Even as local Islamic scholar Imtiaz Mohammed condemned Wednesday’s attack at French magazine Charlie Hebdo he says freedom of expression cannot be exercised without religious sensitivity. Mohammed, president of the Islamic Missionaries Guild, said the rampage by brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi at the French satirical magazine, which left 12 people dead, was not “Islamic behaviour.”

The attack sparked a global campaign with the use of the simple phase “Je Suis Charlie”—I am Charlie, to show solidarity and strength in the freedom of the press. However, in the same vein Mohammed, in a telephone interview, said the media must exercise its use of freedom of expression with cultural sensitivity. 

“It is fine to criticise Islam. We do not have a problem with that, everybody is free to criticise everyone’s religion. But not with the words and images and so on to degrade and disrespect the individual or the religion. We must not do those things and Islam teaches us not to do those things either,” Mohammed said. 

He said to its credit the T&T media have not engaged in acts using images of religious groupings, their Gods and prophets and poke fun at them. Charlie Hebdo, he said, not only used images of Prophet Muhammed, but Pope Francis and other individuals to poke fun at them in the magazine and “that is not something that should be encouraged, as a matter of fact that should be discouraged.”

Mohammed described the murders of the 12 people, among whom four cartoonists and two police officers, as unfortunate since innocent people were killed “for what they think they had the right to do.” He said the actions of the Kouachi brothers and terror groups globally only served to spread a bad image of Islam and make it “harder for muslims.”

When contacted French Ambassador Hedi Picquart declined to comment on the slayings in his country. 

Muslim league: This is not Islam
Dr Nasser Mustapha, head of the Trinidad Muslim League, agreed with Mohammed that the act by the Kouachi brothers on Wednesday went against the very teachings of Islam. 

“We do not believe in taking lives except for just cause and this cause is not justified. We believe also in freedom of expression and we believe, especially people in the media, journalists and so on, should be free to articulate their views. This is not the way. We could challenge, we could question, disagree, but to take a life it is definitely not in keeping with the principles of Islam,” Mustapha said. 

Despite the Met Office’s discontinuation of its rough seas bulletin yesterday some fishermen said they intend to keep their recent increase in fish prices up. The price of fish  increased significantly over the past few days because of rough seas. Since the year began, the fishing industry has encountered difficulty staying afloat as many fishermen have been unable to go out to sea.

On Thursday afternoon the Met Office said sea conditions along the coastlines had shown gradual improvement and appealed to small craft operators, sea bathers and all other marine interests to continue to exercise caution when venturing into the sea. Yesterday, in an update the office discontinued the bulletin but still appealed to small craft operators, sea bathers and all other marine interests to continue to exercise caution.

At the Cocorite Fishing Facility on Thursday morning several fishermen and fish vendors spoke about the challenge they encountered both buying and selling fish. “One or two fellas have been taking a chance and going out, but overall sales have been very slow,” said Jordy Williams, a fish vendor of 20 years. Williams said usually the boats bring back approximately 500 pounds of fish, but now they are only getting about 100 pounds.

“Carite has been selling for $40 per pound and that normally sells for $25 per pound. King fish now goes for $45 though it usually sells for $30 to $35 per pound. Right now things are really slow. Normally the boats bring back 500 pounds worth of fish, but now all we are getting are 100 pounds,” Williams said. On December 27, the Met Office issued its first rough seas bulletin. Since then, fishing boats had been unable to safely go out to sea. 

However, the latest bulletin on Thursday said sea conditions along the coastlines  have shown gradual improvement. Williams said on average 20 boats go out to sea to fish from the Cocorite facility, but recently only three boats have attempted to brave the rough seas to fish. He said usually the facility gets approximately 50 to 60 customers per day. However, since the rough seas bulletin has come into effect they have had about ten people interested in buying fish per day. 

“Right now it is real pressure. People think we are robbing them, but that is not the case. The amount of fish we get is so bad that we have to raise the price,” Williams said. Michael Jerry, a fisherman from the facility, said Thursday was the first day boats from Cocorite ventured out to sea. “Three boats have gone out today (Thursday). This is the first time any of our boats have attempted to go out. These days we have just been getting fish from fishermen from Las Cuevas,” Jerry said. 

While Jerry was yet to go out to sea for the year, his colleague Kahiam Ali, a fisherman for 26-years, said Wednesday night was the first time he tried to fish on the North Coast. “Last night (Wednesday) I went out and the weather wasn’t all that bad, but there was plenty wind. I was able to bring back about 20 pounds of fish, but that is not enough. Normally when I go out I bring back about 100 pounds to 200 pounds of fish,” he said.

Responding yesterday to the Met Office’s advisory that the rough seas bulletin had been discontinued, Jerry said Cocorite fishermen ventured to sea on Thursday night but their catch was low. He said therefore the price increase remained in effect. A woman, who identified herself as Jenifer, was the only patron at the Cocorite facility buying fish when T&T Guardian visited on Thursday. 

She said, “I haven’t come here in a long time, and now the price of carite is $40 a pound. I thought that was pretty ridiculous so I only bought a small one.” She left the facility with carite weighing one pound five ounces.

One of the most talked about stories this past week on CrimeWatch was the robbery and shootout between three armed bandits and police at the Vietnam Bar in Barrackpore. Police constable Cashyap Lochan was shot several times as he and colleagues responded to the robbery on January 2. Video footage showed Lochan being shot by the bandits as he attempted to enter the bar. 

Despite being shot, Lochan bravely fired back at the bandits while trying to get to cover. The bandits escaped after Lochan collapsed some distance away. CrimeWatch host Ian Alleyne praised the police, especially at this time where citizens are very concerned over the escalating crime situation in the country. He urged the authorities to ensure the injured cop gets proper medical attention. 

Alleyne was able to recover and restore the footage from the bar and aired it first exclusively on the show. He was able to reveal the identity of the men through skilled computer work by freezing the video at key intervals where clear shots of the bandits’ faces were seen. Members of the public immediately called in live to give information on the whereabouts of the men. All the information was passed on to Sr Supt Johnny Abraham and a manhunt has been launched for the suspects. 

Alleyne also met with Lochan’s family and aired the interview, where the family admitted that Lochan was being treated well at the San Fernando General Hospital, but was still awaiting a CT scan and was paying for his own medication as some of the tablets were not available at the hospital. Alleyne called on the authorities to look into the matter and ensure Lochan gets top treatment as he was injured while on duty.

Alleyne also visited the Grand Bazaar, Valsayn area where burger vendor Kemraj Seerattan, 22, of Bamboo Village #3, was shot several times around 11.30 pm on January 4, 2015 as he was setting up his stall. The matter is being investigated by police. The CrimeWatch team was also on the scene where a bandit was shot and killed by a security guard from Telecom Security during an attempted robbery at a roti shop near the Maritime Plaza, Barataria, on January 6. 

The men were attempting to escape after robbing a customer when they were confronted by the guards and there was an exchange of gunfire. One of the bandits, identified as Kerman Andrews, was hit and died on the spot. His cohort escaped in a nearby car which had been left idling. Alleyne later learned that Andrews had a string of arrests for similar crimes and was out on bail. Sr Supt Boxhill and other police are investigating the matter.

Also this week, the family and parents of three-year-old Ravindra Gatoo appealed to Alleyne to help them get justice. They made the appeal as Alleyne offered condolences to the family at the young boy’s funeral at the Caroni Cremation site. Ravindra was killed in an accident on the M2 Ring Road, Picton, on December 29, 2014, while the family was returning home from visiting relatives. 

According to police, a truck lost control on the wet road and slammed into their vehicle, killing him instantly. Ravindra’s mother, Samantha Gattoo, 33, was also hurt in the crash and was treated at hospital and subsequently discharged. Alleyne learned that the truck driver was released by police and the truck returned to him soon after the accident. He called for a more intense investigation into the case.

The investigation into the disappearance of Shabanna Mohammed, 19, of Akal Trace, Santa Cruz, came to a sad end as her partly decomposing body was discovered by police at the back of her home on Thursday. A neighbour found the body after police were called to the area after neighbours detected a bad smell in some bushes behind Mohammed’s house. 

The family broke down as her body was pulled from a drain a few meters from her home. Alleyne showed live the area where Mohammed’s body was discovered and how close to her house it was. The investigators and Alleyne agree that this was a crime committed by someone close to her, as it resembles a crime of passion. He pointed out that a suspect was being looked at by the police but did not want to say too much more.

Breakthrough Story
Central Division police made two major “busts” on January 8. After receiving information, police intercepted two white Nissan Tiidas in St Mary’s, Freeport, after a high speed chase that started in Couva. Police seized 15 packets of high grade cocaine worth $6 million and arrested the men. Alleyne was informed by sources that the drugs were in-transit to another international destination.

Central police were led to Mt Plaisir Road, Cunupia, where a large amount of marijuana was discovered and seized from a field. No arrest was made. Alleyne praised the officers and interviewed Sr Supt Johnny Abraham on his success in the reduction of crime in Central. Abraham thank his colleagues and the public for the information they provided.

Unsolved mystery
Aisha Andrews, 16, of Petty Trace, Guaico, Sangre Grande, has been missing since December 6, 2014. Her father appeared on the show pleading with Alleyne fand the public for assistance in finding her. It is alleged she left home in search of a job and never returned. However, foul play is not suspected as the young girl has run away from home twice before. Alleyne is asking anyone who may have information on her whereabouts to text him on 294-4081.

Culture Minister Lincoln Douglas was blanked at Cabinet on Thursday after he attempted to secure a further $43 million from Government for Carnival. The request for additonal funding came even as the sum of $314 million has already been allocated for Carnival 2015 in the 2014 budget, and even as the country is facing a steep dip in the oil price beneath the initial budgeted figure and ministries are required to tighten their collective belts.

Douglas did not justify the need for that massive injection to his Cabinet colleagues, and the request was blanked. The National Carnival Commission (NCC) has authority over this year’s Carnival celebrations and is the only body that can request additional subventions from the Government. But in an interview yesterday, communications manager Kevon Gervais said the NCC did not request any additional money from the Government.

Newly installed NCC chairman, Lorraine Pouchet, the deputy political leader of the Congress of the People, did not want to comment on the issue, saying instead that she was concerned that such information was making it to the media. When asked whether the NCC requested further cash injections, Pouchet demurred and directed all questions to Gervais. “I am not aware that the NCC made any such request of the minister,” Gervais said. He said the NCC was working within its $314 million budget.

Douglas, in an interview with the Sunday Guardian, confirmed that the request for $43 million was made but refused to give details for the disbursement of such a sum. He also denied that the request was outrightly denied, saying he was “pursuing the various avenues.” “You have bits and pieces of the issue but not the whole story,” he said. “The NCC in general is never fully funded by the budget,” Douglas said.

“The NCC tries to meet its commitment but there is a lack of quality with some of the things that they do.” Douglas said the additional money would have been used to support several national arts organisations, but could not name them. The subventions to the NCC covers its individual stakeholders including the National Carnival Bands Association for the bands and the parade, PanTrinbago for steelpan, and Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation for calypso.

Douglas said up to 2013 the NCC was in debt but could not confirm who was owed the money. “I believe the NCC was owing $118 million, I reduced the debt in 2014 and tried to solve that problem,” he said. He said the money he sought would have improved Carnival, but the general public would not really notice the lack of the embellishments that additional money would have provided. 

In the coming days, government ministers will provide the nation with details on all the cutbacks to be made in response to falling oil prices. So said Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar last evening as she responded to critics who knocked her for failing to give specific details on Government’s plans to address falling oil prices when she addressed the nation on Thursday.

Persad-Bissessar, addressing the South Caribbean Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists Vision One Million Rally at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, assured that even with the announcement of cutbacks, funding to faith-based organisations will not be affected. She also defended Government’s funding to faith-based organisations, which she said, “must never be a political decision. It simply must not.”

The PM said, “We will ensure that whatever we do to navigate this period, you, the people, will not carry the burden. We will not compromise on the important things, such as preserving the contribution of religious organisations, and protecting the quality of life of our people,” she said. Persad-Bissessar, who was welcomed at the event with thunderous applause, said she was clear in her address that because of declines in global prices for oil adjustments in expenditure plans would have to be made.

She defended her speech: “What I gave was a broad overview of how we will be adjusting our policies to ensure that we maintain spending where it is necessary, and scale back spending where we should.” To provide details then, she said, would have been lengthy and more of a “budget speech” than an address to the nation. She said ministers will give details on how those adjustments will be pursued.

Persad-Bissessar reiterated that citizens will not be made to feel the pinch of adjustments. She commended the SDA on their launch of 100 community projects to be initiated nationwide in 2015, which includes the feeding of 50,000 families and an award ceremony in March.

Family, friends and People’s National Movement (PNM) members yesterday paid glowing tribute to former National Security minister and party deputy campaign manager Martin Joseph who drowned on Monday after taking a last-minute dip at Grange Bay, Tobago. At his funeral service, Joseph was described as patriotic, family-oriented, trustworthy, loyal, humble and disciplined by those dear and close to him.

Among the mourners attending the service at the Holy Trinity Church, Port-of-Spain, were PNM leader Dr Keith Rowley, National Security Minister Gary Griffith, Speaker Wade Mark, former prime minister Patrick Manning and former PNM treasurer Andre Monteil. In paying tribute, Rowley said Joseph spent his formative years with and in the PNM. He said Joseph was always on top of his game, trustworthy, reliable, worked hard, and demonstrated discipline in his personal and public life.

“He carried himself with dignity. That was Martin Joseph. There are things in life we have no control over, as prepared as we might be. Tomorrow is guaranteed to no one. Martin was taken from us,” a sad Rowley said. Rowley said the foundation Joseph built for the PNM has remained solid to this day. “He paved the way for the party. He was a perfectionist.” Joseph’s son Akili said his father’s life was built on successive steps.

“Dad was always guided by loyalty and dedication. He was loyal to his family and the PNM.” In retrospect, Akili said his father was a stickler for education and pleaded with his six children to never stop learning. Akili said when he wanted to return to Trinidad because where he went to study was too cold, his father never gave in. “He told me to keep focus and this too shall soon pass.”

A holder of a Masters of Science in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Regional Science, Joseph worked night and day to repay the loans he took to finance his studies, Akili said. Akili said even though his father insisted on humility, spoke softly, he always carried a big stick. “My father would always tell me to measure twice but cut once. He also said if you don’t like the package don’t seal the deal.”

Akili said although his father seldom said he loved him, his actions spoke louder than words. At the beginning of the year, Akili, a motorcyclist said he received a phone call from his father telling him about the death of a Caribbean Airline pilot who lost his life while riding a motorbike. “He told me I tired talk to you with bikes.” In delivering the sermon, Rev Calvin Bess said when he heard about Joseph’s death he was faced with momentary disbelief.

“We ask why when death strikes? We will never get a satisfactory answer. What we know is that tragedy never takes time off or goes on a holiday,” Bess said. Bess said we are all given a bag of tools at birth which we can use as stepping stones or stumbling blocks. “Joseph made a stepping stone in life. What are we doing? Are we making stepping stones or stumbling blocks?”

Manning stays away from high-ranking opposition members

Former prime minister Patrick Manning yesterday kept a far distance from the People National Movement (PNM) family at the funeral service of former National Security minister Martin Joseph.

Manning, who attended the service with his wife Hazel at the Holy Trinity Church, Port-of-Spain, to pay their last respects to Joseph, opted not to sit in the front pews which were reserved for dignitaries—including government ministers, opposition members and senators, and high ranking officials of the PNM.

Ably assisted by Hazel, Manning entered the church just before 10 am to be greeted with thunderous applause and cheers from party supporters. PNM leader Dr Keith Rowley was also given a similar welcome.

As Manning edged his way up the isle, he chose to sit several pews behind the PNM members even though there was available room in the first four rows. Among those who were seated in the front were PNM leader Keith Rowley, Faris Al-Rawi, Fitzgerald Hinds, Donna Cox and Howard Chin Lee.  

After the service, Rowley and Manning did not greet each other. On December 5, Manning, who has represented the San Fernando East constituency for 34 years wrote to Rowley requesting an extension of the deadline for nominations to January 2 because he proposed to make a decision then on whether or not he would accept a nomination.

However, the PNM executive was adamant that the nomination deadline would be December 22. Manning is now out of the nomination process. After the service, Manning who shook hands and chatted briefly with several PNM grassroots  members, refused to speak to the media.

PNM chairman Franklin Khan, who was at the funeral, said he could not give a reason why Manning sat in the back row. “I have no comment on that. I don’t know what is the reason for that.”  Page A6—Aloes cries for Manning

The Caribbean corridor facilitates the transit of over $17 billion worth of cocaine to the United States. Author Trevor Munroe writes in Caribbean Security in the Age of Terror that this accounts for half their market. Trinidad is a well-documented transit country for narcotics leaving the South American producers, but the interesting fact is that researcher and criminologist Daurius Figuiera said T&T has been “switched on” as major transshipment point, increasing the amount of drugs filtered. 

According to Figuiera, there’s a known nexus between progressive crime and drugs. Since guns are not manufactured in T&T, he said that it was obvious it’s brought in through the narcotic trade, eventually making its way to the streets. Unofficial statistics show that 71 per cent of murders in T&T for 2014 were due to fatal shootings. According to the 2012 Small Arm Report, our figure is almost double global average of murders committed with firearms, standing at 42 per cent.

International organisations like the UN, the United States’ DEA, and the International Organization for Migration all document T&T as a country with porous borders. International Relations Prof Andy Knight said more can be done to secure our borders, while National Security Minister Gary Griffith said our borders are comparatively secure.

Crack—the street form of cocaine—has been the second most-preferred drug on the street after marijuana. And addiction has been a social problem for governments since the 1960s. In this five-part series—“Cracks in our Borders”—which starts tomorrow night on CNC3 and on Tuesday in the Guardian, reporter Urvashi Tiwari-Roopnarine takes an in-depth look at T&T’s role in transnational crime. 

She explores the connection between drugs and crime, gets accounts from fishermen of what happens at sea, and looks at what makes our country an ideal transshipment point. She also explores the effectiveness of the Coastal Radar System, shares the story of a convicted drug mule, and walks the streets with a crack addict.

People’s National Movement (PNM) Leader Dr Keith Rowley is slamming the Government for using the controversial death penalty as an “election tool.” With 16 murders in just ten days, T&T had a bloody beginning to the new year and by Friday, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan wrote to Rowley asking him to either support the Constitutional (Amendment) (Capital Offences) Bill or propose changes to the bill that would foster the PNM’s support.

“As you are aware, the Government proposes to reintroduce the Constitutional (Amendment) (Capital Offences) Bill 2015 to operationalise the death penalty in Trinidad and Tobago,” Ramlogan stated in the letter. This is Ramlogan’s third attempt to pin down the PNM on the death penalty issue. But, in an interview with the Sunday Guardian yesterday, Rowley accused the Government of resurrecting the death penalty for the sake of the upcoming general election and not as a crime fighting initiative.

“It is quite annoying that with a few weeks to go before elections, they choose to play games with the death penalty. ” Rowley said. “The death penalty is already the law and the PNM supports it, we are not going to be distracted by foolish political games,” Rowley said. Rowley said instead of using the current crime situation to score political points, the Government should ensure that T&T met guidelines and procedures laid out by the Privy Council to use the death penalty.

“I know they (Government) want to say that the Opposition is not in support of the death penalty, and that is a lie,” he said. He said in 1999 former United National Congress (UNC) attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj utilised that existing law to execute nine men, including known drug lord, Nankisson ‘Dole Chadee’ Boodram. Boodram was the first person to be hanged in T&T after more than 20 years. “The identical  law is what is there today,” Rowley said.

“What the Government needs to do is improve the administration so that they can improve detection, improve conviction instead of scoring political points by lying to the population and saying the PNM is against the death penalty,” he said. Rowley accused the Government of trying to use the PNM as the “scapegoats” and “part of their stupid agenda” as they are unable to deal with the spiralling crime situation.

He also said that the Government was seeking to amend the Constitution instead of complying with the Privy Council conditions. “And we know what they are because they have been tested and retested through trials and retrials,” he said. Rowley said the death penalty on its own was useless unless the police detection rate improved. “Imagine, out of 100 murders, 87 go undetected. We must be able to identify criminals,” he said.

MORE INFO
Anand: Opposition leader playing smart with foolishness

In a subsequent interview, Ramlogan challenged Rowley to a public debate on the death penalty issue. Ramlogan yesterday said Rowley was “deliberately playing smart with foolishness” by mixing up the detection rate with the death penalty issue. “Rowley is confused if he thinks the death penalty has anything to do with the detection rate,” Ramlogan said. 

“There are currently 500 persons charged with murder and awaiting trial in the system right now, those are 500 persons caught and waiting,” Ramlogan said. He challenged Rowley to “join hands” with the Government when the ongoing investigations, trials and convictions are determined by the courts.

“The question is when a convict is caught and prosecuted, would the PNM join hands with the Government to amend the law?” Ramlogan said.He said Rowley claims to support the death penalty but has consistently voted against it in the past.

Imam of the Nur-E-Islam Masjid in El Soccoro, Maulana Shiraz Ali, calls for justice for Shabana Mohammed and other innocents. He was speaking at Mohammed's funeral service at her home at Akal Trace, Santa Cruz, yesterday, where hundreds of mourners came to pay their respects. Quoting from a passage in the Quran of Allah commanding the people to be just, Ali said, “This is a world where we see a lot of injustice. 

“This is not the time nor the place, but I know that it is in your mind as well as mine that much of what we're seeing going on in the world today in terms of wars and trials that Muslims and non-Muslims are facing. “You would see that a lot of this is based on injustice, and we know that what we saw occurring to our sister Shabana was an act of injustice.

“We open the newspaper everyday and we see more and more acts of injustice being perpetrated upon our innocent people in this country, society, and in the world.” He said the faithful should understand, believe, and call for justice. Ali asked that justice be given in this situation and in others where people were subject to victimisation, oppression and injustice.  

Mohammed's sister, Rahanna said Shabana was the best of all four siblings and she thanked everybody who supported the family through the difficult last week. Rahanna said she was very proud of her sister who accomplished more in her brief 19 years of life than many people. Former ASJA president, Dr Mansoor Ibrahim said he delivered Shabana and saw her grow up and what happened to her was evil. Mohammed was buried at the El Socorro Muslim Cemetery.

A calypso entitled Balisier, which represents the emblem of the People’s National Movement (PNM) has led to a recent cuss out between two calypsonians as the 2015 Carnival season heats up. The war of words took place on December 14 between fiery calypsonian Sugar Aloes (Michael Osouna) and Andrew Fareira (Yellows) during an audition at Mas Camp Pub, Woodbrook. 

Yellows is claiming that Sugar Aloes, manager of the Kalypso Revue tent, rejected Balisier because it bestowed praises on the PNM’s achievements. Yellows has since severed his ties with the Revue and has moved over to the Icons tent, managed by calypsonian Cro Cro (Weston Rawlins). Balisier tells how the PNM’s founder and country’s first prime minister, the late Dr Eric Williams, created history and a national vision with the balisier flower, the PNM’s emblem since its inception.

In his song, Yellows said the insignia created a solid foundation for the nation and paved a way for T&T to become a model country. Yellows, 50, a part-time security officer, is optimistic that the PNM will approach him to sing Balisier on the political platform for this year’s general election.

Yellows: I will sing and vote for the PNM in the general election
“I will sing for the PNM and vote for them, too. I talking bold and brave, because a lot of stupidness going on with this PP Government.” Yellows admitted that in 2010 he voted for the UNC, but became disenchanted after he lost his job at the Ministry of Works and Transport. During a telephone conversation with Sugar Aloes in December, Yellows said he sang a few verses of the song, but Aloes was not pleased with the lyrics.

“Aloes suggested that I sing about the Ebola virus instead.” At last month’s audition, Yellows said he was asked to sing Balisier by calypsonian Skatie (Carlos James) who was on the judging panel. “I told Skatie that it have people who would not like the song.” Yellows said that as he started singing, Sugar Aloes began spewing foul language. “Aloes said I doh like that f..... song. He cuss me in front of everybody, including my two young sons,” Yellow recalled. 

Embarrassed by the turn of events, Yellows said he told Aloes “you cannot muzzle me, because when you was singing all kind of nasty things about Indian people nobody muzzled you.” Yellows admitted he used obscene language. “Yes, I cuss him.” Last year, Yellows said, his calypso called Promises, which bashed the PP Government, was also turned down by Aloes at an audition. “So this was the second time he did this to me.”

Last year, calypsonian Bodyguard (Roger Mohammed) was blanked from performing at Kalypso Revue over a song about East Indians with false degrees, which Aloes said was an attack on Indians.

Aloes: It’s a good PNM campaign song
On Friday, Sugar Aloes defended his position, stating that “I never cuss Yellows,” but admitted that he used profanity while speaking. “If Yellows say that I did not like the f.... song, that is a lie.” Last month, Sugar Aloes said, Yellows telephoned and sang part of Balisier for him. “I told him if I were you, I would have gone to Keith Rowley with that song because it is a very good campaign song for the PNM. I went further to tell him that the kaiso would not put him on the stage in Skinner Park.”

Sugar Aloes said a week later, Skatie visited his home and telephoned Yellows to inform him about the tent’s audition date. “Yellows was not aware that Skatie had him on speaker phone and I heard him saying.... you see that f.....Aloes....I doh bound to sing in he tent.”

Sugar Aloes said he was not part of the judges’ panel at the audition. Before singing Balisier, Sugar Aloes said, Yellows made a comment that some people held the view that it was a campaign song. “At that time I was coming through the door and replied, man sing your f.... song and stop throwing words for me. Is I who say is a campaign song.”

I speak two languages, obscene and English
Aloes said after singing one verse and chorus, Yellows started using foul language. “I asked him what causing this. He told me that I cuss him. I had to correct him. I told him I did not cuss you, but used profanity while speaking. I didn’t tell him that I don’t like the song and don’t want him in the tent.” Sugar Aloes said everybody knows that he speaks two languages—“obscene and English.” He said Yellows was trying to pull a Bodyguard on him.

“The people who come to the tent would realise that I have nothing against the PNM or PNM singers and their songs.” Sugar Aloes who religiously sang for the PNM stunned the country in 2012 when he serenaded Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar at the PP’s second anniversary celebrations. He also performed for the ILP.

Aloes cries for Manning
...No more political songs, PNM people never listened to my message

Controversial calypsonian Sugar Aloes broke down in tears as he spoke about former prime minister and People’s National Movement (PNM) leader Patrick Manning being hounded out of Balisier House by supporters after the party faced defeat at the 2010 polls. Aloes (Michael Osouna) said on Friday he would go to his grave remembering how Manning was chased by party supporters, who once rallied behind him.

Aloes said not even the jeers and public insults faced by the public at Calypso Fiesta in San Fernando in the last two years hurt him. “You know what hurt me?  It was May 24, 2010, when PNM people ran Mr Manning out of Balisier House. Their actions made me cry. After that, I vowed not to sing a political song again. These are the people I had been educating for years with my songs...but they never listened to my messages,” said Aloes.

Aloes said he also realised that singing politics got him no international or regional accolades. He said entertainers like Bunji and Machel Montano received world-wide recognition not by singing political commentaries, but through music that was internationally accepted and loved. “If I go America and sing a political song few people would be able to relate to what I am saying.”

It was the first time Aloes had broken his silence on the treatment meted out to Manning by people within the PNM camp. As he recounted the incident, Aloes became emotional and started to weep. Bending his head to hide his tears, Aloes said Manning, who suffered a stroke in 2012, should not to re-enter politics. “I feel that will kill him.” Manning is out of the nomination process for the San Fernando East constituency. 

Aloes believes Manning was given a raw deal by people within the PNM prior to the 2010 general election. Aloes said the rift between Manning and PNM leader Keith Rowley over Udecott and Calder Hart would never heal.“The rift never quelled. If we think it quelled we are just being naive.”

Describing Manning as a people’s person, Aloes said “I have a lot of compassion and respect for Mr Manning. I know him for donkey years. He always tried to help you. He would always say to me when I visit him, ‘Sugars, I would never forget what you have done for us.’ ”Aloes said Manning was referring to his hard-hitting calypsoes about the UNC which he sang on the PNM platform while they were in and out of power.

After Manning sought therapy in Washington and returned home, Aloes said “I spoke to the chief. In our conversation Manning told me, ‘Boy, you know them people vex with you.’ I told him I would live with it.” Stating that Manning considered him tremendously, Aloes said “I still love that man with a passion. And as far as I am concerned, he will always be that special someone to me...I know we will never, ever get another like him.”

Aloes said when it’s fighting time for the PNM, he often took the frontline. “But when it’s time for work they don’t look at me. They don’t call me for a job. This has been happening even before I sang on the UNC platform in 2012. When news got around that I was going to sing on the PP’s stage, I got a call from a former female minister who told me that my performance would kill Manning. I gave the assurance that I was just doing a job and had no intention of joining the UNC.”

Shortly after, Aloes said he was offered a job to sing at the PNM’s family day at the eleventh hour. “But it was a little too late for that. I had to decline.”
 

The illegal firearms count in T&T can be as high as 15,000. This was the opinion of Opposition Senator Fitzgerald Hinds. He also said that a gun can be bought in Venezuela for as cheap as US$100. Hinds was speaking on the spate of gun-related crimes and murders affecting the country. The murder toll has reached 16 (13 of them gun related) for the first ten days of the new year.

Speaking to the Sunday Guardian on Thursday, Hinds said: “Seventy-five per cent of murders take place with firearms. The easy access to firearms is a major part of the problem. Police reported seizing approximately 500 illegal firearms, and those in the know estimate that there were about 12,000 to 15,000 illegal firearms in the country. 

“This figure is not too farfetched as T&T is just 25 minutes away from Venezuela. There’s regular traffic between the mainland and T&T, and we’ve been informed that persons can purchase an illegal firearm in Venezuela for as little as US$100. “This country’s investment in border security is very important, the PNM had a security policy, an OPV, and helicopter programmes and the Government dismantled them in the name of politics four years ago. 

“We’re naked, unprotected and exposed. As a result, drugs and guns are brought here and we have little control to the extent that little boys in our communities have easy access to these lethal weapons.” Venezuela has a factory that produces modern variants of the Russian AK-47 rifle.

He said not only were these weapons coming in small boats to T&T, fishermen were going down to the mainland and returning with a layer of fish on top and guns and cocaine hidden below, which was a more bountiful harvest than fish. Hinds said that it was a myth that only big shots with large ships and “big money” were bringing in guns and drugs.

“Little people,” yachties and poor fishermen also contributed substantially to the illicit trade all along the North coast, to the South-Western Peninsula and Cedros, he said. He said not only were T&T’s borders terribly porous, the guns and drugs were entering the country at legal ports of entry, concealed among legitimate cargo such as the 40-foot container with $30 million of high grade Arizona marijuana hidden among frozen chicken parts at the Port of Point Lisas in 2011.

Hinds said official and state-supported corruption were also major contributors to the gun problem. He said customs officers, police officers or people in authority can be bribed to turn a blind eye and in some cases, assist in importing and clearing their illicit shipments from legal ports of entry. 

Hinds said there was no way to solve the crime problem until it was dealt with a full frontal assault against state-supported corruption, corrupt police, Customs, Immigration, Defence Force and airport security elements. He said the 360 degree radar investment could be rendered useless in 20 minutes by the operator who could be paid to turn a blind eye to every ship that passed under his watch.

Hinds called for proper certification and integrity testing such as regular and unscheduled polygraph and drug testing for the people who were sworn to protect and not supplicate themselves to importers or merchants of death to the country’s detriment.  

Daurius Figueira: Go after the gun merchants
Criminologist Daurius Figueira said in order to reduce the rising level of deaths due to gun violence, the first thing was to determine how the guns were entering the country and go after the gun merchants and brokers to stem the importation of weapons. He said since before the end of the 20th century T&T has never dismantled any illicit gun trafficking and retailing organisations which were also linked with the drug trade. 

Figueira said people continued to hold on to the myopic ‘80s view that some drugs and guns were coming in on pirogues on a small scale, but in reality there is an organised transnational small arms trafficking nexus throughout the Caribbean that emanated from different countries from Latin America. He said the first source country for illegal firearms was Venezuela and now it is Brazil, with its Taurus gun manufacturing company making reproductions of Beretta and Glock pistols.

Figueira said more and more reliance was now being placed on Brazil as a source country as guns were increasingly entering the Caribbean island chains from the Central American pipeline. He said Latin America was flooded with weaponry from around the world and the influx of illegal arms in Guyana were predominantly of Brazilian origin.

With the exception of one person—Anna Deonarine—Jack Warner says the other members of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) who have quit were people of no substance. That’s the charge made by Warner in the wake of the resignation by the party’s former political leader Lyndira Oudit, who cut all ties with the ILP when she quit as a member of the party last week.

Warner, MP for Chaguanas West, who offered a flip-flop position on whether he would return to the fold of the United National Congress, said he was not prepared to constantly bash the People’s National Movement because that party was not in office.

Q: Mr Warner, when are you going to resign from the ILP…so many others have already done so?
A: (Refusing to see the facetiousness of the question, sitting in a pensive mood at the Arouca office of the Sunshine newspaper, of which he is the publisher, on Thursday morning) On the contrary, we have decided to publish how many persons have joined this party. Far too often the media have seemed to want to punish you or even kill the ILP, but the ILP will not die. The way they glorify the persons who leave, people of absolutely no significance...

Mrs Lyndira Oudit, political leader; Robin Montano, chairman… Montano came and left, it wasn’t the first time he has done that. He was, of course, a fly-by-night…

He was chairman of your party and you have described him as a fly-by-night?
In terms of when he came, how he left...The only person of substance who has left is Anna Deonarine.

Doesn’t this raise a fundamental question in the context of your political judgment if, as you said, the others were of no substance?
Montano, sure I found him deserving to be chairman of the party, but had he stayed and performed the way I thought he would have...but you don’t come and walk out of a party simply because the party didn’t give him the kind of solace he wanted, and I maintain that Miss Deonarine was the biggest loss sustained by the ILP.

She left because she did not like Mrs Oudit’s elevation. She made it quite clear to me that she could not accept Oudit as the party’s political leader and to this date, she has not gone on any media circuit to bad mouth the ILP. Inshan Ishmael said the same thing about Mrs Oudit, that he did not want to truck with her.

What was the problem they had with Mrs Oudit?
They found that she was too judgmental, that she lacked leadership qualities, intemperate and most of all, she made decisions which were not in the best interest of the party. Mr Warner, I am not here to defend anyone of those who left, including Mrs Oudit or Mr Montano, but... (Blowing his nostrils into a kerchief several times during the interview as a result of contracting the flu) Ok. Sure, sure, that is not a problem.

But the fact that these people saw it fit to abandon the ILP, doesn’t that speak something about your leadership style?
I told my executive not to judge her by my leadership, and I did not take back the leadership from Mrs Oudit, she gave it up. Mr Panday took back the leadership from Mr Dookeran. The ILP would not die because of the resignation of Mrs Oudit. Some things she has said makes me believe her heart is still in the UNC.

Is your heart still in the UNC?
(Emphatically and with a measure of disdain) Me? My heart is not in the UNC. I will never go back to the UNC. I will never go back to the UNC.

Mr Warner, you are telling me this at 8.15 on the morning of January 8, 2015, you will not return to the UNC fold?
The UNC and I may work together if, of course, that party reforms itself (briefly stops, requesting a caller on his cell phone to call back later).  Hear nah, any party and I could work together once that party has the same core objectives as the ILP and it is corruption free.

A common charge made by those who have left is that you are holding a vendetta against the Government and that you are planning to take the ILP into the bosom of the PNM?
(Rather dismissively) I have heard so. What they fail to understand is that they want me to keep attacking the PNM, but the PNM is not in government. Why I should do so when the UNC was elected to do better than the PNM and the PP has done worse?

Mrs Persad-Bissessar has good intentions, but she is being ruled by a cabal over which she has no control. We promised the people open and transparent government; we have not kept those promises. I have also heard of this vendetta talk and if you would do some research about what Mrs Oudit said about the Prime Minister, it would blow your mind. The knowledge I have now, Clevon, I did not have then.

Let us assume that on the night of the forthcoming general election the ILP has found itself in a position to join with the PP or the PNM to form the next government, which side would the ILP chose?
(A slight contemplative pause) Let me be honest with you, it is difficult to say at this time. I don’t know what the UNC would be in a new incarnation. I know what the PNM will be and therefore, it has to be based on what their respective manifesto says.

 Isn’t it strange, Mr Warner, that you have levelled some serious criticisms against the PP administration, particularly Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar...
 (Interjecting with a frown). Yes. I said so... 

Even apologising to the electorate for encouraging them to vote in the PP, and at this time you are still pondering that question?
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is not the same person as candidate Kamla Persad-Bissessar... (he goes on to speak about donations to the Government).

Hold on please, Mr Warner, aren’t  you now doing as the parliamentarians would say in the legislature that your are imputing improper motives towards the PM since we don’t know with any certainty this charge is a valid one you are making?
 Mr Raphael, until she can say where she got the money from for the Christmas toys, the nation is free to make its own judgment.

 I still think you are threading on dangerous waters and during the last Christmas season, the Government did disclose the origin of the toys that the Prime Minister herself distributed throughout the country?
(Placing one hand on the left side of his chest) Let me tell you something, Mr Raphael, I know much more than the public and I won’t say much at this stage, but I maintain that I know much more than the public.

And do the companies named in the story do they make toys? Which were not cleared by the Customs before entering TT?

How do you know that as a matter of fact?
I know that and I am not implying improper motives. I am saying I have evidence of what I am talking about the system that operates. At the end of the day in this country, perception is reality.

I personally do not subscribe to that saying...and weren’t you yourself a victim of that same perception about improper dealings within the FIFA organization?
Yes. Yes. And that is why up to this day I am still fighting it, because of that very same description of perception in this country. And up to this day, nobody, nobody has been able to charge me for anything. None! (Right hand goes back slightly thumping the left side of his chest). They might accuse me of working hard and if that is a crime, so be it.

Practise was postponed yesterday at the Desperadoes panyard after one of the workers contracted to move the steelpan rack was shot during gang warfare at Rudolph Link Road in Laventille. Atiba Pantin, of Diego Martin, died while receiving treatment at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. His killing pushed the toll to 17. A report said around 11 am, Pantin, who was hired by a contractor, was moving pan racks along with four other men when gunfire rang out. 

Chavez Best, the driver who employed Pantin, was also shot in the upper right side of his body, police said. Investigators said Best remained in stable condition up to late yesterday. Faced with high crime and violence in the Laventille community in 2009, Desperadoes had to flee their panyard’s Auditorium and Theatre Centre to hold practice sessions in Belmont.

Members of National Panorama champion Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra on Duke Street, Port-of-Spain, were also forced to abruptly end Panorama rehearsals when loud explosions were heard in its catchment area last year. In an interview yesterday at the panyard at Queen’s Park East, manager of Desperadoes, Finbar Fletcher, said Pantin was not a member of the band.

For the most, six people were at the panyard, speaking in quiet tones. “He was contracted to move the instrument and like he got caught in the crossfire. Shots were fired while the truck was coming down to bring the pans down to practise at Queen’s Park East. That is all I know that it happened while they were moving it down,” he said. Fletcher said the players no longer practise at the panyard in Laventille.

“We have more racks to bring down because there is only a quarter of them here. The contractor is shaken up and said they will move the rest of the racks tomorrow (this) morning,” he said. Fletcher said hopefully band members could start practising by today or tomorrow or by Wednesday for the latest. “A lot of the players heard and we were supposed to start here (to practise at Queen’s Park East) at 2 pm,” Fletcher said, as he looked at his wristwatch. “Let them stay home and rest,” he added.

When asked if he had any opinion on Pantin’s death or the crime situation, he said he did not “wish to comment at this time.” Fletcher said the band will practise three or four tunes after which the arranger will say which of the compositions will be played at the Panorama competition. “Practise will be affected for the day but not for the rest of the week. We have to continue,” he said. 

A post-mortem on Pantin’s body is expected to be done today at the Forensic Science Centre at Federation Park. Homicide officers are continuing investigations. 

Congress of the People (COP) leader Prakash Ramadhar says the party is embarrassed that the issue involving senior members Winston Dookeran and Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan has reached into the public domain. Responding to questions from the media at a press conference at the COP’s Charlieville office yesterday, Ramadhar said the matter was a very simple one.

He said a preliminary offer to get involved in the general election was made last year to COP MPs. He said Dookeran, the St Augustine MP, was written to by the party’s general secretary and was required to respond within a certain time. Ramadhar said he, too, had to go through the same process. Incumbent San Fernando East MP Seepersad-Bachan has maintained, however, she was never written to about recontesting the seat. The T&T Guardian was unable to reach Dookeran yesterday on the matter.

Ramadhar said the COP is extremely optimistic about the 2015 general election and he believes truth will win in the war against propaganda. The COP, he said, is firmly committed to the People’s Partnership and has already held discussions with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on how they can work together for the general election. The COP is in election campaign gear and a directive has gone out to members to build themselves in every way and work with the UNC in its strongholds.

He said the COP will contest the seats it now holds. Questioned about diminishing oil prices, Ramadhar said the COP’s general secretary and vice-chairman met with Finance Minister Larry Howai and advised that citizens must be protected first in any change that comes. As for the PM’s national address on the matter which came in for criticism from the Opposition, he said she could have said the Government was stopping the distribution of food cards and other projects but did not.

Ramadhar said the PM preferred to leave the slashes in expenditure in the various ministries to the people best suited to decide on it. She was guided in her address by “experts in oil and groups,” he said. He said T&T’s economy is in a far better location to absorb the shocks of falling oil prices but had a word of advice for citizens, “Every citizen should ensure his expenditure is for his needs and not his wants.”

Accusing the Government of murdering innocent citizens by refusing to pay the Clico United Policyholders Group the monies owed to them, former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj said their continued refusal has tainted the government’s word which is “of no use.” Addressing more than 100 policyholders at Gaston Court, Chaguanas, yesterday, Maharaj revealed that he had filed an appeal before the Privy Council.

The appeal, which was filed last Friday, claimed the Court of Appeal erred in several areas including:
•Allowing the Government to withdraw its concession that the group of policyholders had legitimate expectations based on promises made by the previous government.
• That the promises made by the last administration were not clear.
• That the Government was justified in breaching the legitimate expectations of the policyholders.
• That there was sufficient overriding public interest to justify government departing from any legitimate expectation.
•Their ignorance of the judge’s finding of fact and their failure to explain why it did this.

Maharaj said when the former People’s National Movement administration recognised that Clico and CL Financial were experiencing financial difficulties, the finance minister, at the time, made an open statement in the Parliament promising policyholders not to remove their monies and investments as they would guarantee its return.

Maharaj said based on the announcement and because they believed the Government guarantee could be relied upon, “These policyholders have kept their money in Clico. They are not asking for money to be paid to them, that does not belong to them.”

Referring to Sections 37 and 80 and of the Insurance Act, Maharaj said there is a statutory fund which compels the government of the day to ensure that an insurance company has sufficient assets or money in that fund so that the policyholder would not suffer in the event that the company goes into liquidation. While there was an apparent lack of monitoring by the previous government, Maharaj said, “The holder would get the full sum due under the policy, that is the law.”

Claiming the Peoples Partnership Government reneged on this guarantee within months of assuming office, Maharaj said the 350 policyholders were never consulted about their investments before they were offered an enhanced package in 2011.

Declaring it was a “scandal in the legal profession” when the Government retained a Queen’s Counsel to challenge the High Court’s decision which was in favor of the policyholders, Maharaj recounted the facts which led to the Court of Appeal overruling Justice Joan Charles’s judgment and ruling in favour of the Government which is contending that there is no money to pay the policyholders.

Maharaj, who claims that Clico has approximately $17 billion in cash, has challenged Finance Minister Larry Howai to provide a detailed account of the company’s assets, its current value and potential market value during the time when the reduced offer was made in 2011 and now.

Questioning why the money had not been placed in the Statutory Fund and used to pay policyholders as total liabilities would amount to approximately $1.7 billion, Maharaj said the Prime Minister needed to take responsibility for the situation. Confident of winning the appeal before the Privy Council, Maharaj said the Government was also attempting to stymie these efforts as they were objecting to an early hearing which could take place as early as March.

Instead, he said the hearing could now be scheduled for later on in July. He said: “I am 500 per cent confident that you will be successful before the Privy Council. I am telling you today that your judgment in the Court of Appeal was wrong and you will win in the Privy Council,” Maharaj repeated.

He said the delay in settling this matter had led to people dying as they were unable to afford proper healthcare and medication, children being “murdered” as their families were left penniless and others having their education cut short as they had to be taken out of school. “What is the sense you putting on a santa claus hat and coat and going all over the country and you killing children? You actually murdered them by your policy,” Maharaj said.

A former attorney general said yesterday that T&T has been experiencing a crisis and that innocent citizens were the ones paying the price. Responding to questions after yesterday’s meeting with the Clico Policyholders Group, former AG Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj said the Clico matter was only one example of bad governance. “This is just another one of the issues of bad governance in T&T. It is an abuse and misuse of governmental power for their own purposes,” he said.

Referring to the matter which is now before the Privy Council, Maharaj said, regardless of one’s political affiliations, everyone had a duty to stand up for what is right. Admitting he was still a member of the United National Congress, Maharaj drew looks of surprise from those nearby as he said, “I must confess I am ashamed for the UNC, what has happened to governance in T&T and at what is happening, I am ashamed.”

“We cannot call wrongs right, when they are totally wrong. If this is done, we won’t leave a society for the future,” he said. Referring to other issues such as crime and poor healthcare, Maharaj said, “We are in trouble in T&T and we have plenty problems.” Contrary to claims that crime was under control, Maharaj said law-abiding citizens were afraid to venture out of their homes, whilst many others fear their loved ones may not return home when they leave for work at the start of the each day.

He also referred to the lack of services and poor delivery of healthcare at public institutions across the country. “I see all the problems in T&T which are happening. I had thought we would be living in a better society today and I am very disappointed but there is nothing I can do as I am no longer in electoral politics,” Maharaj said.

He added: “All the institutions in this country seem to be collapsing as there does not seem to be any values,” the former AG said. “People do not seem to have the values of honesty and integrity anymore. People seem to say anything, people as ministers seem to say anything, get on any way. Look at the proceedings in parliament, it is of such a low behaviour, even the way the proceedings are conducted so that, like you, I am disappointed.”

Pained by the continuation of such occurrences, Maharaj said, “I am sometimes distressed and depressed but we have to have faith and stand up for what we believe is right.” Highlighting the crime situation, Maharaj said, “I listen to all this talk about crime and what government is doing to fight crime and crime is under control and I am vex, I am annoyed because crime is not under control.”

Accusing government of “pussyfooting and fiddling with serious issues,” Maharaj added, “Are we so stupid? Does the government think we are brain dead? A few months before an election, they are coming to bring a hanging bill when hanging is the law of T&T?”

How can masqueraders expect free movement for Carnival if the parade route remained the same? That was the question put forward by National Carnival Bandleaders Association (NCBA) president David Lopez as he commented on the recently-announced official parade route for Carnival 2015. National Carnival Commission (NCC) chairman Lorraine Pouchet made the announcement last Wednesday.

Lopez, who has spoken out repeatedly in the past few years calling for changes in the routes from expansion to route reversals, did not seem very happy with the route. He said, however, the NCBA was willing to do all in its ability to support the NCC to ensure a smooth and congestion-free Carnival 2015 next month. Lopez said Carnival organisations and bands had a responsibility to masqueraders to ensure that Carnival activities had few problems.

“Bandleaders are their own problems, Lopez said. “The only institution that rejects change is the cemetery.” “It is the same route but with bigger trucks, more vendors and criss-crossing bands on the roads. Lopez said the NCBA had asked for an extension of the route into St James to make the parade longer but the police had said they did not have enough manpower to properly secure the route.

“It is strange, though, that they seem to have the strength to manage Socadrome.” We will support the NCC because we in the NCBA want the route to work and we will do anything in our power to ensure we have a healthy Carnival.” While Lopez’ main complaint was that the route had not changed, it was praised by two other mas organisations, the T&T Carnival Bandleaders Association (TTCBA) and the National carnival development Foundation (NCDF).

At a press conference on Thursday, NCDF chairman Mahindra Satram-Maharaj, seemed a bit unsure about the Carnival announcements. Nevertheless, he stood in support of the NCC’s decisions on the route, including the decision to allow bands to remain in the competition as long as they crossed at least three judging points, giving them the option to skip the Piccadilly greens. He said the success of the route was dependent on effective management by security forces.

“We are of the view that we will see a full improvement in management of the route,” Satram-Maharaj said. He said this would happen once NCC implemented the organisation’s recommendations. TTCBA president Gerard Weekes also supported the NCC’s route. In a news release Weekes thanked the NCC for maintaining the traditional senior route “especially in the face of proposals by NCBA to reverse it once again.”

“We are also pleased that the Junior route has been returned to its original format as this takes a great deal of stress off the shoulders of the very young masqueraders,” Weekes said.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Wayne Dick says officers of the Homicide Bureau are sometimes assigned to each investigate as many as 34 homicides. At a police news conference on December 31, acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams announced that the Homicide Bureau received a boost of 100 detectives to assist in outstanding investigations. Up to late yesterday, the murder toll stood at 18 for the year.

In a telephone interview yesterday, Dick, who is on vacation, said any new officer will need training, leadership and mentorship. The number of homicides Dick gave as being under investigation by a single officer was confirmed yesterday by other officers assigned to the Homicide Bureau. “The first aspect is a training plan, resources, physical resources and structure of accountability,” he said. He said new or inexperienced officers cannot just assume the duty of a homicide officer.

“They need training, leadership and mentorship. They need an opportunity to go abroad and work in the field for a short time. There is a difference in policing in American communities, though,” he said. Dick said while he was on active duty, he attempted to work on several projects with an officer who assisted in training and the development of officers within the United States Embassy. 

“I was trying to put something in place before the end of 2014. The officers need mentorship which will drive them to be like their senior officers or even better,” he said. He said solving murders were not simple as “baking a cake” and takes time. “Solving a homicide does not have a time span for solving but the best work that can be done occurs within the first 72 hours (after the crime occurs),” he said.

Dick said officers needed to pay attention to current investigation and those that are “hot” and monitor those with “life in it.” He said the majority of senior officers in the Police Service executive does not have major experience as homicides officers.

Hunger striker Dr Wayne Kublalsingh says continuing the Debe to Mon Desir leg of the Point Fortin Highway in this time of diminishing oil prices constitutes criminality in public office. 

“Debe to Mon Desir is excessive, wasteful, destructive and possibly violently corrupt. Any attempt to now take a loan or persist with Debe to Mon Desir, when there is a superior alternative available, the taxpayer is already saddled with debt, oil and gas prices are diminishing and massive destruction will be incurred, constitutes criminality in public office. “It deserves the firmest possible public reprimand and sanction. It is rubbing salt into our economic wound.”

Kublalsingh, whose protest hunger strike is well over 100 days, was responding to the an announcement in Parliament by Works Minister Dr Suruj Rambachan that the billion-dollar Point Fortin Highway project will not be stopped in planned cutbacks for 2015. Kublalsingh, head of the Highway Re-route Movement, had said in December last year the Government will be forced to stop the project because of falling oil prices and that will be a victory for the people.

Clearly upset yesterday, he recalled in a release that the Inter-American Development Bank, in a feasibility study of the Point Fortin Highway, had said it was over designed, too expensive, a better alternative was possible and the tendering process was questionable. The IADB had said it would not entertain any proposal for funding this project. 

Rambachan said the National Infrastructure Development Company had secured a final loan of $1.5 billion last December for the project and money was available to continue it.

It was not a political decision, but a state responsibility. So said Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Saturday evening as she responded to critics who questioned the Government’s decision to give a $55 million Christmas gift to Christian churches last year. While some churches are still to receive their slice of the gift, Persad-Bissessar said it is Government’s responsibility to support faith-based organisations. 

Last week the T&T Transparency Institute called for accountability and transparency in the award of the allocation to churches and make public the criteria it used to allocate the money. On Saturday, Persad-Bissessar, addressing the South Caribbean Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists Vision One Million rally at the Ato Boldon Stadium, said, “I believe that Government funding for religious organisations must never be a political decision.”

She told worshippers whatever religion, whatever event, whatever the size of the community, “using funding as part of a support mechanism is a responsibility we all share to keep our country progressing.” She added, “It is not a decision we make at a particular moment, it is a responsibility because of how important you are to social stability and progress in ways that money cannot buy.”

She said faith-based organisations are critical to stability and harmony in T&T and continued to work quietly to build a better country. “It is now especially that our priorities must put people first, not as a favour to anyone, but as the responsibility of Government. “You, therefore, and all religious organisations have a friend in my Government,” Persad-Bissessar said. She said T&T had been facing challenging times with the economic uncertainty tied to falling oil prices.