The appeal of 10 men convicted of the murder of Thackoor Boodram, brother of drug kingpin Dole Chadee, took yet another turn yesterday after it was alleged that they had coerced the State’s main witness into recanting his evidence.

The allegation, made by Junior Grandison in an unsigned statement to the police in 2013, was raised for the first time yesterday as State prosecutors responded to the appeal of the men who are serving life sentences for murdering Boodram in 1997.

Grandison has refused to testify before the Appeal Court, so prosecutors brought a Roman Catholic priest and two senior police officer who interacted with him before and after he gave the statutory declaration on the group’s behalf in 2011.

Father Allan Ventour testified that Grandison visited him at Mt St Benedict to confess to fabricating the case against the group in 2011. While Ventour admitted that he could not recall the exact date of the meeting, he remembered that Grandison confessed to lying during the trial.

Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) David Nedd told the court he worked on Boodram’s murder investigation and was contacted by Grandison in 2013.

Nedd, who was then retired, referred Grandison to the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau (ACIB), which was assigned to investigate the circumstances of his recanted evidence.

He claimed that Grandison gave him a cellphone and charger on which he claimed had messages from the convicted men, asking that he give the declaration.

However, when he was cross-examined by the group’s lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, QC, Nedd could not say why the ACIB did not have records of receiving the phone. He was also asked whether he recognised Grandison’s voice in a series of recorded telephone conversations with accused Michael “Rat” Maharaj earlier this year.

Fitzgerald pointed out that both men were using their aliases and discussing details of Boodram’s murder and trial but Nedd said he could not be sure of their identities as many of the details were public knowledge.

Last to testify was ACIB investigator, acting Senior Supt John Frederick. He said after Grandison was handed over by Nedd, he agreed to provide a statement in which he alleged that he was coerced into giving the declaration.

Frederick said Grandison refused to sign the statement as he said he did not trust the police because they failed to deliver on promises made to him for his testimony in the trial, including making a 30 per cent deposit on a Housing Development Corporation (HDC) house.

In his final submissions, Fitzgerald said his client’s convictions should be overturned as the varying claims by Grandison showed that he was an unreliable witness.

Describing him as a “notorious liar”, Fitzgerald said: “He says anything that suits him at the time. He accuses everybody of everything.”

State prosecutor Travers Sinanan is expected to make his final submissions this morning.

Rosemarie Sant

A war of words is brewing between Housing Minister Randall Mitchell and predecessor Dr Roodal Moonilal over the Victoria Keys housing project. It has to do with cost of the project and Government’s decision to put 48 of the units at the posh apartment complex under the ‘Rent to Own’ policy.

Construction of the units started in 2006 with a $200 million price tag and Mitchell said it was “virtually completed” around 2010. But he said after the 2010 general election when the People's Partnership assumed government, “the Victoria Keyes development was modified to include more luxurious fittings and amenities such as fully air-conditioned buildings, swimming pool, clubhouse, play park, tennis courts and multi-storey car parks with elevators.” The cost of the project jumped from $200 million to over $652m, he said.

Mitchell said at that price each apartment would have cost $2.5m, which “is out of the range of low and middle income earning citizens seeking affordable housing from the HDC.” As a consequence, he said the People's National Movement Government in September 2016 decided that 206 of the units would be sold on the open market, 48 units would be Rent To Own (RTO) under the Cabinet-approved allocation policy and 10 units would be reserved for Government use.

But Moonilal has taken issue with the rent to own plan for the units, saying it is scandalous that a policy meant for low-income applicants can be used to provide multi-million dollar housing units, which he claimed were being given to party supporters and family members. He also wants Mitchell to disclose “all the occupants on RTO arrangements.”

Mitchell said the programme was introduced in 2006 and is the “same as all other units in the HDC.” He said on the open market anybody is allowed to apply and in RTO applicants are subject to the HDC selection criteria.

He also denied a newspaper report that Government Ministers Shamfa Cudjoe and Ayanna Webster-Roy, as well as Senate Vice President Nigel de Frietas have RTO agreements at Victoria Keys. He said 10 of the units have been reserved for government use and the three have been assigned units for when they are on duty in Trinidad. He said MPs from Tobago are given government housing in lieu of their housing allowance and all three will be made to vacate such accommodation when their tenures end. Moonilal admitted this policy for Tobago MPs pre-dated his time.

Previously Tobago MPS were housed at Federation Villas or Flagstaff, but Mitchell said units allocated at Federation Villas and Flagstaff are in need of repair so they decided to house MPs and their families at the Victoria Keyes units allocated for Government use.

On another note, Moonilal said it is strange Mitchell is now talking about rent to own because months ago when he asked the question about “military leaders of the country who were facilitated by way of direct payments and one by mortgage, at that time they did not tell us anything about rent to own... How much do people pay a month? How exactly do they qualify?” he asked.

But Mitchell said Moonilal has questions of his own to answer over the rise in the cost of the Victoria Keys project.

“Who gave the approval for the escalation of those costs?” Mitchell asked.

Asked why the project cost escalated, Mitchell said Victoria Keys was a “stalled project we inherited” along with several others, including Edinburgh Towers. He spoke to engineering, contractor and design problems, in addition to the fact that the area was also “crime infested."

SASCHA WILSON

A Special Reserve Police officer who responded to a report of a shooting in Siparia on Saturday driving a police vehicle, was instead arrested and charged after he allegedly failed a breathalyser test.

Officer Dennis Dewar, who has three years' service, pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Siparia Senior Magistrate Margaret Alert in the First Court yesterday.

The charge alleged that he was over the legal alcohol limit by 21 microgrammes on Saturday while in charge of a vehicle. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Dewar, 49, attached to the South Western Division Rapid Response Unit based at Oropouche Police Station, allegedly drove the police vehicle to Anthony Branch Trace, Siparia, after receiving a report of a shooting at a bar.

It is alleged that Insp David Subero detected alcohol on his breath, arrested him and took him to the station where a breathalyser test was administered. He was subsequently charged by Subero. Dewar was granted $500 police bail at the station later that day.

Prosecutor Sgt Septima Thomas did not object to bail. He has to return to court on December 4.

Police are now hunting for the driver who never stopped after he ran into Kimchan Roopnarine and Patricia Ali in Penal on Sunday night, killing them on the spot.

The couple’s sons, Brandon Roopnarine, nine and Darion, five, escaped death by inches but watched on in horror as the driver of a Nissan Tiida slammed into their parents, then drove away as the couple lay dying on the roadside.

The boys subsequently ran to their uncle Seudath Roopnarine’s home screaming for help but there was little paramedics could no to save the couple by the time they arrived on the scene. Kimchan died almost immediately while Patricia died soon after.

“It is only a heartless person could have done this,” Seudath told the T&T Guardian yesterday as he picked up Kimchan’s cross pendant from among bloodied splinters at the crash scene.

Kimchan, 38, was a labourer while Patricia, 36, worked as a domestic worker.

The family had just left relatives’ home along the Old Quinam Road around 9.30 pm and were walking along the Penal Rock Road when the incident happened. They were just two houses away from home when the car rammed into them from behind. The couple was thrown a few feet forward on the roadside. Luckily for Brandon and Darion, they were just ahead of their parents when the car hit.

Seudath, who lives next to Kimchan and Patricia, said he heard the car crashing into his relatives and immediately ran outside.

“When I reached outside I saw the car swerving, going up the road. Same time I saw the two children running up the hill by me. They said a car now bounced their mother and father. I went down there and saw them on the ground. Their father had already died but their mother was kind of breathing but real blood was coming out,” Seudath said, as he pondered how his nephews had been made orphans by the driver’s act.

Residents said the stretch of road was a speed zone and believe if there was a pavement along the road the couple might have had different fortunes. They added that the street light where the collision took place has also not been working for just over a year.

Roopnarine’s brother, Ramesh, said although he understood that accidents happen, he was hurt by the driver’s decision to drive off instead of offering help.

Police have detained a woman who was said to be the owner of the car. However, they were trying to determine whether she was driving at the time of the accident or it was her boyfriend, since he was said to have borrowed her vehicle on Sunday. After the incident, he is alleged to have returned the damaged car to the woman’s home and left. Penal police found the car at her home yesterday morning and took her into custody.

In an unrelated incident, Central Division police are investigating the death of Carlan Emmanuel, 32, whose body was found on the roadside in Caparo on Saturday. Emmanuel, a Chaguanas Borough Corporation employee, was discovered by motorists driving along the Caparo Main Road around 7 am.

Police said there were no marks of violence on the body but believe Emmanuel may have been a an overnight hit and run victim. Officers from the Brasso station visited the scene and interviewed residents but no one saw what happened.

The probe into the pregnancy of a 12-year-old girl has unearthed further allegations of rape and incest against a 17-year-old suspect.

Investigators who went to the boy’s home last week were told that he twice penetrated his 12-year-old sister and it was unsure whether he attempted to attack his 14-year-old sister who is deaf and mute.

The suspect was not interviewed up to yesterday. He was not around when officers visited his home last Saturday.

The suspect along with two of his friends, ages 19 and 20, was already being investigated for having sex with the girl earlier this year. Police said the victim is his cousin. It is not yet known who is the father of the victim’s unborn child.

In the latest development, officers went to the suspect’s home following the fresh allegations. The girls, ages 10, 12 and 14, did not initially want to speak to the police.

It was while talking to a doctor at the district health facility that the 10-year-old revealed she saw her brother having sex with her 12-year-old sister. The three girls were examined and the doctor found signs of penetration only in the 12-year-old, who revealed her brother tried to rape her twice but did not fully penetrate her.

The matter is being investigated by the police’s Child Protection Unit and has been reported to the Children’s Authority for further action.

Two martial arts instructors are facing charges of sexual touching and sexual penetration of a 12-year-old girl while she was attending a class in south Trinidad last month.

Police said the instructors, both age 16, operated out of the village’s community centre.

According to a report, the girl and her brother, eight, attended a class two weeks ago, when one of the instructors asked her for a kiss. After the girl kissed him, he allegedly went to brag to his colleague. The second instructor then followed the girl into the wash room, where she had gone to wash her hands. He reportedly then took off his clothes and had sex with her on a chair.

The girl’s brother, who became curious when he did not see her for several minutes, was given push-ups and other routines to perform by the other instructor as a distraction.

The incident only came to light last week after the girl was banned from using her mobile phone. Police were told during the week, she reportedly stayed at home while her mother went to work. Her mother left her with the phone in case of emergency. However, her mother returned home early that day and noticed the girl running into her bedroom with the phone in her hand. As the mother peeped into the room, she saw the girl having a conversation on the phone with someone. The girl’s father then arrived and took the girl to his home.

Later on that day the father was searching through the child’s phone and saw an Instagram message from someone who expressed being upset that he did not get to have sex with her. Also on the phone was a message from the same instructor asking the girl if she had experienced her menstrual cycle since their intercourse.

The father and mother later took the girl to the Gasparillo Police Station where she was then taken to the Marabella Health Centre where it was proven she was sexually active.

Police also later learned that there were other allegations of sexual misconduct by another instructor at the school who was accused of sexual grooming of another 12-year-old in Chaguanas.

However, her parents chose not to report the matter to the police and instead stopped her from attending classes.

The post of Chief Election Officer is yet again under scrutiny — this time from a senior employee at the Elections and Boundaries Commission who has signalled her intention to mount a legal challenge over being bypassed for the post.

Senior legal officer Fern Narcis-Scope was appointed to the post in September and the Opposition had raised a query about her familial link to a government minister.

In a letter sent to the EBC and the Public Service Commission (PSC) yesterday, attorneys representing Deputy Chief Election Officer Lena Sahadeo made requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for information and records related to the PSC’s recruitment for the post.

Sahadeo’s lawyers —Abdel Mohammed and Kent Samlal—said their client was concerned with the recruitment process, which she participated earlier this year, and her fears were compounded by the recent political furore over Narcis-Scope’s appointment.

“Our client has further instructed that at her interview process, she felt rushed and was prevented from answering questions “in the interest of time” and as a result, she instructs that she may not have been treated fairly in the interview process,” Mohammed said.

Sahadeo’s lawyers requested that the EBC and PSC disclose the criteria used for selection, a list of all the persons interviewed, Narcis-Scope’s curriculum vitae, interview notes and Sahadeo’s ranking compared to other candidates.

They gave both public bodies 30 days to respond to the requests and indicated that they felt that some of the documents, which may be exempt from disclosure, should be released nonetheless due to the strong public interest concerns over the appointment.

Sahadeo, the holder of a BSc in Computer Studies and an MBA, has been employed with the EBC for over 24 years. She had previously acted in the position after the resignation of former officeholder Ramesh Nanan.

After she receives the documents, Sahadeo will decide if she wants to challenge the EBC and the PSC for breaches of her constitutional rights and/or challenge the process used by the PSC.

Issues with Narcis-Scope’s appointment were first raised by Opposition Senator Wade Mark in Parliament, two weeks ago.

Mark questioned how Narcis-Scope, a senior legal officer with eight years service, was given the post and claimed she was related to Public Administration Minister Maxie Cuffie.

The EBC has since denied that the two are related and has deflected questions to the PSC, which it says had the sole remit over the appointment.

PSC chairman Maureen Mancouck said previously, “The position was advertised. We had a process and the person who was appointed (at EBC) was the person who topped the list.”

A 35-year-old man from Valencia has been granted $100,000 bail after appearing in court for a botched burglary at a First Citizens bank (FCB) ATM in Caparo, last month.

Rohan Ramnarine, of Swan Quarry, Valencia, was granted bail after appearing before Senior Magistrate Joanne Connor in the Chaguanas Magistrate’s Court.

He was charged with attempting to break and enter the ATM, breaking into Shop Rite Variety Store and possession of implements used for burglaries.

According to reports, after midnight on October 18, an off-duty police officer went to the ATM to make a withdrawal when he heard strange noises coming from the back of the building.

He investigated and found holes in the back of the building leading to the ATM and the store. He also saw two men running away from the scene.

Ramnarine was eventually arrested at his home, last Thursday, by a team of police officers led by Senior Supt Ajith Persad, who were selected to probe the burglary and several others, which occurred at banks in Central Trinidad recently.

He will reappear in court on December 4.

Acting Prisons Commissioner William Alexander says whatever action is needed to protect the lives of his colleagues should be taken, even if that means arming them with guns while off duty.

Speaking at a joint press conference with acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams at Police Administration, Port-of-Spain, yesterday, Alexander admitted his officers were under attack and was assured by Williams that all such reports were being treated seriously.

But Alexander urged his colleagues not to lose hope and remember why they became prison officers. Asked about prison officers being given guns, Alexander said the issue was greater than getting guns.

“T&T is a small place and we have to be wise enough. It’s like playing poker, it is not wise to expose your hand. Criminals look at television, there are televisions in the prisons, it is not wise to say publicly whether we armed or not. Whatever is necessary for their safety it will be done.”

He said although it is difficult to connect the killing of a prison officer to their job, they were recently able to do so with the use of technology. He said as a result of this the officer’s family received the $1 million government payout for officers who lose their lives in the line of duty. He, however, refused to identify the case.

The joint conference came following a meeting the two had with Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi and acting National Security Minister Stewart Young.

Williams said he has mandated that reports from prison officers be treated as “priority number one”. Asked about the investigation into the recent murder of prison officer Glenford Gardner, Williams said three Diego Martin men held in connection with the case were released but said the investigation is ongoing.

“We want to give the prison officers the assurance that we will not be standing aside while they are under attack. The TTPS sees the prison service as part of the family of law enforcement. We have to be able to team up together to address the criminal elements. We have to be strong and have to stand up and as society we cannot allow the criminals to win any battle,” Williams said.

Alexander also called on Prison Officers Association president Ceron Richards to stop making what he called “irresponsible” and “divisive” comments, noting blaming the Government for the plight of prison officers will only strengthen the criminal elements. He said the comments are creating more harm than good as the prison service deals with the threats facing officers.

The POA will meet with National Security Minister Edmund Dillon today to discuss what legislative support can be given to officers.

The POA last week petitioned the Canadian Embassy seeking asylum for its members following the killings of Gardner and Roger Sandy.

Gardner, 44, was killed on October 26 at one of his homes in Bagatelle, Diego Martin. Weeks before, Sandy was killed by an ex-convict at a bar in South Trinidad a day before his birthday. Gardner was killed hours after the Remand Yard prison was searched and cell phones and other contraband seized. Shortly after the raids there was a threat that officers living in in West Trinidad would be targeted.

A war of words is brewing between Housing Minister Randall Mitchell and predecessor Dr Roodal Moonilal over the Victoria Keys housing project. It has to do with cost of the project and Government’s decision to put 48 of the units at the posh apartment complex under the ‘Rent to Own’ policy.

Construction of the units started in 2006 with a $200 million price tag and Mitchell said it was “virtually completed” around 2010. But he said after the 2010 general election when the People’s Partnership assumed government, “the Victoria Keyes development was modified to include more luxurious fittings and amenities such as fully air-conditioned buildings, swimming pool, clubhouse, play park, tennis courts and multi-storey car parks with elevators.” The cost of the project jumped from $200 million to over $652m, he said.

Mitchell said at that price each apartment would have cost $2.5m, which “is out of the range of low and middle income earning citizens seeking affordable housing from the HDC.” As a consequence, he said the People’s National Movement Government in September 2016 decided that 206 of the units would be sold on the open market, 48 units would be Rent To Own (RTO) under the Cabinet-approved allocation policy and 10 units would be reserved for Government use.

But Moonilal has taken issue with the rent to own plan for the units, saying it is scandalous that a policy meant for low-income applicants can be used to provide multi-million dollar housing units, which he claimed were being given to party supporters and family members. He also wants Mitchell to disclose “all the occupants on RTO arrangements.”

Mitchell said the programme was introduced in 2006 and is the “same as all other units in the HDC.” He said on the open market anybody is allowed to apply and in RTO applicants are subject to the HDC selection criteria.

He also denied a newspaper report that Government Ministers Shamfa Cudjoe and Ayanna Webster-Roy, as well as Senate Vice President Nigel de Frietas have RTO agreements at Victoria Keys. He said 10 of the units have been reserved for government use and the three have been assigned units for when they are on duty in Trinidad. He said MPs from Tobago are given government housing in lieu of their housing allowance and all three will be made to vacate such accommodation when their tenures end. Moonilal admitted this policy for Tobago MPs pre-dated his time.

Previously Tobago MPS were housed at Federation Villas or Flagstaff, but Mitchell said units allocated at Federation Villas and Flagstaff are in need of repair so they decided to house MPs and their families at the Victoria Keyes units allocated for Government use.

On another note, Moonilal said it is strange Mitchell is now talking about rent to own because months ago when he asked the question about “military leaders of the country who were facilitated by way of direct payments and one by mortgage, at that time they did not tell us anything about rent to own... How much do people pay a month? How exactly do they qualify?” he asked.

But Mitchell said Moonilal has questions of his own to answer over the rise in the cost of the Victoria Keys project.

“Who gave the approval for the escalation of those costs?” Mitchell asked.

Asked why the project cost escalated, Mitchell said Victoria Keys was a “stalled project we inherited” along with several others, including Edinburgh Towers. He spoke to engineering, contractor and design problems, in addition to the fact that the area was also “crime infested.”

A Special Reserve Police officer who responded to a report of a shooting in Siparia on Saturday driving a police vehicle, was instead arrested and charged after he allegedly failed a breathalyser test.

Officer Dennis Dewar, who has three years’ service, pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Siparia Senior Magistrate Margaret Alert in the First Court yesterday.

The charge alleged that he was over the legal alcohol limit by 21 microgrammes on Saturday while in charge of a vehicle. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Dewar, 49, attached to the South Western Division Rapid Response Unit based at Oropouche Police Station, allegedly drove the police vehicle to Anthony Branch Trace, Siparia, after receiving a report of a shooting at a bar.
It is alleged that Insp David Subero detected alcohol on his breath, arrested him and took him to the station where a breathalyser test was administered. He was subsequently charged by Subero. Dewar was granted $500 police bail at the station later that day.
Prosecutor Sgt Septima Thomas did not object to bail. He has to return to court on December 4.

Former Planning and Development Minister Dr Bhoe Tewarie was adamant yesterday that “not a single square foot of land in Chaguaramas” was given away during his tenure.

“Every lease was negotiated above board by the authority responsible, the board of the Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA). It was negotiated on business and commercial terms. PWC was the chief negotiator appointed by the CDA to do that. This is a professional organisation who looks after matters such as these all over the world,” be said.

Responding to allegations levelled by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley that the former People’s Partnership administration gave away acres of prime land in Chaguaramas prior to the 2015 general election, Tewarie said the intent to make the CDA viable and self-sustainable. He is challenging Rowley to a public discussion on the matter.

On Sunday, speaking at a PNM Diego Martin West constituency conference, Rowley said his Government is now moving to reclaim lands given away by the previous government. He said land “all the way from Pier 1, all the way past the Convention Centre to the Museum” was made available to one investor, while 100 acres of “the best land in Tucker Valley” was given as a reward to a UNC activist who campaigned against Finance Minister Colm Imbert.

Commenting on the latter, a reference to Joe Pires, managing director of Caribbean Chemicals Ltd, Tewarie said: “It was the PNM government in 2008 who gave him 100 acres of land in Gran Couva where they are now engaged in agricultural production.”

The former minister insisted: “There was no giveaway of land. It was leased based on commercial negotiations.”

Tewarie said the decision by the CDA to lease 100 acres of land to Pires and a company he set up was done on a commercial basis after review by the Ministry of Agriculture.

He said the company identified 20 acres to begin agricultural development over time on the 100 acres.

“Government has basically strong-armed the company, because nobody wants to fight with a government if that government is bent on giving you hell. They have taken back 48 acres of the 100 acre parcel and they intend to distribute it to farmers in the surrounding areas, possibly in Dr Rowley’s constituency.”

On the claim that land given to an investor for a waterpark, Tewarie said the strategy was to develop two per cent of all Chaguaramas lands for tourism boosted by entertainment, leisure and pleasure opportunities. He identified the investor involved as John Aboud, describing him as a “legitimate investor who was making a significant investment.”He is denying Rowley’s claim that Government got them to

withdraw the boundary away from the beach.

On the issue of the carpark, Tewarie said the land was leased to the investor for a dollar who would build the facility and allow the CDA to manage it in a shared business deal.

In a rickety one-bedroom house, perched on top of a hill at Quevador Circular, East Port-of-Spain, the Joseph family lives in abject poverty.

For Troy Joseph, his common-law wife Alana Moscall, 38, and their 11 children — whose ages range from 24 to four — it’s a daily struggle to survive.

On Joseph’s 48th birthday- June 11, one of his sons and family’s sole breadwinner was gunned down in Port-of-Spain by unknown assailants.

Since then, Joseph claimed his life has been turned upside down as the $1,900 monthly National Insurance Board grant is barely enough to feed his family and send four of his children to school in Beetham Gardens.

Two of Joseph’s daughters, Salisha, six, and Soriah, five, have never seen inside a classroom.

“I want them to attend Bethlehem Girls’ RC Primary but never enrolled them. I never got around to it. I lapsed,” Joseph said, bending his head in shame.

Inside the family’s cramped run-down structure, seven of the children sleep on a four by six size bed, while Joseph, his wife and their four youngest children sleep on another mattress.

Earlier this year, a foundation post under their house collapsed causing the house to tilt, while the roof leaks in several places.

Though the family has pipe-borne water, their electricity had to be disconnected after a wall at the back of the house, where T&TEC’s had installed the electrical metre, began to crumble.

Through sobs, Joseph said since Kareem’s murder their lives have turned to misery.

Kareem, 22, who worked as a labourer at the Macoya Wholesale Market single-handedly maintained the family.

“My son was at the wrong place at the wrong time when gunmen opened fire. They killed him on my birthday. This tore me to pieces. I still can’t overcome the grief and pain it has caused because his killers are still running free. Every day he used to put money in my hand…a little $300 to see about his family….to send his brothers and sisters to school,” Joseph said, wiping away tears.

Since Kareem’s death, Joseph said the family has been suffering in silence.

Expecting his NIB grant next week, Joseph had no food in his cupboard to feed his children.

“My wife went clinic this morning. I don’t know what we cooking today,” Joseph muttered, as his three youngest daughters stood at the entrance of their doorway, overlooking their makeshift wooden staircase.

With blank stares, the little girls never uttered a word.

Once a day, Joseph said the family would cook what they can afford.

It costs Joseph $34 a day to send his children to school.

For him, putting food on the table for 13 mouths was far more important.

“Today the children didn’t go to school because my pocket is empty. That is how it is every month. I know they should be attending classes more regularly but better cannot be done,” Joseph said.

“We may not eat a good meal every day but what I give my children is love. I try to get a smile from them every day. I treat them equally. Sometimes they does get vex knowing that they have to do without basic things but they know what is love and laughter in this house.”

Joseph said that the Community Police Unit tried to help them in the past but they didn’t get very far.

After contracting cataract in both his eyes in 2014, Joseph claimed he was deemed medically unfit as a security officer.

“I worked for 18 years with the security firm, but I received no benefits. I came home not even with a penny for a rainy day.”

Yesterday, an official at the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services promised that a social welfare officer and social worker will call the Josephs before the end of the day.

Thereafter would do an assessment and once the family fits the necessary criteria they will be provided with overall assistance.

The owner of a Port-of-Spain pharmacy appeared in court yesterday on charges of rape, buggery and robbery.

Ramnath Ramdhan, 66, owner of Disdrugs Pharmacy on Independence Square, spent the night in prison after he was unable to access his $350,000 bail granted to him after his court appearance.

Ramdhan, of Bayshore, Westmoorings along with Akeem Worrel, 27, an employee of the pharmacy, of Enterprise, Chaguanas are alleged to have committed seven offences together on two separate occasions between September 12, 2014, and August 13, 2015.

Worrel was denied bail by Magistrate Adia Mohammed because he had pending matters in the Chaguanas district for robbery and other offences.

It is alleged that 2014, the two men, one of whom was armed with an ice-pick, robbed a woman of her cell phone valued $2,000, sodomised the woman, raped and committed grievous sexual assault against the victim.

One year later, the men are accused of robbing another woman, this time being armed with a knife, of her cell phone worth $4,500 and jewellery, grievous sexual assault and rape.

As a condition of his bail, Ramdhan was ordered to stay 500 feet away from his victims and report to the Four Roads Police Station every Monday between 6 am to 6 pm.

Worrel was advised to seek bail at the High Court. Both men will re-appear in court on December 5.

It is alleged the men lured women to the pharmacy under the guise of being interviewed for a job and attacked them while there.

The women reported the matter to the Central Police Station, Port-of-Spain. Worrel was held last week and Ramdhan held on Sunday.

Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat says the concept of mega-farms is under review but he is in favour of giving more land to productive farmers.

He said in many cases lands allocated for mega-farms have not been fully accessed.

“Some people say they are waiting on a lease and some over a period of time have lost interest in developing the lands,” he said.

The minister said the review involves looking at the approvals granted and determining the status of each project in terms of expectations and the extent to which they were met.

“We are looking at what is happening on each site to determine the future of it,” he said.

The mega-farm were established during the Patrick Manning administrations in 2008. Cuban consultants were brought in to advise the government and assisted with the 200-acre mega-farm established in Tucker Valley, Chaguaramas. However, that farm failed to produce enough to meet local demand.

Initially, 15 farms were identified but several of them did not begin production. The project was restarted under the People’s Partnership with farms in Orange Valley, Edinburgh and Felicity.

Rambharat said what the Chaguaramas Development Authority did with the mega-farm at Tucker Valley has to be done with the other farms.

“We need to determine whether they are fully utilising the land, or they are prepared to work with smaller plots,” he said.

The minister felt farmers who are producing and require more land should be given the opportunity to get the land they need to increase production.

He said: “There are so many productive farmers with expired leases, farmers who squatting on State land. If they are given tenure and new leases, they will be more motivated to develop the land and increase production.”

Rambharat said there is a need for a mix of small and larger farmers.

“Not so much mega-farms, but experienced farmers having larger acreages. We have put as a priority making additional lands available to farmers who are productive and need more land to produce short-term crops, long-term crops and breed livestock,” he said.

“We need to simplify the process for people who need additional lands so that they can access that land and incentivise those who are productive,” he said.

Rambharat said the two mega-farms owned and operated by Joe Pires of Caribbean Chemicals Limited at Chaguanas and Tucker Valley. The more than 40 acres of land Pires recently “surrendered,” in Tucker Valley will remain in agricultural production, he said.

“The whole idea is that those lands will be distributed to farmers in the Chaguaramas area. Some of those farmers said they were displaced in the events of Guave Road. That matter is in court but the opportunity exists for some farmers to come on this site,” he said.

Pires said fruit trees and vegetables are being cultivated on the land in Chaguaramas. The farm in Edinburgh, Chaguanas is also in full production.

The PCS Nitrogen’s model farm started in 2008 also remains in production.

Putting a week of drama behind her, local delegate for Miss Universe 2017, Yvonne Clarke says while she is confident of returning home with the crown, her goal is to share T&T’s warm spirit with the world.

Clarke, who leaves for Las Vegas on Friday night, said her registration for the pageant and sponsorship have been finalised.

She spoke to reporters at the San Fernando City Hall yesterday following a courtesy call to Mayor Junia Regrello and San Fernando City Corporation CEO Indarjit Singh.

Last week Clarke was stripped of the Miss Universe TT title by local franchise holder Jenny Douglas for an alleged breach of contract.

Two days later, she was reinstated but her sponsors, led by soca artiste Fay-Ann Lyon Alvarez withdrew their support. Clarke said she has put all the negatives behind her and would only focus on the task at hand.

“At this point, I choose to focus on positivity and performing well. I am heading to Las Vegas and I will be having fun in representing Trinidad and Tobago to the best of my ability. I am a little nervous but extremely excited. I am looking forward to interacting with girls from 90 different countries all over the world. I love meeting new people so it’s going to be a fantastic experience.

“Of course the ultimate goal will be to bring the crown home but I am focused on enjoying the experience and really taking that warm spirit that we have here in Trinidad and Tobago to Las Vegas,” Clarke said.

She said former delegates such as Jevon King and Faye Alibocus have been supportive of her journey, however, it was Miss Universe 1998 Wendy Fitzwilliam who inspired her passion for pageantry. Since nine years old, Clarke has been preparing for this opportunity and it all began when Fitzwilliam won the crown.

“My street at that time was flooded with people. Everyone was rejoicing and the level of camaraderie that I saw on that night made me want to emulate Wendy, which I did. It is so fascinating and I always tell people that there were neighbours who my mother had not spoken to in years and she was embracing them that night because of Wendy Fitzwilliam winning Miss Universe. Becoming Miss Universe is not only a job but you become a role model for so many young men and women, not only in your country but by extension the world.”

Miss Universe 2017 will be held on November 26 at The Axis at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Regrello told Clarke that while the City was proud of her accomplishment and was confident that she would do well, all they ask is for her to do her best. He said Clarke’s gift to take to the competition was a steel pan, which was most fitting for this country.

Prison officers will be safer once the corruption and operation of criminal empires in prisons are stamped out, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi maintained yesterday

“Did the grenade at the Frederick Street prison (in the July 2015 jailbreak) get there by magic? Let’s call a spade a spade. There are good prison officers - but there’s also a problem. It requires collaborative effort to stamp out the corruption and stop the criminal empires in the prison system,” Al-Rawi added at a media briefing at his Port-of-Spain office.

“How do phones get into the prison? How does contraband get in - not by itself. Last year, we logged a million illegal text messages over three months and 330,000 illegal phone calls in one month (during a period of surveillance).”

He noted that he’d spoken about the illegal calls and text messages during Parliament debate in April 2016.

The AG’s comments followed the Prison Officers’ Association’s recent complaints - including that Al-Rawi’s call for the association to work with Government on their concerns was “fake.”

Al-Rawi said Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley called a National Security Council meeting on Monday following recent shooting of prison officers. He said a manhunt is on for a known suspect in one case and a “target” was identified in another.

But he said corruption and criminality in the system is an issue. He said there are adequate laws and when he’d asked for recommendations on others he didn’t get specifics.

Al-Rawi said firearms are issued on average of 25 to 30 annually and houses are also allocated to officers. But he said people could still be targeted even if they got a house.

He also said the T&T and Canadian governments, following collaborative efforts, are currently looking at programmes retro-fitting prisons.

On another matter, Al-Rawi said the Bankers’ Association was completely wrong in claiming T&T was being “grey listed” for Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issues.

Al-Rawi, just back from a Caribbean FATF conference, said there’s no “grey list” status for countries like T&T which are in the normal course of “Fourth Round” evaluation on FATF frameworks. The latter involves anti-money laundering and terrorist financing provisions. He said T&T is “well on track” with this and is in observation status, which all FATF members undergo.

He said the BATT misinterpreted the situation and T&T isn’t at risk of any sanctions. He added that T&T’s FATF standing is good and necessary legislation has been laid in Parliament.

“T&T’s progress has been commended by our international reviewers and T&T is the model for the Caribbean FTAF,” the AG said.

He said T&T’s FATF action plan has a May 2019 time line and progress will be examined next year. However, he said he was astounded BATT wasn’t aware of the work done by T&T in the last two years and he’ll meet with them tomorrow to clarify these misconceptions.

The United Kingdom has sought to clear the air on its updated travel advisory to this country, saying this did not mean that the UK’s assessment of the threat of British nationals in T&T had changed.

Lord Tariq Ahmad, Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict and Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the UN at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office made the comment while speaking at a press conference held with this country’s Ministry of National Security following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the Waterfront Complex, Port-of-Spain yesterday.

In May this year, the UK updated its advisory to T&T, warning its citizens of possible acts of terrorism occurring in this country.

It had said, “Although there have been no recent attacks in Trinidad and Tobago, more than 100 Trinidad and Tobago nationals have travelled to Syria and Iraq to fight along with Daesh (formerly referred to as ISIL) and are likely to pose a security threat on return. There’s also a threat from individuals who may have been inspired by terrorist groups, including Daesh and al Qaeda, to carry out so-called ‘lone actor’ attacks targeting public events or places.”

But Ahmad said T&T was part of 225 countries in which the UK had updated travel advisories, adding,”When the UK looks at its travel advisory its primary concerns as any government would be is the safety of its nationals.

“There is currently, as we all recognise, a heightened threat to common interests but there is also a heightened threat to British interests around the world from people as we have seen by the conflict that is raging in Syria and Iraq and that is why we carried out the review of all our travel advisories.”

He said the review recommended using “more specific and clearer language” to describe the threat and to ensure that British travellers were properly informed.

“This new language has been introduced in our travel advice worldwide and that includes T&T. But let me be clear this new language does not mean that our assessment of the threat of British nationals here in T&T has changed.

Bridgemans Services Group, owners of the Cabo Star, the lone cargo vessel on the seabridge, believe someone may be trying to intentionally damage the vessel, after the chief engineer reported that someone tried to flush a whole lemon down the vacuum systems, causing it to shut down.

Truckers who were on the vessel when the incident occurred last Wednesday confirmed that all the toilets in the cabins and public area were closed.

The report from Chief Engineer Anton Galkin, sent by Bridgemans to acting General Manager of the T&T Inter-Island Transport Service Hafeez Mohammed, said at approximately 5 pm on November 2 during the voyage from Scarborough to Port-of-Spain the ship’s vacuum toilet system failed.

Galkin said an investigation showed that a lemon had been inserted into the system causing a blockage which led to failure.

“In my opinion, the lemon may have been inserted by an individual who deliberately wished to damage the ship’s equipment,” he said.

Vice president of the Inter-Island Truckers Association Samuel Applewhite said: “I can’t see anyone going into the toilet with a lemon and it falling in by mistake. It had to be a deliberate act that caused all the toilets to be closed because everything comes to one line on the journey.”

Applewhite said in addition to the truckers there were other passengers on board. He said it was ironic that the incident had happened at a time when the vessel was working the best it had been since it got here.

“The vessel has been sailing faster since they did work on the engine. It is now taking six hours as compared to the seven to nine hours before,” he said.

Vice president of Bridgemans Services Group Andrew Purdey expressed his own concerns about the incident. He said in recent weeks, although two engineers had left, the Cabo Star had three full inspections—class, flag and insurance—and all confirmed that the vessel is operating fully within compliance specifications.

It took several hours to bring the system back online and the vessel set sail just after 3 pm last Thursday.

National Security Minister Edmund Dillon says a two-day visit by United States Southern Command was aimed at strengthening ties and improving the sharing of information to tackle crime and terrorism.

Dillon met yesterday with Admiral Kurt Tidd, Commander of US Southern Command to discuss security support and collaboration between the countries at the Waterfront Complex, in Port-of-Spain.

“We also dealt with issues with respect to American security involvement and issues pertinent to T&T, the movement of illegal drugs, illegal guns which we treat with on a daily basis and treat with the issues of crime. We believe that we will continue to strengthen capacity building with the United States government,” he said.

He said members of the Defence Force, Air Guard, Coast Guard and the Army was exposed to training from the United States government.

“We are looking at ways to broaden in terms of information and intelligence sharing issues with respect to terrorism and terrorist financing and so on,” he said.

Tidd said the opportunity to meet over the past couple of days to discuss security issues of mutual concern to our nations and the region was crucial.

“Our bilateral and regional cooperation is crucial to confronting these shared threats. The United States respects and values the significant contribution T&T makes to the stability in the Caribbean and the hemisphere.

“We appreciate the opportunity to share perspectives and ideas on effective ways to collaborate against threats of mutual concern and we salute T&T’s willingness to address the tough issues including the challenge of radical extremism.

Our dialogue and partnership allow us to more effectively address the trans-regional networks that enable criminal and extremist activities,” he said.

Tidd said the partnership enhanced their ability to support humanitarian assistance operations to save lives and ease suffering in the aftermath of disasters.