WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama announced the re-establishment of diplomatic relations and an easing in economic and travel restrictions on Cuba. 

The move is being regarded as a historic shift aimed at ending a half-century of Cold War enmity.

Cuban President Raul Castro told Cubans his nation has agreed to restore relations with the United States, 53 years after diplomatic ties were broken.

A credit union courier was killed by bandits in a daring daylight robbery at Shaw Park, Tobago, a killing which has left the island reeling. Sylvert Edwards, 64, of Carnbee, Tobago, was killed by the bandits as he sat in his car in the Thor Credit Union’s carpark around 11.30 am. The credit union shares the compound with the Tobago House of Assembly’s Division of Infrastructure and Public Utilities.

The T&T Guardian understands Edwards was about to deliver cash, the majority of it being a payroll, to the credit union when he was ambushed by two men. Eyewitnesses said the men, who were dressed in red T-shirts, walked up to Edwards while he was still seated in his Hyundai Tucson and opened fire on him. The men then grabbed the money and escaped. Edwards was hit in the right hip but police believe he may have died from a heart attack. 

District Medical Officer Dr Mentor Melville visited the scene and ordered the body removed to the Scarborough mortuary where an autopsy is to be performed. Employees attached to the THA said that was the third robbery attempt on the credit union. Anyone with information on the murder and robbery can call 708-9142 or 708-9320.

THA RESPONDS
Secretary of the Division of Infrastructure and Public Utilities Gary Melville extended condolences to the family. He admitted, however, that security within the division would need to be revisited in light of the attack. He added: “I am very concerned as any right-thinking citizen should be. 

“I am concerned for my own safety and that of my family because at times like this you hear about so many incidents and then it comes right home to you.

“This is a compound that houses thousands of workers and we have to take a very close look at our security arrangements here because we should be in a situation where in spite of how many persons are here, where people can enter the compound and something like this happens. “I think sometimes we are a bit too lax in Tobago with our concerns about security and sometimes we figure it can’t happen here for whatever reason.”

Edwards’ killing was the eighth on the island for the year. The Tobago Homicide Bureau is continuing investigations.

A 38-year-old soldier was killed in a mid-afternoon motorcycle crash on the Priority Bus Route (PBR), Laventille, yesterday. According to reports, around 2 pm Cpl Emerson Keane, of Chaguanas, was riding his T&T Regiment motorcycle east along the PBR when he collided with a T&T Electricity Commission (T&TEC) truck near the Fernandes Industrial Estate. T&TEC workers were repairing utility poles in the area.

Keane was thrown off the motorcycle, which ended up under the truck. Although he was wearing a helmet and protective gear, Keane, who landed several metres from the crash site, suffered severe injuries. He was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he died while being treated by doctors at the Accident and Emergency Department. 

Police said Keane, who worked as a dispatch rider in the First Engineering Battalion, lost control of his bike when he attempted to swerve suddenly to avoid hitting the truck. In a press release yesterday, T&T Regiment public affairs officer Captain Stefan Affonso conveyed condolences to Keane’s family on behalf of the entire organisation. 

“May they receive the strength and guidance from the Almighty God and the support from relatives and friends during their time of grief,” Affonso said. Keane’s family is yet to finalise his funeral arrangements. Investigations are continuing.­­­

Finance Minister Larry Howai “is aware of the allegations made against him on national radio yesterday and is looking at the records from 12 years ago in order to properly address the allegations,” a Ministry of Finance spokesperson said last night. 

The minister’s response came hours after radio talk-show host Tony Lee read out excerpts of a document purportedly written by an eminent Barbadian Queen’s Counsel, whose advice was sought by the T&T Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in March 2007 in relation to suspected cases of insider trading in shares of Trinidad Cement Ltd (TCL) between January 21 and June 24, 2002.

The QC was asked to provide legal advice on a report by the SEC’s Division of Market Regulation and Surveillance 

The allegations hinge around meetings that Mexican cement giant Cemex held with representatives of a group of large shareholders of TCL both before and after making public its bid on February 6, 2002, to launch a takeover attempt of TCL. Cemex, which acquired a 20 per cent stake in TCL from Government in 1998, ultimately failed in its attempt to takeover TCL 

It is alleged that three executive directors of local commercial banks which owned shares in TCL and a non-executive director of a local commercial bank held meetings with Cemex, where price-sensitive information was discussed. On January 28, 2002, a meeting took place between Cemex officials and the former chairman and CEO of TCL, Andy Bhajan and Rollin Bertrand, where the Mexican cement company disclosed its intention to make an offer for the 80 per cent of TCL it did not own.

After that meeting with the TCL directors, Cemex held meetings with directors of its significant institutional shareholders. It is alleged that one of the directors met with TCL on January 29 and at 4 pm that same day placed an order with a local brokerage firm to purchase 10,000 TCL shares. Another of the directors signed a Notice of Price Sensitive Information (NOPSI) on January 28, 2002. In that document, the director acknowledged that:
• the information he was to discuss with Cemex was price sensitive;
• that his knowledge of the information would deem him an insider;
• he had an obligation to treat the information in a confidential manner;
• he had an obligation not to trade any securities that were affected by the information;
• that a breach of the obligations imposed on an insider constitute an offence.

It is alleged that that director met with Cemex on January 29 and 30, May 7 and 24 and June 4 in 2002 and that although he had signed the NOPSI, placed an order to buy 40,000 TCL shares on May 7 and 60,000 shares of the cement company on May 10. Those orders were satisfied during the blackout period. The QC’s advice was considered by the SEC.

On November 20, 2008, former executive chairman of the SEC, Osborne Nurse, signed a public notice in which he said that while the SEC’s “investigation found considerable evidence of unacceptable market conduct, the evidence was insufficient to meet the requirement of the law to prove intent, or to overcome defences provided in the law. “As a result, the Commission has accepted the advice and recommendations of its legal counsel and has decided to close the matter.”

According to Nurse, the advice from senior counsel in Barbados and Canada was that the act “requires the commission to prove intent which thereby established a higher standard of proof than is usually required for administrative proceedings and that the evidence in the matter did not support the required standard of proof.

Plummeting oil prices and the arrests of top OAS Construtora officials in Brazil for corruption last night prompted the Highway Re-route Movement (HRM) to hold a candlelight vigil outside the southern residence of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. It was a last-ditched attempt to get the Government to engage in mediation over the controversial Debe to Mon Desir leg of the $7.4 billion Solomon Hochoy Highway extension to Point Fortin project.

From about 7.30 pm, HRM members — Reshana Boodhai, Tara Sharma and Leela Boodhai — went to the PM’s private home at SS Erin Road, Philippine, San Fernando, to deliver a document ,titled “Patterns of Abuse Against the HRM by the Government of T&T”.

However, soldiers from the T&T Defence Force ordered the HRM team to move away from the front gates as they posed a security risk. The soldiers also refused to collect the document, saying it should be delivered during the day. The protestors agreed to return and later left the residence.

At a press conference nearby afterwards, Shereen Boodhai said it was almost 100 days since their leader, Dr Wayne Kublalsingh, began his hunger strike. Calling for mediation, Boodhai pleaded: “The life of a brilliant man, a son of the soil, is hanging on the line and still they do not care about mediation.”  She added: “Oil prices are at the lowest and falling daily so the Government must be sensible and curb exorbitant spending.” 

Boodhai noted that the Inter-American Development Bank had refused to grant a loan to the T&T Government to build the highway and instead recommended the widening of existing arteries. Saying the Government should consider utilising the HRM’s Optimum Connectivity proposal, Boodhai said that would save the Treasury more than $1 billion.

Boodhai noted that the recent arrests of top OAS officials for money laundering, corruption and bid-rigging should be viewed with concern by the Government. Reiterating her call for an independent mediator to discuss the highway, Boodhai said the HRM would continue its struggle until the Government heeded its cries. Local Greenpeace activist Judith de Verteuil also said the Mediation Act of T&T would facilitate that process. 

“Mediation is on our law books so we are hoping the Government will do the right thing,” she said. Industrial relations consultant Wilfred Edwards said the HRM would make one last request to Government for mediation and if that was ignored it would then make a demand. He said that demand would be revealed in due course.

Laventille residents are up in arms again, claiming police brutality after a soldier was shot while on patrol in the area yesterday. The residents claimed a detachment of Defence Force and police personnel stormed Desperlie Crescent, Batson Place, Tilbury Place and Lovell Place early yesterday after Private Ryan Gittens was wounded around 3 am. Gittens and other soldiers were on foot patrol at Clifton Hill, East Dry River, Port-of-Spain, when they were reportedly shot at by a group of men. 

Police said the group of soldiers returned fire. However, Gittens was hit in the exchange.  He was taken to hospital and his condition was listed as stable up to late yesterday. Scores of residents were detained at the Besson Street Police Station up to late yesterday while some were taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital for treatment.  

A female resident, who refused to give her name, claimed she, her brother and another occupant of her house were also assaulted. “They start to beat my brother and a next person and hit him in his head with a bottle from the yard and gun butt and hit him on his head with a stone.  “I started to quarrel and one of the soldiers walk up to me and choke me and push me on the ground,” she said. 

The residents said the officers stormed their community and physically assaulted them. The officers were also alleged to have shot a dog belonging to one of the residents. Another resident, Shermaine Thomas, who was seen talking to a troop of soldiers, said: “They come and shoot the dog. It was a friendly dog and he used to go about the neighbourhood.” 

Another in the community said the officers took away one of her relatives who had surgery two months ago. “They kick him in his (private parts) and he just had a hernia two months ago. “They stamp him up so much until he started to vomit. All you wicked. He was asleep. People fed up,” she said.

Reporting by Camille Clarke

Griffith responds
National Security Minister Gary Griffith says he will not tolerate any acts of violence carried out on soldiers or police officers. He added: “This is nonsense, if they want to protect criminals let them go ahead. When police officers or soldiers are shot at by criminals you don’t hear their concerns. “These red herring...let them wield and come again. I see them as aiding and abetting criminals. When soldiers get shot at nobody complains. 

“They go postering and talking about humans rights. It’s violating, it’s false, misleading and mischievous. “If they think I going to have them shooting at police officers and soldiers let them think again. “It is an eye-for-an-eye, I’m not going to have them getting shot at and in return police and soldiers throw marshmallows. I won’t have that. We are returning in kind. We are returning in full force,” he said. 

MP for Port-of-Spain South Marlene McDonald said she prefered not to make any comment about the incident until she knew more. 

Clutching her four children and expecting another, Paula Kings said a tearful goodbye to her husband, Time, a Nigerian, as he surrendered himself to the Immigration Division on Henry Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. Police officers assigned to the division were hunting Time and Ghanian Musah Ibrahim who they described as “fugitive” Africans. The men went missing on December 12 after they failed to report to the division for deportation.

On December 14, 11 African nationals were deported to their home countries of Nigeria and Ghana after they failed in a legal bid to stop their deportation. The Government had chartered a Caribbean Airlines flight to Ghana at a cost of $2.6 million to take them home. Before surrendering, Time and Ibrahim spoke to members of the media on the pavement opposite the division’s building.

The men were represented by their attorney Farid Scoon. Also lending support was Khafra Kambon, chairman of the Emancipation Support Committee (ESC), and president of the Latin Association of T&T, David Edghill. In their defence Time and Ibrahim said they were ill, hence the reason for failing to report to the division. Both men also claimed to have been beaten badly while at the Immigration Detention Centre, Aripo.

Time, who dismissed claims he was a criminal, said he earned a living doing different jobs while working as a security guard and selling DVDs. Saying he was in T&T for six years, Time added: “I was detained before by Immigration for one year and six months for illegal entry and I was released. We have been in between immigration and national security and they tell us different things.

“They tell me I have to do a paternity test for my kids and I do not have a problem with that.” He said he was released five months ago but while at the centre life was “hell” as there was insufficient money to send his children to school. Ibrahim, who lives in Barataria, said he was in T&T for five years. He claimed the blows he received to his head while at the centre left him permanently deaf in the right ear.

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Show grounds to remain
Edghill said once the immigrants prove they were capable of positively contributing to society they should remain. “Once they show grounds we need them here, leave them. Once they are not capable to be here let them leave,” Edghill added. He said former Prime Minister Dr Eric Williams had granted an amnesty to illegal immigrants but believed at that time it was not really beneficial for the country “but now we have more qualified people who could do a lot for the country.” 

On allegations that illegal immigrants were contributing to the crime situation he said that was not the case. Kambon said it was unfortunate the men were branded negatively and urged that the Government take into consideration they had families to look after. He said up to late yesterday the men were at the centre.

FLASHBACK
Last November 13 High Court Judge  Vasheist Kokaram ordered the release of Ibrahim, saying the State had failed to provide proof that it has spent $2.5 million to charter a flight to have him and other African nationals deported.

Kokaram said although he was satisfied steps were being taken to comply with his order that Ibrahim be deported, there was no evidence there would be an aircraft to take the Ghanaian back to his homeland or that the necessary permissions were received from the Governments of Nigeria and Ghana or arrangements put in place to receive him and the others. Kokaram dismissed an application by the State for further time to deport Ibrahim.

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Two weeks ago National Security Minister Gary Griffith had said there was no witch-hunt to target illegal African immigrants as only nine out of 651 Africans have been deported for 2014. He had also said investigations revealed many illegal immigrants had resorted to entering into sham marriages. 

He added: “People pay exorbitant sums of money to their prospective spouse in return for the acquisition of resident status. These persons frequently exploit the marriage legislation of certain religions which do not require the posting of banns or notices, despite not belonging to the religion. “These marriages are registered by the Ministry of Legal Affairs without any verification of the person’s legal immigration status which is not currently a requirement under any of the aforementioned marriage legislation.”

Prisons officers are threatening to shut down operations at the country’s penal institutions in protest over Government’s failure to implement additional security measures, promised after the murder of one of their colleagues last year. 

Speaking at a press conference outside the Frederick Street entrance of the Port-of-Spain State Prison yesterday president of the Prisons Officers’ Association Ceron Richards described the proposed action, which crippled operations at the prisons for several weeks last year, as a last resort by prisons officers to have their concerns addressed. “Officers’ backs are against a wall. They are not prepared to go on as if it is business as usual when their lives and limbs are threatened.

 “Their morale is low and they will withdraw their support for the job. It is an emergency situation and action must be taken,” Richards, who was surrounded by two dozens of his members, said. As he called for Justice Minister Emmanuel George and Prisons Commissioner Conrad Barrow to resign, Richards accused them for the Government’s failure to implement the recommendations of a nine-member committee appointed following the murder of off-duty prisons officer Andy Rogers on November 7, last year. 

Rogers’s death triggered a chain of events, including a “go slow” protest from prisons officers and riots among the prisoners over not being fed. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar intervened to appease protesting prisons officers and appointed the committee which was chaired by Prof Ramesh Deosaran.

 Among the recommendations proposed by the committee was a new remand yard facility, full body scanners at the entrances of the prisons, stab and bullet proof jackets and firearms for off duty officers. “To date not one of those security initiatives that was adopted by Cabinet has materialised. So one will ask the question what is the order of priority does the Government places the Prisons Service?” Richards asked. 

He highlighted a series of serious attacks and threats, including one two weeks ago when an officer at the Maximum Security Prison, Arouca, was slashed acrosss his face and a plot by one prisoner to assassinate three officers at the Golden Grove State Prison, Arouca, which was uncovered earlier this week.

“A letter was found in the possession of an inmate outlining a number of security breaches in the prison. It outlined apparatus for the making of explosive devices and identified three prisons officers,” Richards said. He claimed that despite the association and the targeted officers raising the issue with Barrow, no extra protection was provided. The T&T Guardian called Barrow’s cellphone several times yesterday to obtain his response to the association’s claims. He did not answer.  

Secretary of Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) Gary Aboud and former national award winner Wayne Henry reappeared in court yesterday in relation to three charges which occurred as a result of a protest outside the Parliament building last year. Aboud, Henry and environmental engineer Cathal Healy-Singh were arrested on November 12, 2013, as they participated in a seismic survey protest at the International Waterfront Centre, Port-of-Spain.

The trio were confronted by the police as they attempted to deliver a “symbolic knock” on the Parliament door, which was meant to remind politicians of the group’s campaign to halt seismic surveys off this country’s shores, until the proper environmental impact assessments had been done. The men were jointly charged with holding a public meeting without the permission of the Police Commissioner (CoP) and holding a public meeting without notifying the CoP.

Aboud was also charged with failing to disperse a public meeting when ordered by ASP Picton Henry, while Henry was charged with obstructing ASP Henry in the execution of his duty. The men pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they first appeared before Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar in the Port-of-Spain court on November 13, 2013.

Although the matter has since been adjourned several times, the men’s attorney Ian Brooks appealed yesterday for disclosure yet another time. The complainant in the matter was absent yesterday while only Aboud and Henry appeared before Ayers-Caesar.
The matter was adjourned to February 11, 2015.

Tobago police yesterday detained a 29-year-old Lambeau man in connection with the robbery and murder of 64-year-old credit union courier Slyvert Edwards and are looking for a second man. The T&T Guardian understands the suspect is an employee of the Tobago House of Assembly’s Infrastructure and Public Utilities’ Development Section. 

Police said he was arrested at his home during a sting operation on Wednesday after they received information and he was co-operating with them. Police said they expected to arrest the second man soon. Edwards was ambushed and killed around 11.30 am on Wednesday during a daylight robbery at the THAWE Credit Union, which is located on the Division of Infrastructure and Public Utilities’ compound at Shaw Park, Scarborough. 

He was shot in the right hip while seated in his Hyundai Tucson vehicle but police believe he may have died from a heart attack. He was delivering a $100,000 payroll for members of the credit union.

Up to yesterday, several people attached to the credit union were being questioned, including five employees who were on duty at the time of the incident. However, police were tight-lipped on whether the robbery was an inside job. The credit union remained closed yesterday and there is no date set for its reopening.

Despite concerns about poor security measures on the compound and at the credit union, the T&T Guardian was reliably informed a hidden CCTV camera would have captured the attack. Edwards’ autopsy is scheduled for today. The Tobago Homicide Bureau is continuing investigations. Anyone with information is asked to contact 708-9142 or 708-9320. 

Meanwhile, THA Chief Secretary Orville London yesterday condemned the attack. He said: “Whatever the reason, one has got to understand that we do have homegrown criminals on the island and we have to treat with that. 

“We in Tobago have got to send a strong signal that this is not an environment in which criminals can feel secure and safe, nor should Tobago be seen as a soft target and that is one of the reasons why I want to reiterate that we must take control of our environment and ensure that we are much more careful about the way we do business.” 

He said whenever incidents like those occurred all of Tobago was traumatised and they brought  a startling realisation that crime was real in Tobago and must be treated with. He also urged Tobagonians to be vigilant at all times, especially during the festive season “This is not a reason for us to panic but it is definitely a reason for all of us to become much more aware of our environment,” he added.

Government is acquiring the memorabilia of the Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) for $2 million for ten years to put it on display, Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Lincoln Douglas said yesterday. He said so at yesterday’s weekly Government press conference, Port-of-Spain.

On the Sparrow memorabilia acquisition, Douglas said Government hoped to complete the issue by February. “It is a tremendously positive thing. We can work on this to honour him as he is still here with us and performing worldwide,” he said. The possessions include 52 certificates, 42 CDs, eight citations, four DVDs, 176 medals, 98 trophies, 78 videos and many other items.

Douglas said the items were at Sparrow’s House. A location to house the display is being examined. He said displays could also be done at NAPA, SAPA, Naparima Bowl, the Carnival Village and the Heritage Library. Douglas also said Government’s cost-cutting measures did not include scaling back on Carnival prizes for calypso, mas, steelband or regional Carnivals. 

“Everything is set to go for Carnival 2015,” he added. He also detailed Festival Village facilities being erected at Laventille, San Juan and Mausica to host various artistic displays from drumming to folk dance. The first at Laventille is 45 per cent complete and is being done at a cost of $4 million. The San Juan location, costing $2.3 million, is 35 per  cent complete. The Mausica venue, which was started 28 years ago, is only ten per cent complete and will cost $8 million to build. 

Twenty-nine-year-old Laventille resident Joel Pegus was recorded as the country’s latest murder victim after a shooting in Blue Basin, Diego Martin, on Wednesday night. According to reports, residents of Blue Basin heard a loud explosion at around 7.15 pm and called the police. Soon after, three police officers, attached to the West End Police Station, responded and met the body of Pegus slumped in the driver seat of his Nissan Versa.

A district medical officer (DMO) arrived at the scene and the body was taken to the St James Medical Complex, St James, where he was pronounced dead. A post-mortem was conducted yesterday afternoon by pathologist Dr Valery Alexandrov who said Pegus was shot once in the neck and died instantaneously. 

Alexandrov said by all indications, Pegus was shot at “very close range” by an occupant of the vehicle seated in the left side of the back seat. He was employed at Blue Waters as a delivery man and was a resident of St Joseph Road, Laventille.

PNM deputy leader Marlene McDonald’s name has figured in a Lake Asphalt of Trinidad and Tobago (LATT) audit report concerning a review of contracts and conflicts of interest in that company, where a senior LATT official allegedly told a company in 2007 to make a contribution to a foundation McDonald had in order to get more LATT jobs.

The information is contained in a 16-page LATT internal audit report of May 2011 concerning alleged issues under the tenure of former LATT CEO, Wayne Wood, no longer with LATT. Prior Beharry, strategic communications consultant to Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine, said yesterday the minister had received the report and forwarded it to the Attorney General for appropriate action.

The audit noted there had been concerns regarding due process in relation to procurement of contracts, payment of contracts and possible conflict of interest between Wood and Tramway Marketing Ltd. Tramway was described in the report as a limited liability company, incorporated July 6, 1999.

 Directors were Alvin Phillips and Althea Phillips with McDonald as the secretary at the date of incorporation. This was changed to Althea Phillips on October 6, 1999. The report contained copies of companies registrar documents confirming that.

The report noted that during Wood’s tenure approximately 54 contractors were engaged, at a cost of $19 million, and the review found evidence of conflict of interest and inappropriate reporting relationship between the then CEO and the director of Tramway Marketing.

It also noted senior officials knowingly overrode controls, irregularities and non-compliance with the tender policy and procedure, inefficiencies in the payment process and failure on procurement systems. The report, which detailed all of what was found, stated the audit discovered that it was not the first time conflict of interest was alleged between Wood and Tramway. 

It was noted that since the appointment of Wood as CEO, Tramway was paid $1.3 million for contracts, including grass-cutting, ground maintenance, landscaping, janitorial contracting and inventory management. The report cited interviews including with one Curlan Worrell. He said he had been self employed  “doing odd jobs here-and-there and at one time was awarded contracts with LATT, including general maintenance.” 

He said the contracts were awarded under MIE Engineering Co Ltd (MIEECL) where he was operations manager. MIEECL was a pre-qualified contractor with LATT. 

Worrell is quoted as saying during 2007 he and the owner of MIEECL were approached by Wood and told that MIEECL could be given more jobs at LATT and Palo Seco Agricultural Enterprises Ltd (where Wood was also a director at the time) but “MIEECL would have to make a contribution to two foundations, one belonging to Peter Taylor and the other belonging to Marlene McDonald.”

Worrell’s statement alleged the cheques were to be made out to two foundations, “one being Peter Taylor and the other Marlene McDonald for $25,000-$35,000. I did so and gave the cheques to Mr Wood,” he added. The report stated MIEECL indeed received a contract from PSAEL and MIEECL made the payment and gave the cheques to Wood.

The report also stated Worrell also claimed Alston Grant, who was affiliated with MA Trading Ltd, was also associated with Conrad Enill, (described in the report as Energy Minister) and asked Worrell to  manage some contracts that would be awarded to LATT. Worrell said he was informed Enill instructed Wood to award contracts to MA Trading. It was also noted MA Trading received LATT contracts.

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McDonald didn’t answer calls yesterday. Taylor, who was PNM Princes Town MP, said he never had a foundation. “Nah, I wasn’t in anything like that. We only had a constituency group. I never asked anyone for any contributions,” he said Enill said: “I never instructed anybody to give any contracts but in politics, people use your name all the time. 

“I can’t tell you how many times people would come to me and say ‘Mr Manning told me to tell you X and Y’. I would call him about it and he would say ‘But I see you all the time, so I would have told you if I had done that’ “That’s why I prefer to give written instructions and specifics. Third party instructions are not instructions as far as I’m concerned. I don’t go through third parties,” Enill said.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday revealed she had no idea from where thousands of gifts donated to children through her toy distribution drive came. Persad-Bissessar has spent much of the last few weeks going to different constituencies to give toys to children. She also hosted several toy and hamper distribution functions at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s. The toy drive will continue today and tomorrow as she heads to constituencies in south Trinidad.

Persad-Bissessar spoke to the media yesterday after a distribution of cheques to churches. The toy drive has received criticism from Opposition MPs as well as political activists after Persad-Bissessar revealed that toys were purchased by corporate sponsors.
In an interview after the distribution Persad-Bissessar said she did not know who the corporate sponsors were.

“I do not know who they are. There is a committee. That is their job. It is given to me to give away,” Persad-Bissessar said. She said she was not involved directly or indirectly with the sourcing of the gifts and toys for the children. Persad-Bissessar said all questions about the toy drive should be directed to the chairman of the committee Peter Kanhai.

“This is the fifth year we have done this. I tell you I have not given contracts to anyone. I have not attempted to receive anything from anyone. “These (gifts) were sourced by the committee. I have not been directly involved in any of it but I am directly involved as the patron. I am the conduit. they source it and give it to us. We organise the venues and give it to the children,” Persad-Bissessar said.

Asked whether the committee had gone to specific organisations and requested gifts, Persad-Bissessar again referred questions to Kanhai.

Kanhai responds
Kanhai, in a telephone interview last night, said as far as he was aware, no Government contractors had been sourced to sponsor the toy drive. “We look for sponsors who have an interest in children,” Kanhai said. Kanhai said the drive, which began in 2010 following the People’s Partnership being elected in Government, had grown significantly over the years. “The first year we had the drive, in 2010, we (the committee) approached sponsors but for the following years a lot of them came to us.”

Kanhai, who is vice president of the Tunapuna Chamber of Industry and Commerce, said during the first year he had sourced sponsorship from some of his colleagues. Kanhai said sponsors such as Kiss Baking, Holiday Foods, Universal Foods, Bermudez and Coca Cola often provided items free of charge or gave significant discounts of up to 60 per cent. 

Asked whether there was a criteria which sponsors had to meet, Kanhai said sponsors had to be legitimate businesses and must want to be a part of the initiative.

Nominations from PNM’s San Fernando East unit are hardly likely to be in hand before early next month, PNM officials indicated yesterday. San Fernando East recently agreed to comply with the PNM leadership’s directive to have its party groups submit nominations for the candidacy. This, after protracted discussions between the leadership and the unit on the issue since November 10.  

The unit had asked MP Patrick Manning to assess his health and address the unit on January 2 on if his health allowed him to contest before submitting nominations. The unit said it would be difficult for groups to submit nominations, currently due to the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, and suggested waiting until Manning’s January 2 address before starting screening on January 3. 

The leadership repeatedly stipulated nominations should be in by December 22 and San Fernando East eventually complied. PNM general secretary Ashton Ford had instructed the unit on Monday to comply and notify party groups to submit nominees in seven days. These are sent to the general secretary and constituency executive. 

Balisier House officials said yesterday Ford was overseas on vacation, due back in early January, and not expected in office until around January 6. They said any nominations might be received by PNM’s assistant general secretary Daniel Dookie. San Fernando East’s executive met with chairmen and secretaries of the 38 party groups yesterday to distribute nomination forms. 

Officials said PNM’s constitution stated groups must have a minimum of seven days to submit nominations and that period would end on Christmas Day — not December 22 — with New Year’s holidays right after. They said the constitution did not give any maximum period by which to give nominations. Officials said they therefore did not anticipate any nominations submitted until early January, around the same time the unit had proposed.

They added: “Nothing might happen before January 2, so the leadership’s order to comply has actually given everyone a win/win situation. “We have complied with their directive and they will have their wish and nominees will be forthcoming when work starts again and everyone is available,” Sources close to Manning said he was undergoing his health assessment next week with a US doctor who was coming to T&T to examine him. 

A Cuban doctor or local doctor may also examine him. They said at least two opinions were necessary for his decision.

With tears in her eyes, ailing kidney patient Sumintra Mungroo yesterday said she is now hoping for a Christmas miracle after her Fyzabad home was destroyed in a suspected arson attack. Standing in front the smoking embers of her  home at Saltmine Trace, Mungroo appealed for help on behalf of her family of five as they tried to make sense of their loss.

She said her three sons were looking forward to hanging up Christmas lights yesterday, but they were instead forced to spend their day rummaging through the remains of their two-storey wooden and concrete home. Her husband Toolsie Ramjit, 52, said there will be no Christmas for the family this year. “Everything we had is gone. How could we have a Christmas now? We have to watch everything we work hard to build, to make in life, go up in flames,” he said, shaking his head.

Toolsie said they are not sure how the fire occurred, but they suspect someone may have set their house on fire. Ramjit said around 4.15 am he was cooking in the kitchen when he heard a loud explosion and the sound of breaking glass on the ground floor of their home. “I run halfway down the steps and I watch. I see a hole in the window and I see the fire spreading on the wall and all over,” he said.

“I run back upstairs and wake up my wife and sons. They was sleeping at the time. I run to the yard and turn on the hose to wet the house, but water lock off and the cord for the pump was burnt.” Mungroo said her sons Anand Mungroo, 28, Shiva and Satish Ramjit, 25 and 15 respectively, woke her up, grabbed her granddaughter Anjali and ran outside. 

The family said they cannot estimate their losses. Mungroo said they were still paying for three appliances they bought on hire purchase in August. She also said her son lost $12,000 which he was saving at home as a downpayment for a car he planned to buy to surprise her on Christmas Day. 

Yesterday, representatives from the Siparia Regional Corporation visited the family and promised to provide a mattress and application forms for social welfare.

Mungroo can be reached at 296-3593 or 315-4073.

Nineteen police officers who were commended for good work were told yesterday to maintain their integrity. The appeal came from Assistant Police Commissioner in charge of North and West, Stephen Ramsubhag, who held a commendation ceremony for the senior and junior-ranked officers of three divisions at Riverside Plaza, Port-of-Spain. The 19 officers were recognised for their “leadership and exemplar performance.” 

Speaking at the small function, Ramsubhag lauded the senior officers who, he said, played a pivotal part in a 14 per cent reduction of serious crimes in the Western Division and a 31 per cent reduction of murders and a seven per cent reduction in serious crimes in the Port-of-Spain Division. In his address he told the officers: “Maintain your integrity. “Despite our challenges with murders in the Western Division, each of you maintained solid, focused leadership throughout the year.

“I humbly implore each of you to create a workforce of honest, dedicated and committed officers with ethics and integrity as we move into 2015. “Let us all collectively enhance and continue to deliver professional, efficient and quality service to all our citizens.” Ramsubhag also highlighted the performance of divisional commander of the Western Division, Senior Superintendent Ishmael David.

He said David received his commendation “for his copacetic leadership in his administrative and operational strategies.” Two weeks ago 75 junior officers of the North-Western Region (Western and Port-of-Spain Divisions), from constable to sergeant, received commendations.

Work on the new Manzanilla/Mayaro by-pass road is 75 per cent complete and should be open to light traffic by Tuesday. So said Works and Infrastructure Minister Dr Surujrattan Rambachan and added connectivity would finally be re-established between Sangre Grande and Mayaro after the collapse of the Manzanilla/Mayaro Road last month. 

Rambachan toured the ongoing construction work along the major thoroughfare on Wednesday. He said he was pleased with the progress on both the temporary road and the permanent one. “I have been monitoring that (work) very closely, almost on a daily basis and today (Wednesday) I visited because I wanted to see how well we are on target to be able to allow the light vehicles, cars and maxi-taxis to gain access from Manzanilla to Mayaro and vice versa,” he said.

“I hope to have the remaining 25 per cent completed by weekend.” The minister said by next Tuesday the by-pass road, which has been constructed alongside the three-kilometre stretch of damaged road, will be able to allow cars and maxi-taxis. However, he warned all traffic on the by-pass road would have to exercise caution as heavy equipment would be working in the area of the collapsed portion. 

Rambachan stressed that heavy trucks would not be allowed on the by-pass road because it was not a road that was built for the heavy trucks. “It is a temporary road for light vehicles to connect the communities that have been displaced as a result of what happened. Permanent works are also going on side-by-side and that is about 40 per cent completed at this stage,” the minister said.

He hoped by the end of next month work on the permanent road would be completed. He said traffic management personnel would be on site when the new by-pass road was opened to ensure that people follow the rules and regulations. Rambachan said there would also be signs advising commuters about the tonnage allowed on the road. 

Lawless motorists
On a separate issue, Rambachan complained that at Cemetery Street, Claxton Bay, there are signs advising that only five tonnes were allowed on the road, however, heavy trucks were still driving there and damaging the road. “People are very indisciplined and lawless in terms of their behaviour and so in the Claxton Bay area I will be placing traffic wardens there to ensure that heavy trucks do not mash up the road there,” Rambachan said.

Leader of the Movement for Social Justice and trade unionist David Abdulah says the United States’ decision to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba is a most important development. He said it was a step towards the complete removal of the US economic blockade on the Spanish-speaking Caribbean communist nation. Over the past years Abdulah has been one of the national advocates for the removal of the blockade.

The embargo was lifted after secret negotiations resulting in the release of an American contractor held in a Cuban prison for five years. In 1960, the US placed an embargo on all exports to Cuba with the exception of food and medicine. Within two years, the embargo was extended to include all imports, as Cuba made efforts to nationalise American-owned businesses.

Asked to comment on US President Barack Obama’s announcement on Wednesday, Abdulah said while the blockade remained in effect the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations was a positive development. He said the change allowed certain small benefits to US and Cuban nationals who would be able to visit each other more frequently.

He said the measure would not benefit diplomats from the respective countries as they would continue to have restricted freedom of movement within the countries. Abdulah said President Obama and the Democratic party would have to do a lot to convince the Republican-controlled House and Senate to support the move. He said the decision to remove the embargo could only be taken by the US Congress.

In a statement on Wednesday Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar welcomed the move to resume diplomatic relations between the two nations. She said the decision was taken after repeated calls over the recent past. Persad-Bissessar said T&T had always called for the re-establishment of diplomatic ties and the lifting of a US-imposed economic embargo. She said her most recent call was in September at the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York

Fyzabad grandmother Sumintra Mungroo says she is grateful and overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity to her family after a fire destroyed their home and its contents on Thursday. Seated under a makeshift tent mere metres from the ruins of her Saltmine Trace home yesterday, Mungroo struggled to find the words to express thanks to the many people who offered relief to the family of five.

“All I have to say is thank God I am alive and my children are alive and nobody get burn. All I could say is we have a good Lord and we live a good life with people, so we get the support from people around and [people] I never meet in my life, I see today,” she said.

Yesterday, Mungroo, who is a diabetic and heart patient; her husband, Toolsie Ramjit; and their sons Anand Mungroo, 28; Shiva, 25; and Satish Ramjit, 15, received a hamper from Asauph Ghany, manager of the People Issues Resolution Co-ordinating Unit in the Ministry of the People. He also presented the family with a temporary food card valued at $700, which he said was part of the relief that would be provided them.

Ghany said Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who is also Minister of the People, saw the Fyzabad family’s “unfortunate” circumstance and directed that relief be given to them. Ramjit said around 3.45 am on Thursday he was cooking when he heard his downstairs window shatter, followed by a loud explosion. He said when he ran downstairs he saw the room on fire and immediately called his sons and wife; he then grabbed his granddaughter, Anjali, and ran out of the house.

He said there was no water in the mains to out the flames and the entire house was quickly engulfed in flames. The family estimated losses at $300,000. Ghany said yesterday that the family would also receive assistance to replace their destroyed appliances and funding to help rebuild their home. He said the National Social Development Programme (NSDP) unit would visit and interview them to start the process of helping them to build a new home. 

“I appreciate the Prime Minister and thank her for the help. I appreciate everybody for helping my family and supporting us in a time like this, especially at Christmas,” Mungroo said. The woman added that while she might not have a house right now, “at least I have something to cook, so wherever I (stay) I could still cook something from that and my family will be happy for that.” Anyone wishing to assist the family can call 296-3593 or 315-4073.