citizen, Young said, “Building a bridge to Tobago along 19 miles is not an impossibility, the cost may be prohibitive in the region of US$1.5 billion.

“But the Chinese have the technology, they have built bridges, highways, airports, new cities, artificial islands and train systems in China and other countries.”

He added: “I have travelled on the Donghai Bridge leaving Shanghai, one of the longest cross-sea bridges in the world with a total length of 20.2 miles (32.5 kilometres) of a six-lane highway leading to the offshore Yangshan Deep-Water Port.

“The port has an LNG regasification plant, over 700 gantries, is still expanding and there were more than 20 wind turbines generating electricity.”

He said if such a bridge was built here there would also be the opportunity to start getting involved in renewable energy.

Young said the bridge to Tobago could be modelled after the $730 million four-lane 67.2-km-long North-South toll highway in Jamaica, which links the capital Kingston in the South with the tourist city of Ocho Rios in the North. That bridge was built and funded by a Chinese company, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), and has reduced a two-hour drive by less than half. He said CHEC took all the financial risks and in return Jamaica gave it a 50-year concession to recover its costs, by awarding it land alongside the highway for the same period of time to develop for residential and commercial use through the establishment of a resort hotel. He said the T&T Government could enter into similar public-private partnerships (PPP) with Chinese companies and businesses for a win-win situation.

Young said such a project had the potential to create an improvement in productivity and provide a stimulant to the economy of Tobago.

He said given the extensive investments made by the Chinese government and businesses in Latin America and the Caribbean, it would be easy to convince them to invest in such a project if they were given an incentive.

However, Young said one of the conditions for the joint venture was that there should be some form of local content, and while T&T had very formidable construction companies they had to make sure there was efficiency, productivity and value for money.

Senior lecturer in transportation engineering in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at The University of the West Indies’ St Augustine campus, Dr Trevor Townsend, says the most feasible transport method to Tobago in the shortest time frame for implementation and lowest capital investment was currently the ferry.

Expert — Ferry still best option

He said the proposal to create a physical land bridge from Toco to Tobago would require major capital investment, incur recurring expenditure, operating costs and demand in service will have to be determined whether such a project was feasible in the medium to long term.

Townsend said T&T’s ferry problems were not an insurmountable challenge, noting other Caribbean islands operated ferries and this country had been operating a ferry service since the 1900s, noting the current woes were more of a planning and procurement issue.

However, he said questions had to be answered as to why the country was in a position of crisis scrambling to get a boat to operate.

When asked if large, amphibious military transport planes can be used in the air bridge, Townsend said the distance between Trinidad and Tobago was too short and the country was not going to get economies of operation out of the use of such aircraft.

Inter-island Trailers and Truckers’ Association Horace Amede said a bridge linking Toco to Tobago could be done, but the cost of maintenance and the toll to travel on it had to be considered.

Tobago Chamber of Commerce president Demi John Cruickshank meanwhile said during former prime minister Patrick Manning’s tenure a feasibility study was done on a bridge proposal. He said Tobago cannot afford another ferry fiasco to ever happen again and he would welcome all discussions for a solution to Tobago’s sea bridge woes.

Former transport minister John Humphrey meanwhile said a bridge won’t be worthwhile because of the country’s relatively small population.

Noting that the US now owed China more than US$1 trillion, he said he was involved in several mega-projects with investment from two Chinese banks but they had insisted on transparency when dealing with various T&T governments that came into power.

Humphrey said a port in Toco that would have increased production and development in the area was promised by the NAR government but never materialised.

He said a port was also being considered when Sadiq Baksh was works minister in the United National Congress under Basdeo Panday and was a feasible idea because when a road is built to Toco all the land adjacent to that road is usable and the road should be designed to accommodate a settlement.

But Humphrey said a land bridge spanning from Toco to Tobago was not feasible. He said while in Jamaica you may have a lot of traffic to support the cost of that highway built by the Chinese there, you will not get that volume of traffic in T&T to justify financing such an expensive project.

Humphrey said plans were presented to the People’s Partnership government and prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar at the beginning of her term.

NEW YORK—Before sunrise today, tens of thousands of costumed, paint-slathered revellers will gather on the streets of Brooklyn for a joyous Caribbean celebration rooted in emancipation.

This year, though, they’ll be doing it behind police barricades and metal detectors.

Brooklyn’s version of the Caribbean carnival, called J’Ouvert, has been held for decades in the pre-dawn darkness on Labour Day, but there was serious talk of cancelling the party this year because of violence accompanying the event.

Even after stepped-up security last year, including the installation of light towers that cast blazing light on a party that traditionally begins in the dark, three people were shot in the crowd. Two died.

In response, city officials this year changed the start time of J’Ouvert’s steelband procession from 4 am to 6 am and added strict security layers that don’t sit well with some long-time merrymakers.

“Those of us really involved in J’Ouvert are not creating this violence, and we shouldn’t be punished or forced to change,” said Michael Manswell, a dancer, choreographer and college professor who has attended for decades.

The precautions, he and others predicted, likely won’t dissuade the devout from turning out early. He hoped it would discourage the troublemakers, who he said were people ignorant of the event’s meaning and just looking for an opportunity to create mayhem.

“I can tell you I’m going out there either way, because I am committed to the mas,” said Manswell, ​referring to the costumed performances.

The event began in New York in the 1920s in Harlem, when Caribbean people first started migrating to the city.

Now, New York is home to the largest Caribbean community off the islands. It took a hiatus during the war years, and moved to Brooklyn.

In the Caribbean, the celebration happens before Lent in the winter, but in Brooklyn it was moved to the end of August because the weather was better.

“People were getting sick! They were dancing and sweating through their costumes and ending up with pneumonia, so when we came to Brooklyn, we moved it to the summer,” said Martin Douglas, 69, the president of the United States Steelband Association and the leader of the Crossfire Steel Orchestra.

Steelpan players practice for months for the event, as do performers who dance along with them. Groups are judged for their mas section and their music.

“It’s really quite a special thing to come hear this music here in Brooklyn,” said Ray Allen, a music professor at Brooklyn College and author of the forthcoming book “Jump Up! Caribbean Carnival Music in New York.”

At other celebrations in London, and even in T&T, the steel drums are drowned out by thumping sound systems.

Shootings near the march route have long been a concern, but the violence got renewed attention in 2015, when an aide to Democratic Gov Andrew Cuomo was killed by a stray bullet.

Last year, 17-year-old Tyreke Borel was shot and killed and a 72-year-old woman was grazed in the arm. Soon after, a 22-year-old woman, Tiarah Poyau, was shot in the head just a block away and also died.

This year, revellers must enter the route along 12 designated entry points and will have to pass through metal detectors, and no alcohol or backpacks will be allowed.

Thousands of additional officers will be on patrol and will police party areas outside the barriers.

Participants say while the event may not have the nostalgic touch, they’re pleased it will go on.

(AP)

A single mother who claimed she accepted a job to export $1 million in cocaine stashed in picture frames and a car part because she needed money to buy food has been jailed for a year and a half.

Melina Rachel Wiltshire, 40, of Chaguanas, had already spent two and a half years in a jail because she was unable to access $1 million bail and could not plead to the charges because they were laid indictably.

However, senior state attorney Harricharan Kassie, attached to the Customs and Excise Department, told San Fernando Magistrate Alicia Chankar that he got instructions from Director of Public Prosecutions South, Joan Honore-Paul, to proceed with the charges summarily.

When the charges, including three counts of attempting to export prohibited goods and three charges of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking were re-read to her, Wiltshire pleaded guilty.

Kassie said on February 20, 2015, Wiltshire went to TTPost branch at Coffee Street, San Fernando, where she posted a black cylindrical car part, containing cocaine, to a person in Nigeria. She used the name Melissa Ali from Chickland, Freeport. On March 9, 2015, at the Piarco International Airport, the police received information and took possession of a box with the part. On March 16, Wiltshire again posted four plaques, containing cocaine, to Nigeria, using the Melissa Ali name.

Kassie said around 10 am on March 19, 2015, police officers were on a special assignment at the Coffee Street TTPost branch when they saw her with a yellow plastic bag conducting a transaction. When the officers searched the bag they found three plaques with cocaine in it. She was then taken to the Organised Crime Narcotic and Firearm Bureau (OCNFB) based at the airport where she was shown the box and the declaration form she signed as Melissa Ali. The cops also seized $3,054. The total weight of the cocaine was 2.46 kilogrammes. The charges were laid by Customs and Excise Officer PC Forde and PC Campbell of OCNFB.

Asking for mercy, Wiltshire’s attorney Renu Teekasingh said the accused has a 20-year-old daughter and is a single parent. With no money to purchase food for herself or her child then, she said her client accepted an offer from a person to export the packages. She was paid $2,900. Teekasingh said her client had never been in trouble with the law before, cooperated with the police and had been in custody for the past two and a half years.

In passing sentence, the magistrate said many people were single parents and everyone has choices. However, she said the first choice is the right choice, which is the honest choice and trying to do things with integrity. Noting that she used a fake name, the magistrate told her she must have known she was doing something dishonest.

Wiltshire said she trusted the DVD vendor who solicited her help and he never visited her in jail.

“You are not the big fish, but a small fry. You will have to feel the brunt of it,” said the magistrate, as she sentenced her to one and half years on each of the export charges. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

However, Kassie advised the magistrate that she could only convict on one set of charges, either the Customs or the police charges. He said the Customs carry a more serious penalty with an eight-year jail term or a minimal fine of $50,000 or triple the amount the value of the goods.

As a result, the magistrate reprimanded and discharged her on the cocaine trafficking charges. The magistrate also ordered that the $3,054 seized from her be donated to the Guardian Neediest Fund.

Chaguanas Mayor Gopaul Boodhan is calling for more police patrols around schools in the busy Central borough. Boodhan made the call yesterday ahead of the new start of the school year today.

While he made the call for more patrols, Boodhan said they were more needed in the morning and after school, especially outside secondary institutions.

“We would like to see more police after hours outside the secondary schools in the area where students congregate for transport, to ensure that they do not get involved in any untoward activity or fall prey to unsavoury characters such as gang members. We are also calling on the authorities to have more traffic wardens around schools at peak hours to ensure that congestion does not become intolerable,” he said.

A security guard and a cargo handler accused conspiring to smuggle almost $2 million in cocaine to Canada in a shipment of peppers have been released on bail of $150,000 each.

Rico Guevara, 27, a security guard, of Lopinot, Arouca, and 23-year-old cargo handler Kermac Hodge, of Bon Air Gardens, Arouca, employees of Swissport, a ground handling agency at Piarco International Airport, appeared before Magistrate Brian Debideen in the Arima Magistrate's Court.

They are accused pf conspiring to traffic 4.4 kilos of cocaine to Toronto, Canada. The drugs were allegedly concealed in boxes containing peppers and discovered by officers of the Canada Border Services Agency at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on August 20.

The duo was arrested by officers of the Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau (OCNFB) at the Amerijet Cargo warehouse, Piarco, last Thursday.

During the hearing police prosecutors disclosed some of the evidence against the two to their attorneys, including their cellphones and uniforms. Hodge's lawyer Alexia Romero asked whether the police had seized drugs which would be used evidence but prosecutors said the narcotics are in the custody of Canadian authorities.

The case was adjourned to September 22.